News Releases
Hoeven Continues Work to Improve Rail Safety
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven Thursday contacted local, state and top federal officials following the derailment early Wednesday morning of a train carrying crude oil near Heimdal, N.D. The senator spoke with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Sarah Feinberg, National Safety Transportation Board (NTSB) Vice Chairman Dr. Bella Dihn-Zarr, Wells County Commissioner Randy Suckut and the governor's office, as well as officials of the BNSF Railway. "We're grateful first of all, th… Continue Reading
05.08.15
Hoeven Announces UND Team Selected as Center of Excellence for Researching UAS Integration into NAS
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected the ASSURE team, led by the University of North Dakota and Mississippi State University, as the Center of Excellence for researching the safe integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into the National Airspace. The Senate Appropriations Committee, on which Hoeven serves, approved $5 million in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget to launch the competitive program. ASSURE, the Alliance for Sy… Continue Reading
05.07.15
Hoeven Statement on Senate Passage of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement following the Senate's passage of the bipartisan Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which he cosponsored: "Any agreement with Iran needs to prevent them from building a nuclear bomb; otherwise we need to keep our sanctions in place. The sanctions we have are very strong, and effectively slowing down Iran's economy. They're hurting their ability both to conduct terrorism and build a nuclear weapon. So we need to ensure that an… Continue Reading
05.06.15
Hoeven, Donnelly Reintroduce Legislation to Reduce Delays in Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Projects
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) today introduced the North American Energy Infrastructure Act, a measure that will prevent unnecessarily protracted delays for important energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, electrical transmission lines and natural gas pipelines. The Keystone XL pipeline is now in its sixth year of review following a series of favorable environmental impact studies (EIS) supporting approval of the project and a Congres… Continue Reading
05.06.15
Hoeven Outlines Move America Legislation to Valley Leaders to Help Advance Flood Protection for Region
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp today met in Washington with Red River Valley leaders to help advance permanent flood protection for the region. Hoeven has been working through the Appropriations Committee and also through new legislation, the Move America Act, with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), to help fund the project. Today's group included Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney, Moorhead Mayor Del Rae Williams, Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority Chairman Darrell Vanyo, City Administrator P… Continue Reading
05.06.15
Hoeven Statement on Today's Derailment in Heimdal, N.D.
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement in response to the derailment of a train carrying crude oil near Heimdal, North Dakota: "Our first concern when something like this happens is always lives and property. We're grateful that there were no reported injuries as a result of today's derailment. We want to thank the first responders on the scene and our thoughts are with those who had to evacuate their homes to assure their safety. We are also grateful to the state… Continue Reading
05.06.15
Hoeven: HHS Announces Federal Funding for North Dakotan Children with Special Health Care Needs
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, who serves on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $47,011.00 to Family Voices of North Dakota. Family Voices of North Dakota serves children with special health needs, and their families, by helping them with Medicaid waivers, assisting veteran parents raise children with special health care needs, improving hospital policies that impact hospitalized children, advocatin… Continue Reading
05.05.15
Hoeven Statement on Congress Passing the 2016 Budget Report
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the Senate voted to pass the Conference Report to the 2016 Congressional budget, which the House passed last week: "Today, the Senate passed a compromise budget resolution blending the Senate's and the House's budget resolution for 2016. The measure is a responsible plan that balances the nation's budget in 10 years without raising taxes. This is essential because we owe it to our children and future generations to bala… Continue Reading
05.05.15
Hoeven, Bipartisan Group of Senators Call for Increased Action to Address Avian Influenza Outbreak
WASHINGTON - In a letter sent today to leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator John Hoeven joined a bipartisan group of 14 other senators in requesting additional support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to proactively address the ongoing highly virulent avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak. As of now, HPAI has been detected in nearly 20 states across the country. Although the virus poses minimal risk to humans, it has seriou… Continue Reading
05.05.15
Hoeven Announces More Than $1.1 Million HHS Grant to Valley Community Health Centers
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Valley Community Health Centers in Grand Forks a $1,180,726.00 grant. The grant will be used to enhance administrative operations to provide improved health care services at Valley Community Health Centers. The funds are made available through the HHS Health Resources and Services Administration's Health Center Program, which was extended for an additional two years through th… Continue Reading
