Press Releases

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

***Click here for photos.*** SIMI VALLEY, CA – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined the second annual Reagan National Economic Forum (RNEF) for a panel discussion on economic diplomacy. Focused on economic, fiscal, and monetary policy, the RNEF complements the long-running Reagan National Defense Forum, which convenes leaders in government and defense to address national security challenges. Federal officials, elected leaders, and top voices in economics, business, and public policy gathered... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $4,226,747 for the following programs and initiatives across North Dakota: $1,924,581 to Spectra Health in Devils Lake through the Health Center Program to support comprehensive primary and preventive care. $1,801,915 to Northland Community Health Center in Turtle Lake through the Health Center Program to support comprehensive primary and preventive care. $300,000 to Coal Country Community Health... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for media resources.*** GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota’s emerging role in strengthening America’s domestic rare earth supply chain and supporting national defense efforts is center stage during a two-day visit this week to Grand Forks and Minot by U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment. Duffey serves as the Pentagon’s top official overseeing acquisition, logistics and materiel readiness, the defense industrial... CONTINUE READING

***Click here for audio.*** BISMARCK, N.D. – States struggling to recruit physicians for rural communities could soon get new tools under bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) aimed at modernizing the Conrad 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program. International medical graduates typically utilize a J-1 visa to complete their medical residency and training in the United States. But due to a visa requirement, individuals are required to return to their... CONTINUE READING

BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration awarded $6,628,591 to airports across North Dakota through the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program. The funding will be distributed as follows: $1,107,162 to the Jamestown Regional Airport to reseal 2,285 feet of existing Taxiway A/A1 and 1,450 feet of existing Taxiway A-Ext pavement, reseal 3,712 feet of existing Taxiway D and 635 feet of existing Taxiway D-1 pavement, reseal 3,716 feet of... CONTINUE READING

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a total of $36,856,000 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality for two drinking water programs. The funding will be distributed as follows: $27.4 million through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. This funding will allow communities to identify and replace lead pipes, enhancing the safe delivery of water to homes. $9.4 million through the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) shined a light on the country’s defense modernization efforts, space-based capabilities, and plans for replacing an icon of the Cold War when Department of the Air Force leaders appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) to outline the department’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request and strategic priorities. Lawmakers heard testimony from Secretary of the Air Force Troy... CONTINUE READING

Secretary Collins Commits to Visiting Fargo ***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins testified before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) and outlined the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request and plans to improve care and services for veterans nationwide. In his testimony, Secretary Collins said the VA’s FY27 budget request totals more than $480 billion in resources,... CONTINUE READING

***Click here to download audio.*** WASHINGTON, D.C. – After nearly a decade of objections and obstructions, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) issued its Record of Decision (ROD) for the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) Lake Oahe Crossing, completing the court-ordered environmental review process. This ROD authorizes an easement for the pipeline’s continued operation. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and... CONTINUE READING