Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update september 26-October 2

Op-Ed Advises Banks and Asset Managers to Ignore Calls for ESG and Woke Capitalism

Banks and asset managers should steer clear of weighing in on social and cultural issues lest they leave the impression their priorities are based on shifting political trends.

Wading into these waters may make for some favorable headlines with the millennial Twittersphere, but it is bad policy. They need to resist the impulse to respond to the very loud noise in their left ear from political activists. I’m more than happy to be the loud noise in their right ear urging them to make banking decisions based on fundamental lending criteria.

The calls for environmental, social, and corporate governance in the financial industry are a public relations ploy more focused on placating “Twitter risk” than any material risk to investors.

Pipeline for a Pipeline Permitting Reform Proposal

Last week, I proposed changes to Senator Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) “permitting reform” legislation.

A pipeline for a pipeline. If they want me to get to yes, it requires input from everyone, not a backroom take-it-or-leave-it proposal. The national significance of the Mountain Valley Pipeline applies to DAPL as well.

Let’s scrap these proposals to overrun state siting authority, give the timelines some teeth, and treat the Dakota Access Pipeline the same as the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

Aspirational timelines do not motivate federal bureaucrats or curb the zeal of environmental litigants. We need a ”shot clock” for permit approvals which automatically defaults to the applicant within the one- or two-year timeframe outlined in the bill.

Interview with Larry Kudlow Discusses Need for Meaningful Permitting Reform

Apparently, Larry Kudlow and I were convincing enough for Democrats to scrap their half-hearted permitting proposal.

The proposal was bad for states’ rights, gave more power to the federal government, did nothing for North Dakota’s pipelines, and had no real teeth to keep the bureaucracy on time.

It’s clear attaching Sen. Manchin’s “permitting reform” legislation to the continuing resolution wasn’t going to work. What Democrats should be doing is working with Republicans who know a lot about this topic, so we can come to an agreement on meaningful reform.

In order to get there, clear amendments are needed. Renewables already distort the marketplace, while coal, nuclear, and gas have to pick up the slack. Real permitting reform would default to the applicant and enforce one- or two-year shot clocks. If we don’t, the swamp will continue business as usual.

Award Recognizes 2022 Congressional Clean Energy Champions

It is an honor to be recognized as one of the Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions’ (CRES) 2022 Clean Energy Champions.

From our carbon capture projects to the production of carbon negative oil, North Dakota is a leader in clean energy technology and innovation, producing responsible and reliable energy today and for the future. Every day, I aim to make Washington more like North Dakota.

CRES has been a great partner along the way. I look forward to our continued partnership and unapologetically promoting clean, reliable American energy solutions for the world.

Statement Calls on President Biden to Drop All COVID-19 Border Restrictions

In the words of President Biden, the pandemic is over and now Canada has announced the end of COVID-19 border and quarantine restrictions.

The Canadian government announced it is dropping all COVID-19 border restrictions for anyone entering Canada, including proof of vaccination, quarantine, and isolation requirements as well as all pre- or on-arrival COVID-19 testing.

I urge the Biden Administration to follow suit. It’s high time to end restrictions on commercial truck drivers and expand hours of operations at U.S. ports of entry to pre-pandemic schedules. North Dakota, especially our border towns, relies on commerce and visitors from our neighbors to the north.

Bill Introduced to Reform Natural Resources Conservation Service and Protect Property Owners from Government Overreach

I joined Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and John Hoeven (R-ND) in introducing legislation that would reform the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The NRCS Wetland Compliance and Appeals Reform Act would safeguard farmers, ranchers, and landowners from bureaucratic overreach by the NRCS and empower them to continue to protect their land as they see fit.

In North and South Dakota, we are all too familiar with the punitive enforcement of conservation compliance, and farmers and private property rights rarely come out on top. Our bill provides much-needed reforms for the Natural Resources Conservation Service wetland determinations.

It creates a more thorough appeals process, prohibits bureaucrats from being retroactively punitive, and rightly places the burden of proof on the government as opposed to the landowner.

Bill Introduced to Help Family Members of Those Killed by Illegal Immigrants

I helped introduce bicameral legislation, the Justice for Angel Families Act, to help family members of those killed by illegal immigrants.

The Biden Administration won’t acknowledge the crisis at the southern border, therefore there are real consequences resulting from its open border policies.

The bill amends the Crime Victims Fund to expand funds to angel families, who are immediate relatives of victims of homicide by an illegal immigrant. It would also reinstate and codify the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office at the Department of Homeland Security, which was established by President Donald Trump in 2017.

There is no official record specifically to track crimes committed by “illegal immigrants” in the U.S., and little is done for the families of these victims. The Justice for Angel Families Act would require the publishing of annual reports to Congress detailing the effects of crimes committed by illegal aliens.

The bill also provides compensation for those whose lives were senselessly taken by illegal immigrants.

Nothing can ever replace losing a loved one. Our bill is the least we can do for the victims’ families.

Resolution Introduced on Anti-Regime Protests in Iran

I joined Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in introducing a resolution reaffirming the United States’ support for the Iranian citizens who have taken to the streets in peaceful protest for their fundamental human rights and condemning the Iranian security forces for their violent response.

Iranian women are fighting for freedom and equal rights as they honor Mahsa Amini’s legacy through their protests and resolve. I commend the courage of every man and woman fighting for basic human rights in Iran and speaking out against the violent Iranian regime.

The resolution calls for the international community to speak out against the Iranian regime’s human rights violations and urges continued efforts to hold those violators accountable including through additional coordinated sanctions.

With reports of the Iranian regime blocking internet access out of fear that its citizens will continue shining a light on these significant protests, we also stressed the importance for the United States government and the broader international community to provide additional support for access to digital communications and internet freedom in Iran.

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.

Grants for North Dakota

Department of Transportation Awards $2.6 Million for Pipeline Safety in North Dakota

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration awarded the following five grants totaling $2,600,113:

• $1 million to North Dakota State University to develop and implement a holistic framework for an AI powered, platform-forward software tool which will accelerate the transition of existing gas pipelines for hydrogen transport;
• $1 million to North Dakota State University to develop and test the feasibility of an all-in-one, multifunctional, high-performance cured-in-place pipe structural liner which is self-healing and self-sensing;
• $354,635 to the North Dakota Public Utilities Commission to support pipeline safety programs;
• $198,708 to the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services to design and implement planning and training programs which enhance response to hazardous materials transportation incidents; and
• $46,770 to the North Dakota Public Service Commission to improve various aspects of North Dakota’s damage prevention programs.

Department of Agriculture Awards $450,000 to Cankdeska Cikana Community College for Food Safety Outreach

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded $450,000 to Cankdeska Cikana Community College to promote safe practices through the preservation of food and Native American Culture.

This project is a sustainable, multi-pronged, collaborative approach between Cankdeska Cikana Community College and North Dakota State University. It addresses food safety, access, and sovereignty issues.

Department of Health and Human Services Awards $250,000 to Mountain Plains Youth Services, Inc.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded two grants totaling $249,588 to the Mountain Plains Youth Services, Inc. in Bismarck:

• $99,588 for Youthwork Basic Centers
• $150,000 for Youthwork Street Outreach Program