This week’s Open Mic guest is Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and ranking member on the agriculture subcommittee, the former governor of North Dakota has led a bipartisan effort to bring financial relief to drought-stricken farmers and ranchers in his state. He’s counting on additional short-term assistance from the USDA and is hopeful the budget process will deliver much-needed resources before the end of the year. Hoeven is concerned over the price tag and tax provisions included in the Majority’s budget reconciliation proposal and hopes those concerns are shared by Moderate Democrats on Capitol Hill.