North Dakota

Floor Speech

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Mr. CRAMER. Mr. President, I rise today to mark the 130th birthday of the State of North Dakota. On November 2, 1889, President Benjamin Harrison signed the documents turning Dakota Territory into two States, North Dakota and South Dakota. In the 13 decades since then, the people of North Dakota hive embraced the many opportunities and challenges of living in the geographic center of North America.

God has blessed us with abundant natural resources, and with hard work and innovation, North Dakotans have fed the world and fueled our Nation. We are top producers of wheat, sunflowers, dry edible beans, navy and pinto beans, canola, flaxseed, and honey. Our ranchers raise 1.7 million beef cattle--or almost three head of cattle for every North Dakotan.

As the Nation's second largest producer of oil in the country, we are one of the reasons the United States becomes closer every year to being energy independent. As one of the country's top 10 coal-producing States, our lignite reserves have an 800-year supply. Before there were Federal reclamation laws, North Dakota was enforcing its own, and our air quality has been ranked at among the best in the Nation. We proudly embrace an ``all of the above'' energy policy that, in addition to oil and coal, supports production of wind and biofuels.

Every year, visitors and new residents discover the beauty of our State, with its distinct geographic regions. A young Theodore Roosevelt's years of ranching in the North Dakota Badlands greatly influenced his conservation policies as our Nation's 26th President. North Dakota has been regarded the birthplace of conservation as Roosevelt, who was known as the Conservation President, established vast protections for wildlife and public lands through new national forests, bird reserves, game preserves, national parks, and national monuments. He said, ``I would not have been President had it not been for my experience in North Dakota.''

My State can often be found at the top of quality of life rankings in America, largely due to the strong sense of community engagement and social support present from border to border.

I speak for all North Dakotans in the pride we have for what our State has given to the Nation and world in our first 130 years, but, in true North Dakota spirit, I believe most would agree with me that we are just getting started and the best is yet to come. Happy Birthday, North Dakota.

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