Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update april 24-30

Op-Ed: ‘America’s Adversaries are Moving in Next Door’

I penned an op-ed in the Washington Examiner regarding American land acquisitions by entities with ties to foreign adversaries. The Grand Forks community became a flashpoint on this issue when the Fufeng Group, a food manufacturer linked to the Chinese Communist Party, moved to buy acreage within 12 miles of Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Fufeng’s efforts to buy up North Dakota farmland should have been met with immediate skepticism. But our experience became a textbook example of how fragmented systems lead to hot potato blame games, widespread confusion, and bitterly divided communities.

While North Dakota’s recent experience highlighted the threat of foreign investment in close proximity to one of our critical Air Force bases, national security apprehensions over foreign purchases of agricultural land and facilities are not limited to those near military installations.

Every land acquisition, investment, corporate merger, and building of agricultural facilities, influenced by foreign adversaries, is another step away from American ownership and sovereignty over our own food systems and supply chain.

Instead of farms operated by the same family for generations, foreign investors with opaque and often suspect ties to adversarial governments use economic development as a guise for their ulterior motives.

Bipartisan LAKES Act Encourages Outdoor Recreation Improvements

Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and I introduced the Lake Access Keeping Economies Strong (LAKES) Act, a bipartisan bill to improve outdoor recreation facilities in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-managed areas, provide new opportunities for public-private investments, and give local districts more flexibility to reinvest their resources.

Because of discrepancies in federal law, managers of some of North Dakotans’ favorite outdoor recreation sites have to get approval from Washington to initiate operations and maintenance projects. Unlike every other federal land management agency, the Army Corps cannot retain recreation fees at the sites where they are collected. This makes no sense.

Our bipartisan bill would keep resources and decision-making closer to home, while providing new opportunities for private investment in our recreation facilities.

Stakeholders Applaud LAKES Act

Over 25 organizations across the country, including in North Dakota, highlighted how the legislation would advance their work.

In the state, we heard from Friends of Lake Sakakawea, the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, the North Dakota Department of Commerce, and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department about the bill’s important impacts.

On the national level, industry stakeholders showed their support by writing letters and sharing their endorsements.

Vote to Overturn Onerous Biden Administration Regulation on Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions

On Wednesday, the Senate passed a resolution my colleagues and I introduced to overturn the Biden administration’s heavy-duty vehicle emissions regulations.

We should be setting up our trucking and manufacturing sectors for success, not making them pay more or jump through new regulatory hoops.

This rule will only add fuel to the inflationary fire the Biden administration continues to stoke. The Senate was right to oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s unnecessary and unrealistic emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles.

Vote Opposes Removal of Ratification Deadline on Equal Rights Amendment

On Thursday, I joined my Senate colleagues in voting against a resolution to remove the deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. The Constitution makes clear states have to ratify constitutional amendments. By every metric, states have not done so.

The Democrats’ novel unconstitutional approach bypasses states’ rights and circumvents the process our Founders put in place. This is simply another liberal wish list item meant to drive a political wedge.

Legislation Expands Access to Free Credit Monitoring for Service Members and Families

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and I introduced the Servicemembers’ Credit Monitoring Enhancement Act, bipartisan legislation to expand free credit monitoring for all service members and their families. Current eligibility is limited to active-duty service members and National Guard members.

Our service members and their families put so much on the line to protect us and our way of life, yet their sacrifices leave them more vulnerable to financial fraud.

Ensuring military families have full access to credit monitoring services will help keep their information secure.

Bipartisan Bill Improves Access to Mental Health Care Services for Military Members and Their Families

Last week, I introduced the Military Families Mental Health Services Act with Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA). The bill would improve access to mental health care services for military families by waiving out-of-pocket costs on TRICARE for their first three outpatient mental health visits per year.

Ensuring our service members in North Dakota and across the U.S. have access to treatment and other mental health services must be a top priority. These men and women have bravely served our country and have gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep our country safe.

We made great strides last Congress by enacting the same benefit for our veterans. It is only right we break down these barriers for our active-duty as well.

Resolution to Overturn Department of Labor Rule to Protect Farmers

On Tuesday, I joined Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Ted Budd (R-NC) in introducing a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn a misguided rule by the Department of Labor which would drastically increase costs for American farmers and their families.

Specifically, the final rule would modify some job types on farms to have unique and higher Adverse Effect Wage Rates. In addition to inflating H-2A wages, it imposes undue administrative burdens on farmers who rely on the program by requiring they track each employee’s activity separately to maintain compliance with the new policy.

America’s farmers work day and night to feed our nation and the world, but this rule undermines their competitiveness and disproportionally impacts small farmers by increasing their labor costs.

It is already difficult to find workers. We should not be placing more rules and regulations on this industry, especially when inflation is high and prices keep increasing.

Newly Published Report Reviews Silicon Valley Bank Collapse and Fed Supervisory Shortfalls

On my biweekly radio town hall with the Flag Family Radio Network's What’s on Your Mind, I reiterated my stance on the Silicon Valley Bank collapse and the Federal Reserve System’s insufficient supervision of the company. The conversation followed a report published by the Fed which reviewed the events.

