Press Releases

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced three Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program awards totaling $1.9 million. The funding will be distributed as follows: $1,000,000 to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to assess and clean up asbestos, lead-based paint, and polychlorinated biphenyl contamination at two priority sites, including a former paleontology building. $500,000 to the South Central Dakota Regional Council to assess asbestos, lead-based paint, and... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $3,186,404 to Grand Forks Public Schools. These funds are distributed through Head Start Projects. The award supports 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

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, led a hearing on the F-35 program, which he described as “a cornerstone of American airpower” and “one of the most consequential defense programs” of this generation. Subcommittee members had the opportunity to hear testimony from Lieutenant General Gregory Masiello, Program Executive Officer for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office. In his most recent meeting with Cramer,... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. –The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly today  85 to 5 to pass landmark legislation unlocking home ownership for millions of Americans. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act follows months of bipartisan negotiations and unlocks new housing opportunities for Americans. Leaders of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee worked with counterparts on the House Financial Services Committee and the Trump administration to reach a comprehensive... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for media resources.*** DAHLEN, N.D. – Family, friends, and community members gathered in Dahlen for a three-day homecoming honoring U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Irvin C. Ellingson, as his remains returned to North Dakota nearly 80 years after his aircraft was shot down during a combat mission over Tokyo. Ellingson will be laid to rest June 20 in his hometown with full military honors, closing a long chapter of uncertainty beginning in World War II. Throughout the homecoming,... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – American competitiveness in the artificial intelligence (AI) arms race is at the forefront of national security policy discussions as well as top of mind for investors across industries. The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is at the center of it all, quietly shaping American exports. Housed at the Department of Commerce (DOC), BIS runs the U.S. export-control licensing system for civil and military dual-use technologies. The bureau is responsible for governing exports... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) chaired the Senate Armed Services Airland Subcommittee in a hearing examining how the Army is accelerating modernization in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 President’s Budget submission. The hearing spotlighted the Army’s push to expand critical munitions and missile production, field autonomous and counter-drone capabilities more quickly, and ensure U.S. forces maintain readiness for future conflicts in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Members also... CONTINUE READING

Reinforces North Dakota’s Position at the Center of U.S. National Security WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the completion of a three-day markup in the Senate Armed Service Committee (SASC), final text of the Senate Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was filed and released to the public. SASC considered more than 650 amendments during the three-day period of negotiations. The bill now moves to the Senate floor, marking the 66th year in a row the NDAA will be considered... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a total of $684,000 to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. The funding will be distributed as follows: $475,000 to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture through a Pesticide Program Performance Grant. This funding will support activities related to pesticide regulation. $209,000 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality through the Small,... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $817,641 in funding to support infrastructure repairs and debris removal efforts across North Dakota following severe storms, tornadoes, and straight-line winds which struck the state June 20 and 21, 2025. The funding will support the following projects and recovery initiatives across the state: $422,804 to Minnkota Power Cooperative to repair and replace poles and other infrastructure. $394,837 to the University of... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – After three days of debate, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a bipartisan vote of 18 to 9. The annual defense bill passed the House Armed Services Committee on June 4. Both bills are now ready for floor consideration. This is the 66th year in a row the NDAA has progressed through regular order. Language U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After nearly a decade, North Dakota will receive the last of the nearly $38 million the federal government owes to cover the state’s costs incurred policing the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) protests and protecting local residents and businesses. Following North Dakota’s successful Federal Tort Claims Act trial, the state settled with the federal government for $27.8 million, bringing the full reimbursement amount to nearly $38 million, after accounting for a $10 million grant... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – For too long, the debate over permitting reform has been confined to the wonky world of Washington insiders — endless discussions about transmission lines, pipelines, lawsuits, and administrative procedures. Policymakers fixate on the bark while missing the trees, let alone the forest. The stakes are far higher than connecting a natural gas plant, wind farm or data center to the grid. The most important reason for permitting reform is to grow the U.S. defense industrial base... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an award of nearly $600,000 to the University of North Dakota (UND) through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program. The award will support the development and expansion of the behavioral health workforce through improved training and by providing stipends to graduate level students in UND behavioral health programs. CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last year, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and the North Dakota congressional delegation embarked on a mission to overturn the Biden-era Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the state. This effort marked the first use of the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn an RMP. Cramer’s successful strategy fulfilled the intent of the CRA to check the executive branch when agencies color outside the lines of the authority Congress delegated. To... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio*** BISMARCK, N.D. – According to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Office of Inspector General, North Dakota and Minnesota ranked in the 10 worst regions for mail service performance. Residents across the two states often deal with missing and delayed deliveries with little to no explanation from the USPS. To solve the critical issues behind this, a bipartisan group of senators from the two states introduced legislation to address the problems shippers and recipients are... CONTINUE READING

Legislation Funds ICE and CBP, Bolsters Law Enforcement and Homeland Security ***Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – Fulfilling their promise to secure the border and prioritize the safety and security of Americans, the U.S. Senate passed the Secure America Act, funding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through the remainder of President Donald Trump’s administration. The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives for final... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio*** WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump announced his plan to respond to the nation’s energy emergency by providing funding under the Defense Production Act for upgrades at power plants and other coal infrastructure throughout the nation. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) applauded the president’s actions. “For more than 20 years, federal and state policies prioritized unreliable, intermittent energy generation resulting in higher electricity bills and distribution... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee heard testimony from Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Administrator Sean McMaster today at a hearing discussing the FHWA’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027. Cramer thanked McMaster for his work finalizing West Fargo’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant agreement, which was signed earlier this year for “an important safety project.” The award supports the installation of a road-rail... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded two grants totaling $28,730,000 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). These DWSRF grants will support the planning, design, and construction of drinking water improvement projects across North Dakota. CONTINUE READING