Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update February 6-12

State of the Union

Burleigh County Sheriff Attends as Guest

It was an honor to have Burleigh County Sheriff Kelly Leben join me for the State of the Union Address. Sheriff Leben brings over three decades of experience working for the department he now leads.

Kelly is an exceptional lawman. He is not only passionate about his work, but also joyful about it. I like to say of him, he is not only a peace keeper, but a peace maker.

He has the right demeanor for the job, and I’m grateful to call him a friend and my sheriff.

Kudlow Interview Before the President's Address

Ahead of the State of the Union, I joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss recent mining withdrawals by the Biden Administration, which ultimately transfer market opportunity to U.S. adversaries, as well as John Kerry’s backdoor climate dealings with China.

We also talked about expectations for the President’s address. I hoped he would deliver a unifying message and leave it at that. However, I accurately predicted an attempted "victory lap" would overshadow anything else he might say in his speech.

Response to the State of the Union Address

If the President set out to unify the country in his State of the Union Address, he failed miserably. There was very little unifying language. His perception of unity is "we all think like him" as opposed to finding common ground, meeting in the middle, and compromising on key issues. Excerpts below.

I also commented on President Biden's failure to address the rampant inflation he and his Administration created, his anti-energy and anti-business policies, and the crisis at the southern border. Also, his claim Republicans want to cut Social Security was just false. A grand total of zero Republicans have said they want to cut Social Security and Medicare.

While I disagreed with much of what the President said, I agreed with his calls to modernize and strengthen our military and support our veterans, especially as they transition back into civilian life.

Fair Access to Banking Act Reintroduced

This week, I led more than one-third of my Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Fair Access to Banking Act, a bill to bar financial institutions from refusing or limiting services to constitutionally-protected industries. The Biden administration and its liberal base are weaponizing the financial system to defund and discredit industries they do not like. It is fundamentally unfair. Our bill imposes serious consequences for discriminatory decisions or de facto bans of legal industries.

There is no place in our society for discrimination, and big banks and financial institutions are no exception.

North Dakota and National Stakeholders, Senators Support Fair Access to Banking Act

The Fair Access to Banking Act has already garnered more support this Congress compared to last. Industry stakeholders include Lignite Energy Council, the North Dakota Petroleum Council, the National Mining Association, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the National Rifle Association, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, among others. In Congress, 36 Republican Senators signed on as original cosponsors.

Requests for Disaster Declarations for North Dakota Winter Storms Receive Approval

I joined Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) in applauding the approval of Governor Doug Burgum’s request for a major disaster declaration covering the severe winter storms that took place from November 9-11, 2022. The request for federal natural disaster and mitigation resources was on behalf of Dickey, Kidder, Mercer, Nelson, Ransom, Sargent, and Wells counties.

These storms created hazardous conditions with record-breaking snowfall and high-speed winds, making travel and access for emergency services challenging. It also cut power and left thousands of North Dakotans without heat. I appreciate the efforts of Governor Burgum, state and local officials, and local utility providers to assist communities in both recovering from these damaging storms and protecting against future disasters.

NewsNation Interview Covers Fufeng Project Cancellation

Following the Grand Forks City Council meeting where members canceled the Fufeng project, I joined NewsNation to discuss seeking a more suitable investor for the land, supply chain security, and the broader issue of Chinese investments in the United States.

What’s happening in Grand Forks is the beginning of the end of Chinese investment, particularly in the food supply chain, in this country.

Chinese Spy Balloon in U.S. Airspace a National Security Threat

TikTok collects data from millions of Americans every day. A food processing company with ties to the Chinese Communist Party moved to purchase land just 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base. Now, a high-altitude Chinese spy balloon was maneuvered from Alaska to South Carolina, low enough for people to look up and see it in the sky.

The Chinese spy balloon was rightfully shot down last Sunday off the coast of South Carolina. While I am glad the Biden Administration finally acted to address this national security threat, the mere fact China feels comfortable pulling a stunt like this demonstrates the weakness they see in our president.

This entire saga warrants a full investigation into why China was able to penetrate our airspace and surveil our assets. Failure to react is a sign of weakness, and weakness only invites bullies like China to be more aggressive.

National Guard Annual Congressional Breakfast Highlights Outstanding Work of North Dakota Guard

At this year’s annual Congressional Breakfast, it was great to hear from Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Daniel Hokanson and North Dakota National Guard Major General Alan Dohrmann about the outstanding work our Guard Members are doing to protect our country.

Our National Guard is incredible, selfless, and reliable. I’m thankful they're always there, always ready.

North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives Holds Annual Meeting

The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives contributes to North Dakota’s economic success, enhances safety within our communities, and supports the resilience of one of our most fundamental industries. I’m grateful to have joined them at their annual meeting.

Resolution Will Protect Supply Chain and Overturn Costly Environmental Protection Agency Rule

I cosponsored legislation to overturn another onerous Biden Administration rule aimed at heavy-duty vehicle emissions. Our bill would protect North Dakota’s hardworking truck drivers, manufacturers, and dealers by rejecting these burdensome regulations.

Once again, President Biden’s administration is proving it does not care who gets hurt in its quest for so-called “climate justice.” We have already made significant progress over the past few decades in reducing heavy vehicle emission, but the Administration insists on imposing additional rules to achieve unrealistic reductions at a massive cost to small business owners.

This overreaching, inflexible rule is costly and impractical. Our bill protects hardworking truck drivers, manufacturers, and dealers, including those in North Dakota, by rejecting these burdensome regulations.

Bills to Address Southern Border Crisis

I joined colleagues in cosponsoring two pieces of legislation led by Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) aimed at securing the southern border. The first is the Keep Our Communities Safe Act, which would end the Obama-Biden catch-and-release policy, and the second is a resolution acknowledging the state of the southern border constitutes a crisis.

For two solid years, President Biden has avoided the southern border, turned a blind eye to agents overwhelmed by the influx in illegal crossings, and glossed over the devastating impacts on our nation.

The Administration must act to address the urgent humanitarian and crime crises it created. These bills acknowledge the catastrophe at the southern border and makes common sense reforms to keep our country safe.

Bipartisan Bill Prevents Taxation of Rural Broadband Grants

I joined Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Mark Warner (D-VA) in reintroducing the Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act, legislation to ensure rural broadband investments within the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will not be considered taxable income. This bill will help us maximize every dollar allocated.

High-speed broadband in North Dakota increases access to telehealth services, enhances learning pathways for students, and expands e-commerce opportunities for local businesses.

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.

American Pulse Association and USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council

North Dakota is the top producer of a variety of pulse crops. It was great to meet with growers from the American Pulse Association and the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council to discuss opportunities in the 2023 Farm Bill.

American Indian Higher Education Consortium and Tribal Colleges and Universities

My staff had the opportunity to meet with students and staff representing Cankdeska Cikana Community College, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College, Sitting Bull College, Turtle Mountain Community College, and United Tribes Technical College to hear about issues affecting our tribal colleges and universities.

Grants for North Dakota

Federal Aviation Administration Awards Over $13.5 Million to Devils Lake Airport Authority

The Federal Aviation Administration awarded Devils Lake Airport Authority $13,503,150 for a construction project to expand its terminal building.