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