Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update JULY 28 - August 1

Senate Advances Three Bipartisan FY26 Appropriations Bills

Secures funding to improve national security and support veterans, farmers, and ranchers

The United States Senate overwhelmingly passed three bipartisan Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills to provide funding for several agencies and programs pertaining to military construction, veterans’ affairs, agriculture, rural development, food and drug oversight, technology infrastructure, physical and cyber security, and the legislative branch.

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs:

The bill provides funding for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) military construction program, retains provisions preventing the realignment or closure of Guantanamo Bay, and includes a provision prohibiting the VA from purchasing technology equipment from any Chinese manufacturer on a list maintained by DOD, the U.S. Department of Treasury, the U.S. Department of Commerce, or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The legislation secures additional funding to design an Armory for the National Guard in Jamestown. It also provides $702.8 million for the Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) program, which serves every county in North Dakota through the Williston, Minot, Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Fargo, Jamestown, Bismarck, and Dickinson regional Community Action Agencies.

As a member of SVAC, I have fought to ensure veterans receive timely access to high quality mental health care, no matter where they live. In April, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and I introduced the bipartisan Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act to provide priority consideration of Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) applications to entities in states, like North Dakota, which have not previously received a grant. The FY26 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations title reflects my work to ensure North Dakota veterans receive suicide prevention support if they need it by including language improving access to suicide prevention services.

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration:

The agriculture section secures food supply chains, provides funding for programs to support producers and rural communities, facilitates agricultural research, and offers nutrition assistance at home and abroad. Specifically, the legislation funds essential programs producers rely on to protect crops and livestock from diseases and pests, facilitates domestic and international marketing of agricultural products, and supports frontline personnel for state meat and poultry inspection programs. Notably, it also provides resources to help ranchers comply with electronic identification (EID) tag requirements. It allocates $10.5 billion for farm loans, provides $1.6 billion for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and prohibits closures of FSA county offices.

It includes $3.6 billion for agricultural research programs, securing U.S. dominance in agricultural innovation. The Agricultural Research Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative ensure American farmers and ranchers are able to harness cutting-edge technologies allowing them to do more with less. To build on the Trump administration’s National Farm Security Action Plan, the bill supports efforts to protect the U.S. agricultural economy and maintain U.S. global leadership in animal health, biodefense, and biosecurity. It also directs USDA to provide transparency into research funding spent collaborating with adversarial countries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

Further, the legislation maintains the Secretary of Agriculture’s position on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to protect food supply chains from adversaries. The legislation funds food assistance programs for seniors, mothers, and children through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

Legislative Branch:

The measure provides $865 million for the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP)—$653 million for personnel and $201 million for equipment and operations—with authority to reimburse up to $10 million for mutual-aid support. It includes $545 million for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to maintain and modernize the Capitol complex, with a ban on bonuses for contractors who miss deadlines or exceed budgets. The Library of Congress receives $592 million, including $136 million for the Congressional Research Service and $66 million for the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled. It also retains provisions to prohibit USCP and AOC from purchasing drones manufactured in China as well as prohibit the acquisition of telecommunications equipment from Huawei or ZTE Corporation.

Floor Speech Highlights Transformation of the Senate Due to Democrats' Unprecedented Obstruction

Democrats have resorted to historic obstruction in an attempt to slow down the confirmation process. Despite this, Senate Republicans have been maintaining a swift pace on confirming President Trump’s nominees.

I delivered a floor speech last week highlighting the transformation of the Senate due to Democrats' unprecedented obstruction.

We have a higher responsibility than to simply gravitate to the worst instincts but rather elevate this institution to a more aspirational conclusion.

Watch my full floor speech below:

Senate Banking Committee Passes Bipartisan Housing Bill

The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee held a markup for the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act of 2025. This affordable housing legislation includes two bipartisan provisions I authored to address the appraisal workforce shortage and to streamline inspections for new landlords. The committee advanced the housing legislation package unanimously. This was the Banking Committee’s first housing markup in over a decade.

Rural communities are experiencing an appraiser shortage, leading to delays for appraisals and extending the homebuying process for purchasers and sellers. North Dakotans have experienced an average wait time of 21 days for home appraisals, while the national average is between six to nine days. I introduced the Appraisal Industry Improvement Act alongside U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) earlier this year, which supports training and education efforts for appraisers to improve access to the housing market without decreasing the quality of appraisals.

The ROAD to Housing Act also includes a portion of my bill with U.S. Senator Chris Coons’ (D-DE), Choice in Affordable Housing Act, to reduce U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development inspection delays by reducing the administrative burden placed on landlords and increasing program participation. It reduces duplication and administrative burden for new landlords to request pre-inspections to increase access to housing for voucher holders and encourage landlord participation.

