Senator Cramer's Weekly Update February 14-20

Senate Floor Speech Pays Tribute to Wayne Stenehjem

Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and I paid tribute to the late North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

On behalf of all North Dakotans, I send heartfelt sympathy to his wife, Beth, his son, Andrew, his large extended family, and his legion of dedicated friends and admirers.

As a lifelong Eagle Scout, Wayne was no doubt familiar with the famous scouting adage: “leave a place better than you found it.” Without a doubt, Wayne left North Dakota and this nation a better place.

Letter Urges Attorney General Merrick Garland to Respect the Durham Investigation

I joined Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) on a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland seeking assurances the Department of Justice will continue to respect the prosecutorial independence of Special Counsel John Durham and his staff, while also ensuring he is provided all the resources necessary to fully, thoroughly, and completely pursue the investigation for which he was appointed.

The letter comes as Special Counsel Durham continues to uncover alarming new information about the fraudulent origins of the FBI’s investigation of alleged Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.

This includes revelations in new court filings which show individuals affiliated with the Hillary Clinton campaign exploited access to non-public data from White House internet servers and other locations in an attempt to fabricate a narrative of ongoing communications with Russia and Russian entities.

Senate Passes Resolution in Support of Ukraine

On Thursday, the Senate passed a bipartisan resolution in support of Ukraine amid increased Russian aggression. The resolution is a renewed bipartisan message from the U.S. Senate in fierce support of the United States’ Ukrainian partners in response to Vladimir Putin’s escalating aggression.

The United States stands firmly with Ukraine, its freedom-loving people, and their democracy. There’s nothing that unites us more as a Congress and as democratic nations than Putin’s thuggery and aggression.

Russia Sanctions Legislation Introduced

I joined a majority of my colleagues in introducing the Never Yielding Europe’s Territory Act to provide the critical support Ukraine needs to defend itself and deter Russian aggression now while imposing real costs on the Kremlin for its ongoing and potential future aggression against Ukraine.

The NYET Act is a strong, decisive package of sanctions meant to deter Russia and send a clear message to Europe. We stand with the people of Ukraine, their democracy, and their freedom.

This is a strong, decisive package of sanctions meant to deter Russia and send a clear message to Europe.

Resolution Supports Re-opening U.S. Capitol Building and Senate Office Buildings

I joined my Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution in support of re-opening the U.S. Capitol Building and Senate office buildings to public visitors under pre-COVID policies.

The Capitol is the people’s house, and there is no reason the American people should be kept outside of Senate offices. We are ready to welcome North Dakotans back into our office, so they can speak to elected officials and my staff and see democracy in action.

All across the nation, schools, and businesses are reopening, and our resolution calls on the Senate to reopen as well.

Bipartisan Policy Center Fireside Chat Promotes America First Trade and Climate Policy

In a fireside chat with the Bipartisan Policy Center, Lt. General H.R. McMaster and I discussed our joint op-ed which links climate, trade, and geopolitics.

I’ve always believed energy security is national security.

Not only do we have nothing to fear from a global geopolitical solution, but we have everything to gain from it. It strengthens alliances with our natural allies, particularly our European allies. It also meets their objectives of lowering emissions and increases our influence in the world.

I think this is the moment to have bipartisan discussions with serious thinkers about a solution. I’d rather have an incremental success story than an aspirational goal we never get started on.

Deadline Announced for USDA Safety Net Programs for Ag Producers

I encourage North Dakota agriculture producers to enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage programs for the 2022 crop year before the March 15 deadline. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers these two safety net programs to provide vital income support to farmers experiencing substantial declines in crop prices or revenues.

North Dakota’s agriculture producers have suffered significant hardship in recent years, and at a time of extreme drought with soaring input costs and dramatic supply chain disruptions, reliable safety net programs for our producers are crucial.

Letters Press Biden Administration on Highway Infrastructure Funding Disbursement

I led more than half of my Republican Senate colleagues and a coalition of rural state senators in two letters to the U.S. Department of Transportation pressing the Biden Administration to implement the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act according to the law.

The issued guidance appears in contradiction to both the letter and spirit of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and could further lead state and local governments to believe that the legislation is not as flexible for states as it really is.