05.04.15
Wyden, Hoeven Introduce Move America Program to Boost Infrastructure Investment
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, R-N.D. and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would bring billions of dollars of investment to state and local government to help grow and repair America's aging infrastructure. The bill, the "Move America Act of 2015," would expand tax-exempt private activity bonds and create a new infrastructure tax credit, giving states significant flexibility to pursue infrastructure projects that are badly needed acr… Continue Reading
05.04.15
Hoeven: Operations Underway at New Dakota Prairie Diesel Refinery
DICKINSON, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today thanked MDU Resources Group, Inc. and Calumet Specialty Products Partners for their innovative investment in North Dakota as operations get underway at their new $300 million Dakota Prairie Diesel Refinery in southwestern North Dakota. The senator cited the greenfield fuels refinery, the first built in the U.S. in nearly 40 years, as a good example of the kind of infrastructure investments needed to grow domestic energy production, create good jobs and… Continue Reading
05.01.15
Hoeven Statement on DOT's Release of New Oil Train Safety Regulations
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement in response to the Department of Transportation's new oil train safety regulations: "This morning, the Department of Transportation issued new safety regulations for moving crude oil by rail, including a revised standard for tanker car construction and new rules governing speed and braking. We will now review the new rules carefully to make sure they enable the industry to move crude oil safely and efficiently. "We have been… Continue Reading
05.01.15
Hoeven Announces More Than $2.6 Million in USDA Grants, Loans for North Dakota Towns
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a total of $2,637,000 in grants and loans to the towns of Harvey and Michigan City as well as the North Central Rural Water Consortium II to help with water and waste disposal projects. The funds are distributed as follows: Harvey, North Dakota - $952,000 grant; $1,210,000 loan - The funds will help pay for the upgrade and replacement of water and waste disposal infrastructure. Michig… Continue Reading
05.01.15
Hoeven, King Introduce Healthy School Meals Flexibility Act
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-ND) and Angus King (I-Maine) today introduced the bipartisan Healthy School Meals Flexibility Act in the Senate (S.1146). The Healthy School Meals Act would provide permanent flexibility for schools to comply with the USDA's sodium and whole grain requirements under the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. The legislation does not change any other current requirements for calories, fruits or vegetables. "We're working with school nutrition professio… Continue Reading
04.30.15
Hoeven Announces More Than $1.4 Million in HUD Grants for North Dakota
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded more than $1.4 million in housing grants to 15 housing authorities across North Dakota. The funds are made available through the Public Housing Operating Fund which helps local housing authorities support vulnerable low- and extremely low-income families. The awards are as follows: Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority: $481,533 Burleigh County Housing Authority: … Continue Reading
04.30.15
Hoeven Presses EPA Head to Rescind Waters of the U.S. Rule
WASHINGTON - At a hearing of the Appropriations Committee on Interior and the Environment, Senator John Hoeven Wednesday pressed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy to withdraw agency's proposed Waters of the U.S. rule, which would bring almost every acre of wet ground under federal Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction. Hoeven has been working on two fronts to eliminate the proposed Waters of the U.S. regulation. He is cosponsoring legislation to rescind the rule, and he i… Continue Reading
04.30.15
Hoeven Outlines Priorities for Nuclear Triad to Defense Leaders
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven this week told an audience of Air Force personnel, defense industry professionals and congressional staff that maintaining a strong nuclear triad as a visible deterrent is the most effective strategy to preserve peace and stability. The senator highlighted the importance of the Nuclear Force Improvement Program (NFIP) and the modernization of the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) missile program during his speech to the defense leaders. Nuclear Force Improvement Progr… Continue Reading
04.30.15
Hoeven, Klobuchar Water Heater Efficiency Legislation Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) announced that President Obama this afternoon signed their Water Heater Efficiency legislation into law. The new law enables rural electric power cooperatives and their members to continue using large, energy-efficient water heaters in "demand response" conservation programs. The measure passed the Senate last month and the House earlier this month. The bill addresses the Department of Energy's (DOE) plan to phase out these … Continue Reading
04.29.15
Hoeven Working to Reduce Cost of Flood Insurance
FARGO, N.D. - During a recent Senate hearing, Senator John Hoeven urged Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate to help control the cost of flood insurance by working closely with local communities to ensure the agency's flood plain mapping process considers ongoing efforts to build permanent flood protection. Hoeven serves as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Homeland Security, where he oversees the agency's more than $40 billion budget, includ… Continue Reading