News Releases
Hoeven: Farmers and Ranchers Can Sign-Up for Livestock Indemnity Program Beginning Today
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven announced that beginning today, April 15, North Dakota farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock losses can contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to sign-ups for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) today. The 2014 Farm Bill provides LIP for the life of the farm bill, including coverage for the current fiscal year, since the program expired in 2011. It covers 75 percent of the value of the animals lost with an aggregate limit of $125,000. To ex… Continue Reading
04.15.14
Hoeven Calls on USDA, DOE and EPA to Halt Regulations on Livestock Emissions
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven is calling on the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to refrain from regulating livestock emissions as part of the President's proposed methane reduction plan. In a letter to the agency heads, Hoeven pressed them not to impose regulations on livestock emissions that if enacted could cost medium-sized dairy farms up to $22,000 and medium-sized cattle farms up to $27,000 annually. "We need com… Continue Reading
04.14.14
Hoeven, Cantwell Introduce the Farm and Small Business Expensing Tax Relief Act
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) have introduced the Farm and Small Business Expensing Tax Relief Act, legislation that eases the burden of unfair and onerous new repair expensing regulations for small businesses and family farms that became effective January 1st of this year. Hoeven's and Cantwell's legislation amends the IRS code to alleviate the negative impacts of the new Tangible Property Repair Regulations (TD 9636), which forces family farms and othe… Continue Reading
04.14.14
Hoeven: BNSF Says it will Devote Unit Trains, Necessary Crews to Help Catch Up on Fertilizer Deliveries
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven spoke to BNSF Railway Executive Chairman Matt Rose on the phone this weekend to urge the railroad to do everything it can to ensure timely delivery of fertilizer for spring planting. Hoeven pressed him on the importance of getting the product to farmers within the planting window and Rose told the senator that the company will take specific steps to reduce the delays and should be able to cut them considerably by reallocating resources. "Getting seed and fertil… Continue Reading
04.11.14
Hoeven, Vitter, Cochran to FEMA: Quit Stalling on Flood Insurance Policy Protection
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), David Vitter (R-La.) and Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) Thursday sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate requesting a meeting to discuss a plan to implement the recently passed flood insurance reform law and reinstating rates as Congress intended. The Senators want Fugate to explain why property owners continue to be charged higher flood insurance rates, despite a bipartisan law passed in March to protect the… Continue Reading
04.10.14
Hoeven Announces Farmers and Ranchers Can Sign-Up for Livestock Indemnity Program Beginning April 15
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced North Dakota farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock losses can contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office beginning April 15 to sign up for the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). The 2014 Farm Bill provides LIP for the life of the farm bill, including coverage for the current fiscal year, since the program expired in 2011. It covers 75 percent of the value of the animals lost with an aggregate limit of $125,000. To expedite applica… Continue Reading
04.10.14
Hoeven: Air Force Expects to Sign Final Enhanced Use Lease for Grand Sky in Early June
WASHINGTON - At a hearing of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee this week, Senator John Hoeven thanked Kathleen I. Ferguson, Acting Assistant Secretary for Air Force Installations, Environment and Logistics for the Air Force's support in creating Grand Sky, a new state-of-the-art aerospace business and technology park on Grand Forks Air Force Base and pressed for a timeline for finalizing the Air Force's enhanced use lease (EUL) with Grand Fork… Continue Reading
04.09.14
Hoeven Calls on Transportation Sec. Foxx to Keep Moving Forward on Comprehensive Plan to Improve Rail Safety
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today again pressed federal regulators to continue moving forward on a comprehensive plan to enhance safety measures for transporting petroleum products by rail. Testifying at a hearing of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development were Department of Transportation (DoT) Secretary Anthony Foxx and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Deborah Hersman. Hoeven serves on the Appropriations Committee. Hoeven sai… Continue Reading
04.09.14
Hoeven, Klobuchar Driver Privacy Act Moves Forward, Passes Committee
WASHINGTON - The Driver Privacy Act, introduced by Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), moved a step closer to passage today when the Senate Commerce Committee voted unanimously to approve the legislation. The bipartisan bill, which protects a driver's personal privacy by making explicit that the owner of a vehicle also owns the information collected by the vehicle's Event Data Recorder (EDR), now has 23 cosponsors. An EDR has the ability to continuously collect at least 4… Continue Reading
04.08.14
Hoeven Presses for More Blender Pumps at Gas Stations
WASHINGTON - At a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee today, Senator John Hoeven pressed the importance of advancing biofuel use across the country using market-based solutions, specifically by increasing the number of blender pumps available at gas stations. Hoeven was joined by Richard Childress, a former NASCAR driver, who testified about the need to increase the number of blender pumps available to the public. "We have got to get more blender pumps at our gas stations," Hoeven sai… Continue Reading
