Trip to the Southern Border

On Thursday and Friday I visited the U.S.-Mexico border in McAllen, Texas, to observe the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security operations along the southwest border.

After this trip, two things are really clear to me. First, our Customs and Border Protection agents are frustrated by the policies of the Biden Administration, which have made it very difficult for them to do their job. The agents are here because they love their jobs and they carry out their mission very well with the utmost professionalism.

Second, the agents are extremely compassionate men and women. They have been unfairly demonized and vilified. This agency deserves our respect and thanks for the work they do to protect our great nation.

On Thursday I joined a nighttime ride-along tour of the Rio Grande Valley with a Border Patrol agent.

On Friday morning I toured and was briefed on processing facilities as well as the border wall. In the afternoon, the McAllen Air and Marine branch gave us a helicopter tour.

At the end of the day, I thanked our Customs and Border Patrol agents for the work they do and assured them the vast majority of Americans love them, thank them, and stand with them in their efforts.

Senate GOP Press Conference on High Energy Prices and the Biden Administration's Bad Energy Plans

At a Senate Republican press conference on Wednesday, I delivered remarks on the Biden Administration’s policies causing skyrocketing energy costs.

It's bad for American jobs. It's bad for the American economy. It's bad for national security because it makes us more dependent on foreign sources of energy and makes our allies more dependent on foreign sources of energy. And it's bad for the environment and climate because those foreign sources of energy are not as clean as ours.

It's also inflationary. Energy inflation raises the price of everything we grow, everything we produce, everything we manufacture, and everything we ship, whether for exports or imports.

Supreme Court Decides to Hear Challenge of Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Authority

The United States Supreme Court has decided to hear a petitioners challenge of the Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Authority to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to weigh in on the extent of the EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act. North Dakotans and American electricity generators have been stuck in regulatory ping pong due to overzealous bureaucrats who have overstepped their legal bounds.

The Clean Power Plan was an assault on states’ rights and the Trump Administration’s ACE rule stayed within the confines of the law. Congratulations to Attorney General Stenehjem and North Dakota’s energy producers on their persistence. I look forward to their day in court.

Statement on the Passing of Lynn Aas

World War II veteran and Minot resident Lynn Aas passed away on Friday. I'm praying for his family, and I'm just really grateful that I get to count Lynn Aas as one of my friends and one of my mentors in public service and in public life.

He's just one of those personalities who even at the age of 100 you think is never going to die, and yet he’s earned this opportunity to rest. God bless his memory. He will be greatly missed.

President Biden’s New Spending Bill Framework

I joined Cheryl Casone on Fox Business Thursday to discuss the latest with President Biden's new spending bill framework.

It doesn’t appear to me Democrats have nearly enough member support to call this framework a success. In fact, I disagree with those who say it seemed “gutsy” for President Biden to delay his European trip to stay on Capitol Hill in a desperate attempt to try to get a whole bunch of Democrats to follow him over the political cliff with this spending bill.

If you look at this framework, as incomplete as it is, it invests other people’s money into the demand side of the economy with nothing on the supply side. That’s why we have this runaway inflation. I'll only support the hard infrastructure package. It makes all the sense in the world.

Military Leaders Answer Questions on Miscalculations in Afghanistan Strategy

This week I questioned Department of Defense Under Secretary for Policy Colin Kahl and Joint Chiefs of Staff Director for Operations Lieutenant General James Mingus on the miscalculations of ISIS and ISIS-K dominance in the Middle East area at a Senate Armed Services Committee.

For the last 20 years, the United States has seemingly miscalculated our opponents capabilities in Afghanistan and Iraq or even ISIS and ISIS-K’s ability to reconstitute in Afghanistan.

After decades of inaccuracies, it’s vital our military leaders stay on top of the current state of ISIS-K and the affect ISIS has on inspiring further violence across the globe.

ClearPath Action

This week I met with ClearPath Action and its founder Jay Faison. We discussed the work Senator Dan Sullivan and I are doing to cut global emissions through American innovation and resource development. I appreciate their input and the work they do.

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Vice President of Development

On Thursday morning I had a great discussion with Jeff Rothenberg about the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library's progress and the Foundation’s coordination with the local community. The library and museum in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt’s love for North Dakota is set to open on America’s 250th anniversary, July 4th, 2026!

Nominee for Director of Operational Test and Evaluation at the Department of Defense

On Wednesday I talked with Nickolas Guertin with the Department of Defense about North Dakota’s space and defense assets, partnerships with the University of North Dakota, and how to improve testing and operations.

Energy Workforce and Technology Council

Thank you to Lucas Gjovig from Williston for introducing me to speak at the Energy Workforce & Technology Council dinner on Tuesday. I’m grateful to have the chance to discuss our nation’s energy strength and potential with those who know it best.

RDO Equipment and Associated Equipment Distributors

I enjoyed meeting with both RDO Equipment and Associated Equipment Distributors Wednesday afternoon. We talked about the President’s Right to Repair Executive Order, labor shortages, and opportunities to advance career and technical education.

Grants for North Dakota

FEMA Awards $6 Million to North Dakota Department of Health

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the following two grants totaling $6,195,146:

• $3,443,155 to North Dakota Department of Health
• $2,751,991 to NDDOH

North Dakota Agriculture Department Awarded Funds for Farm And Ranch Stress Assistance

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $500,000 to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.

The funds will be used for the North Dakota Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network project to develop and supply resources, offer educational programs, facilitate stress assistance efforts, and build partnerships to address the topic of farm and ranch stress and improve health and well-being for those working in agriculture and their operations.