Press Releases

***Click here to download audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Air Force announced the nomination of General Kenneth Wilsbach, former Air Combat Command (ACC) leader and fighter pilot, to serve as its next Chief of Staff. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, issued the following statement applauding the announcement: “I know Ken Wilsbach pretty well, and I can’t think of a more competent, better prepared, and experienced General to... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Education announced $2,139,556 for student support services at six colleges across North Dakota. The Student Support Services Program provides funding to assist students with basic college requirements and motivate them toward degree completion. The funds will be distributed as follows: $523,609 to North Dakota State University $416,200 to the University of North Dakota $348,514 to the University of Mary $306,505 to Lake Region State College $272,364 to... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio*** BISMARCK, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Banking Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Scott Turner announced Tribal HUD-VA Supportive Housing (VASH) grants for two North Dakota Tribes for veteran housing programs totaling $608,450. $348,194 to the Turtle Mountain Housing Authority $260,256 to the Standing Rock Housing Authority “Across North Dakota and across the entire nation,... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced $111,208 for two museums in North Dakota. The funding will be distributed as follows: $86,208 for the Cass County Historical Society to enhance access to historical collections, archives, and educational programs. This Museums for America grant will allow the Cass County Historical Society to hire additional staff who will inventory, assess, and catalog close to 30,000 artifacts over three years. $25,000 for the Ward... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $1,015,893 to North Dakota agencies and $317,957 to the Three Affiliated Tribes. The funding will be distributed as follows: $517,810 to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture for statewide programs to develop and maintain a comprehensive pesticide program which addresses all aspects of pesticide-related enforcement, initiatives, and implementation. $498,083 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality for... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded a total of $2,860,827 to Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative for repairs due to wildfires and straight-line winds on Oct. 5 and 6, 2024. Prior to the wildfires, portions of western North Dakota were suffering from severe or extreme drought. Damages from the wildfires and straight-line winds caused distribution and transmission utility poles to burn, break, and damage sub-assemblies,... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Education announced $1,397,350 for three North Dakota colleges for Indian education and professional development. This funding comes from the Indian Education Professional Development Grants, which train Native students to become teachers and administrators and help students at tribal colleges and universities pursue careers serving native communities. The funding will be distributed as follows: $500,000 to the University of Mary $472,340 to Sitting Bull... CONTINUE READING

Partisan Democrat Alternate Proposal Adds Over $1 Trillion in Unrelated Priorities WASHINGTON, D.C. – By a vote 44 to 48, Senate Democrats blocked consideration of a clean, short-term continuing resolution (CR). The bill would continue Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations for federal agencies through Nov. 21 while Congress works on a long-term solution and additional individual appropriations bills. Members also voted on a CR proposed by Democrats, which failed. It would have drastically increased... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, will host a Tribal Housing Forum with Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner on Sept. 22 in Bismarck, N.D. Cramer and Turner will be joined by Tribal leaders and housing authorities from North Dakota’s Tribal Nations. Their discussion will focus on federal Tribal housing programs, federal treaty and trust responsibilities in Indian Country, and housing... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined EPW Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and fellow Republican committee members in sending a comment letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin in support of the agency’s proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan 2.0. The senators expressed their support for the repeal. The Biden-era standards“misinterpreted the limited authority that Congress... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio. Click here for video.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing to conduct U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) oversight. The hearing featured testimony from Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Adam Telle and Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of USACE Lieutenant General William H. Graham, Jr. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chairman of the EPW’s Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, which... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee and chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, announced U.S. Secretary of Transportation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration Interim Administrator Sean Duffy will speak at this year’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Summit and Expo in Grand Forks on Oct. 14. Duffy is a former U.S. Representative from Wisconsin, where... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced approximately $1 billion in disaster recovery assistance for eligible livestock producers through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) for wildfire and flood disasters in 2023 and 2024. This is the second tranche of funding included in the continuing resolution Cramer voted to pass in December, for a total of $2 billion. “Thank you to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for delivering this second batch of funding... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Hospital Association announced it expects a shortage of about 100,000 critical health care workers by 2028, increasing geographic disparities and barriers to care across the nation. Rural communities are especially hard-hit by shortages in health care practitioners. According to the National Rural Health Association, rural areas have approximately 30 physicians or specialists per 100,000 people, compared to 263 in urban areas.... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act today. This legislation honors the 1980 Olympic Men’s Hockey Team’s improbable victory over the four-time reigning champion Russian Olympic team. Against all odds, the American team of amateur collegiate hockey players, including former University of North Dakota hockey player Dave Christian, defeated the Russian team in the semifinals on their way to win gold while cementing the game’s legacy... CONTINUE READING

Receives Air Force Brief on North Dakota’s Role in Nation’s Nuclear Deterrence Mission ***Click here for media resources.*** HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UTAH – One week after attending an Air Force town hall on nuclear modernization in Minot, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, visited Hill Air Force Base. This base is responsible for providing key logistical, maintenance, and operational support for the Minuteman III intercontinental... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives passed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) Joint Resolution of Disapproval to overturn the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Plan (RMP) for North Dakota. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Representative Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) introduced identical resolutions to overturn the Biden-era regulation, which would have cut off significant portions of federal oil and coal from development. Cramer applauded the vote. “The House... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Transportation announced an award of $364, 401 to the North Dakota Public Service Commission through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) Fiscal Year 2025 State Base Pipeline Safety Grants Program. PHMSA’s State Pipeline Safety Base grant program reimburses up to 80 percent of the operating costs for state programs charged with inspecting transmission and distribution pipelines within state boundaries. State pipeline safety programs... CONTINUE READING

View 21 satellites of SDA’s Tranche 1 Transport Layer ahead of their operations from Grand Forks Air Force Base ***Click here for media resources.*** CALIFORNIA – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee and co-chair of the Senate Space Force Caucus, visited Vandenberg Space Force Base (SFB) in California with Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Dr. Troy Meink to view a variety of satellites before they launch. The launches demonstrate... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an award of $662,696 through the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program for projects at several airports across North Dakota. The funding will be distributed as follows: $363,000 to the Harvey Municipal Airport Authority for construction of a 5,625 square foot hangar for aircraft storage. $209,446 to the Stanley Municipal Airport Authority for the expansion of the existing West Apron... CONTINUE READING