Concerning the contiguous states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, our state Departments of Transportation often coordinate on federal highway policy due to our similar footprints of population and vested interest in ensuring adequate consideration of the rural perspective.

Environment and Public Works Hearing Discusses the Future of the Renewable Fuel Standard

As a result of lazy legislating, the Renewable Fuel Standard lacks clarity and relies on heavy deference to administrative implementation. This has led to dissatisfaction with the program from stakeholders in every sector.

We’re quickly approaching the last year where quantitative Renewable Fuel Standard volume targets are written in statute, meaning the Environmental Protection Agency and the Administration will have carte blanche authority over the Renewable Fuel Standard program starting in 2023.

Sarah Bloom Raskin’s Nomination and Fair Access to Banking Legislation Discussed on Squawk Box

I joined Squawk Box on CNBC to discuss ethics issues surrounding Sarah Bloom Raskin, the nominee to be Vice Chairman for Supervision and a Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

The ethical situation around Raskin’s nomination is getting murkier and murkier. Uncharacteristic statements from the Kansas City Fed and objections from the Colorado Division of Banking raise a ton of questions about her conduct. I don't know why Democrats want the baggage that comes from an insufficient or rushed judgment to confirm her.

We also discussed the Fair Access to Banking Act, my bill to prevent discrimination by banks and financial service providers against constitutionally-protected industries and law-abiding businesses.

Naval Research Lab Tour

Last week, I visited the Naval Research Lab with Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Lorin Selby. The lab conducts basic scientific research, applied research, technological development, and prototyping. Innovative technology is crucial to outpacing competition from our adversaries, and North Dakota is rich with research initiatives involving Unmanned Aerial Systems, advanced material coatings, barnacle research, and cyber knowhow.

It was great to visit the Naval Research Lab to receive a first-hand look at the Navy’s emerging capabilities and technologies, as well as to discuss future research opportunities for North Dakota’s universities.

Bill Demands Accountability from President Biden for Allowing Taliban Takeover of U.S. Military Equipment

The Biden Administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan was an abject failure. There are many unanswered questions including an inventory on our nation’s taxpayer-funded, abandoned military equipment in Afghanistan now in the hands of the Taliban.

The American people are entitled to this information to understand the extent to which equipment left in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Syria is used in any terrorist attack against the U.S. or our allies. Our legislation provides important accountability for what was left behind and emphasizes the unacceptable danger of carelessly arming terrorists.

Letter Exposes President Biden’s Progressive Military Approach

I joined Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and 11 Republican members of the committee in releasing data from the Department of Defense outlining military costs and time spent on key elements of President Joe Biden’s progressive social agenda.

According to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley, U.S. service members spent a total of 5,889,082 man-hours on the February 5, 2021, extremism “stand-down,” as well as “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” training, including critical race theory, since President Biden took office.

We face real threats across the world, yet the Biden administration is more focused on promoting its leftist social agenda in the military instead of countering China, Russia and Iran or creating an effective counterterrorism plan.

Senate Armed Services Nomination Hearing Highlights Military Health Issues

At a hearing for Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, I advocated for an expansion of service members’ access to comprehensive, non-invasive family planning.

We also discussed the Department of Defense’s pandemic preparedness program. I highlighted the work of North Dakota company Genovac in advancing antibody therapy. If confirmed, I hope Dr. Martinez-Lopez will accept my invitation to visit Fargo and see this cutting-edge research firsthand.

Letter Advances Arctic Diplomacy

On Thursday, I joined Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Angus King (I-ME) on a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to address the need for a comprehensive Arctic strategy.

It is imperative the Arctic receives the appropriate attention to promote American interests in a world where we compete for ideas, resources, and relationships.

Resolution Urges Unmasking America’s Children

I introduced a resolution with my Senate Republican colleagues to nullify a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services interim final rule requiring all staff and volunteers in Head Start educational facilities to be fully vaccinated and wear a mask and mandates all children two years of age and older to wear a mask.

It’s truly amazing the lengths Joe Biden will go to push mask and vaccine mandates on Americans. This mandate goes so far as to force toddlers to wear masks even while they play outside. This isn’t about science or public health, it’s about control.

