Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update August 26 - September 8

U.S. Air Force Under Secretary Melissa Dalton Visits Minot Air Force Base

Under Secretary of the U.S. Air Force Melissa Dalton visited Minot Air Force Base (AFB) to see firsthand the capabilities of the bomber and missile enterprise and meet with airmen, Minot Group Command Teams, and Task Force 21 Civic Leaders. In Janurary, I invited Dalton to North Dakota during her confirmation hearing.

I appreciate Under Secretary Dalton following through on her commitment to visit North Dakota and see the central role Minot plays in our national defense.

The number one priority of our national defense strategy is nuclear modernization, and Minot Air Force Base is at the heart of this effort with two of the three legs of our triad.

As one of its most vital programs, it is imperative the Air Force never reduces the geographical redundancy of Sentinel’s placement. No hearing or briefing in Washington can replace seeing a B-52 or Minuteman missile in person, not to mention the dedicated airmen who operate and maintain these awesome capabilities. It’s true that only the best come North.

Royal Air Force Fairford Visit Includes Touring Deployment Site for B-52s and RQ-4s, Meeting with United Kingdom Defense Leadership

Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford is the preferred bomber forward operating location in Europe for U.S. Air Force (USAF) Global Strike Command and supports a variety of missions and exercises in which the Minot 5th Bomb Wing and Grand Forks 319th Reconnaissance Wing participate. I visited RAF Fairford to obtain a deeper understanding of the strategic importance of these sites and observe the facilities North Dakota airmen use when deployed in the United Kingdom (U.K.). I also attended briefings with wing leadership and U.K. partners and participated in a tour of base facilities.

Having a location like RAF Fairford to operate our B-52s and RQ-4s adds to the lethality North Dakota airmen bring to the fight. The strong partnership and friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom are essential in addressing the challenges we collectively face. I appreciate the opportunity to see the synergy between our airmen and RAF Fairford.

I also viewed where North Dakota defense assets from Minot Air Force Base (MAFB) and Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) are stationed when deployed to the U.K. MAFB is the only dual-wing, nuclear-capable base in the USAF and operates 26 B-52 aircraft. GFAFB operates and maintains RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 40 aircraft, which provide high-altitude ISR missions.

The global threat freedom faces from the axis of evil to include China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and their proxies is unlike anything anyone alive has seen, and demands strong alliances unlike anyone alive has seen. The U.S. and the U.K. are the heartbeat of the Western Alliance and demonstrate a multiplication of force when friends lock arms around shared values like ours.

U.S. Postal Service to Keep Some Mailing Operations at the Bismarck Processing Center.

A big step in improving mail delivery was announced by the U.S. Postal Service. Maintaining the processing center in Bismarck is vital. This decision is a step in the right direction, and we will work to address other processing and delivery concerns impacting North Dakotans. We must keep fighting for timely mail service across the state. There is still a need for clarity on the future of the Grand Forks facility, which remains slated for a potential shift to Fargo. Ensuring timely mail service across all of North Dakota remains our priority, and we must push for answers and improvements.

I enjoyed attending the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Bismarck. This is a very personal issue for me, and I am committed to working with our partners to fight this disease and support those living with Alzheimer’s and their families.

Kudlow Interview Covers Vice President Harris’ Energy Policy and U.S. Southern Border Hypocrisy

I joined David Asman on Kudlow to discuss the hypocrisy of Vice President Harris’ new pro-border security campaign ad and energy agenda.

Mornings with Maria Interview Discusses Vice President Harris' Electric Vehicle Mandate Flip-Flop

I joined Maria Bartiromo on her show, Mornings with Maria, to discuss the Harris campaign's flip-flop on EV mandates.

More News

U.S. District Court Halts Department of Labor H-2A Farmworker Protection Rule

This ruling is a victory for producers across North Dakota and the nation. The Biden administration’s rule unlawfully granted bargaining rights to migrant farm workers, creating unnecessary burdens for our farmers and ranchers. We should be making their jobs easier as they work to fuel and feed the world instead of saddling them with illegal regulations. The court rightly emphasized the Department of Labor cannot create laws or rights Congress has not authorized. As I always say, the absence of a prohibition is not a license for bureaucrats to do whatever they please.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Admits Biden-Harris White House Pressured Facebook into Censoring Political Speech

Free speech is essential in a free society. The Biden-Harris administration and its allies have much to answer about pressuring an American business into censoring speech it opposes.

