Discussing Democrats’ Big Government Socialist Agenda at Senate Banking Hearing

Last Tuesday, I corrected the record on U.S. Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s remarks about Democrats’ big government socialist agenda during a Senate Banking committee hearing. Despite what she and Democrats say on a daily basis, this bill is not paid for. It’s actually quite pricey, to the tune of trillions of dollars, and adds an estimated $367 billion to the deficit, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

It’s so egregious, even the Washington Post Fact Checker agrees. They awarded Secretary Yellen “Two Pinnochios” for repeating the charge that Democrats’ $1.75 trillion plan doesn’t add to the debt or deficit.

Supreme Court Hears Pro-Life Oral Arguments on Mississippi Late-Term Abortion Case

On Wednesday, oral arguments began at the Supreme Court on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. It's crucial to remember each and every life is precious and sacred. Plain and simple, Mississippi’s law is grounded in the science of fetal development and maternal health, safeguarding the lives and health of both the born and unborn.

The right to life is one of our most fundamental rights. The Declaration of Independence codifies this truth as self-evident: “all men are created equal; that they are endowed [at the time of creation] by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Bill Prioritizes Domestic Production in Response to Last Week’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil Release

Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), and I introduced the Strategic Production Response Act to prioritize American energy production. This bill prohibits the Secretary of Energy from tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for reasons other than a severe energy supply interruption unless the Secretary of the Interior issues a plan to increase oil and gas production on federal lands and waters.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve was created to deal with national emergencies. Joe Biden’s inflation is not a national emergency, it’s a problem of his own making – especially when you consider places like the Bakken and Permian Basin are fully capable of meeting America’s energy needs.

Veterans’ Affairs Committee Hears of VA Secretary’s Plans to Visit ND, Growing Support for Burial Equity Bill

At a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) on Wednesday, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary McDonough reaffirmed his commitment to visit Fargo soon. We also discussed the VA’s support of my Burial Equity for Guards and Reserves Act. The bill ensures all reserve components and National Guard members are eligible to be buried in state veterans cemeteries so long as their service was terminated under honorable conditions.

“On that bill, Senator Cramer, I thought that worked really well. You all raised this to my attention and we dug into it, and very transparently and straight-forwardly our staffs and teams working together came to a good outcome. I’m really proud of that work,” said Secretary McDonough.

Legislation Prevents Settlement Payments for Illegal Immigrants

I joined Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in introducing the Protect American Taxpayer Dollars from Illegal Immigration Act — legislation to prevent payments for legal settlements for illegal immigration. Under this legislation, no federal funds, including money from the Judgment Fund, could be spent to enrich illegal immigrants at the expense of hardworking American taxpayers.

North Dakota families and businesses are struggling with inflation and skyrocketing costs on everything from gas to groceries because of Joe Biden’s spending policies, and now the President wants to hand out hundreds of thousands of dollars to illegal immigrants.

The Biden Administration still refuses to even acknowledge the crisis at our southern border. Our Border Patrol is already overwhelmed. The last thing we need is another incentive for more migrants to come here illegally.

Clean Water Act Bill Prevents Liberal States’ Misuse of Section 401 to Block Infrastructure Projects

On Tuesday, I joined Environment and Public Works Committee Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in introducing the Section 401 Certification Act, legislation codifying the Trump Administration’s 2020 Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification Rule. This legislation would ensure infrastructure projects are not denied permits because of political motives rather than actually protecting water quality.

For far too long Section 401 of the Clean Water Act has been used by liberal, activist states to hijack energy infrastructure and sabotage energy producing states, like North Dakota, without legitimate cause.

With energy prices skyrocketing, it’s high time we provide much needed regulatory certainty and guardrails to prevent future abuses. Our bill codifies President Trump’s rule to protect against the weaponization of Section 401.

Letter Warns Defense Secretary Against Harassing Service Members Who Oppose Leftist Ideology

I joined Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) on a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressing concern the Department of Defense’s recently established Countering Extremism Working Group could be used to target service members who voice opposition to Leftist ideology under the guise of protecting our national security interests.

Identifying and neutralizing extremist threats in and among our service members is an important goal. It is imperative that the Biden Administration and the Defense of Department use existing resources to target legitimate threats and not use this working group as a cudgel to harass or silence conservative members of the armed forces.

Fox Business Interview Covers Democrats’ Big Government Socialist Agenda and President Biden’s Banking Nominees

I joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business Wednesday morning to discuss the Democrats’ big government socialist agenda, Joe Biden’s controversial Comptroller of Currency nominee, and Jay Powell’s re-nomination to be Federal Reserve Chairman.

USDA Announces Sunflower Crop Insurance Expansion

At my request, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency announced it will be allowing sunflower enterprise and optional units to be insured by type under the sunflower crop insurance system.

As we have seen in recent years, producers frequently face unpredictable weather and growing conditions. Crop insurance provides much needed certainty, and making this change improves the risk management tools available to sunflower producers.

Letter Urges USDA to Assist Livestock Producers Affected by Drought

In a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency, Senators John Thune (R-SD), Jon Tester (D-MT), and I urged the agency to address the gap in coverage under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program. In September, the USDA announced it would provide assistance for the cost of transporting feed to livestock, but producers transporting their livestock to feed are not eligible for the program.

We continue to hear from producers who have been severely affected by drought this year and have incurred costs related to transporting their livestock to feed sources instead of hauling feed to their livestock. Under current regulations, these producers are not eligible for assistance. The Farm Service Agency needs to exercise its authority and fix this issue.

USDA Final Rule Removes Import BSE Restrictions on Sheep, Goats, and Their Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service issued a final rule removing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) import restrictions on sheep, goats, and their products.

Removing bovine spongiform encephalopathy import restrictions opens our sheep producer’s flocks to extremely contagious and deadly diseases, which we’ve invested significant taxpayer dollars into and all but eradicated over the past two decades. If these diseases are reintroduced in the U.S., producers will lose export markets which took decades to recover.

This is another example of the Biden Administration putting America second. This move puts America’s sheep and goat producers in harm’s way.

Grand Forks Mayor Bochenski

Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski stopped by my Washington, D.C., office to talk about future projects for the city, the bipartisan infrastructure law, and the vast opportunities at Grand Forks Air Force Base. It’s clear the future is bright for Grand Forks!

Admiral Christopher Grady

On Wednesday, I met with Admiral Christopher Grady, nominee for Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and discussed the importance of maintaining a secure and effective U.S. nuclear deterrent through the modernization of the nuclear triad in order to outpace our adversaries.

International Conservation Caucus Foundation

Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and I joined the International Conservation Caucus Foundation to highlight the American Energy, Jobs, and Climate Plan. Our commonsense climate solutions would empower American workers, enhance economic and national security, and reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

Estonian Parliament

Grateful members of the Estonian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee met with me to discuss the need for American leadership, the security situation in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, support to Ukraine, and stopping Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Grants for North Dakota

North Dakota to Receive $63 Million Through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The Environmental Protection Agency estimated the State of North Dakota is set to receive $63,041,000 in water infrastructure funding to strengthen North Dakota’s drinking water and wastewater systems. This marks the first major investment North Dakota will receive from the bipartisan infrastructure law.

The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is already bringing significantly more dollars to North Dakota. This funding will help our state’s water systems to ensure North Dakota’s small, rural, and tribal communities have access to safe drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.