If discipline is never applied when violations occur, they will only be repeated.

We need to enforce existing laws. Silicon Valley Bank was run poorly. The regulators knew it, identified it, but didn't take strong enough action in response.

Banking Hearing Highlights Affordable Housing Legislation

At a Banking Committee hearing, I questioned Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, about potential impacts of the Choice in Affordable Housing Act. I introduced this legislation with Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) to improve the Housing Choice Voucher Program, the largest federal rental assistance program.

If passed, the bill would allow Public Housing Authorities the opportunity to offer security deposit assistance to tenants, as well as a signing bonus to landlords with a unit in an area in demand or in need.

I like the idea of vouchers. I like the idea of dealing with the demand side, but a demand side without a supply side with an adequate balance of incentives doesn't do any good. That’s the balance I’m trying to strike.

I also discussed the perverse proposal by the Federal Housing Finance Agency to increase upfront costs for individuals with credit scores over 680 to subsidize high-risk borrowers’ fees.

It's an awful idea to punish high performers. It’s crazier when you consider high performers are oftentimes people like my parents were: never above middle class, but they always paid their bills and had a good credit score.

Letter Demands Answers on Federal Housing Finance Agency Policy to Subsidize High-Risk Borrowers

Following the hearing, I joined Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) in sending Sandra Thompson, Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, a letter in fierce opposition to this policy, which would penalize Americans who responsibly manage their money.

The proposal, slated to go into effect on May 1, would hike upfront fees for individuals with credit scores above 680 to subsidize high-risk borrowers.

Environment and Public Works Hearing Touts Permitting Reform and U.S. Energy Production

At an Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, I cautioned against efforts to federalize the power grid without robust permitting reforms and discussed the impacts of high energy costs on U.S. manufacturers.

In my questioning to Christina Hayes, Executive Director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid, I raised concerns about giving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission greater authority over transmission systems. I also underscored the importance of preserving states’ roles on siting and permitting matters.

As a state regulator, I loved siting transmission lines up to the Minnesota border, but I resented it when Minnesota cited them to the North Dakota border and then said, “Take it from here.” There needs to be a doable balance across a broader area.

Lastly, I asked Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, how high energy costs slow progress for the U.S. manufacturing sector. In his response, he stressed the importance of permitting reform and investing our money at home in order to stay competitive.

Legislation to Expand Truck Parking Capacity

This week, I cosponsored the bipartisan Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, which would authorize $755 million in grant funding to expand truck parking capacity for the next four years, build new truck parking facilities, and convert existing weigh stations and rest areas into parking spaces for truck drivers.

Truck drivers are critical links in our nation’s supply chain, and their continued safety on the road is integral to the overall success of America’s freight transportation system. Too often, drivers do not have access to safe parking to rest following a long shift.

Our bill authorizes funding to increase truck parking capacity so safe parking options exist for all drivers.

Letter Urges Biden Administration to Sanction Huawei Cloud and People’s Republic of China Cloud Computing Services

I joined my Senate colleagues in urging Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take decisive actions against Huawei Cloud and other People’s Republic of China cloud service providers due to the threat they pose to U.S. national and economic security.

The administration should impose sanctions, export restrictions, and investment bans on these firms and further investigate People’s Republic of China cloud computing services.

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.

North Dakota Insurance Commissioner

Last week, I spoke with North Dakota Insurance Department Commissioner Jon Godfread about the state legislative session, health and flood insurance, and data security.

North Dakota Stockmen’s Association

I joined Randy Schmitt of Rugby, Lowell Malard of Bismarck, and Travis Maddock of Maddock to discuss the North Dakota Stockmen's Association's goals for the upcoming Farm Bill.

We also talked about ways to ensure our producers receive federal funding, as well as the Biden administration’s heavy-handed Waters of the U.S. rule.

North Dakota Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Ivona Todorovic, 2023 North Dakota Teacher of the Year, for her impressive instruction at Red River High School and the University of North Dakota.

It was a pleasure to learn more about her career, move to America, and approach to teaching English to children learning the language for the first time. Minnesota's Teacher of the Year Sarah Lancaster, a first grade teacher at Onamia Elementary School, also joined us for the conversation.

Independent Insurance Agents of North Dakota

I met with the Independent Insurance Agents of North Dakota to discuss the Farm Bill, crop insurance, and the important role insurance agents play in helping our farmers.

Standing Rock Housing Authority

It was good to meet with Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Housing Authority to discuss funding, housing, and law enforcement needs. I’m committed to working together to find solutions.

Equifax

Ahead of a Senate Banking Committee oversight hearing last Thursday, I met with Equifax to talk about the critical role credit reporting plays in the U.S. economy.

North Dakota Dietetics Student

It was great to meet Kaylee, a graduate student from North Dakota who is passionate about serving her community when she graduates!

Linton and Ellendale Students

I enjoyed speaking with students from Ellendale and Linton who visited our nation’s capital with the Close-Up program this week.

Senator John Hoeven and I talked with them about why our Founders created the Senate, data privacy, and their high schools’ basketball seasons! I even had the opportunity to discuss the school year with their teachers.