Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update August 19 - August 23

Flipping the Switch Brings SDA Operations Center Online at Grand Forks Air Force Base

I was honored to flip the switch on Wednesday to bring the Space Development Agency (SDA) Operations and Networking Center at the Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) online. The center will support the agency’s Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) tracking and transport satellite missions, and the first tranche of satellites is expected to launch late this year or early 2025. This is a critical step in providing warfighters capability controlled from the Grand Forks Air Force Base.

SDA Director Dr. Derek Tournear joined me on a tour of the facility. In October 2020, I brought Dr. Tournear to Grand Forks to view firsthand its Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and how they operated around the world from North Dakota. The following year, SDA approved GFAFB to operate its future satellite mission using the base as a center to monitor and maneuver LEO satellites. I advocated for GFAFB to receive this mission and have been working to connect federal space assets like SDA to North Dakota.

While at the Operations Center, I was able to see exactly how Grand Forks will have an international connection through its international ground stations. Between SDA’s global footprint and General Atomics’ international training, there is a growing connection between our capabilities and the global demand for the expertise that resides right here in Grand Forks.

I also presented a flag flown over the United States Capitol, which we then hung in the SDA center.

While I was in Grand Forks, I highlighted the short but significant history of SDA in Grand Forks.

Grand Forks Mayor and Committee on Base Retention and Enhancement Meet to Discuss Community Strategies

I joined a meeting with Grand Forks Mayor Brandon Bochenski and committee members to discuss strategies for base retention and enhancement at the Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB). We discussed ways the community can enhance the support network provided to missions at GFAFB and I am optimistic about the future of the Base.

This is a good time to remember that without a strong and enduring mission on the Grand Forks Air Force Base, we wouldn’t have SDA choosing to grow in Grand Forks and North Dakota, we wouldn’t have a vibrant, attractive Grand Sky Tech Park, and we wouldn’t have a critical piece to our ecosystem feeding expertise and innovation to the University of North Dakota and Grand Forks small businesses.

E-Space CEO Greg Wyler, UND Faculty, and SDA Team Meet to Discuss Investments, Workforce Development in Grand Forks

During a meeting with University of North Dakota (UND) faculty on Thursday, I joined the team from the Space Development Agency (SDA) and highlighted SDA’s latest investments in Grand Forks. UND is an innovation hub and essential piece of the defense ecosystem in the Grand Forks community and North Dakota. The meeting with school faculty centered on three workforce development and educational initiatives. E-Space founder, CEO, and Chief Architect Greg Wyler accompanied me to hear how SDA and UND’s efforts can help space and satellite companies like his.

All I saw and learned about this week are amazing, but not surprising, because I’ve seen Grand Forks grow, attract talent, and thrive even when some in Department of Defense wanted it to wither.

These initiatives include an Educational Partnership Agreement between SDA and UND to permit SDA to loan defense laboratory equipment, transfer surplus computers and equipment, allow SDA personnel to teach science courses, provide sabbatical opportunities for faculty and internship opportunities for students, and involve faculty and students in projects.

SDA will build a student training center, which will be a digital twin of the Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) Operations Center North to allow for space and satellite constellation operations training and a test site for improvements to the center. SDA will also work with UND’s Small Business Accelerator to boost efforts related to developing, populating, and operating low earth orbit satellite constellations.

Any one of these collaborations would be impressive on their own, but the three of them together, testify to the confidence the Space Development Agency and Space Force have in UND.

I’m going to keep bringing game changers and innovators like Derek Tournear, Greg Wyler and Palmer Luckey here, much like I did when I introduced Linden Blue from General Atomics to Grand Forks, to show them how we can make their vision better. I’m going to keep our GFAFB missions funded and growing. And I’m going to keep our airmen and their accomplishments recognized at the highest levels of government. With all Grand Forks has to offer, there will be many more switches to flip on in the near future.

UND College of Engineering Hosts National Security Corridor Walkthrough

I had the honor of touring the National Security Corridor at the UND College of Engineering and Mines. This corridor further solidifies UND as a major center for defense-related research and education.

Collins Aerospace Highlights Innovation and Growth

I stopped by the Jamestown Collins Aerospace plant on Thursday. Innovation and growth in our military has to be our top priority. That’s why manufacturers like them build in North Dakota.

North Dakota is Set to Receive Officers From the U.S. Navy at Grand Forks Air Force Base

The multi-service military and civilian workforce team continues to grow at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB). Last week, I announced the Navy is assigning officers to join U.S. Air Force and Space Force officers at the Space Development Agency (SDA) Operations Center in Grand Forks. The first Navy officer, referred to as a billet, will arrive in a few weeks with more set to arrive over the next year. I recently secured the commitment for the positions from Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti.