SVAC Unanimously Advances My Priorities to Enhance Rural Veterans’ Access to Health Care Services

The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) held a markup last week which featured two of my bills to enhance rural veterans’ access to health care services. The committee advanced the bipartisan Supporting Rural Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act, and language reflecting the Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act, which will now advance to the Senate floor for consideration.

In April, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and I introduced the bipartisan Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act to provide priority consideration of SSG Fox SPGP applications to entities in states like North Dakota and Delaware, which have not previously received an award. Entities in five other states have also never received suicide prevention grants. The language is included as part of the Helping Optimize Prevention and Engagement (HOPE) for Heroes Act and increases the grant funding available to entities providing mental health support to veterans.

The committee also passed the Supporting Rural Veterans Access to Healthcare Services Act, which I introduced with U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) in March. This legislation would permanently reauthorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Highly Rural Transportation Grant (HRTG) Program, which provides free transportation services to VA-authorized healthcare appointments for veterans living in rural areas. Presently, 35 counties across North Dakota are served by the HRTG program, and this legislation ensures these essential transportation services will remain available for veterans while expanding access and resources for other veterans needing transportation services.

EPA Announces Proposal to Rescind Obama-Era Endangerment Finding and Regulations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposal to repeal the 2009 Endangerment Finding. The finding, issued in the first year of the Obama administration, concluded current and projected greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations, predominately carbon dioxide (CO2), endanger public health and welfare. It is the cornerstone of novel efforts to mandate declining GHG emissions, including both iterations of the Clean Power Plan and vehicle emission standards under the Obama and Biden administrations. These rulemaking processes have repeatedly been struck down by the courts and have never been specifically authorized by Congress.

As a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, I issued the following statement on the EPA's announcement:

The shale gas revolution, President Obama’s war on coal, and increasing global industrialization have caused the United States’ share of global CO2 emissions to be lower now than it was when the endangerment finding was issued, and it continues to decline. United States annual CO2 emissions, and per capita CO2 emissions, follow a similar downward trajectory even in the absence of a binding GHG rule. By 2050, U.S. contributions from power generation are expected to be less than one-fifth of one percent and the difference in global temperature would be less than one-tenth of one percent.

Bill to Honor Members of the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic Hockey Team Receives Over 70 Cosponsors

In February 1980, the United States Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team defeated the Soviet Union 4-3 in the semifinals of the 1980 Winter Olympic men’s hockey tournament in Lake Placid, New York. Team USA, comprised of 20 amateur collegiate hockey players including former University of North Dakota hockey player Dave Christian, defied expectations by defeating the four-time Olympic champion Soviet Union team in a game referred to as the “Miracle on Ice.”

At a time when the United States was struggling with rampant stagflation, high gas prices, hostages held in Iran, and increased tensions with the Soviets after their invasion of Afghanistan, the Miracle on Ice was a turning point for American hockey and American patriotism.

To recognize the 45th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice game, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and I introduced the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act. Last week, I announced our bill exceeded the threshold of cosponsors needed pass the Senate, with more than 70 senators supporting it. The legislation will award three Congressional Gold Medals to members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team in recognition of their extraordinary achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

Bipartisan Letter Presses the Office of Management and Budget to Release CDFI Funds

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) promote economic growth and financial inclusion in underserved communities in North Dakota and across the country. They leverage federal investment to provide loans, capital, and financial services in areas often overlooked by traditional financial institutions. A bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought urging swift action to disburse the $324 million in congressionally-appropriated funding from the CDFI Fund.

Congress allocated $324 million to support CDFI Fund programs in the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations package, however significant delays remain in obligating those funds. This has created uncertainty for the 1,400 certified CDFIs dependent on the fund. North Dakota has received $120,530,892 in New Market Tax Credits, and $21,399,073 in CDFI Loans. These funds have been used to finance affordable housing, healthcare, manufacturing, small business, and tribal communities across the state.

I joined U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mark Warner (D-VA), and a bipartisan group of colleagues in sending the letter. To date, the CDFI Fund has yet to announce and disburse awards for five programs within its portfolio even though application periods closed months ago.

Since its inception over three decades ago, the CDFI Fund has proven critical to the CDFI sector’s success and has met the mission to create a public-private partnership to promote access to capital in our most underserved rural and urban communities. [...] It’s imperative that congressionally-approved funds for the CDFI Fund are deployed strategically and in a timely manner. Delay in the obligation of funds hinders critical projects in our states and could constrain the flow of capital to businesses and consumers who need it most.

