Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update september 19-25

Hearing Questions Bank CEOs on Efforts to Block Gun and Ammunition Purchases

At a Senate Banking Hearing on Thursday, I encouraged the CEOs of America’s largest retail banks to stand up to the Left’s radical economic policies. I asked all seven witnesses to commit their bank will process all transactions for the purchase of legal, constitutionally protected goods and services, including guns and ammunition.

They all said they would, and I’ll hold them to that.

I also extended an invitation to each CEO to visit North Dakota and witness the beauty and efficiency of a clean energy economy firsthand.

I want to invite you all to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Moynihan. Come to North Dakota. I want to show you real progress in transitioning to a cleaner energy economy that utilizes, not regulation, but rather innovation and the great riches that God has given us below, on top, and above the earth.

Letter Pushes Back on Efforts to Track Gun Purchases and Block Legal Commerce

I led my Senate Banking Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the Bank Policy Institute urging the organization to resist political pressure to block legal transactions and insert financial institutions into controversial social issues.

The creation of the new Merchant Category Code was celebrated widely by liberal Democrats and gun-control advocates. They have made it clear this is just the beginning of their campaign to block legal purchases of firearms.

Let us be clear: banks should not misuse their power to hinder the ability of law-abiding Americans to exercise a constitutional right by creating de-facto bans on legal firearm purchases. Addressing complex and contentious social and policy issues that involve balancing competing values is the job of democratically-elected leaders, not unelected bank executives.

Fox Business Interview Discusses Efforts to Track Gun Purchases and the Left’s Destructive Economic Policies

Ahead of Thursday’s Senate Banking Committee hearing, I discussed on Fox Business everything from the adoption of ESG statements to the new Merchant Category Code for gun stores.

Banks need to stand up to this nonsense, resist being a tool of the Left, and stick to the business of banking.

I don’t know a single bank president who wants to destroy the American economy, yet the Left is pushing them there. We don’t need ESG statements. We need real solutions to an energy transition that doesn’t destroy our economy. This is done through innovation, not regulation.

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Celebrates New Hamm School of Engineering Building

I attended the Hamm School of Engineering ribbon cutting ceremony for the new state-of-the-art facility at the University of Mary in Bismarck. The new engineering school provides a rigorous and competitive curriculum across five disciplines.

Innovation, research, and creativity will be well-stewarded within these hallowed halls and I look forward to seeing students grow in both knowledge and leadership. North Dakota was named the hardest working state in the nation, and I know our work ethic alongside the values and mission of the University of Mary will create unbound opportunities for their students and our great state.

We are so grateful for Harold Hamm’s generosity and dedication to investing in North Dakota’s next generation of engineers. This also would not have been possible without the vision and servant leadership of University of Mary President Monsignor James Shea. I’m thankful to them both for their commitment to creating new opportunities and preparing the next generation of leaders in North Dakota.

North Dakota Congressional Delegation Continues Pressing for a Return to Pre-Pandemic Hours of Operation at Northern Ports of Entry

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agreed to temporarily expand operating hours at the Maida, Northgate, and Sherwood ports of entry (POEs) in North Dakota. Pending agreement from the Canada Border Services Agency, the hours of operation at these three POEs will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., 10 hours per day.

While it’s encouraging to see the temporary expansion of hours, Customs and Border Protection’s work is far from over. Temporary won’t cut it.

North Dakotans’ ability to conduct cross-border activity remains unnecessarily restricted as CBP refuses to return to pre-pandemic hours at our ports of entry. We will continue to push for the restoration of full operation hours at all ports of entry in North Dakota to accommodate lawful travel and trade with Canada, our close ally and largest trading partner.

At a time when the U.S. economy is suffering from record high inflation, it is critical we remove obstacles to the legitimate flow of goods and services and alleviate the mounting strain on the supply chain. The President declared the pandemic over the other day. It’s past time to return to pre-pandemic hours at the northern border ports of entry in North Dakota.