In total, SDA is authorized five billets at GFAFB. Two of these billets are from the Navy and the remaining three are from the Space Force. While the Navy has authorized two lieutenant commanders (O-4) from the Intelligence Officer career field, filling the vacancies has been delayed. Without the billets filled, the agency faces degraded capabilities.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Subcommittee on Seapower, I have pushed to fill these positions in Grand Forks and supported legislation and initiatives to bolster the Navy’s capabilities.

Kudlow Interview on Fox Business Discusses Energy Inflation

On Monday, I joined David Asman on Kudlow. The sticky inflation problem Democrats have is because of the obvious inflation of energy, which goes into everything. It becomes pretty simple when you ask the question, “What was the price of gasoline when Donald Trump was President?”

Canadian Rail Strike Progress

Employees of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Canadian National Railway (CN), represented by the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, voted in June to authorize a strike for railway workers in Canada. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ruled that any resulting work stoppage would not cause an immediate threat to public health and safety, clearing the way for a work stoppage as early as last week. With harvest in progress in North Dakota, a stoppage would have significant impacts on producers.

In June, I sent a letter to Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau today, stressing the need to keep railways open and operational. Days before the strike, I also called Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, to reiterate the importance of preventing a work stoppage.

A work stoppage on Canadian railroads is a work stoppage on U.S. rails and is bad for our economy as well as Canada’s.

On Thursday, the Canadian government intervened to address the rail stoppage by requesting binding arbitration from the CIRB. I thanked Steven Mackinnon, the Canadian Minister of Labour and Seniors for his timely intervention.

Other News of the Week

U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Title IX Rule

Schools should not be the central battleground for Biden’s anti-science transgender agenda. Allowing biological men in women’s spaces and forcing schools to comply with the Left’s woke, ideological redefinition of gender and sex discrimination is wrong.

EPA Final Herbicide Rule Hurts Farmers

The EPA Herbicide Strategy will impose costly and burdensome requirements on American farmers. This final policy is the product of sue and settle tactics by radical environmentalists and their partners in the Biden administration rather than recognizing the real stewards of the land, the American farmer.

National Park Service Awards $575,000 for Upgrades to Icelandic State Park Campground

The National Park Service (NPS) announced an award of $575,000 to the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). This funding will support the renovation of Icelandic State Park by replacing 30-amp electrical service with 50-amp service and installing water service and hydrants on each renovated site.

Since 1965, the NPS has provided more than 40,000 LWCF grants, primarily funded with federal offshore oil and gas lease revenue, to states and local communities. LCWF funds allow states to further allocate these funds to support local public parks projects, state conservation, and expand outdoor recreation access.

In 2019, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) helped pass the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. The legislation reauthorized and reformed the LWCF program to ensure states receive at least 40 percent of its funding. Grants distributed through the LWCF program are locally determined and competed at the state level through a process designed and managed by state partners of the NPS.

National Science Foundation Awards $443,325 to North Dakota Universities

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced awards of $443,325 to North Dakota State University (NDSU) and the University of North Dakota (UND).

The $425,094 total to NDSU will be distributed to the following programs and initiatives:

• $236,193 to fund the acquisition of advanced ultrasound platform for collaborative research in fluid and material science.
• $188,901 efforts to address the existing gap in rural science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) higher education research, supporting rural, low-income students who face specific challenges in enrolling in, sustaining and completing STEM degrees.

The NSF awarded $18,231 to UND. This award will fund UND’s planning phase to join the proposed Center for Infrastructure Security in the Era of AI. The grant will specifically support collaboration between academic researchers and industry partners to explore and address current and future cyber threats to critical infrastructure.

U.S. Department of Education Awards More Than $2.2 Million to North Dakota Tribal Nations

The U.S. Department of Education announced the award of $2,285,395 to North Dakota tribal nations under the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program. The funding will be distributed to the following tribes:

• $966,149 to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians
• $671,442 to the Spirit Lake Tribe
• $647,804 to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Awards More Than $3 Million to North Dakota

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the award of $3,088,705 to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. This grant will provide funding for the Money Follows the Person program, which supports community inclusion of individuals with disabilities.

HHS Awards $249,997 to Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the award of $249,997 to the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians through its Center for Mental Health Services. This award will address substance abuse treatment, prevention and mental health.

Weekly Radio Town Hall Schedule

Jay Thomas

Every other Tuesday from 3:00 to 3:30 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 other Friday from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. CT

AM 1100 The Flag - Fargo

WDAY 970 AM - Fargo

KTGO 1090 AM - Tioga

Michael Bell

Every other Friday from 10:00 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