BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum today participated in the National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting, held in a virtual format, including a session with President Joe Biden that focused on pandemic response and ongoing efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to every U.S. state and territory.
Burgum also participated in a session on economic recovery and revitalization with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“The National Governors Association provides a valuable forum for governors to share best practices, exchange ideas and discuss policy solutions to the mutual challenges facing our states,” Burgum said. “We appreciate the opportunity to engage with fellow governors, President Biden and his Cabinet members to discuss issues of importance to all Americans, including the ongoing COVID-19 response, and to advocate for North Dakota interests including pushing back against federal actions that threaten our two biggest industries, energy and agriculture, as well as U.S. energy independence and national security.”
“As North Dakota continues to be a national leader in administering vaccines, we look forward to additional vaccine supply and further collaboration with our federal, state, local and tribal partners to increase distribution,” Burgum added. “We also urge that any financial relief provided for states as part of the rescue package being debated in Congress be allocated fairly on a per-capita basis and not based on unemployment, which would punish states like ours that kept our economy and schools open and reward states that are still on lockdown.”
North Dakota reached another COVID-19 vaccination milestone this week, surpassing 200,000 vaccine doses administered. As of Wednesday, 16.4 percent of North Dakota residents had received one dose of vaccine and 9 percent had received two doses.
The winter meeting is one of two annual gatherings of the NGA, a bipartisan organization representing governors from all 50 states and five U.S. territories.