Press Releases

A Plan to Address the Growing Orphaned Wells CrisisBy Senators Kevin Cramer and Ben Ray LujanThe Hill07.14.21When there is a threat to our communities, and a clear solution is readily available, Congress has no excuse if it fails to come together and fix the problem. That's what our constituents expect of us. Over the last few years, we've heard from farmers, landowners, business owners, hunters, hikers, energy workers, conservation advocates, oil and gas regulators, and concerned citizens... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for video. Click here for audio.***WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Budget Committee member, announced today the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has decided not to increase the population threshold for communities to be classified as Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) from 50,000 to 100,000 as the agency had previously proposed. Senator Cramer worked with his colleagues to oppose this change and the loss of access to federal... CONTINUE READING

Senator Cramer Also Addresses Handling China and Improving the Military’s Acquisition Process***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***WASHINGTON – At a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) confirmation hearing today, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the SASC Seapower Subcommittee, pressed Carlos Del Toro, nominee to be Secretary of the Navy, about his support for North Dakota’s military priorities like the Arctic Mission, the nuclear triad, and... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined his fellow Senate Banking Committee Republicans in sending a letter today to President Biden’s nominee to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Rohit Chopra, slamming him for his failure to respond to a congressional request seeking information about an alleged purge of civil servants at the CFPB.“Your refusal to answer basic questions about whether you were privy to the troubling and possibly unlawful actions described in... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced today members of his staff will hold mobile office hours in Bowbells and Crosby on Monday, July 19. “Since it’s not always possible for people to travel to my in-state offices, these mobile office opportunities help bring the services we offer closer to the constituents who need them,” said Senator Cramer. “Having members of my staff in Bowbells and Crosby will give North Dakotans more chances to explore solutions to the problems they face... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee member, announced today he has joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in reintroducing Volunteer First Responder Housing Act, bipartisan legislation to provide affordable housing opportunities for volunteer firefighters and first responders to help recruit and retain more volunteers, particularly in rural and under-served communities.“Volunteer firefighters and first responders are crucial for... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced today universities in North Dakota receiving the following grants totaling $1,327,115:$500,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to North Dakota State University (NDSU) to address vaccine efficiency in swine;$352,167 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to NDSU to check invulnerability of microprocessor designs and related security flaws; $300,000 from USDA to Bismarck State... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined a letter led by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland seeking answers on actions taken by the Biden Administration to open America’s borders and encourage illegal immigration in the midst of an ongoing crisis at the southern border.“Instead of doing more to secure our border and discourage illegal immigration, the Biden Administration is now making it easier for economic migrants to make dubious and... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download audio.*** BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement today on North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem filing a lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s continued cancelation of oil and gas leases on federal lands and its impact on state and private mineral owners: “In addition to being a foolish idea, President Biden’s moratorium on oil and gas leasing on public lands is illegal. It increases federal and state budget shortfalls,... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the following grants and loan totaling $6,058,020:$2,644,000 loan and a $747,020 grant to the City of Ellendale to replace sewer pipe and manholes for the city;$2,000,000 to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians to construct sewer improvements, replace sewer mains and sagging pipes with new PVC pipe, and install new manholes; and$667,000 to the Turtle Mountain Band of... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Tina Smith (D-MN) introduced the Native Behavioral Health Access Improvement Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to help Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities, tribal health programs, and urban Indian health organizations address mental and behavioral health needs in their communities.“Tribes have long worked to address mental and behavioral health issues in Native American communities, yet a majority of Indian Health Service... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download audio.***BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) member, issued the following statement today on the Department of Defense canceling its Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) Cloud contract with Microsoft:“The JEDI contract was awarded to address the national security threat of our military having to use outdated technology infrastructure, but it was consistently obstructed by... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download audio.***BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) allowing producers to hay, graze, or chop cover crops on prevented plant acres at any time while still receiving their full crop insurance indemnity:“The Agriculture Department eliminating the November 1 penalty for haying or grazing on prevented plant acres will give North Dakota producers more flexibility... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download audio.***BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement on Governor Doug Burgum (R-ND) deploying 125 members of the North Dakota National Guard to support the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in their efforts to secure the southern border:“The problems at the southern border are a threat to all Americans, and they must be addressed. While President Biden and his Administration have failed to fix the crisis he caused, I... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in reintroducing the Protecting Life and Taxpayers Act, a bill to help stop taxpayer dollars from going to the abortion industry. “Although the law prohibits federal funds from being used for abortions, companies like Planned Parenthood can still receive taxpayer dollars for other parts of their operations, which makes more money available for abortion services,” said Senator Cramer. “Our bill would close that... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for photos.***MEDORA, ND – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Banking Committee member and the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, met with oil producers and service companies at the North Dakota Petroleum Council Board Meeting last night. The senator spoke to the group about his efforts to combat discrimination by financial services providers against American energy producers, and about the... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded $1,603,901 to the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDOH).The funds come through the 2020 bipartisan COVID-19 relief efforts Senator Cramer helped pass through Congress and will be used for bolstering epidemiology and laboratory capacity for prevention and control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC). CONTINUE READING

***Click here for video. Click here for audio.***BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee member, issued the following statement today on Rainbow Energy Center reaching an agreement to purchase Coal Creek Station from Great River Energy (GRE):“Today’s announcement is excellent news for the employees of Coal Creek Station and Falkirk Mine, and it’s a prime example of what can be done with North Dakota entrepreneurs and... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for video, audio, and photos.*** BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) member, issued the following statement on the Air Force announcing the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) will provide command and control support for the Air Force’s E-11 Battlefield Airborne Control Node aircraft mission: “Bringing the E-11 under the jurisdiction of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing at the Grand Forks... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK — U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced today universities in North Dakota have received the following grants totaling $891,924 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): $438,862 from NSF to the University of North Dakota for research training,$192,924 from USDA to North Dakota State University (NDSU) for developing fire-retardant coating additives from agricultural byproducts, $190,140 from USDA to NDSU for developing corrosion... CONTINUE READING