Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update March 18-24

Senate Passes Final Tranche of Funding Bills, Completing FY24 Appropriations Process

Six months after the end of the fiscal year, Congress finally reached the finish line and successfully avoided a government shutdown. On Friday, after the House passed a package of the remaining six Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 spending bills by a bipartisan vote of 286 to 134, the Senate took it up and passed it with wide support by a margin of 74 to 24. I voted in favor of the final tranche of funding bills.

While it took us a lot longer to get this done than it should have, we have made significant progress toward a more open, transparent process, and we stayed within the spending limits of the Fiscal Responsibility Act. This final package is imperfect, but appropriates funding critical for national security and defense, including our defense ecosystem across the state.

This $1.2 trillion appropriations minibus includes $825 billion for the U.S. Department of Defense, $62 billion for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and funds several key agencies and programs pertaining to financial services, labor, health and human services, and education.

Click below for a breakdown of toplines included in the final six FY24 appropriations bills, supporting both North Dakota and the country.

Fox Business Interview Highlights Potential TikTok Ban, President Biden’s $8 Billion Request for Climate Corps

On Monday, I joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss the potential ban of TikTok in the United States and President Joe Biden’s $8 billion request for a “Climate Corps” program, which would hire 50,000 environmental activists to the government each year by 2031.

On the Status of Legislation to Ban TikTok from U.S.:

The House overwhelmingly passed the legislation last week, setting the table for the ban to happen. I don't know when it will happen, but I do believe the House created enough momentum, and I think there's a growing awareness of the problem with the Chinese Communist Party’s ownership and control over Bytedance, and as a result TikTok.

Eliminating TikTok, or at least making TikTok an American company, will not rob anybody of their First Amendment rights. It'll just help secure the United States of America – that’s my view. I think the Senate bill will be a more modest version probably than the House bill. Oftentimes, that's the result in the Senate, but we need to do something.

On a Potential U.S. Buyer of TikTok:

There are a lot of Americans, and a lot of entrepreneurs, interested in purchasing TikTok. Obviously, Elon Musk has already stepped up, and I'm sure there will be others who are interested.

Those deals don't get put together quickly. The financing doesn't come together quickly. It might be a matter of giving it more time for the sale to take place, but at the same time you don't like to give the CCP more time to use its algorithms to socialize its data to steal whatever it can. So it's a fine balance.

On Biden’s $8 Billion Request for 50,000 ‘Climate Corps’ Workers:

The last thing we need are 50,000 more paid bureaucrats running around the country who really, frankly for the most part, probably don't even know what they're talking about, but they're happy to take the cash.

This thing is wrong on so many levels. The honest truth of the matter is the government already actually incentivizes this kind of activity. We're seeing it all the time in North Dakota. So, Biden is already creating positions to lead this crusade.

ACES Caucus Co-Chairs Highlight U.S.-Canada Economic, National Security Partnership

On Wednesday, the Embassy of Canada sponsored a “Canada Day on the Hill” reception, along with the American Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, to recognize the relationship between the United States and Canada. Launched in June of 2023, the bipartisan, bicameral ACES Caucus was created to strengthen the economic and national security relationship between the our two countries. During the event, I highlighted the importance of our bilateral partnership.

Whether it’s the fight for democracy or the fight for freedom, our global relationship is so critical. One plus one adds up to more than two. The alliance between the United States and Canada is a synergistic relationship, it’s not simply a linear relationship.

It's not just about the weapons systems or the nations. It's about the message we send to allies and adversaries alike, and when we speak with one voice, it’s a loud voice. When it comes to the economy, it's just obvious, and we’ve got so much more potential.

During the event, I also received the Embassy of Canada’s Maple Leaf Award from Ambassador Kirsten Hillman and Consul General Beth Richardson on behalf of North Dakota. This award recognizes the incredible volume of trade between our state and Canada as North Dakota sells more exports to Canada than to all other nations in the world, combined.