North Dakota Department of Transportation Receives Funding to Prevent Road Washouts Near Minot Air Force Base

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation within the U.S. Department of Defense awarded $2.9 million to the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT). This funding was made available through the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program and will be used for road maintenance at the crossroad of US Highway 2 and US Highway 52, commonly referred to as Brooks Junction, west of Minot.

Our congressional delegation urged for the approval of NDDOT’s request, outlining the need to reduce risk of washouts along the high traffic route to support the operations of the 91st Missile Wing at the Minot Air Force Base as well as the local agriculture and energy sector in North Dakota.

Both highways have an Annual Average Daily Traffic of approximately 5,500 vehicles and are used not only by the 91st Missile Wing, but also by the agriculture and energy sectors in the state.

In order to ensure the resiliency of this vital network, three structures will be replaced, including a mission-essential structure used by the 91st Missile Wing for convoy operations that include a large number of security forces and maintenance vehicles. The proposed project would provide improved reliability and safety. It would support our nation’s defense as well as domestic food and energy security.

Fireside Chat with Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan

I joined Brian Moynihan, Chairman and CEO of Bank of America, for a Fireside Chat during the 2022 Sustainable Markets Initiative CEO Summit in New York City.

It was a pleasure to host Brian Moynihan in Fargo for the second installment of my ‘Bully Pulpit’ series and I was honored to join him in New York City to further our discussion on the future of energy.

North Dakota has found the right balance between production and sustainability because we are naturally agrarian. We understand without sustainability, we have no land or resources to develop. It was a pleasure to show North Dakota’s excellence to leaders from around the United States and the world. I encourage them to follow Brian’s lead and come see our state’s innovation firsthand.

Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing Discusses Policy to Accelerate Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Projects

At a hearing on state and local perspectives on implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I discussed the importance of One Federal Decision in expediting project approvals, flexibility provided to states through formula funding, and ideas to streamline the grant application processes.

Flexibility is important to states because we have a diverse country. Our geology is different. Our hydrology is different. Our demography is different. This speaks volumes about the importance of federalism and states having more control.

I concluded by asking for ways to simplify the discretionary grant application process to remove bureaucratic obstacles and get infrastructure dollars out to communities faster. The bureaucracy is coming up with more ways to make it harder rather than facilitating it, in my view.

Hearing Discusses Community Care and Veterans Issues with VA Secretary McDonough

I highlighted issues with timely access to community care for veterans with Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough at a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing last week. I proposed including critical access hospitals as an extension of the VA health care system to ensure veterans in rural communities have timely access to care.

Many members on the Veterans Affairs Committee are from rural states and we discussed how the lack of access to healthcare directly affects our states. There needs to be a way we could work on something for veterans in those very remote rural places and make a critical access hospital an extension of the VA. Secretary McDonough responded positively to this solution.

Letter Calls for Hunter Biden Prosecutor to be Given Special Counsel Authority

On Monday, I joined Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in sending a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding U.S. Attorney David Weiss be extended special counsel protections and authorities to conduct the investigation into Hunter Biden.

There is no way of knowing the entire scope of the investigation, but evidence seems to be mounting that Hunter Biden committed numerous federal crimes, including tax fraud, money laundering, and foreign-lobbying violations.

This is one important action they can take that will go a long way in restoring faith in our governmental institutions.

Bill Introduced to Stop the Ban of Traditional Ammo and Tackle

I joined Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and 21 colleagues in introducing a bill to prohibit federal land management agencies from banning the use of traditional lead ammunition or tackle on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science and state wildlife and fish agencies.

I will continue to fight against needless bureaucracy, which would limit hunting and fishing opportunities for North Dakota’s sportsmen.

The bill applies to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. 

Department of Education Names Larimore, Linton, and Bismarck Schools as 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools

Larimore Elementary School, Linton Public School, and Bismarck’s Roosevelt Elementary School were designated by the U.S. Department of Education as 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

We have some of the best and brightest in North Dakota. Congrats to these 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools!

Since 1982, the Blue Ribbon School award has honored public and private schools across the country that display overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps.

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.