Bipartisan Bill Helps Families Afford Diapers

I joined Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) in introducing the bipartisan Diaper Inclusion in Accounts for Parental Expense Reduction Act effort to help parents afford and get access to diapers.

Diapers can be costly, but they are a necessity for all newborns and toddlers. No family should be forced to go without diapers due to affordability. Our bipartisan approach will improve access to diapers, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, to help families in need.

Bill Introduced to Ensure Abortion Data Is Reported Accurately

On Susan B. Anthony’s birthday, I co-sponsored Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-IA) Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Reporting Data Act, legislation to require states to report accurate and complete data about abortion, including cases where babies are born alive during abortions.

The right to life is our most precious and fundamental right. However, some states don’t require a complete report of abortion numbers. This transparent and commonsense legislation ensures no life ended by abortion is ever hidden.

Keystone XL Pipeline Jobs Loss Report Due in Congress

On a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, my colleagues and I requested the now outstanding Keystone XL Pipeline jobs loss report, which was due to Congress on Sunday, February 13.

The closure of the Keystone XL Pipeline erased thousands of real, high-paying jobs and approximately $800 million in wages.

Letter Urges Administration to Reverse Disastrous Cottonwood Decision

I joined Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and Representative Matt Rosendale (R-MT) on a letter urging the Biden Administration to resolve challenges stemming from the disastrous Cottonwood decision which threatens responsible federal forest and grassland management projects.

We are urging the Biden Administration to finalize the proposed rule, “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Interagency Cooperation,” in order to preserve the forest planning process, remove legal ambiguities which obstruct important forest projects, and ensure finite agency resources are no longer diverted from conservation needs for this purely procedural exercise.

Letter Calls for More H-2B Visas to Support Seasonal Small Businesses

In a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, my colleagues and I shared the need for additional workers as seasonal businesses across the country struggle to find employees as the economy recovers. We also called for the maximum number of H-2B visas allowable be released in 2022.

Without meaningful H-2B cap relief, many seasonal businesses will be forced to scale back operations, cancel or default on contracts, lay off full-time U.S. workers and, in some cases, close operations completely.

Letter Calls to Block No-Fly List for Unruly Passengers

I joined Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) on a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to reject Delta Airline’s call for a no-fly list for unruly passengers.

According to data from the Federal Aviation Administration, the majority of recent infractions on airplanes have been in relation to the mask mandate from the Transportation Security Administration. While we strongly condemn any violence toward airline workers, there is significant uncertainty around the efficacy of this mandate, as highlighted by the CEO of Southwest Airlines.

Creating a federal ‘no-fly’ list for unruly passengers who are skeptical of this mandate would seemingly equate them to terrorists who seek to actively take the lives of Americans and perpetrate attacks on the homeland. The TSA was created in the wake of 9/11 to protect Americans from future horrific attacks, not to regulate human behavior onboard flights.

North Dakota National Guard Enlisted Association

The North Dakota National Guard Enlisted Association stopped by my Washington office this week. We discussed support needs for our Army National Guard and Air National Guard and my burial equity bill for our Guardsmen and Reservists.

United Postmasters and Managers of America

Thank you to the United Postmasters and Managers of America for inviting me to speak and for your passion on postal issues and your service.

I co-sponsored the Postal Service Reform Act because it is vital to ensuring the United States Postal Service is not only financially sustainable but can also reach rural Americans.

Future Business Leaders of America

I spoke with Ilanora Peterson, a North Dakota high school student and national officer for the Future Business Leaders of America, about leadership and the power of curiosity.

Enes Kanter Freedom

It was an honor to meet with former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom. He is an outspoken advocate for freedom and human rights. I stand with Enes!

Grants for North Dakota

Environmental Protection Agency Awards $1 Million to North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $1,020,220 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality.

The funds will be used to provide low interest financing to recipients for costs associated with the planning, design, and construction of eligible drinking water improvement projects and activities to protect human health.

National Science Foundations Awards University of North Dakota Funds for Northern Great Plains Flood Research

The National Science Foundation awarded $442,407 to the University of North Dakota.

The funds will be used for research on precipitation in the Northern Great Plains and flood events over the last three decades, in particular, the relationship between surface water storage and hydrologic processes during a complete dry-to-wet (drought-deluge) or wet-to-dry (deluge-drought) cycle.