04.08.14
Hoeven, Heitkamp: Administration Backs Off Missile Silo Reductions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp today announced that the Pentagon has decided to preserves all of the nation's missile silos in the military's new strategic force structure under the New START Treaty with Russia. The Pentagon had originally planned a study preparatory to demolishing some of the silos, even though such a move was not required under the treaty. As members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven and Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) authored a provisi… Continue Reading
04.08.14
Hoeven to Corps: Be Prepared for Possible Spring Flooding
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today met with Col. Joel Cross, Omaha District Commander of the Army Corps of Engineers, and other Corps officials to review the spring weather forecast and flood preparations in North Dakota communities. "As spring advances, we again asked the Corps to closely monitor conditions and the forecast in the Upper Missouri River Basin to make sure they are doing all they can to prevent and prepare for potential flooding in the region," Hoeven said. "While the current… Continue Reading
04.07.14
Hoeven, Klobuchar Wager Home State Delicacies on Frozen Four
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today announced that they have agreed to a friendly wager on the outcome of the April 10 NCAA Frozen Four semifinals faceoff between the University of North Dakota (UND) and the University of Minnesota. If North Dakota wins, Klobuchar has agreed to provide Hoeven with a homemade frozen hotdish. In the event that Minnesota wins, Hoeven will provide Klobuchar with a box of North Dakota's famous chocolate covered potato chips k… Continue Reading
04.03.14
Hoeven Calls on Fellow Appropriations Committee Members for More Rail Inspectors, Support for Rail Safety
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called on fellow members of the committee to include funding for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to enhance railroad safety. Hoeven made the request in a letter to Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Me.). The complete text of the letter can b… Continue Reading
04.03.14
Hoeven Statement on Record Setting "Lady Hawk" Flight
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement on the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron at Grand Forks Air Force Base, which used an all-female crew to fly an RQ-4 Global Hawk for 34.3 hours on a mission dubbed "Flight of the Lady Hawk," the longest ever non-refueled flight by a military aircraft. "Grand Forks Air Force Base is home to some of the finest pilots in the nation, and this squadron has once again demonstrated its tremendous skill in setting a record for the longes… Continue Reading
04.02.14
Hoeven: Indian Affairs Committee Holds Hearing on Native American Children's Safety Act
WASHINGTON - At a hearing of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee today, Senator John Hoeven was joined by Spirit Lake Tribal Chairman Leander R. McDonald to testify in support of Hoeven's Native American Children's Safety Act, legislation to implement protections for Native American children placed by tribal courts into the tribal foster care system. "Children, both on and off the reservation, deserve a safe home environment," said Hoeven. "The Native American Children's Safety Act sets height… Continue Reading
04.02.14
Hoeven Calls for Passage of His Energy Security Package to Create Jobs, Boost Domestic Energy Production, Grow U.S. Economy
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today said the best way to address long-term unemployment is by creating jobs, and called for passage of a package of energy legislation that will boost domestic energy production, grow the U.S. economy and create thousands of jobs for the American people. The legislation includes the Energy Security Act, Empower States Act, the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (DEJA) and Stream Buffer Zone Rule. "Our energy industry is creating good jobs to help get people back to … Continue Reading
04.01.14
Hoeven, Barrasso, Murkowski Introduce Amendment to Create Nearly 100,000 Jobs, Help U.S. Economy Support Allies
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), ranking member on the Senate Energy Committee, today introduced the Energy Security Act as an amendment to the Unemployment Insurance Extension bill. The senators say that between the Keystone XL pipeline project and LNG exports, the measure could create nearly 100,000 jobs, boost the U.S. economy and aid our allies in Ukraine, NATO and Japan. The legislation is designed to approve the long-delay… Continue Reading
03.31.14
Hoeven Statement on UND Men's Hockey Team Advancement to Frozen Four
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement upon the University of North Dakota (UND) men's hockey team winning the NCAA Midwest Region championship game and advancing to the NCAA Frozen Four for the 20th time in the program's history. "The UND men's hockey team has continued a remarkable season with a big, exciting win over FSU at the NCAA Midwest Region championship, which now takes the team to the Frozen Four," said Hoeven. "North Dakota is proud of the continued su… Continue Reading
03.28.14
Hoeven, Heitkamp, Cramer Working to Preserve, Provide for North Dakota Air Bases, Missions
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp and Congressman Kevin Cramer this week met separately with representatives from the Grand Forks Base Realignment Impact Committee (BRIC) and Minot's Task Force 21, as well as leaders of the North Dakota National Guard. The delegation thanked the groups for their efforts to support the missions at North Dakota air bases and discussed the continued priorities and needs of the bases. "North Dakota's air bases are vitally important to both our st… Continue Reading
