DORGAN HOLDS TOWN HALL MEETING IN KENMARE
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
(KENMARE, N.D.) – U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) held a town hall meeting Tuesday in Kenmare to listen to concerns of area residents. He also provided an update on his work in Congress, including the impact of the new farm bill and his efforts to bring down the price of fuel and promote renewable energy.
Dorgan said at the meeting that the new farm bill, which was enacted with supermajority support despite the objections of President Bush, will give a boost to North Dakota farmers and ranchers by strengthening the farm safety net, implementing country-of-origin labeling, and restoring a permanent disaster aid program.
“This is a strong farm bill that will provide significant benefits for our family farmers and ranchers,” Dorgan said. “This bill followed a long and tortured trail, but at the end of the day I think that we’ve made some big strides in farm policy that will give a boost to rural America.”
Dorgan also updated the attendees on his efforts to pass legislation that would end excessive oil speculation in the oil futures market, helping put downward pressure on fuel prices. Dorgan supports a comprehensive approach to combat high energy prices, including more drilling for oil, more conservation, and “moon shot” approach to developing renewable sources of energy.
“The current price of oil and gas should be a wake-up call for everyone in Congress. We need to end this gridlock,” said Dorgan. “We need an approach that calls for more drilling and more conservation. We need to shut down the excess speculation in the futures market. And for a long-term solution, we need to invest in renewable energy and eliminate our over-reliance on foreign sources of oil."
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