Press Releases

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $2,473,598 to North Dakota. The awards will be distributed to the following programs and initiatives: $2,111,098 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services for cancer prevention and control programs.  $362,500 to North Dakota State University through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced members of his staff will hold mobile office hours in Devils Lake and Rugby on Monday, June 17. “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 Devils Lake and Rugby will give North Dakotans more chances to explore solutions to the problems they face with... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON – The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing to conduct oversight on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). During the hearing, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) questioned FHWA Administrator Shailen Bhatt about the agency’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rule. He also discussed the importance of distributing highway funds to the states through formula,... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for media resources.*** WASHINGTON – During the POLITICO 2024 Energy Summit on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, participated in a moderated discussion about his environment and energy priorities with POLITICO’s E&E reporter Kelsey Brugger. Throughout the conversation, the pair discussed his bipartisan PROVE It Act, permitting reform, carbon capture, the Inflation Reduction Act, and more. Click here... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, joined Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) today in introducing a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to overturn the Biden administration’s Clean Power Plan 2.0 rule. The rule requires existing coal generation plants to shut down unless plants install commercially-unavailable carbon capture equipment. Similarly, it forces new natural gas generation to... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a final rule in April, imposing minimum staffing requirements for long-term care facilities (LTC), which provide care to nearly 1.2 million residents across the nation. According to the American Health Care Association (AHCA), this rule will exacerbate the existing workforce shortages and significantly harm access to care in rural communities. This new standard, which was first proposed in September 2023,... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the award of $292,800 to two airports in North Dakota. This funding, which will be distributed by the FAA's Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program, will go towards the following projects and initiatives: $175,000 to Bottineau Municipal Airport for the reconstruction of an airport beacon. $117,800 to the Tioga Municipal Airport for the reconstruction of taxiway lighting. The AIG program was... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The Lignite Energy Council and the National Rural Electric Cooperative (NRECA) filed a Petition for Review in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS). This petition is the initial step in filing litigation. The MATS rule, finalized at the end of April, will tighten the emission standards of mercury and non-mercury metals for existing lignite-fired power plants. Since 2010, mercury... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden issued an executive order on Tuesday in an effort to address the crisis at the southern border. After the announcement, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) issued the following statement on the executive order: “This executive order is a stunt. The American people have not forgotten how this mess was created: Joe Biden axed the successful Trump policies and invited millions of illegal immigrants. When he facilitated this influx, he and his administration refused to... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule last month, mandating minimum staffing levels at long-term care (LTC) facilities participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which includes community facilities serving veterans. U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Angus King (I-ME), members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), sent a letter to Secretary Denis McDonough, highlighting the anticipated negative effects of the rule on access... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for media resources.*** FARGO – In her first visit to the state with the highest percentage of citizens with Norwegian heritage, Norway’s Ambassador to the U.S. Anniken Krutnes spent the day in Fargo on Friday. Krutnes was invited to North Dakota by U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), to highlight the state’s Norwegian heritage and economic strength, and discuss defense and national security policies between the two countries. During a luncheon at the Fargo Sons of Norway Kringen... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $4,431,195 to Minot Public School District 1. The funds will support Head Start and Early Head Start programs, which promote early childhood learning, health, and development initiatives, as well as family and community support services. CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $1,000,000 to the University of North Dakota (UND) to its Dakota Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program. This program supports enhanced care delivery for older adults and helps primary care teams develop age and dementia-friendly practices. Earlier this year, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) led the North Dakota delegation in sending a letter of support for UND’s application to the Administrator of the... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download audio.*** BISMARCK – Norway’s Ambassador to the U.S. Anniken Krutnes will visit North Dakota this week for the first time to celebrate the rich history shared by North Dakota and Norway, and the strong partnership that has proven integral to both the U.S. and the Nordic country. Senator Cramer will host Ambassador Krutnes in Fargo on Friday, May 31, with events showcasing the state’s Norwegian heritage and economic strength, while advancing discussions regarding defense... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a contract announcement of $23,893,746.95 to PWS, Incorporated for construction of the Southern Embankment Reach SE-4, in support of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Flood Risk Management Project. Construction on this project is expected to be completed on September 30, 2027. The funding for this contract was delivered by the fully paid-for 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and follows the Army Corps’ contract announcement of $23 million to R.J.... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK – Thousands of Americans struggling with rare and life-threatening diseases are stuck waiting for new cures to make their way through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) arduous approval process. This unfair delay often leaves patients with terminal or untreatable diagnosis with no options. But by creating conditional pathways to expedite treatment options, barriers to timely care can be safely reduced for those who cannot afford to wait. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK — Last month, North Dakota was joined by Montana, Texas, and Wyoming in filing a lawsuit in North Dakota Federal District Court challenging a rule finalized by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which establishes a new royalty on flared gas, institutes monthly limits on allowable flaring, and adds new application requirements for operators regarding their ability to capture natural gas before obtaining a drilling permit. The states filed for preliminary injunction today in an effort to... CONTINUE READING

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $2,404,467 in discretionary funding for Head Start and Early Head Start projects in North Dakota. The funding will be distributed to the following programs and initiatives: $1,308,890 to Community Action Partnership, located in Dickinson. $1,095,577 to Community Action Region VI, located in Jamestown. The funds will support Head Start and Early Head Start programs. These programs promote early childhood learning,... CONTINUE READING

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) awarded several new contracts on Tuesday, including a single award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling of $60,184,023 to United Crane and Excavation Inc., located in Grand Forks, N.D. The contract provides a streamlined means to complete a broad range of maintenance, repair, design, and paving projects at Grand Forks Air Force Base. The projects are expected to be completed by May 27, 2029. CONTINUE READING

ICYMI: Sen. Cramer Op-Ed: America Needs Transmission BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) penned an op-ed in the Washington Times discussing the need for increased transmission capacity and permitting reform for all linear infrastructure. He highlighted the debate over cost allocation and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s recently finalized regulation, which co-opts “citizens into paying for green states’ renewable energy transmission projects they do not need and will not... CONTINUE READING