Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update February 20-26

Leadership on Bill to Support Lower Rates for Irrigators

I introduced legislation to amend the Dakota Water Resources Act, which would allow more North Dakota irrigators to obtain project use power rates through the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) joined as an original cosponsor, and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives. When the existing law passed over 20 years ago, it provided a pathway for lower rates for North Dakota irrigators, but these benefits have not been realized.

Our bill corrects a fundamental error so our state’s irrigators can access the cost-effective resources they were promised in exchange for allowing the government to flood prime North Dakota farmland. It’s time to fix this.

Federal Highway Administration Retracts Flawed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Implementation Policy

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) updated its December 2021 policy memorandum, which contradicted the letter and the spirit of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The replacement memo, issued by FHWA this week, acknowledged the fundamental error in limiting the capabilities of local authorities who know the needs of our communities best.

The good news is, the Federal Highway Administration’s initial guidance – which essentially told North Dakota and every state in America how to spend their infrastructure resources – is gone.

When Administrator Bhatt came before the Environment and Public Works Committee last year, I questioned him on the Department’s deeply flawed guidance, and he acknowledged the lawful flexibility states possess. His correction is a step in the right direction, and I look forward to working with him to ensure the law is implemented as Congress intended.

Amicus Brief to Challenge FDA Approved Abortion Drugs

I joined Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and 65 of our House and Senate colleagues in filing an amicus brief to support a lawsuit challenging the Food and Drug Administration's approval and deregulation of chemical abortion drugs.

The brief was authored by Americans United for Life and filed in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, a case before the Northern District of Texas. It contends the FDA failed to adhere to the drug approval process in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and waived the pediatric study requirement under the Pediatric Research Equity Act.

Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Accounts for Preventive Health Care Savings

Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Angus King (I-ME), and I reintroduced the Preventive Health Savings Act. This bipartisan, bicameral bill would direct the Congressional Budget Office to provide a more encompassing estimate of preventive health care impacts on the federal bottom line.

Preventive health care enables Americans to live longer, healthier lives, and investing in these measures now could substantially lower the costs passed along to taxpayers.

Currently, the Congressional Budget Office analysis window is capped at 10 years. This legislation would permit congressional leaders to request evaluations of preventive measures for two additional 10-year periods, which would quantify the potential long-term savings.

For inclusion in the North Dakota Medical Association's Winter 2023 magazine, I wrote an article titled “Better Accounting for Preventive Health Care."

American Energy Production to Displace Russian Oil

This week, I joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss Russia’s high oil revenues and bolstering American energy production.

What would the difference be if we were producing 15 million barrels instead of 13 million barrels a day? It would be more than independence. It would mean we would be the price maker instead of the price taker on the global markets, and our allies would depend on us for some cleaner and friendlier energy.

Radio Show Covers Legislative Priorities

I also went on Larry Kudlow’s radio show this weekend to talk about the Balanced Budget Amendment, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and lowering taxes for the American people.

BEK News

Interviews Highlight Intersection of Agriculture and National Security

I joined Ladies of Another View on BEK News to discuss Fufeng and the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States. The experience in Grand Forks demonstrated the importance of including the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the Committee as a permanent member, as opposed to a situational participant. My colleagues and I have introduced legislation to do so.

Agriculture represents the most important critical supply chain we have, and that’s our food.

We also talked about transparency, particularly regarding the Executive Branch. The issue is twofold. First, federal agencies are largely siloed and don't exchange information as often as they should. Second, to the extent it can, the government should be more proactive in disclosing information to the public.

I also joined BEK’s Lori Hinz on No Apologies to discuss the Fufeng Group's purchase of Grand Forks land for a corn milling plant, the Chinese spy balloon, and national security.

The Air Force is a citizen of Grand Forks in many respects. They are partners with Grand Forks, a stakeholder, and that is their family in many respects. They didn't want to do anything that would embarrass the community of Grand Forks, and I think they gave city leaders multiple opportunities to back out of it gracefully. They finally had to put their opinion in an official letter stating the Fufeng Group's purchase presented a significant threat to national security, which wasn't a new opinion.

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.

Western Dakota Estate Planning Council

It was a pleasure to participate in such a productive conversation with members of the Western Dakota Estate Planning Council. As we navigate an economy marked by high inflation, tight labor markets, and climbing interest rates, financial literacy is arguably more important than ever. 

Associated Builders and Contractors Legislative Lunch

I joined members from the Associated Builders and Contractors - Minnesota and North Dakota Chapter at their legislative lunch this week.

I always enjoy meeting with our business owners to learn about their challenges and opportunities, especially given recent bipartisan infrastructure developments.

Grants for North Dakota

North Dakota Receives Over $11 Million for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund

The Environmental Protection Agency awarded North Dakota $11,390,000 for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. These resources were allocated in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which authorized over $200 million for North Dakota State Revolving Fund programs. In November 2021, I hosted EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox for a rural water tour, where she announced the increased funding for the state.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided substantial increases for water infrastructure across North Dakota’s communities. I am pleased to see these dollars are supporting projects to improve the water quality for communities throughout our state.