Rep. Kevin Cramer: Pence’s Visit Highlights Accomplishments for North Dakota
Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Tax Cuts to Put America First event Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at the Delta Hotels by Marriott, Fargo. Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor
This guest post was submitted by Congressman Kevin Cramer.
We were all fortunate to have Vice President Mike Pence in Fargo to talk about tax reform and the impact of the recent tax cuts. Mike Pence epitomizes the best qualities of a public servant and he and President Trump have been true friends of North Dakota for many reasons. Primary among them is their action on tax reform and the roll-back of burdensome regulations impacting both the energy and agriculture sectors of our state. In addition, immigration is an important national issue and the administration’s tough stance is welcomed by North Dakota voters.
[mks_pullquote align=”right” width=”300″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#ffffff” txt_color=”#000000″]As we look ahead, there are many issues facing agriculture in our state. Low commodity prices and a lingering drought put pressure on all our farmers and ranchers and their families. We don’t need the pressure of government regulation to add to this burden.[/mks_pullquote]
The Trump/Pence administration’s work to simplify the tax code and cut taxes is quickly putting money in the wallets of North Dakotans. There is newfound optimism as companies give bonuses and raise wages. Reducing the corporate income tax rate removes an incentive for business to move overseas thereby leaving valuable jobs here at home.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ February 2018 jobs report detailed how the American economy added 313,000 jobs, the highest number since President Trump was inaugurated. And there was even more great news; average hourly earnings rose 2.6 percent over the preceding year. The last time the country saw such large gains was during the economic boom of the 1990s. There is no doubt the tax cuts and reform measures are responsible for the excellent statistics we are now seeing.
For our ag producers, I was pleased the U.S. Supreme Court effectively put a stay on the WOTUS rule. All of this comes from the EPA’s action to rescind this overreach of government’s control of our land. While that’s great news, we need to look for a permanent fix to make sure this doesn’t come around again whenever there’s a democrat in the White House. For that reason, I’m supporting legislation to clarify the definition of navigable waters in law in a way that fits with any reasonable person’s understanding of these waters.
As we look ahead, there are many issues facing agriculture in our state. Low commodity prices and a lingering drought put pressure on all our farmers and ranchers and their families. We don’t need the pressure of government regulation to add to this burden.
The Trump/Pence administration have been a great supporter of North Dakota energy. They lifted the Obama-era moratorium on federal coal leases and put a stop to the widely overreaching Clean Power Plan. This ill-conceived plan would have significantly increased electric rates and put grid reliability at risk. Chaos created from these job-killers threatened the efficiency and viability of our producers here in North Dakota and around the country.
Finally, President Trump and Vice President Pence’s tough stance on immigration is a welcome departure from the previous administration. It’s about time our nation enforces its immigration laws, secures its southern border and puts a higher value on the safety of our citizens rather than the protection of criminally active illegal immigrants. I have consistently supported legislation to enhance homeland security, reform legal immigration, enforce the laws of our nation and shut down sanctuary cities. In fact, I was an original co-sponsor of H.R. 400 which would strip certain federal grant funding from cities and jurisdictions that refuse to comply with federal immigration laws.
It is critically important that President Trump and Vice President Pence succeed in getting their pro-growth, pro-business agenda through the federal legislature. I want all North Dakotans to know that I am fully committed to doing what is necessary to achieve these goals.
