Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update January 30-february 5

Air Force Releases Official Position on Fufeng: Significant Threat to National Security

On Tuesday, I received a letter from the U.S. Air Force asserting its official position regarding the Fufeng investment in Grand Forks: “The proposed project presents a significant threat to national security with both near and long-term risks to our operations in the area.” Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) received a similar letter confirming this.

The Air Force left ambiguity off the table.

As I have been saying for over a year, the city should discontinue the Fufeng project. I have participated in many briefings and received multiple warnings from military leaders and defense industry stakeholders on this issue as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and repeatedly sounded the alarms on behalf of national security. I am grateful the Air Force backed up my warnings with their public statement.

I am hopeful this experience in Grand Forks provides clarity for other U.S. communities facing similar threats to their military installations. We need to strategically decouple ourselves from China. Until then, keeping this issue at the forefront of conversation is critical to ensure the safety of all Americans. The right play here is to work with state and city officials to find a friendly replacement for development in Grand Forks.

Legislation and Military Priorities Highlighted at North Dakota American Legion Winter Conference

At the 2023 North Dakota American Legion Annual Winter Conference in Minot, I delivered remarks highlighting federal policy priorities and expressed my appreciation for the Legion and military service members.

The American Legion will always have a partner and advocate in me. Its work organizing community programs and making sure its local partners are prepared and equipped is remarkable. No wonder so many outstanding national officers come from North Dakota.

Congressional Review Act Challenges Biden Administration’s New WOTUS Rule

All Senate Republicans introduced a joint resolution of disapproval formally challenging the Biden Administration’s redefinition of the Waters of the United States rule expanding federal regulatory authority over waters on state and private lands.

The new rule is an overstep, wading into private property rights and infringing on North Dakota’s jurisdiction over waters within its borders. Farmers, ranchers, and landowners have endured far too much uncertainty on WOTUS regulations, and this rewrite is a step in the wrong direction.

North Dakota has been an epicenter of this debate before and should lead the fight once again. Our resolution would rescind the Biden rule, keeping the Administration within the boundaries of the law.

The Big Money Show Interview on Debt Limit, Energy, and the Fufeng Project

On Thursday, I joined Brian Brenberg, Jackie DeAngelis, and Taylor Riggs on Fox Business to discuss debt limit negotiations, energy, and the economy. Just this week the Administration canceled two critical mining projects in the United States. They’re all in on electric vehicles, but they're all out on mining for critical minerals for those vehicles in America, which would create jobs, provide opportunity, and grow the supply side of our economy. This disconnect in their economic model is going to be a perpetual problem, no matter how high interest rates get and how inflation responds.

We also discussed the Air Force’s letter on the Fufeng Group’s proposed corn milling plant 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base. Not only is the land close to the base, but it’s also part of our critical agriculture supply chain. If we haven’t learned that we need to decouple our food, energy, critical mineral, and pharmaceutical supply chains from China, we haven’t learned anything. This process was tough on the Grand Forks community, but it sends a message nationwide on how we should handle these investments in the future.

Co-Chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption

I’m looking forward to serving as Co-Chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption this Congress alongside current Co-Chairs Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL), and Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA). Helping somebody with adoption is perhaps the most rewarding victory one can have. Being an adoptive father myself, it’s extra special.

Policies matter. What we do as a coalition – knocking down barriers for people who want to build a family – is a big deal. My pledge is to ensure as many children as possible know the love and support of a permanent family by encouraging adoption and involving even more people in engagement opportunities.

I’m thankful to my Co-Chairs, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, and the Congressional Coalition on Adoption for welcoming me into this new, expanded role of service. It’s an honor.

Bipartisan Bill to Name Affordable Housing Program Fund After Former Fargo Mayor

I joined Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) in reintroducing our Choice in Affordable Housing Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to improve the largest federal rental assistance program and create the Herschel Lashkowitz Housing Partnership Fund.

Millions of Americans are struggling to find affordable housing, and with the cost of living on the rise, Congress should look to amplify existing federal housing programs.

This commonsense, bipartisan bill would enhance the efficacy of the Housing Choice Voucher program by reducing certain regulatory burdens and establishing incentives to encourage more landlords to participate.

It also increases funding for tribal programs and authorizes $500 million to create a Housing Partnership Fund named after former Fargo Mayor Herschel Lashkowitz, who dedicated much of his life to making affordable housing a reality for so many in North Dakota.

Bill to Spur Job Market Growth and Increase Access to Training Programs

I joined Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) in introducing the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, a bipartisan bill to expand Pell Grant eligibility to include students enrolled in credentialed skills and job training programs of at least eight weeks.

Our economy is only as strong as our workforce. By increasing access to job training programs and other in-demand career pathways, we are preparing the next generation of workers to meet the opportunities of tomorrow.

The JOBS Act is a commonsense way to target labor shortages and open more doors for North Dakota employers and students by diversifying programs available to them.

Letter Supports Medicare Advantage Program

In a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSur, a bipartisan group of my colleagues and I urged support for the Medicare Advantage Program, which provides quality health care to millions of seniors and individuals with disabilities across the U.S.

The number of Americans who choose Medicare Advantage continues to grow each year, with enrollment doubling over the last decade. We are committed to maintaining access to the affordable, high-quality care North Dakotans and many Americans receive.

The Administration needs to provide a stable rate and policy environment for Medicare Advantage that will strengthen and ensure the long-term sustainability of the program—protecting access to its important benefits on which North Dakotans have come to rely on.

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.

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

I visited with Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari about inflation, workforce issues, and policies to jump-start the American economy.

Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative

It was great to see Kurt Wickstrom with the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative to discuss the 2023 Farm Bill, inflation, bureaucratic hurdles, and the role agriculture producers and processors have in rural communities.

Red River Farm Network

I had a productive interview with Red River Farm Network’s Don Wick to discuss the 2023 Farm Bill, food security, and promoting conservation efforts to help our farmers and ranchers. We also talked about the growing threat of Fufeng and Biden Administration’s new definition of WOTUS.

Ukrainian Bankers

I spoke with a group of Ukrainian bankers about the importance of maintaining a strong and stable banking system in Ukraine.

Grants for North Dakota

Department of Transportation Awards Nearly $4.8 Million for North Dakota Roadway Safety Programs

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded North Dakota cities and counties a total of $4,778,595 in Safe Streets and Roads for All Program grants, which was established in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act delivers real results to North Dakota. This funding is the latest example of how the law can help support infrastructure projects like roadway safety improvements across our great state.

Funding for the development of comprehensive safety plans was awarded to:

• $320,000 to the City of Williston
• $200,000 to the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments
• $400,000 to the Grand Forks/East Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization

Health and Human Services Awards Over $3.6 Million to North Dakota Head Start and Department of Health and Human Services

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families awarded North Dakota’s Community Action Partnership a $2,424,241 grant to support Head Start programs, which provide services for low-income families with young children and encourage communities to cultivate enriching environments that promote the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of infants and toddlers.

The agency also awarded a total of $1,181,780 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services:

• $1,000,000 for the STD Prevention and Control in North Dakota Workforce Supplement
• $181,780 for the North Dakota Public Health Crisis Response