Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeking public comment on revising agricultural commodity or livestock definitions in hours-of-service (HOS) regulations:“This is a good next step, and I applaud DOT and USDA leadership for taking it. HOS reform is a top priority for our agricultural community. I encourage stakeholders in North Dakota and across the country to offer comments, and I look forward to... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV) have introduced legislation that would prioritize health care and nutrition services for Holocaust survivors, increasing the likelihood they could continue to live in their own homes rather than be forced into nursing homes or assisted living facilities. The bill, S. 2179, the Trauma-Informed Modernization of Eldercare for Holocaust Survivors Act or the “TIME for Holocaust... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarding Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) Funding:“These funds help U.S. agriculture identify and reach new markets. I applaud the Secretary for working to assist our farmers and producers during this time of market disruption.” More information from USDA including a list of funding recipients is available here. ### CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The North Dakota Congressional delegation issued the following statement on North Dakota’s Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) over the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests:“We support the Attorney General because the Army Corps allowed the protest on its land, and our state was forced to pay for law enforcement and public safety costs.” ### CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and John Hoeven (R-ND) and Representative Kelly Armstrong this week introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to return criminal jurisdiction to the Spirit Lake Nation for crimes committed on the reservation.“Right now Spirit Lake effectively holds jurisdiction in law enforcement matters involving their tribal members. This bill changes the law to match that reality and honors the tribe’s request,” said Cramer. Full... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) encouraged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to urge his Brazilian and Paraguayan counterparts to acknowledge the devastation of Hezbollah’s presence in their home countries. The letter comes during Secretary Pompeo’s visit to Argentina this weekend to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the tragic bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) building, a Jewish community... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The North Dakota Congressional delegation issued the following statement on North Dakota’s Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem petitioning the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to overturn Washington State’s law imposing oil restrictions:“We support Attorney General Stenehjem for petitioning the federal government to preempt this law, and we stand with our state in their efforts. Washington’s law lacks scientific basis and represents a de-facto ban on Bakken crude oil. We urge... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) passing Mark Esper’s nomination to be U.S. Secretary of Defense out of committee:“I applaud the committee for moving quickly and collaboratively to fill this important post. I supported Mr. Esper’s nomination in committee because of his excellent credentials, readiness to serve, and commitment to North Dakota’s military priorities. I urge my colleagues to join me in... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) delivered remarks on the U.S. Senate floor today commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission that landed on the moon.“50 years ago yesterday, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins launched the Apollo 11 mission,” said Senator Cramer. “That week, my eight-year-old self and an estimated 650 million of my closest friends around the world watched Neil... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) delivered remarks before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Policy today. At a hearing entitled “Economic Mobility: Is the American Dream in Crisis?” Senator Cramer discussed the uniqueness North Dakota’s economy and the importance of aligning policies with available economic opportunities.“I grew up in a home with a father who quit high school because he could make so much money as a rural... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) questioned U.S. Secretary of Defense nominee Mark Esper at the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) hearing on his nomination today. They first discussed the importance of nuclear modernization.“I appreciate your commitment to the nuclear triad and the importance of deterrence, specifically the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD),” Senator Cramer said in a question to Mr. Esper... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The North Dakota Congressional delegation introduced legislation today to change the name of “Sullys Hill,” a National Game Preserve administered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife (FWS) within the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation, to “White Horse Hill,” its traditional Dakota name. The federal government named this preserve in 1931 after General Alfred Sully, who killed hundreds of Native Americans, including ancestors of the Spirit Lake Nation. Because the name change came through an act of... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Tina Smith (D-MN) today introduced the Affordable Insulin Approvals Now Act, a bipartisan bill to speed up approvals of lower-cost, generic, and “follow-on” insulin products in order to help lower costs of the life-saving drug.  Approximately 7.5 million Americans with diabetes rely on insulin every day to survive, yet the drug has experienced a price increase of more than 600 percent over the past two... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), joined Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to introduce the Never Again Education Act, bipartisan legislation that would establish a dedicated federal fund to provide teachers with resources and training necessary to teach our students the important lessons of the Holocaust.  In the U.S. House of Representatives, Reps.... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Steve Daines (R-MT) wrote a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud regarding the grain article in the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) trade agreement.“The grain article in the agreement is a significant area of interest for North Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana grain producers,” the senators wrote. “The ability for our growers to... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement today regarding President Donald Trump’s event at the White House on America’s environmental leadership:“Under President Trump, the United States leads the world in environmentally responsible energy production. Global energy and natural resources remain in high demand. Instead of relying on foreign nations who neglect environmental regulations and ignore worker protections, we ought to foster energy... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approved two grants totaling $1,240,461 to the North Dakota State Department of Agriculture and North Dakota Department of Health. The funds are provided by cooperative agreements which were implemented on July 1, 2019. The North Dakota State Department of Agriculture received $176,829 to enhance produce safety in preparation of implementation of FDA’s rule:... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced the U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded a $51,000 partnership planning grant for the Three Affiliated Tribes.     This grant will help establish an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy to support private capital investment and job creation. Specifically, it supports the update and continued implementation of a comprehensive economic development strategy for the region served by the Three... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Boozman (R-AR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) introduced the Suicide Prevention by Eliminating Excessive Digits Act of 2019 (SPEED Act). The SPEED Act requires the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to designate a 3-digit dialing code for Veterans in crisis. This three digit number will designate a three digit dialing code, like 911, for the current Veterans Crisis Line number... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) approved four grants under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) totaling $1,040,271, which will be used for various improvement and maintenance projects at local airports in North Dakota. See below for the list of grantees and project details: Ashley Municipal Airport received $67,500 to reconstruct lighting systems along existing runways and install an airport rotating beacon. Parshall... CONTINUE READING