To continue recognizing the importance of the partnership between the two countries, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and I, co-chairs of the ACES Caucus, introduced a resolution demonstrating the significance of the relationship to promoting peace, expanding economic opportunity, and being prepared to respond to unforeseen events. A similar measure was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

As a Senator representing a Northern border state, I recognize the importance of the unique partnership between the United States and Canada. Not only are our neighbors to the north crucial economic and national security partners, but they are literally our closest ally.

For North Dakotans, our families, friends, and closest communities are right across the border. This resolution celebrates our closeness but also is a testament to the enduring strength, friendship, and importance of the U.S.-Canada alliance across the country and the globe.

Senate Passes Resolution to Block Paraguayan Beef Imports to the United States

Following an announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to lift the long-standing ban on fresh beef from Paraguay, the United States Senate passed a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval by a vote of 70 to 25 in an effort to overturn the Biden administration’s rule. For 25 years, the United States has blocked the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay as a result of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service determining foot-and-mouth disease is prevalent within the country.

Resuming beef imports from Paraguay could reintroduce foot-and-mouth disease, which our producers have worked hard to eliminate. This would be devastating. We should be protecting our ranchers and their livestock, not putting them more at risk. This resolution passing with bipartisan support illustrates how out of touch the Biden administration is.

I cosponsored this resolution, which was introduced by U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mike Rounds (R-SD). It is supported by several organizations including the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, U.S. Cattleman’s Association, Livestock Marketing Association, R-CALF USA, National Farmers Union, and American Farm Bureau Federation.

Environmental Protection Agency Finalizes Burdensome, Costly Vehicle Regulation

The Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized new regulations on Wednesday, effectively mandating the transition from light and medium-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines to battery-powered electric vehicles (EV). Following the agency’s announcement, I denounced the restrictive and burdensome rule.

The Biden administration’s climate crusade continues in its quest to regulate liquid fuels out of existence. The President’s EV fantasy directly conflicts with Americans' reality.

North Dakotans are not buying electric vehicles because they don’t work in the winter and don’t have adequate range or infrastructure to reliably meet their daily needs. This madness is a prime example of federal foolishness being forced on Americans, and it needs to end.

Letter to Secretary of the Treasury Highlights Concerns with Administration’s Hostility Towards American Energy Production

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released the General Explanations of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2025 Revenue Proposals (Green Book), a compilation of reforms proposed by President Biden to raise revenues, expand tax credits, and improve tax administration and compliance. Instead of increasing U.S. energy production, the Green Book proposes to weaponize the tax code against domestic producers by suggesting the implementation of tax hikes on the production of oil, gas, and coal.

Among other provisions, the newly released Green Book calls for $5 trillion in new tax increases and specifically, more than $110 billion in targeted tax increases on the production of oil, gas, and coal. If implemented, these tax increases will undermine domestic energy producers, suffocate economic growth, and increase foreign competitor’s domestic and global market share.

Following the latest Green Book, I joined U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) in sending a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen to express grave concerns regarding the administration’s hostility towards American energy production.

“Working families and small businesses are facing immense challenges including high energy prices. At the same time, our allies and partners across the globe are asking for reliable American energy resources to escape their dependence on Russian energy and to deal with the energy crisis,” we wrote in our letter. “It is alarming that the administration believes utilizing our nation’s abundant natural resources will be detrimental to long-term energy security. Sadly, the administration would willingly suppress energy production knowing it means fewer jobs and higher prices for the American people.”

“America is fortunate to have abundant energy resources. Our nation needs to be focused on unleashing American energy and innovation instead of throwing away one of our biggest economic and geopolitical advantages,” our letter concluded. “When facing a whole-of-government assault, American energy producers cannot continue to make long-term investments, which provide stability and energy security both at home and overseas. These crushing tax proposals, paired with the administration’s heavy-handed regulations and mandates, would threaten American families’ access to affordable and reliable energy, while giving our adversaries the upper-hand in global energy markets.”

