Senator Cramer's Weekly Update February 10 - 15

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff James (Jim) Slife visits North Dakota Air Force Bases

I never tire of visiting the airmen of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing. It was a special treat to show the base and its people off to Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General Jim Slife.

It was nice catching a ride on his plane from Joint Base Andrews and I appreciate his hospitality. It provided us a lot of time to discuss the very bright future of North Dakota’s Air Force Bases as we imagined new ways to position GFAFB, Minot Air Force Base, which was the second stop on our Valentines Day Weekend tour, and the 119th Wing North Dakota Air National Guard to meet the growing demands of modern warfare.

General Slife is one of the most thoughtful leaders we have in our military. I consider him a mentor and friend.

Reception with Ontario Premier Doug Ford Highlights Opportunity to Build Partnership with Canada

Ontario Premier Doug Ford met with me in Washington D.C. last week to discuss how our two nations can grow in friendship. The Premier also hosted a reception with me at the Library of Congress along with 12 other Premiers in attendance.

Thank you Premier Ford, for meeting and the invitation to speak to so many Canadian friends. As we go through a change of administrations in both of our nations, we have the gift of a new opportunity, a chance to build an even greater partnership based on what each of us brings to the table.

Legislation Introduced to Repeal the Death Tax

The impacts of the federal estate tax, often referred to as the death tax, were reduced in 2017 with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which doubled the amount exempt from the tax and tied it to inflation. These tax cuts, unless extended, expire in 2025. In particular, the death tax significantly impacts family farms, ranches, and small businesses.

I joined U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) in introducing the Death Tax Repeal Act. This legislation would permanently repeal the federal estate tax and generation-skipping transfer taxes, reduce the federal gift tax from 40% to 35%, and retain the full step-up in basis.

Taxing the assets of people who have died is wrong on multiple levels, starting with the fact the same income is taxed twice, during life and after death. It’s hard to imagine a less moral government imposition than taxing death.

Brooke Rollins Sworn In as Secretary of Agriculture

The United States Senate confirmed Brooke Rollins to serve as the 32nd Secretary of Agriculture by a vote of 72 to 28 last week. She was sworn in Thursday.

Brooke Rollins grew up on a farm and knows the importance of getting a comprehensive Farm Bill done for rural America. President Trump made a great choice and I look forward to working with her as Secretary of Agriculture on behalf of North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sworn in as HHS Secretary

The United States Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the 26th Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) by a vote of 52 to 48. He was confirmed and sworn in Thursday.

As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has committed to restoring transparency and accountability to the department. From addressing rundown Indian Health System facilities to making sure all Americans have the best health information available to them, his promise to Make America Healthy Again is a mission I support.

Tulsi Gabbard Sworn In as Director of National Intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard was confirmed by the United States Senate as the 8th Director of National Intelligence by a vote of 52 to 48. She was sworn in on Wednesday.

Tulsi Gabbard is a tough soldier and a fierce patriot who will bring a fresh perspective and much-needed transparency to the intelligence community. Her devotion to protecting and serving our country has earned her President Trump’s trust, and I look forward to working with my former House classmate to make America safe again.

Federal Reserve Chair Powell Questioned at Senate Banking Hearing on Impact of Raising Bank Capital Requirements

The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (Banking) Committee held a hearing on the Federal Reserve’s semiannual monetary report to Congress. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testified before the committee.

In July 2023, the Federal Reserve, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) announced proposed regulations to implement the final components of the Basel III agreement to raise bank capital requirements. The proposal was created to set the standards for capital reserves, liquidity, and leverage at financial institutions. Under the proposal, large banks will be mandated to transition to the new framework on July 1, with full compliance starting July 1, 2028.

I questioned Powell on the necessity of advancing a new Basel III proposal, specifically in the context of regional and community banks.

Specifically, how would an updated regulation impact the ability of the regional banks to compete with the big Wall Street banks and what consideration should be taken into account to ensure that we have a competitive banking system. For those of us who have largely regional banks, or the best of all of them community banks and credit unions, a competitive system is really important.

North Dakota Witness Answers Questions on Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage at EPW Hearing

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing to discuss carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) technologies. I introduced the first witness, Kevin Connors, the Assistant Director for Regulatory Compliance and Energy Policy at the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) in Grand Forks, N.D.

I love the opportunity to highlight North Dakota’s place in the area of carbon capture utilization and storage, and there’s a lot that goes into why North Dakota has been at the forefront. One of the central reasons is the Energy and Environment Research Center. Kevin Connors has been an invaluable asset to both my staff and me, in fact we look to EERC as a bit of an extension of our staff on all matters relating to carbon capture utilization and storage.