Chief of Navy Operations

Admiral Michael Gilday, Chief of U.S. Navy Operations, and I had a good discussion on readiness, modernization, the Navy’s needs in the National Defense Authorization Act, and the possibility of naming a new ship the USNS Arikara. I hope to see him soon in North Dakota!

Task Force 21

It was great to see members of Task Force 21 from the Minot Chamber of Commerce educating the community on Team Minot.

Thanks for a discussion on modernization and how we can work together to ensure Minot Air Force Base has a strong future!

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Housing Authority

Members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Housing Authority shared with me some of the challenges they are facing. When Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge came before the Senate Banking committee, I spoke with her about the housing crisis and the impact it has on our tribal communities.

We need to ensure they have access to housing so we can focus on overall safety and security for our tribal communities. I appreciated their time and conversation.

SK Group

It was great to meet with SK Group’s Jeong Joon Yu and Continental Resources Chairman Harold Hamm to discuss ongoing carbon capture and sequestration efforts in North Dakota.

Grants for North Dakota

Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc. Receives $8.6 Million from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The National Telecommunications & Information Administration awarded $8,637,951 to Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc., through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.

Funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to benefit and improve life in North Dakota. Telecommunications is essential to our modern economy providing more opportunities for rural and tribal communities. Through this project, more North Dakotans will have access to reliable broadband, telehealth, workforce development, and digital connection enhancing the overall quality of life.

This funding will connect around 1,000 unserved households in both North Dakota and South Dakota with 50 Mbps/10 Mbps fixed wireless service.

North Dakota Airports Receive $761,000 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The Federal Aviation Administration awarded the following grants totaling $760,551 from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act:

• $336,951 to the City of Minot;
• $110,000 to the Carrington Airport Authority;
• $110,000 to the Edgeley Airport Authority;
• $110,000 to the Rolla Municipal Airport; and
• $93,600 to the Jamestown Airport Authority.

This funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is another win for North Dakota. Small airports are important in our rural landscape and these dollars will improve and upgrade the airports throughout our great state.

North Dakota Receives $47.5 Million to Increase Access to Affordable, High-Speed Internet

The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded three grants and one loan totaling $47,453,053 to provide high-speed internet access for rural communities and businesses in North Dakota. These investments will be used to deploy fiber-to-the-premises networks across the state.

• $13,942,351 grant to BEK Communications Cooperative: this network will connect 1,496 people, 61 businesses, 257 farms, and four schools to high-speed internet in Barnes, Cass, and Ransom counties.
• $13,814,768 grant to Consolidated Enterprises, Inc.: This network will connect 851 people, 38 businesses, 164 farms, and one school to high-speed internet in Billings and Stark counties.
• $2,815,462 grant to Halstad Telephone Company: This network will connect 532 people, seven businesses, and 86 farms to high-speed internet in Traill County.
• $16,880,472 loan to Griggs County Telephone Co.: This network will connect 2,943 people, 99 businesses, 11 educational facilities, and 173 farms to high-speed internet in Ranson, Cass, and Richland counties.

Grand Forks International Airport Receives $15.9 Million

The Federal Aviation Administration awarded $15,910,790 to the Grand Forks International Airport. The multi-year funding will be used for runway extension and reconstruction.

Department of Health and Human Services Awards $4.8 Million for Opioid Programs in North Dakota

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the following three grants totaling $4,725,000 for substance abuse programs in North Dakota:

• $4,000,000 to the North Dakota State Department of Human Service for mental health and substance abuse services;
• $475,000 to the Turtle Mountain Tribe for mental health and substance abuse services; and
• $250,000 to the Spirit Lake Tribe for mental health and substance abuse services.

The funds will aid in preventing opioid addiction statewide and will expand access to mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Devils Lake Public School District Receives $200,000 Grant

Devils Lake Public School District has been awarded $199,806 for the Minnewaukan Native Youth Community Project. The project aims to increase student college and career readiness for Minnewaukan Middle and High School students.

The funds were awarded by the Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education from the Demonstration Grants for Indian children program.