Senate Confirms Sam Brown as VA Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs

By a vote of 54-44, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sam Brown as Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for Memorial Affairs. As a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), I issued the following statement:

U.S. DOT Withdraws Proposed Rule to Mandate Speed Limiters on Heavy Vehicles

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) withdrew its proposed rule to mandate speed limiters on heavy vehicles. The requirement, which was initially proposed under the Obama administration, would have set a maximum speed of 65 mph for heavy vehicles over 26,000 pounds. 

According to the notice, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration determined the 2016 proposal "lacks a sufficiently clear and compelling safety justification for its implementation and raises significant concerns regarding federalism." The agencies found the research and analyses contained significant data gaps regarding potential safety benefits and economic impacts. The notice said information obtained through the public comment process did not provide the information necessary to proceed to a final rule.

Legislation Introduced to Strengthen National Rural Export Center in Fargo, Ensure Rural Businesses Access International Markets

Last week, I joined U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Tina Smith (D-MN) to reintroduce our Promoting Rural Exports Act. The bill would authorize and support the operations of the National Rural Export Center which is based in Fargo, which helps businesses in rural areas increase their exports and ensure access to international markets.

Specifically, the Promoting Rural Exports Act will:

• Make the nine regional rural export centers report to the national center in Fargo, helping to better coordinate rural export support efforts under the Department of Commerce.
• Direct the center to provide customized market research services to help rural businesses target their exports.
• Direct the center to conduct strategic planning and export support services for rural businesses.
• Require the center to make data relating to its effectiveness publicly available on its website.

Trump Administration Reverses Illegal Biden-Era Policy Allowing the VA to Perform Abortions

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it will reverse a Biden-era policy and reinstate the full exclusion on abortions and abortion counseling from the medical benefits package. Before 2022, this exclusion had been firmly in place since the medical benefits package was first established in 1999.

I thank President Trump for restoring a culture of life. The Biden administration’s scheme to illegally promote and utilize taxpayer dollars for abortion services is over. I applaud Secretary Doug Collins for correcting course at the VA, restoring integrity for life, and affirming Federal agencies must follow the law, not rewrite it.

National Intern Appreciation Day

Last Thursday was National Intern Appreciation Day. Thank you to my interns in Washington and North Dakota for your work serving the people of our great state.

If you are interested in being an intern in either North Dakota or Washington, D.C., please click here to learn more.

"Power & Politics" on CBC News

As Chair of the Canada-US Inter-parliamentary Group, I joined David Common on CBC News last week to discuss trade talks between our two countries.

Without a long-term resolution, U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods went into effect on August 1. We've seen how fast deals can come together and we know people on both sides are working towards an agreement.

"Mornings with Maria" on Fox Business

I joined Cheryl Casone on Fox Business to discuss the Payment Choice Act, the Senate Banking Committee advancing its first bipartisan housing package in a decade, Senate Democrats delaying confirmation of nominees, and more.

On the Historic Housing Package:

During the first bipartisan housing markup in over a decade, the Senate Banking Committee unanimously passed the ROAD to Housing Act. What a victory to unanimously pass something as big and important as this. Leave it to Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) to make housing a high priority!

On Senate Democrats Delaying Confirmation of Nominees:

Despite Democrats' historic obstruction, we have confirmed more of President Trump's nominees at this point compared to 2017. Even though Democrats' chaos may create Republican opportunities, it doesn't do anything for the country. Right now, they seem to be leaderless. And consequently, the kids are fighting.

On the Payment Choice Act:

We discussed my bill with U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), the Payment Choice Act. Cash is legal tender and ought to be allowed at every retail outlet in America.

Watch the full interview below:

"Washington Watch" with Tony Perkins

I joined Tony Perkins on "Washington Watch" to discuss the supposed two-state “solution” to the Israel-Gaza conflict. It’s disappointing to see countries like France, UK, and Canada cave to the propaganda campaign of Hamas terrorists.

We also spoke about Senate Democrats stalling confirmation of President Trump's nominees, including those passed out of committee with bipartisan support.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator

For too long, overzealous bureaucrats and unnecessary regulations have exacerbated staffing and access challenges for nursing home facilities, hurting residents across the country. Thank you, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Oz, for meeting with me on the lessons we’ve learned in rural America and the needed reforms to improve care for North Dakotans.

Cavendish Farms

It was good seeing Jim and David Irving and Ross Langley of J.D. Irving, Limited. We had a good discussion about their investments in the U.S., including the Cavendish potato processing plant in Jamestown.

Ricky Freeman, Vice President of Kuiper Government Solutions

I met with Amazon's Kuiper Government Solutions Vice President Ricky Freeman. He updated me on Amazon building a constellation of LEO satellites that will provide commercial and military communications around the world.