Senator Cramer's Maiden Speech

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. HOEVEN. Madam President, I rise today because it is my honor to introduce my colleague, who actually needs no introduction, but for this speech today I have the pleasure to introduce Kevin Cramer, who will be delivering his official maiden address to the U.S. Senate.

I have known Kevin for many years and he has always been an incredibly diligent worker for the people of North Dakota. He has served our State in many different capacities. He served as tourism director and did a tremendous job promoting our State, promoting tourism, and, really, promoting the beauty and the history of our State in a way that brought a lot of national attention and really made a difference in terms of tourism for our State.

He also served our State as economic development director, something that is certainly near and dear to my heart. I have always believed that job creation is job one, and so, to me, that is the engine that drives the car. Kevin served as the economic development director under Governor Schafer, my predecessor, and, again, did a fantastic job. He knows the importance of supporting our farmers and our small businesses, the energy industry, and all the things that really make our State go, and he has been a huge part of helping to create an environment in our State that, from a tax and a regulatory environment, has been very supportive of the growth and development of our economy and all aspects of our economy--as I say, from ag to energy, to technology, to manufacturing and throughout the small business world-- and, like me, he is a true champion for small business. We are big believers that small business is what makes this economy go. Whether it is North Dakota or the United States of America, it is small business that makes our economy go.

As Governor, I had the opportunity to appoint Kevin to our State's public service commission in 2003, and he followed that and ran and was elected to the PSC by the people of North Dakota and served as the public service commissioner for the State until 2012. Certainly, in that role he was a big part of the growth and development of our State.

Back in 2000, when I started as Governor, we produced less than 100,000 barrels of oil a day. Today, we now produce more than 1.5 million barrels of oil a day. The only State that produces more oil than North Dakota is Texas, and Kevin was a big part of building that climate where the industry just developed amazing technologies and this whole shale play came to be. Of course, now the United States is the largest producer of oil and gas in the world.

So he truly understands that you have to help to promote that kind of economic development, but, at the same time, there is a reasonable role for regulation and things have to be done right and well and with good environmental stewardship.

Prior to joining me in the Senate, Kevin served for three terms in the House of Representatives, where we worked together on many of our State's priorities. We share the same beliefs in not only our great State but in this great country, and we certainly had a tremendous working relationship in the House and now, of course, I am pleased to have him as a colleague in the Senate.

We both served as members of the farm bill conference committee a year ago and were able to put in place a strong farm bill for our farmers and ranchers.

We both work to rein in regulation, as I said, to grow our economy, and to support our military. He is a member of the Armed Services Committee and also the Veterans' Affairs Committee and has already passed a resolution supporting our veterans with his Battle of the Bulge resolution, which has been passed by this body.

These are just a few of the things that he has already done as a Member of the U.S. Senate.

He has been a dedicated public servant for the people of North Dakota. He is also a very devoted family man. He and his wife Kris have three sons--Isaac, Ian, and Abel--and two daughters--Rachel and Annie. They are the proud grandparents of five. Now, I have him by one. I have six, but this is a competition. So we will see where it ends up.

He has a great family and has been a great partner in the Senate, and, of course, I look forward to continuing to work with him.

Again, I am very pleased today to introduce Senator Kevin Cramer for this speech.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source