Carrington Dairy Wins NCBA Award

Congratulations to Van Bedaf Dairy in Carrington for winning the National Cattlemen Beef Association’s Beef Quality Assurance Dairy Farm award! North Dakota’s dairy industry is first-rate and I’m glad to see this national recognition go to one of our best.

WEST Act Introduced to Protect Public Lands from Government Overreach

BLM lands are not parks or refuges, they’re for the public’s productive use. I joined U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), in introducing the WEST Act to block the Biden administration’s misguided BLM “conservation” rule and preserve the multiple use mandate for recreationists, ranchers, and energy producers in North Dakota.

Bill Ensures Federally Funded Water Projects are Protected from Default and Completed on Time

I joined U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) in introducing the Water Infrastructure Subcontractor and Taxpayer Protection Act, a bipartisan bill to keep federal projects on time and protect local communities and workers. By requiring any primary contractor working on federally financed water infrastructure projects to hold a surety bond, local sponsors and sub-contractors will be compensated if the contractor defaults before the project is complete.

North Dakotans know just how important public-private partnerships are to large scale infrastructure projects. They can bolster and protect local communities, but taxpayers should be confident their money will not be lost. We must work to close existing loopholes in federal law to protect not just American taxpayers, but local small business contractors and workers who make these projects possible.

Business Council of Canada

The Business Council of Canada is an advocacy organization comprised of the heads of 170 businesses employing 2.1 million Canadians.

The economies of Canada and the United States are closely intertwined. Thanks to the Business Council of Canada for the informative visit.

Defense Group Anno.Ai

War is being fought in new ways. UAVs and hypersonic weapons are the new frontier. Anno.Ai is a defense technology company committed to accelerating the speed of innovation and modernization in the U.S. military.

NORAD and NORTHCOM Commander General Gregory Guillot

I had a great talk with General Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command. We had an informative conversation about the North Dakota assets that support his missions and the legislation I introduced with U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), the IRON DOME Act.

North Dakota Medical Association

The North Dakota Medical Association and its members are at the forefront of meeting the healthcare needs of North Dakotans. It was good to visit with my good friends Courtney Koebele and Bismarck Pediatrician Dr. Parag Kumar about the challenges they’re facing.

Nominee for Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emil Michael

North Dakota is leading the military modernization effort. I spoke with Emil Michael, nominee for Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, on how we can increase outside-of-the-box thinking in the Pentagon.

Rainbow Energy

North Dakota is an energy producing powerhouse and Rainbow Energy is a critical part of our success! Glad they stopped by to discuss how the EPA can get out of the way and let us do even more.

Cavendish Farms

Next time you have french fries, they might have come from the Cavendish Farms potato processing plant in Jamestown. I appreciated hearing from Robert and Jim Irving about their investments in North Dakota.

Commissioner Lance Yohe - International Joint Commission

Had a valuable discussion with International Joint Commission Commissioner Lance Yohe about his work on U.S. - Canada boundary waters issues. I appreciate his efforts to advance policies benefiting North Dakota.

Larry Kudlow Hosts Discussion on President Trump's Trade Policy Initiatives

President Trump is fighting for the American economy by making sure U.S. trade policy treats our partners the same way they treat us! We need to use all the levers we have to push back against unfair trade practices.

Interview on Fox Business Discusses Foreign Policy and Fair Access to Banking

I had a great discussion with Fox Business on President Trump's refreshing America First foreign policy and my bill to prohibit big banks from discriminating against legal commerce.

Weekly Radio Town Hall Schedule

Jay Thomas

Every other Tuesday from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. CT

"Mitchell in the Morning" with Todd Mitchell

Every Wednesday from 8:15 to 8:50 a.m. CT

KFYR 550 AM / 99.7 FM - Bismarck

Noah Chelliah

Thursdays from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m. CT

KNOX 1310 AM - Grand Forks

Rick Jensen

Thursdays from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. CT

KHND 1470 AM - Harvey

"What's On Your Mind" with Scott Hennen

Every Friday from 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. CT

AM 1100 The Flag - Fargo

WDAY 970 AM - Fargo

KTGO 1090 AM - Tioga

SUPER TALK 1270 - Bismarck, Mandan

Michael Bell

Every Friday from 10:30 to 11:00 a.m. CT

KFYR 550 AM / 99.7 FM - Bismarck

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