Kent Conrad: “I supported the nomination of Donald Evans to be Secretary of Commerce. Don Evans has a distinguished background in…”

“I supported the nomination of Donald Evans to be Secretary of Commerce. Don Evans has a distinguished background in private business as head of a large, independent energy firm. In addition, his experience as chairman of the Bush campaign and as Chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas system have helped prepare him for overseeing the wide-ranging programs of the Department of Commerce. As Secretary, Don Evans' first mission will be to promote U.S. exports. With a record trade deficit of more than $300 billion last year, I can think of few tasks more urgent than this one. As he takes on this responsibility, I urge him to remember the critical role that small businesses and agriculture play in our export successes and not concentrate solely on the role of the largest corporations. We also cannot forget the other side of the ledger. Mr. Evans will also be charged with enforcing our trade laws, another vital task to ensure that U.S. farmers and businesses are not competing against unfair imports. I am also very concerned about the so-called digital divide in the development of the communications infrastructure and the new e-economy. As Senator for one of the most rural states in the nation, it is critically important to me that our next Secretary aggressively work to close this digital divide to make sure rural North Dakotans get full access to the benefits of information technology.”