News Releases
Hoeven: Create Environment to Attract Investment in Natural Gas Technology and Infrastructure
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today at a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee worked to find ways to attract investment in new technologies and infrastructure for capturing and transporting natural gas from oil and gas wells and to reduce flaring. Hoeven questioned experts representing government, industry and academics on the future of the U.S. natural gas industry and pressed them to find new and innovative ways to decrease flaring. "North Dakota has an abundance o… Continue Reading
11.07.11
First Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad and Representative Rick Berg announced today that on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST) the federal government will conduct the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. The test will last up to three-and-a-half minutes. During this period, regularly scheduled television, radio, cable and satellite shows will be interrupted as the system is being tested. The delegation wants to ensure that all North Dakotans are aware that t… Continue Reading
11.05.11
Hoeven: Corps Agrees to Flexible Missouri River Management, Better Communication
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today said the Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to a more flexible approach to Missouri River management ahead of potential flooding in the basin next year. Gen. John McMahon late Friday said the Corps will "change its approach to Missouri River Mainstream operations." First, the Corps has agreed to be more flexible with fall and early winter releases. "We will get as much water out of the system as possible as weather permits and the repair work allows," sai… Continue Reading
11.04.11
Delegation Encourages ND Guard, Reserve Members to Nominate Outstanding Employers
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad and Congressman Rick Berg announced today that Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a U.S. Department of Defense organization, is accepting applications for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award, which recognizes employers who show exceptional support for their National Guard and Reserve member employees who are fulfilling their service obligations. The delegation encourages North Dakota's service men and women to nominate employers w… Continue Reading
11.04.11
Hoeven, Bipartisan Group of Senators Challenge Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Executive Bonuses
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven and a bipartisan group of 60 senators, 35 Republicans and 25 Democrats, today challenged the Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) approval of more than $12 million in bonuses for ten Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac executives. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, government-sponsored enterprises (GSE), have received nearly $141 billion in taxpayer-provided bailout funding, but marked losses of approximately $235 billion since the beginning of 2009. Freddie Mac lost $4.4 bil… Continue Reading
11.03.11
Hoeven Asks Corps' Top General to Review Recent Decision on Lake Sakakawea Level and Provide More Flood Protection
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today asked Maj. Gen. Merdith W.B. Temple, current Acting Chief of Engineers of the Army Corps of Engineers, to provide detailed information on the downstream constraints that prompted the Corps to reject the state's request to lower water levels on Lake Sakakawea this fall. He also requested that the general provide residents with a better idea of when the agency will be able to create more storage capacity and greater flood protection ahead of next spring. Ge… Continue Reading
11.02.11
Hoeven Statement in Honor of 122nd Anniversary of North Dakota's Statehood
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today released the following statement in honor of the 122nd anniversary, Nov. 2, of North Dakota's statehood: "On the 122nd anniversary of North Dakota's statehood, we celebrate and honor the many contributions of our state and people to this great nation. The pioneering spirit that led the first North Dakotans to settle our state continues to inspire us today. North Dakota was built with hard work, resourcefulness and common sense, and our state … Continue Reading
11.02.11
Hoeven Works to Support Devils Lake Rail, Williston Bypass Projects
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today met with BNSF CEO and President Matt Rose to discuss plans to rebuild a 20-mile span of track and two bridges near Churchs Ferry that serves Amtrak's Empire Builder line across northern North Dakota. The line serves both passenger and freight service through Devils Lake, Rugby, Minot, Fargo, Grand Forks, Stanley and Williston. The track was closed several times this spring due to flooding and high water. Rose earlier this year committed BNSF to funding … Continue Reading
10.26.11
Hoeven Honors Service Members, Families on Day of the Deployed
BISMARCK, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today thanked the nation's deployed service members and their families for their courage and commitment to country at the Sixth Annual Day of the Deployed ceremony at Bismarck State College. "Our men and women in uniform bravely and willingly answer the call to serve our nation. We are extremely grateful to them and their loved ones for all of the sacrifices they make on our behalf. These brave Americans are in our thoughts and prayers not only on this Da… Continue Reading
10.25.11
Hoeven: Bipartisan Bill on Coal Ash Recycling Will Protect Local Oversight, Help Create Jobs and Reduce Energy Costs
BISMARCK, N.D. - At a news conference today, Senator John Hoeven outlined the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2011, bipartisan legislation he recently introduced to ensure the safe and effective disposal and recycling of coal ash, a byproduct of coal-fired electricity generation. Hoeven and North Dakota business and energy leaders underscored the importance of the legislation for local companies and its benefits to North Dakotans, including job creation and reduced energy costs. Hoe… Continue Reading
