Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update march 13-19

Surface Transportation Board Approves Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Railway Merger

The Surface Transportation Board announced its approval of a proposed merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern Railway.

This decision will expand market access for North Dakota producers, unlock opportunities for commerce in Mexico, and make existing routes across North America more efficient.

I appreciate the Surface Transportation Board’s thorough process and final approval.

North Dakota Veterans Cemetery Awarded Over $1.8 Million for Expansion

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration awarded the state $1,860,775 to expand the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan. These resources will support landscaping projects, infrastructure improvements, and the construction of 1,440 columbarium niches.

North Dakota’s veterans deserve our utmost appreciation for their resolve to protect our great nation and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice.

It shouldn’t have taken an act of Congress to make sure our veterans cemetery in Mandan was not discriminated against simply because it chose to bury men and women from the Reserve and National Guard. I am glad the Burial Equity for Guards and Reserves Act, which was signed into law last year, has solved the problem. This funding will go a long way in helping honor North Dakota’s heroes.

Officer and Enlisted Associations of the North Dakota National Guard

This weekend, I spoke at the Officer and Enlisted Associations of the North Dakota National Guard’s annual conference. I gave a legislative update about my work on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, the Senate Armed Services Committee, and preparing for this year’s National Defense Authorization Act. I also addressed the need to provide benefits for America’s heroes and to recognize all forms of service.

Our National Guard is uniquely positioned and has so many talents contributing to the safety of our country. Their work is invaluable.

It gives me great satisfaction to have the Guard as a resource, whether I go into a SCIF, a full committee hearing, or a one-on-one meeting with high-ranked military leaders.

Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank Collapses Demand Oversight

The failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank have led to needless stress in America’s banking system. This situation demands oversight to uncover the cause of recent events and the bureaucracy’s reaction to it.

Instead of rushing to institute knee-jerk and excessive regulations, a level assessment of these developments is needed so the local financial institutions across North Dakota are not penalized for a problem they didn’t create.

Newsmax

I also discussed the collapse on Newsmax's The Balance with Eric Bolling.

It certainly seems there were people asleep at the switch, whether it's management, the board, or perhaps Fed regulators. In any case, it appears there were some warning signs that were not headed that may have helped to salvage these situations. There's a lot we have to learn before we jump to some sort of systemic solution, because it might be a fairly localized problem.

In terms of how it came to this, it all started with a spike in inflation, which then led to the necessity of the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in an effort to slow it down.

Even while they were raising interest rates, the federal government was continuing to overspend, over-tax, over-regulate, and crush the supply side of the economy. You have forces working against each other, which led to the fallout we're experiencing now.

Strategic Forces Hearing Held on Radar Modernization and Offensive Operations

At a Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing, I emphasized the value of the U.S. Space Force being “lean, agile, and fast” to Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman. As a new and small, but growing force, General Saltzman reiterated to me that dealing with less bureaucracy has been beneficial in its maneuverings.

We also discussed the importance of the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System Radar Warning System in Cavalier, North Dakota. Its mission of missile warning and space surveillance is a vital one, and with recent funding, I look forward to the system’s modernization.

Environment and Public Works Hearing Covers Waters of the U.S., Infrastructure, and the Environmental Protection Agency

In a hearing last week, I thanked Environmental Protection Agency Assistant Administrator for Water, Radhika Fox, for visiting North Dakota at my invitation, listening to farmers and landowners, and for maintaining open lines of communication with state stakeholders.

After concerns were raised over effective dates of certain Build America provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Fox’s team reconciled the issue. Imagine that – a federal agency finding a simple solution to allow projects in North Dakota to move forward. That’s good public service.

I also pressed her on the new Waters of the U.S. rule and its onerous regulatory implications. Stakeholders, constituents, and others are concerned the new rule embodies the same government overreach as the 2015 rule and it shifts the burden on landowners to prove their land is non-jurisdictional.

Year-Round E15 Fuel Sale Legislation Reintroduced

I joined Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in reintroducing the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2023, which would permit the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10%. This would end years of regulatory uncertainty and prevent a patchwork of uneven state regulations.

North Dakota consumers and producers deserve regulatory consistency, and allowing the year-round sale of E15 is a great place to start.

Our bill gives Americans across the country more choices and stabilizes the market so North Dakota’s ethanol producers can meet the demand.

Letter Seeks Improvements to Transition Assistance Program

Angus King (I-ME) and I sent a letter to the chiefs of each U.S. military service branch expressing concern about a lack of attention to servicemembers transitioning from active duty to veteran status.

The Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act required individualized initial counseling and pre-separation counseling to occur no later than 365 days before service members are expected to leave military service, with some exceptions such as unanticipated, short-notice separations or retirements.

Only 25% met the timeline requirement, while only 11% met the pre-separation requirement. We need to do a better job to ensure our service members are supported in their transition back to the civilian life.

Bill to Expand Coverage of Chiropractic Services Reintroduced

Last week, I reintroduced the Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act with Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). This bill would expand Medicare coverage of chiropractic services to ensure patients enrolled in the program can access chiropractic care as a non-drug alternative for pain management.

Current Medicare restrictions prevent chiropractors from offering a full scope of treatments or ordering diagnostic services for those who need them.

By reducing barriers and expanding access to health care services for rural community residents, especially our senior citizens, we can help keep Americans healthy and cared for while preserving non-drug treatment options.

Rail Companies Issue Status Reports on Grain Car Backlog

I announced BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway publicly filed weekly grain backlog status updates as required by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. A summary of the reporting data specific to North Dakota for the last 10 weeks is below.

Northern Canola Growers Association

Members of the Northern Canola Growers Association joined me for a meeting on agricultural industry research, the status of canola acreage, renewable diesel, and their Farm Bill priorities. I’m always grateful to hear from the farmers who feed a hungry world.

ALLETE

Thanks to ALLETE for stopping by to discuss their plans to modernize existing transmission infrastructure so North Dakota can keep delivering power to Minnesota. Projects like this strengthen grid reliability and benefit the entire upper Midwest.

Xcel Energy

It was great to meet with Xcel Energy to discuss their work in North Dakota, our need to expedite the permitting and siting process, and how they plan to use bipartisan infrastructure law funding to commercialize new technologies.

Close Up Students

Students from Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock High School visited Washington, D.C. this week through Close Up.

I had the opportunity to bring them into the Capitol to discuss our nation’s history, witness the beautiful architecture and artwork, and sit in the gallery as the Senate voted.

Grants for North Dakota

Federal Aviation Administration Awards Over $5.2 Million to Bismarck and Mott Municipal Airports

The Federal Aviation Administration awarded a total of $5,297,038 to the Bismarck and Mott Municipal Airports through a program designated in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Bismarck and Mott Municipal Airports provide important air service for many communities in the state, and these resources will support key upgrades to ensure efficient operations year-round, especially during North Dakota winters.

• $5,202,538 to Bismarck Municipal Airport for reconstruction of its snow removal equipment building
• $94,500 to Mott Municipal Airport for terminal building reconstruction and certain engineering services.

Department of Transportation Awards $1.96 Million to Three Affiliated Tribes

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Three Affiliated Tribes, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, $1,966,345 to support the use of drones for medical care and equipment delivery.

These resources will be administered through a program established in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced community technologies and systems.

University of North Dakota Receives $1 Million for Methane Emissions Reduction Project

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded the University of North Dakota $1,000,000 to support the advancement of a cost-effective emissions reduction solution for small production facilities.