Legislation Seeks to Address Historic Rise in Violent Crime Throughout the Country

Over the last couple of years, the crime rate in major cities across the country has drastically increased due to the implementation of nonsensical bail policies, which fail to hold violent criminals accountable. Last year, Washington, D.C. had 274 homicides—the highest number of homicides since 1997. According to the Council on Criminal Justice’s mid-year data, which examines monthly crime rates for 10 violent, property, and drug offenses in 37 cities, motor vehicle thefts increased 33.5% in the first half of 2023.

To address this growing issue, I joined U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) in introducing the Keep Violent Criminals Off Our Streets Act to hold criminals accountable and reinforce public safety through bail reform.

Our legislation would forbid any state or local government from receiving any federal financial assistance if they have in effect a policy or law prohibiting the use of cash bail for all offenders or if they do not employ pretrial detention practices for every violent offender, including juvenile offenders.

Cash bail is a powerful tool to help keep violent offenders off the streets in advance of criminal proceedings. Woke, soft-on-crime cities across the country make it easier for felons to reoffend while awaiting prosecution, causing more violence and instability in our communities. The harmful and deliberate policies these cities adopt, contributing to soaring crime rates, should not be rewarded by sending them taxpayer money.

Letter to VA Secretary McDonough Highlights Importance of Improving Healthcare Services for Women Veterans

As women remain the fastest growing group of veterans using U.S. Department of Veterans (VA) services, it is more important than ever to ensure women veterans have consistent access to the benefits and healthcare services they have earned.

This is particularly important for those veterans who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST), which has been linked to increased risk for suicide. Throughout the two million women veterans living in the United States, about one in three report experiences of sexual harassment or assault during their service in the military. According to a report published by Disabled American Veterans (DAV), the suicide rate among women veterans jumped 24.1% between 2020 and 2021.

I joined my colleagues on the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA), in sending a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough on the need to improve mental health treatment options and suicide reduction efforts for women veterans.

Although the VA has provided free counseling and evidence-based treatment for women with MST, the letter notes these services are under-utilized. To increase engagement, we suggested employing the Women Veterans Call Center (WVCC) to conduct additional outreach tailored to women veterans to inform them about these centers, which provide essential mental health services for veterans.

"Once enrolled in VA care, many women veterans with MST report needing to justify and explain their request for treatment to their provider. This experience causes undue stress and places an unnecessary burden on the veteran. To reduce the stigma of seeking care for MST, the VA must educate all providers about the high prevalence and complexities of MST,” we wrote in our letter. “Staff at all levels of care should be well-versed in trauma-informed care, recognize the signs and symptoms of PTSD and MST, and understand how that impacts trust. This is especially important for women who report MST to military legal officials but experience significant secondary victimization, which often impairs later help-seeking in VA facilities.

“Women veterans who have experienced MST already endure so many hardships – let’s work to eliminate any barriers to VA care so they can access the high-quality care that they deserve,” our letter concluded.

Legislation Protects Lenders from Federal Government Manipulation

President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget request, announced at the beginning of March, includes a proposal to allow the Small Business Administration (SBA) to make direct loans through the 7(a) lending program. This ill-conceived proposal would manipulate markets by enabling the government to rival banks and credit unions in providing loans.

I joined U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and John Kennedy (R-LA) in reintroducing the Protecting Access to Credit for Small Businesses Act to prohibit the Biden administration from authorizing the Small Business Administration to issue direct 7(a) loans. Not only would a SBA 7(a) direct lending program jeopardize access to capital for small businesses, it would undermine the agency’s existing public-private partnership loan programs.

The proposal to allow the SBA to directly make loans under the 7(a) lending program is a glaring example of the Biden administration undercutting the private sector. Protecting access to credit for small businesses is critical and we must prevent the federal government’s blatant attempt to control the direct lending space.

Organizations supporting the legislation include America’s Credit Unions, the Bank Policy Institute, the Independent Community Bankers of America, the Consumer Bankers Association, and the American Bankers Association.

