Senator Hoeven Criticizes Democratic Stance on Government Funding and Agricultural Support

Government Shutdown and Democratic Demands

• 🏛️ Senator Hoeven highlights the ongoing government shutdown, now in its third day, and criticizes Democratic colleagues for not voting for a clean continuing resolution (CR).
• 📊 He points out that during the Biden administration, 13 clean CRs were passed with 96% Democratic support, contrasting this with the current refusal to pass a similar resolution.
• 💰 The core issue, according to Hoeven, is the Democratic leadership's demand for over $1 trillion in new spending as a condition for keeping the government open.
• ⚠️ Hoeven labels this the "Schumer shutdown," stating that the government has been taken hostage with demands including funding for healthcare for illegal immigrants and increased pandemic-era health insurance subsidies, while repealing a $50 billion healthcare fund for rural hospitals.

Agricultural Support and Trade Negotiations

• 🌾 Hoeven emphasizes the critical role of farmers and ranchers in providing high-quality, low-cost food and their dependence on access to markets.
• 🇨🇳 He specifically addresses the challenges faced by soybean farmers in North Dakota due to China's actions to reduce commodity prices and increase production costs, noting that nearly 90% of North Dakota soybeans are exported.
• 🤝 The Senator discusses ongoing efforts, including those from the Trump administration, to secure better markets and provide a bridge to stronger markets and an updated farm safety net for producers during trade negotiations with China.
• 📈 He argues that providing emergency assistance to producers during these negotiations will give the administration leverage and send a strong signal to China that their tactics will not work, aiming for better trade terms and elimination of non-tariff trade barriers.

Path Forward and Bipartisan Appropriations

• 📜 Hoeven advocates for passing a clean, short-term CR to reopen the government and resume bipartisan appropriations work through regular order.
• 📈 He notes that the appropriations committee has already passed eight of the twelve appropriation bills on a bipartisan basis, including his own agriculture appropriations bill.
• 💼 Hoeven expresses readiness to conference on passed bills and highlights the potential to finish over 75-80% of the appropriations process with the defense and labor-health bills.
• ✅ The ultimate goal is to reopen the government, return to bipartisan work, and conduct the business of the American people.