Political Quotes

On the recordJuly 28, 2011
I rise this morning to speak to the need to come to an agreement. We need to come to an agreement on how we handle the debt ceiling. We need to come to agreement on addressing our Nation's deficit and debt. Let us review where we are right now. If you look at our fiscal situation, right now the Federal Government takes in revenues on an annual basis of $2.2 trillion--$2.2 trillion--a year, but at the same time we are spending $3.7 trillion. That is a shortfall, or a deficit, of more than $1.5 trillion a year. I look at these young people here in this Chamber--these great pages from all over the country--and I think about what that means not only for us today--for our economy, for our standing in the world, for the security of our country--but I think about what it means for future generations. What is it we leave them? Do we leave them a country that was founded on the concept of freedom and liberty, that people could pursue life on their own terms, raise their families the way they wanted to raise their families, live the way they wanted to live, do the work they wanted to do, have an opportunity to start a business, to build a life, and be successful and pass something of value on to their children? I think that is what we all want. That is the Nation we have--the Nation we have had for over 200 years. That is the Nation we want to pass on to these great young people. So we have had tremendous debate for an extended period of time--for a long time.…
Said by
John Hoeven
Republican · North Dakota

Share

More from John Hoeven

Jul 16, 2026

“Accomplishments like this don’t just happen. We’ve been hard at work to make this library a reality, and we appreciate the efforts of everyone involved. Your support was vital as we worked to secure this 93-acre site for the library…

hoeven.senate.gov
Jul 24, 2026

We feel for those in Canada whose homes and communities are directly impacted by the fires.

hoeven.senate.gov
Jul 9, 2026

We’re working to advance this funding so we have the munitions and operational capabilities required to counter our adversaries and keep the maximum amount of pressure on rogue regimes like Iran.

hoeven.senate.gov
Jul 18, 2026

enabling us to produce more geothermal energy on non-federal lands and strengthening the property rights of mineral and land owners.

hoeven.senate.gov

Other voices in this conversation