Additional cosponsors include U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Steve Daines (R-MT), James Lankford (R-OK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Mike Braun (R-IN).

Senators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Home Appraisal Process

To bolster the home appraisal workforce and speed up the appraisal process, U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and I introduced the bipartisan Appraisal Industry Improvement Act, which would improve access to housing in rural communities across the country.

Across rural America, housing markets have a shortage of trained appraisers. Increasing the number of appraisers is essential to making the home buying process faster for North Dakotans while also improving access to the housing market.

Specifically, the Appraisal Industry Improvement Act would:

• Add representation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) on the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council
• Add state credentialed trainee appraisers to the national Appraiser Registry run by the ASC
• Allow Appraisal Subcommittee grants for state appraiser certification and licensing agencies to support education and training to address appraiser industry workforce needs
• Allow the Appraisal Subcommittee to decrease annual registry fees if they determine that the fees adversely impact functions
• Renew licensed residential appraisers’ ability to conduct appraisals on FHA properties

Last year, Senator Tester and I introduced the Volunteer First Responder Housing Act, bipartisan legislation which seeks to increase affordable housing options for firefighters and first responders in rural communities.

General Michael Guetlein, Vice Chief of Space Operations

I met with General Michael Guetlein, the recently confirmed U.S. Space Force Vice Chief of Space Operations, about the future of the Space Force and his role in organizing, training, and equipping guardians in the U.S. and overseas.

North Dakota Bankers Association

I always appreciate hearing from members of the North Dakota Bankers Association about their needs and how they can best serve North Dakotans. We discussed their legislative agenda and my recent questioning of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell during his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee.

North Dakota Grain Growers Association

There's no better way to spend National Agriculture Week than meeting with folks like the North Dakota Grain Growers Association. Reauthorization of the Farm Bill, crop insurance, and the impacts of record high input costs were among the important issues we discussed.

Stratolaunch

I sat down with Stratolaunch CEO Zack Krevor to hear about the successful first flight of the Talon-A test vehicle. This is a major milestone, and we had a productive discussion about how North Dakota’s robust ecosystem can play more of a role.

U.S. Global Leadership Coalition

Members of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition stopped by my office to speak about the importance of strong American leadership on the world’s stage and how we can work together to advance our nation’s interests and values across the globe.

Close Up Students

A highlight of my week was chatting with more than 200 North Dakota students from the Close Up Foundation. Each time I visit with them, I come away from our conversations impressed with these bright future leaders.

FAA Awards More Than $3.2 Million to Airports Across North Dakota

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a total of $3,224,503 in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding to airports across North Dakota. These funds will be administered through the FAA Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) Program as follows:

• $2,600,000 to Jamestown Regional Airport for the improvement, modification, and rehabilitation of a service road and taxiway and the purchase of snow removal equipment
• $150,000 to Garrison Municipal Airport for the reconstruction of a terminal building
• $150,000 to Beach Airport for the installation of a runway vertical and visual guidance system, and for the reconstruction of runway lighting and taxiway lighting
• $144,000 to Hettinger/JB Lindquist Regional Airport to seal apron pavement surface, runway pavement surface, taxi lane and taxiway pavement surface
• $113,003 to Glen Ullin Regional Airport to acquire D57 snow removal equipment
• $67,500 to Ashley Municipal Airport for the rehabilitation of runway signage and markings

The fully paid-for BIL established the AIG program to provide airport's funding for modernization and safety projects.

HHS Awards More Than $1.6 Million to Programs, Initiatives in North Dakota

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a total of $1,604,067 for the following projects and initiatives in North Dakota:

• $1,343,846 to the Three Affiliated Tribes to support Head Start programs, which promote early childhood learning, health, and development initiatives
• $157,479 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services under the State Primary Care Offices Program. This technical assistance funding aims to support states and territories and improve healthcare service delivery
• $102,742 to Minot State University under the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and Intervention Program. This grant will help identify hearing disabilities among newborns, increase early intervention, and provide adequate support