Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the sham trial and conviction of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong: “Jimmy Lai is a man of integrity and character – a strong advocate for press freedom and democracy, a man of faith, a devoted husband and father, and a hardworking entrepreneur. The Chinese Communist Party is using bogus fraud charges to smear Mr.... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement: “We can confirm Kurt is safely in North Dakota with his family and friends. Like us, we hope others respect Kurt’s privacy at this time. We welcome Kurt home and are grateful for his safe return.” Background: In January 2022, Senator Cramer traveled to Kyiv in to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. During this trip, Senator Cramer was able to meet with Kurt in the pre-trial detention... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) publicly filed weekly grain backlog status updates as required by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB). A summary of the reporting data specific to North Dakota from the last 10 weeks is below. Following STB’s hearing on “Urgent Issues in Freight Rail Service” in April, BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union Pacific submitted service... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for photos.*** Devils Lake, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) celebrated the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) between Essentia Health, Altru Health System, the City of Devils Lake, and Spirit Lake Nation to collaborate on health care initiatives, including the development of a new health care campus. He kicked off the ceremony by congratulating local and health care leaders.  “Local health care leaders, Spirit Lake Nation, and the City of Devils Lake are... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax to discuss the Fufeng Group’s purchase of farmland in Grand Forks and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Excerpts and full video are below.  On the Influence of the Chinese Communist Party: “I’ve long been in the camp that thinks we should have a strategic decoupling from China so... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement on the passing of former North Dakota House Majority Leader Earl Strinden (R-Grand Forks): “Earl Strinden was a North Dakota political legend. He was a born leader who always sought the most pragmatic solution to an issue or problem. He earned the respect of his colleagues with his wry humor, skill at consensus building, and sincere interest in their lives. He influenced the political and public service... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Banking Committee, joined Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) in seeking answers over PayPal’s recent announcement of a policy intended to financially punish its own customers for expressing views which PayPal arbitrarily classifies as “misinformation.” Though PayPal ultimately rescinded the policy before it could go into effect, the Senators “remain concerned about the processes and values in place at... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss reports President Biden plans to release more oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) ahead of midterm elections. Excerpts and full video are below. On Strategic Petroleum Reserve Releases: “It will backfire. First of all, it’s going to have a minimal effect on the... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), and Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) bill to increase service members’ life insurance benefit coverage was signed into law yesterday. The Supporting Families of the Fallen Act increases the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) coverage... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, announced his bipartisan legislation with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to strengthen the Solid Start program was signed into law. The Solid Start program was created by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the Trump Administration to contact every veteran three times by phone in the first year after they leave active duty service to check in and help connect... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), announced he secured the following amendments in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): To allow the Department of Defense (DoD) to modify contracts to address rising costs due to record-high inflation and supply chain issues. To retain leadership positions at the Space Development Agency (SDA) to ensure continued, high-level management of the agency by... CONTINUE READING

Mandan, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, celebrated the grand opening of the Lineworker Training Center and North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) headquarters facility.  “This is a special moment. My father was a lineworker and I spent three summers at Cass County Electric working with lineworkers; they are some of the most dedicated and skilled tradesmen. Lineworkers brave the freezing... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) publicly filed weekly grain backlog status updates as required by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB). A summary of the reporting data specific to North Dakota from the last 10 weeks is below. Following STB’s hearing on “Urgent Issues in Freight Rail Service” in April, BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union Pacific submitted service... CONTINUE READING

FHWA cannot create of its own choosing the authority that Congress debated, considered, and rejected WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, joined Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in sending a letter to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Deputy Administrator Stephanie Pollack voicing strong opposition to the agency’s proposal to implement a greenhouse gas (GHG)... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works and Banking Committees, joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon’s CNBC interview blasting Joe Biden’s energy policies. He also emphasized the importance of American leadership in energy production, development, and innovation. Excerpts and full video are below. On Jamie Dimon Blasting Joe... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, announced the following Federal-Aid Highway Program funding totaling $335,482,642 for North Dakota from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $184,776,387 from the National Highway Performance Program; $89,891,215 from the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program; $16,994,648 from the Highway Safety Improvement... CONTINUE READING

Fort Yates, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) visited the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reservation yesterday at the invitation of Chairwoman Janet Alkire and met with tribal council members to discuss a wide array of issues. “I had a wonderful and meaningful visit to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Nation yesterday. Thank you to Chairwoman Alkire, the other members of the Council and the entire team for their kind hospitality. The day was filled with productive... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, announced North Dakota received $45,000,000 in Bridge Formula Program funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is bringing real results to North Dakota. When we wrote the bill, my top priority was making sure the bulk of the money was delivered via... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works and Banking Committees, joined CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss the global need for American energy production and rising inflation rates. Excerpts and full video are below. On American Energy Production: “What’s detracted a lot of investment in the oil industry, gas industry, and other fossil industries is the long-term... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, spoke at the 14th annual Great Plains EmpowerND Energy Conference at Bismarck State College and toured the new North Dakota’s Gateway to Science building site. Senator Cramer participated on the “All of the Above: The Big Picture in State and National Energy Policy” panel moderated by North Dakota Petroleum Council President Ron Ness. The panel also featured... CONTINUE READING