Press Releases

BISMARCK, ND – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded $23.6 million to the Red River Valley & Western Railroad (RRVW) and $690,825 to Bottineau County through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program. The funding will support rail infrastructure improvements, enhance safety, and improve transportation efficiency across North Dakota. “This funding will allow the modernization of a large portion of railway between Gwinner and Wyndmere—two-thirds... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families, awarded $20,760,234 to North Dakota through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The funding helps support low-income households with their home energy costs. HHS also announced the following LIHEAP awards to tribal nations in North Dakota: $1,366,002 to the Spirit Lake Tribe. $1,639,202 to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. $1,092,801 to the Three... CONTINUE READING

Lawmakers Meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Amid Russian Attacks, Reaffirm U.S. Support for Ukraine and Regional Security Cooperation ***Click here for media resources.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) to Ukraine, where they discussed developments in the war with Russia and their joint strategic security objectives. Cramer and Wicker also... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced five grants will be awarded to support health and human services programs in North Dakota. A total of $3,581,529 will be distributed as follows: $1,479,897 to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to support the tribal child support enforcement agency. $1,187,029 to the Three Affiliated Tribes to support tribal child support services. $500,000 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services to enhance programs... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $1,228,959 to organizations across North Dakota to support opioid response, youth outreach, economic advancement, aging issues, and veterinary research. $468,897 to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians for EAGLE: Economic Advancement Grants for Local Empowerment. $300,000 to Quality Health Associates of North Dakota for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Overdose... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $12,422,006 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services through the Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration program. The MFP program provides flexible funding opportunities to develop and test long-term strategies, tools and infrastructure needed to move eligible patients from institutional settings and into community-based settings. CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After a six-year international adoption journey, Maribeth and Jake Joraanstad of Fargo are in Washington, D.C., this week to be celebrated as 2026 Angels in Adoption honorees. The Joraanstads were nominated by U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) for the honor, recognizing their work to bring their adopted daughters, sisters Mitialove and Mirlanda, home from Haiti. During their visit to Washington, the Joraanstads shared their experience with the adoption in a meeting with Cramer,... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded $698,970 to the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (NDDVA) for Fiscal Year 2027 to expand veterans’ access to mental health and suicide prevention services. The grant marks North Dakota’s first award through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP). The grant will strengthen access to mental health care for veterans across North Dakota,... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Health and Human Services awarded $1,330,665 to three North Dakota universities. The funding will be distributed as follows: $835,000 to the University of North Dakota for the Rural Assistance Center for the Office of Rural Health Policy. $437,665 to Mayville State University for Head Start Projects. $58,000 to North Dakota State University for Food and Drug Administration Research. CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After years of litigation, conflicting state laws and uncertainty over Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules, player transfers, and athlete eligibility, the Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act today by a vote of 77 to 22, establishing a national framework designed to bring stability and predictability to college athletics. The landmark bill, which now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration, will create a uniform set of rules governing collegiate... CONTINUE READING

Follows Waterfowl Production Area Easements Roundtable in Valley City ***Click here for media resources.*** VALLEY CITY, N.D. – Landowners and farmers in North Dakota have faced longstanding frustrations with perpetual U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) wetland easements, many of which were acquired without maps delineating covered wetlands. Subsequent regulatory creep has expanded control of their farmland without any additional financial compensation, all while degrading soil quality and... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – America’s share of global manufacturing output has fallen from 25% in 1997 to 15% today. Absent intervention, it could reach 11% by 2030. Those numbers get thrown around a lot. What is said less is what they mean for Americans: the United States is losing its ability to produce the things it needs to defend itself, to power its economy, and to care for its people. This failure is not because we lack talent, capital, or technology. It is because regulations have made it nearly... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Energy is a constant geopolitical linchpin. The recent arrest of former Venezuelan president and narcoterrorist Nicolas Maduro and the ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine have kept this importance in focus. These events and their ramifications highlight why President Donald Trump’s commitment to energy dominance is so crucial to our nation. From the very first days of President Trump’s second term, his intense focus on securing American energy dominance has been a core part... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $1,540,182 to organizations in North Dakota to support environmental protection, brownfields cleanup, and environmental incident response programs. The awards will be distributed as follows: $621,407 to the Three Affiliated Tribes to address its highest environmental priorities. $400,000 to Towner County Medical Center, Inc. for brownfields cleanup activities in Cando. $350,000 to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa... CONTINUE READING

Cramer Honors Long-Time Friend Johnny Holm, Celebrates the Inductees’ Lasting Mark on North Dakota’s Music Legacy ***Click here for media resources.*** BISMARCK, N.D. – Six of North Dakota’s musical all-stars cemented their place in history Sunday when they were inducted into the North Dakota Music Hall of Fame. Honorees include longtime Upper Midwest performer Johnny Holm, iconic radio and TV host Shadoe Stevens, Christian music songwriter and producer Greg Nelson, Grammy Award-winning producer... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK N.D. – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and John Hoeven (R-ND), and Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) today announced the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has been awarded $1.04 million through the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP) to support transportation improvements at Minot Air Force Base. The funding will support a $1.3 million project to improve access to the base. In May, the delegation sent a letter to the Office of Local Defense Community... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced awards totaling $740,000 to Cankdeska Cikana Community College and the University of North Dakota (UND). The awards will be distributed as follows: $240,000 to Cankdeska Cikana Community College for Head Start Indian Grants. $500,000 to the University of North Dakota for Child Welfare Research and Demonstrations. CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $2,153,747 to support health initiatives in North Dakota. The awards will be distributed as follows: $1,072,530 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services for Behavioral Health Crisis Services Programs. $681,217 to Sanford Research North for Alcohol Research Programs. $400,000 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services for grants to improve the oral health workforce. CONTINUE READING

Cramer Applauds Win for North Dakota’s Lignite Producers, Energy Users ***Click here for audio. Click here for media resources.*** HOUSTON – North Dakota’s lignite industry is breathing easier today after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced at the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting it finalized the repeal of illegal Biden-era greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations targeting the nation’s power plants. The EPA also announced it has found GHG emissions from U.S. fossil... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the award of $1,113,000 to North Dakota State University (NDSU) through the EPSCoR Graduate Fellowship Program. The funding will support their Fellowship in Organismal Resilience Program, providing graduate research opportunities focused on how biological organisms adapt and thrive under changing environmental conditions. CONTINUE READING