Senator Cramer's Weekly Update january 24-30

Statement on Passing of Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem

On Friday, January 28, North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem passed away. Stenehjem was the longest-serving attorney general in North Dakota history, holding the position for 21 years. He also served in the North Dakota Legislature for 24 years.

Kris and I are saddened to hear of the passing of North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. I considered him a close friend and trusted colleague. Wayne was a true patriot, dedicating his life to public service and our great state. He always fought for what was right.

My thoughts and prayers are with Beth and his family. Wayne will be sorely missed by all.

Joining Senate Ukraine Caucus Supports Ukrainians and their Independence

As Russian aggression against Ukraine continues to intensify, it is incredibly important to be a part of this bipartisan caucus and demonstrate Congress’ enduring support for Ukraine.

The Senate Ukraine Caucus demonstrates to Vladimir Putin there is strong unity, respect, and support for the freedom-loving Ukrainian people and their independence.

There are many North Dakotans who live in and do business in Ukraine, and there are many North Dakotans whose ancestry is from Ukraine. They are an important part of North Dakota culture, and I aim to represent them well here in the U.S. Senate.

Supreme Court to Hear Case on the Clean Water Act

This week, the Supreme Court announced it will hear a long-standing case on the Waters of the U.S. regulation in the Clean Water Act.

I applaud the court for agreeing to review this case, which will hopefully provide some much-needed clarity. North Dakota has led the fight to keep Washington bureaucrats within the confines of the law. Congress never intended for every pond, ditch, and pothole to fall under federal control.

This Week's Media Interviews

ABC News Live

I joined ABC News Live to talk about the situation in Ukraine. The stability of Europe is of important consequence to the United States as a trade ally and as a NATO partner.

Imposing sanctions after an invasion is too little, too late. That’s not going to deter anything. Sanctions are meant to be a deterrent, not to spark a war.

I do support a strong bipartisan sanctions package, realizing in a 50-50 Senate this means compromise. The sequence of when the sanctions kick in matters. To get Vladimir Putin’s attention we need to issue sanctions right now.

Kudlow

I joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss my recent trip to Ukraine and Ukraine-Russia tensions. It’s not simply Ukraine once again being enveloped by the Russian umbrella, but the ramifications to Europe's overall security as well. The stability of Europe and the entire world is at stake.

If President Biden had earlier recognized Vladimir Putin’s ability to use Nord Stream 2 as leverage and as a weapon, we may not be here today. When you’ve seen the weak moves by our president up to this point, it’s hard to take Joe Biden seriously. I worry the mixed signals are creating more chaos than a deterrent.

We also discussed Democrats’ failed Build Back Broke plan and reports Seoul paid Iran’s delinquent United Nations dues to restore its vote.

Mornings with Maria

I also joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

A lot of people say they expect Russia to invade Ukraine, but I am not completely convinced Vladimir Putin’s ultimate goal is an invasion. I think at this stage he is testing the West to see what he can get away with, and I still think he can be convinced that invasion is not worth it. But that won’t happen unless we send a strong, specific, unified signal. We need to continue unifying our NATO allies and the rest of the freedom-loving countries around the globe to clearly stand up against this kind of aggression.

We also discussed Federal Reserve nominees. Both Sarah Bloom Raskin, nominee to be Vice Chair for Supervision on the Federal Reserve, and Lisa Cook, nominee to be a Federal Reserve Governor, have radical views. I will work with my Senate colleagues to help defeat these extreme nominees.

Climate Issues Discussed on NPR’s Morning Edition

I joined Steve Inskeep on NPR’s Morning Edition to discuss practical solutions for the climate change issue.

The U.S. is a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but we need to maintain the leadership through innovation.

Climate change is not near the crisis alarmists make it out to be. But at the same time, nobody is going to solve the problem except us. America can’t destroy ourselves in the process of trying to save the earth.

We produce oil, coal, and natural gas in a cleaner way than most of our competitors around the world. We are also the best at developing the technology to do so in a more environmentally friendly manner so we can maintain steady, reliable energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pushing for Answers on Southern Border Crisis

In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, my colleagues and I pushed for a comprehensive review of the decisions by the Biden Administration which have led to the worst border crisis in U.S. history.

It’s no secret the Biden Administration has failed to take care of the border. Because of their own policies, illegal immigration is at a record high. By trying to appease his liberal base, Joe Biden has failed his most important Constitutional duty: defending the nation.

When I visited the border in October, I saw these failures firsthand. The Biden Administration needs to be held responsible for their failures, and our request for a comprehensive review should help uncover the truth.

Resolutions Support Parents’ Rights and School Choice

This past week, I joined Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) in introducing a bipartisan resolution designating last week, January 23 – January 29, as National School Choice Week.

Education is one of the most valuable gifts we can give to the next generation. We need to give families more options, not less, and empower parents and students to choose what’s right for them. Our resolution applauds the education system for its role in teaching the next generation and encourages parents to explore the opportunities available to them.

I also joined Senator James Lankford (R-OK) in introducing a resolution to recognize the need to stand up for parents’ choices in their children’s education. The resolution recognizes the necessity of school choice as a tool to empower parents with the freedom to choose the best educational environment for their children.

Your zip code shouldn’t define your quality of education. Our resolution recognizes and protects the parents’ freedom to choose the best educational environment for their child’s success.

Bill Preserves Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Independence

Last week, I helped introduce the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board Governance Reform Act, legislation to reform the governance of the FDIC. The bill is designed to better insulate the agency from political interference and preserve its independence.

In the last year, we saw an attempted coup of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and additional blatant attempts to politicize federal bank regulation.

I will continue to push back on Democrat-led efforts to undermine the independence of our nation’s financial regulators.

Commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day

On January 27, 1945, Allied forces liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp.

While we commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day on this anniversary, we must also commit to fight the rising tide of anti-Semitism.

Grants for North Dakota

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Awards $1 Million in Head Start Funds

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $1,179,896 to the Community Action Project in Dickinson.

The funds come through the Head Start and Early Head Start programs. They promote school readiness for young children and toddlers from low-income families by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development as well as early learning, health, and family well-being.