North Dakota and 24 Republican States Bring Supreme Court Case Against EPA Methane Rule

Washington’s climate fanatics are obsessed with crippling energy producers at the expense of higher costs pushed onto American consumers. North Dakota and Oklahoma are rightfully fighting this rule all the way to the Supreme Court to throw out these burdensome regulations.

HHS Awards $784,687 to Sanford Research North

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $784,687 to Sanford Research North through its National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. This award will support a research project analyzing alcohol use following bariatric surgery.

Department of Education Awards More Than $11 Million to North Dakota Department of Public Instruction

The U.S. Department of Education announced an award of $11,123,983 to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction through its Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) Grant Program. The CLSD Program seeks to advance literacy skills for students from birth through grade 12.

DOD Awards Contract to General Dynamics for Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture Ground Management and Integration Work in Grand Forks

The U.S. Air Force announced it awarded an additional $491,607,268 modification to a previously awarded contract to General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company. This contract will go towards a project supporting the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture Ground Management and Integration, Operation, and Sustainment efforts. This announcement brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $887,797,585.

HHS Awards More Than $1 Million to Support Health Initiatives in North Dakota

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an award of $1,037,264 to North Dakota to support the following health programs and initiatives:

• $456,464 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (NDHHS). This Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant will support the state as it addresses unique public health needs with innovative and community-driven methods.
• $380,800 to NDHHS to improve oral health through education and prevention.
• $200,000 to F-M Ambulance Service, Inc., through the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, to support the recruitment and training of emergency medical services personnel in rural areas with a focus on addressing substance use disorders.

National Science Foundation Awards $1.6 Million to the University of North Dakota

The National Science Foundation announced an award of $1,600,000 to the University of North Dakota to support quantum research. The award will be distributed to the following projects and initiatives:

• $800,000 to support research aiming to develop new algorithms and schemes to extend the capabilities of quantum devices and apply them to challenging problems in heavy-element computational chemistry.
• $800,000 for a project focusing on the development of quantum light sources that produce pairs of photons which are also compatible with existing telecommunication infrastructure.

NIFA Awards More Than $1 Million to Support Projects at NDSU, Antelope Veterinary Service

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an award of $1,049,037 to North Dakota State University (NDSU) and Antelope Veterinary Service, LLC. The funding will be distributed to the following projects and initiatives:

• $924,037 to NDSU through the Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage System Program. This funding will support research to identify factors contributing to the persistence of alfalfa and strategies to mitigate the loss of alfalfa stands, particularly in cold environments.
• $125,000 to Antelope Veterinary Service, LLC, through the Veterinary Services Grant Program. This funding will support a project aiming to provide routine herd services and emergency services to ranchers within a 75-mile radius of the practice beginning this fall.

HHS Awards Over $1.2 Million to Minot State University

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $1,250,000 as a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to Minot State University. This discretionary grant will support North Dakota Navigators, a grant-funded, local program assisting residents with accessing health insurance.

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Every other Tuesday from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. CT

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Contact Me

My offices are open in Bismarck, Grand Forks, Minot, Fargo, Williston, and Washington, D.C. To request an appointment, call any of the offices below or visit my website at www.cramer.senate.gov.

Bismarck

328 Federal Building, 220 East Rosser Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58501

701-204-0500

Grand Forks

114 Federal Building, 102 North 4th Street, Grand Forks, ND 58203

701-402-4540

Minot

105 Federal Building, 100 First Street SW, Minot, ND 58701

701-837-6141

Fargo

306 Federal Building, 657 Second Avenue N, Fargo, ND 58102

701-232-5094

Williston

125 Main Street, Suite #217, Williston, ND 58801

701-441-7230

Washington, D.C.

313 Hart Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

202-224-2043