SBAND Members in Race for North Dakota Congressional Seat
Two North Dakota attorneys are in a race for the state’ s seat in the U. S. House of Representatives. With the November election quickly approaching, The Gavel editorial board reached out to candidates Mac Schneider and Kelly Armstrong to provide their perspective on issues facing the nation and how their legal experience, if elected, will impact their work in Congress. The following are their responses:
KELLY ARMSTRONG( R)
Why you are running for Congress? I am running for Congress because North Dakota needs a strong voice in Washington. With 435 members, the U. S. House is made up of far more members from consuming states than producing states, so it is important we have an effective advocate for the issues important to North Dakota. While many members might not care about our wheat crop, they care about the cost of a loaf of bread. They may not care about our oil industry, but they care about the cost of a gallon of gas. They may not care about our lignite, natural gas, or wind energy industry, but they care about the cost of their electric bill. North Dakota is a great example of how an all-of-the-above energy policy can benefit our country. I am excited to get to work on convincing everyone and anyone that what is good for North Dakota is good for the country.
What do you think are the most important issues facing the United States right now?
The single most important issue facing our country right now is our national debt. We are collecting record revenues, yet our debt continues to rise. Instead of passing budgets and thoughtful debate on spending, we govern by crisis. Every several months we have a new continuing resolution which allows for only two options: either we shut down the government or we vote for spending packages. We are $ 23 trillion in debt. Sooner or later this debt is coming due and it will be left to our children and grandchildren if we don ' t take real action.
Would your legal degree help you if you are elected to Congress? If so, how?
Having a law degree has been extraordinarily helpful during my time in the North Dakota Senate and will be beneficial in Washington, D. C. Understanding how to read law is essential to drafting good legislation. A good idea is fine, but if it is written in a way that doesn ' t make sense in practice, there will be problems and unintended consequences. I have worked well with law enforcement, lawyers, judges, and others to make sure we craft good, useable legislation.
KELLY ARMSTRONG
What are the most pressing issues facing the legal system in the United States, and what can Congress do, if anything, about them?
Addiction and its effects on the criminal justice system and our communities is, in my opinion, the biggest issue facing the legal system. We have sent too many of our young men and women to prison without dealing with treating addiction. As chair of the Judiciary Committee and the Justice Reinvestment Committee, we have worked towards reforms in North Dakota that offer both accountability and treatment options. At the federal level, we need to divert more resources to addiction treatment. We need to ensure local communities that receive
18 THE GAVEL