After serving as the state's Attorney General for eight years and then taking time off to fight breast cancer and to work in the private sector, Heidi Heitkamp returned to elective politics in 2012 and became the first woman to be elected by North Dakotans to the U.S. Senate. Like our other pro-gun friends on the Democratic side of the aisle, Heidi is a tireless worker for the average Citizen and for common-sense solutions to our country's problems. Here are some examples that prove our point:

Energy

For over a decade, North Dakota has been a leader in the use of hydraulic fracking technology to produce domestic oil and natural gas. Senator Heitkamp is a fracking supporter but, unlike many of our Republican friends, she recognizes the issues that fracking brings to neighboring communities and to the environment. Consequently, she continues to advocate and promote that it be used in a safe and responsible manner.

Heidi Heitkamp (front row, third from right)

And, unlike the many GOP supporters of fracking who seem to be in the pocket of the fossil fuel industry, Heidi takes an "all of the above" approach when it comes to energy policy. She supports funding for alternative energy options, a position which is consistent with the bi-partisan energy policies adopted by Congress in the 1970's and '80's, which provided federal research funding for what were considered alternative energy options at that time, including one called…hydraulic fracking! (see our Science & Technology article, "Fracking Now Viable Thanks to...the Feds?", for some fascinating background on how today's hydraulic fracking capabilities came about).

Agriculture

Farming and ranching have been a way of life in North Dakota since the 19th Century. Senator Heitkamp sits on the Senate's Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, where she fought hard for the 2014 Farm Bill. That bill saved taxpayers $24 billion through sensible reforms and improved program delivery, while still providing a strong safety net program for farmers and ranchers when times are tough. (Unlike the initial Trump farm budget, which reportedly would increase user fees, reduce access to crop insurance, and otherwise hurt the family farm.)

(image from Senator Heitkamp website)

Health Care

Speaking of safety net programs, Senator Heitkamp also is a supporter of quality affordable health insurance for all Americans. She believes the Affordable Care Act is a good step in that direction (see our article, "Five Reasons We Like the ACA") and supports the strengthening of Medicare and Medicaid. Unlike Republicans who want to repeal the ACA without a replacement or without keeping its key provisions in place, Heidi wants to reform and improve the ACA. To that end, she is working with other Democrats and with sensible Republicans to make that happen.

Coming from North Dakota, Heidi also understands the unique issues involved in the delivery of quality rural health care. She convinced the Obama administration to establish a Rural Health Council that will provide input from rural communities on any future federal rules and regulations dealing with health care policy.

(Heidi Heitkamp official portrait)

Education

Senator Heitkamp recognizes that affordable education is a key to improving our economy, whether that education is obtained at a collegiate or a technical school level. She also knows that the high interest being paid on outstanding school loans is a drag on our economy and she has supported bills to lock in today's historically low interest rates for the life of these loans. Unfortunately the GOP disagrees. Our article, "McConnell and GOP Block Student Loan Re-financing Bill", illustrates this all-too-typical GOP behavior, another instance of the Republicans turning their backs on the American middle class.

These are just some of the examples that demonstrate why pro-gun Democrat Heidi Heitkamp works for all of us and, consequently, why we are among her strongest supporters. For those of you who live in North Dakota, please take the chance to thank Heidi for her hard work in the U.S. Senate by giving her your vote when she runs for re-election in 2018.

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