John Hoeven

We had record flooding in North Dakota, record flooding in our State this year.

I think that's the right place to end up. That's very important in terms of implementing these recommendations.

We worked very hard to create a good environment so they would come invest and figure out how to do hydraulic fracturing economically.

Hydraulic fracturing, I believe, is very important to the future energy development of this country and--and meeting our energy needs both in oil and in natural gas.

We have to do everything we can with the dollars we have. It is hard right now, because we are in a financially difficult situation.

Chairman Murphy is now serving his sixth term as the Chairman of the Standing Rock people.

The key to our relationship was transparency and being able to trust when one said something, we were going to stick to it.

My point being I think you can get things done when you build those kind of relationships.

I think if it works that well in other States, it really is not in need of a legislative solution.

I know for a fact, and I am sorry that Senator Hoeven was not feeling well today, but he has a great respect for the Tribal nations.

Let's take North Dakota, for example. My dear friend, then Governor Hoeven, now Senator Hoeven, presided over three terms of our compact process.

Your ongoing help and support is going to be incredibly important.

I want to thank you up front for the help that we have received, important help that we have received from FEMA.

Okay, who is the best person on your staff that I can have somebody on my staff work with to put together the best possible practice, bringing in HUD and whatever resource mix maximizes the recovery assistance?

So the HUD programs are the best fit to kind of dovetail and put together the best possible package.

Over 100 years ago, President Roosevelt launched a Navy mission known as the Great White Fleet on a voyage around the world. President Roosevelt's leadership put the world on notice that the United States was a global maritime Nation open…

We need to get those trade agreements ratified, and your help there is greatly appreciated.

I appreciate the work on the biofuels. I think we are working to make that transition. Again, I am optimistic.

I would like to begin by inviting you to come out to our State and see some of the impacts of that flooding.

I want to pick up on a couple of the themes, though, that I did at least hear part of the discussion on, one of which is flooding.

I think that is what we are trying to get at. So that it is fair process that certainly protects the environment, but that empowers private investment and empowers more energy production for this country.

Putting shallow water in the effective moratorium has cost jobs. It has cost the economy, and it has cost the production that would allow these prices in gasoline to be lower.

I am going to ask the Secretary the same question, but I just wanted to give both of you a chance. Why is it taking so long?

I think that's right on. I mean, I would have to see your reaction across the board.

Look, if we have to compress some budgets, you're going to have to do without some services.