10.21.11
Statement of Sen. John Hoeven on the President's Signing of the South Korean, Colombian, and Panamanian Free Trade Agreements
BISMARCK - Senator John Hoeven today issued the statement below following the President's signing of the long-pending U.S. free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. Hoeven worked with congressional colleagues on both sides of the aisle and the Administration to win approval for the agreements. He and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell earlier this year met in Seoul with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and prominent Korean business leaders to advance the U.S.-Sout… Continue Reading
10.21.11
Hoeven, Conrad Press FEMA for Comprehensive Flood Protection Plan, Flexible Home Buyout Policy
MINOT - Senator John Hoeven and Senator Kent Conrad today met in Minot with David Miller, FEMA's Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance and Mitigation, and state and county officials to coordinate federal, state and local efforts for the Minot flood recovery. Specifically, they're focusing on using FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to buy out homes, which will also help with the construction of flood protection. Associate Administrator Miller is in Minot to help with the p… Continue Reading
10.20.11
Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Coal Ash Recycling Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.) today introduced the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2011, legislation that will ensure the safe and effective disposal of coal combustion residuals, a byproduct of coal-fired electricity generation that is also recycled as a valuable building material. Under this legislation, states could set up the… Continue Reading
10.20.11
Statement of Sen. John Hoeven on the Death of Libyan Dictator Moammar Gadhafi
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement on news that Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi has been killed: "The death of Libyan dictator Col. Moammar Gadhafi brings to a close one of the most brutal regimes of the modern era. He coldly murdered innocent Americans and other nationals, as well as his own people. "The role of American munitions and technology in his removal was decisive, and underscores the importance of a strong U.S. military in a dangerous world. … Continue Reading
10.20.11
Hoeven, Conrad Introduce Coal Ash Recycling Legislation
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad today introduced the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2011, legislation that will ensure the safe and effective disposal of coal combustion residuals, a byproduct of coal-fired electricity generation that is also recycled as a valuable building material. Under this legislation, states could set up their own permitting program for the management and disposal of coal ash that is based on existing EPA regulations to protect human health … Continue Reading
10.20.11
ND Senators Continue to Push for CDBG Disaster Relief
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven today urged U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan to support additional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for those impacted by this year's flood disaster in Minot. HUD oversees the CDBG program. "We have seen absolute devastation in Minot this year. They need our help, and they need it now. We need to look at the CDBG program to as an effective, efficient and flexible tool for providing funding for disa… Continue Reading
10.20.11
Delegation Announces More than $3.4 Million in FEMA Grants to Help Electric Co-ops Recover From Flood Damage
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded a total of $3,427,376 in federal funding to two North Dakota electric cooperatives to help them recover from this spring's devastating floods. "Our utilities - as well as our communities - were hit hard by floods this year. This funding will help rebuild the infrastructure at two key electric co-ops and help maintain a reliable source of… Continue Reading
10.19.11
Hoeven Statement on Phoenix International's Fargo Expansion
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven released the following statement today regarding the expansion of Phoenix International, a John Deere Company, in Fargo. The company broke ground today on a new 90,000-square-foot facility that is expected to be completed by 2012. The company's $22 million expansion will create an estimated 60 new jobs by 2017. "In North Dakota, we've worked hard to create a pro-business environment that both encourages investment in our state and also helps our companies reach… Continue Reading
10.19.11
Hoeven Calls on Corps Division Commander To Follow State Water Commission Recommendations for Lake Sakakawea
WASHINGTON - In a meeting today with Gen. John McMahon, the Army Corps of Engineers' Northwest Division Commander, Senator John Hoeven reiterated his call for the agency to follow the North Dakota State Water Commission's recommendation and create 750,000 acre feet of additional storage capacity in Lake Sakakawea and help to avert possible flooding next spring. Currently, the Corps plans to reduce the surface elevation of Lake Sakakawea to 1,837.5 feet mean sea level, the same level as last yea… Continue Reading
10.19.11
Conrad-Hoeven Bill Boosts Support for Disaster Aid
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven introduced legislation last night calling for an additional $600 million in emergency Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) bringing the total amount of CDBG disaster funds to $1 billion to help communities in North Dakota and across the nation recover from natural disasters this year. "I've been there on the ground in Minot. In Bismarck. In Mandan. I've seen the devastation. Thousands of families lost their homes to these devastating flood… Continue Reading
