Press Releases

WASHINGTON – Enacted on January 5, 2021, the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 expanded eligibility for the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) home loan program to servicemembers in the National Guard and Reserves who perform “full-time National Guard duty” for at least 90 days. Following the law’s enactment, reservists and members of the National Guard have encountered an unintended gap in the legislation, which fails to fully... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) delivered remarks on the Senate floor today to commemorate National Police Week and honor TOP COP award recipient Fargo Police Officer Zachary Robinson. Officer Robinson received this award in recognition of his heroism and bravery last summer when officers with the Fargo Police Department were ambushed while investigating a traffic crash. Officer Robinson is the first member of North Dakota’s... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) voted today on its transmission planning cost allocation rule. In a 2-1 decision, the Commission adopted Order 1920 with Commissioner Mark Christie dissenting. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released the following statement: “The rule issued by FERC today on transmission planning is an assault on the sovereignty of the states... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate passed legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) through 2028. The legislation passed by a vote of 88-4. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement after voting in favor of the bill: “The FAA has to be authorized to operate, and every five years, we have a responsibility to ensure it has the tools to effectively oversee and manage our national aviation system.... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – With Mother’s Day around the corner, a group of senators is introducing legislation to help address the challenges many mothers face throughout their pregnancy journeys, and the expensive endeavor of raising a family. This comes at a critical moment as the number of U.S. births in 2023 was the lowest since 1979, according to provisional CDC data. Last year, the total fertility rate in America hit an all-time low.Today, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined U.S. Senators Katie Boyd... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced its intention to implement further changes to its processing and delivery network under the “Delivering for America” plan. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and their colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, requesting the agency pause its changes until it studies the... CONTINUE READING

“Economically, competitively…we need to be more realistic.”  ***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) questioned U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan at a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing on Tuesday. He first questioned Administrator Regan on the EPA’s emissions standards for coal-fired power plants announced two weeks ago. He reiterated the 90 percent carbon dioxide... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – NeighborWorks America announced it will award a total of$469,000 in FY 2024 funding to members of its national network serving North Dakota. This grant will support the development and preservation of affordable housing, and create jobs while revitalizing and sustaining neighborhoods.   NeighborWorks America is a public nonprofit organization, established by Congress in 1978 to support and enhance a network of nearly 240 local and regional nonprofit partner organizations across all... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the award of $4,517,125 to improve, modernize, develop, and finance public housing projects in the following 15 authorities in North Dakota: $1,403,817 to the Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority $840,784 to the Burleigh County Housing Authority $679,011 to the Minot Housing Authority $368,060 to the Housing Authority of Cass County $306,177 to the Housing Authority of the City of Williston $200,107 to the... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – On Monday, the National Park Service (NPS) announced the distribution of  $1,373,867 to historic preservation offices in North Dakota. Specifically, the NPS awarded $869,584 to the State Historic Preservation Office and $504,283 to the following Tribal historic preservation offices: $144,260 to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe $132,771 to the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation) $117,983 to the Spirit Lake Tribe of Fort... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – The U.S. Department of Education announced an award of $239,904 to support United Tribes Technical College’s Meadowlark Project, a plan designed to enhance educational opportunities for future American Indian teachers serving young children with disabilities. Additionally, the project will recruit, enroll, and support 12 scholars from traditionally underrepresented groups to graduate as teachers with professional credentials in special education to work with elementary school children... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and John Hoeven (R-ND) and U.S. Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) penned a letter to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding the draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the state of North Dakota.  These plans, as established by the BLM, serve as a guide for managing the agency’s land and resources. The State of North Dakota and several industry groups, including the North Dakota Petroleum Council and the Lignite Energy Council, provided... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded more than $80 million in total Fiscal Year 2024 funding to support water infrastructure upgrade projects in communities across North Dakota. The EPA’s latest announcement awarded $28.6 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) Program. This award brings North Dakota’s total fiscal year funding to $80,151,000 to support drinking... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – Throughout 2023, the National Fraternal Order of Police reported there were 378 officers shot in the line of duty, 46 of whom were killed by gunfire. According to the report, the number of officers shot in the line of duty has risen 14 percent higher since 2022. In response to this increase, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) in cosponsoring the Protect and Serve Act, legislation to provide federal prosecutors with the tools they need to hold... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – Under Section 30D of the Internal Revenue Code, eligible taxpayers may qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500 following the purchase of a new, qualified plug-in electric vehicle (EV) or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCV) purchased between 2023 to 2032. According to the Tax Foundation, these aggressive tax credits, established under the Inflation Reduction Act, are anticipated to cost roughly $180 billion over the next decade. The Biden administration has utilized this tax credit... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the award of $210,000 to the Roosevelt Custer Regional Council for the establishment of an economic development planning framework, process, and strategy supporting private capital investment and job creation in the region. The council supports communities in Southwest North Dakota which includes the counties of Adams, Billings, Bowman, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Slope, and Stark. CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, leadership from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps testified before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower regarding the National Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2025 and the Future Years Defense Program. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the subcommittee, emphasized the importance of learning, experimenting, and scaling emerging technologies ahead of the United States’ adversaries.    “The plain truth is something we all need to... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized two rulemakings, placing burdensome new emission standards for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles. Despite American consumers largely rejecting electric vehicles (EVs) because they are too expensive or do not meet their needs, these rulemakings effectively force the transition toward EVs. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), who opposes the Biden administration’s federal mandates on EVs, joined his colleagues in... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) rolled out additional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) permitting requirements. This rule will impose hurdles to the permitting and environmental review process for infrastructure and energy projects. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, released the following statement after the announcement of the... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $3,262,046 through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Health Center Cluster grant program, which provides funding to community health centers across the United States. The award will be distributed to the following programs and initiatives in North Dakota: $1,801,916 to Northland Health Partners Community in Turtle Lake.   $1,460,130 to Family Healthcare Center in Fargo. CONTINUE READING