Senator Cramer’s Weekly Update September 25 - October 1

Senate Passes Funding Bill to Avert Government Shutdown

On Saturday, I voted to support a 45-day government funding bill, which overwhelmingly passed the Senate with a vote of 88 to 9, averting a federal government shutdown at midnight. The bill extends current government funding levels until November 17, 2023.

While I am grateful the Senate swiftly voted to pass a clean government funding bill, our work is not over. We have 45 days to get our act together to avoid even more political games.

The American people are rightly frustrated by unnecessary drama from the threat of a government shutdown. These lapses are dysfunction at its worst, and they have real impacts on thousands of North Dakotans, not to mention our troops and border agents.

Moving bills through regular order where members can amend, reform, and cut wasteful programs is the way to responsibly do the job voters entrusted us to do; political brinksmanship is not.

The Abraham Accords: Two Years Later

Two years ago, on September 15, 2020, the historic Abraham Accords were signed by leaders from Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. This moment was a significant step toward normalization between Israel and neighboring Arab countries.

It wasn’t the end-all be-all of peace in the middle east, but it built critical momentum toward the recognition of our closest ally in the region, Israel. Today, leaders of both Saudi Arabia and Israel believe they are on the cusp of normalizing relations. On the two-year anniversary of the Abraham Accords, I reflected on their impacts on relations in the Middle East.

DOE Awards More Than $37 Million for Coal Creek Carbon Capture from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a total of $37,635,223 from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance development of a large-scale commercial geologic carbon dioxide (CO2) storage hub through site characterization and permitting of a geologic storage complex in central North Dakota. The storage hub will store up to 200 million metric tons of CO2 and fulfill the goals of the DOE’s Carbon SAFE (Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise) initiative.

North Dakota is a global energy innovator, leading the way in responsible energy development and production. The Infrastructure Law specifically set aside funding for projects focused on providing reliable, clean electricity.

In November 2022, I sent a letter of support for the geologic storage of CO2 captured at Rainbow Energy Center's Coal Creek Station. I am glad to see Rainbow Energy receive this award, and I look forward to it adding to North Dakota’s impressive list of accomplishments.

Pass the PROVE IT Act to Show America’s Excellence Outperforms Foreign Competition

U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) and I penned an op-ed in the Washington Times on how our bill, the Providing Reliable, Objective, Verifiable Emissions Intensity and Transparency (PROVE IT) Act, will prove America’s environmental performance is cleaner than our foreign competitors. Passing the legislation will provide the data needed to protect and reward American workers for their contributions to our economic, environmental, and national security strengths.

The PROVE IT Act is a bipartisan, commonsense effort to bridge the gap between what we know and what we can prove. Our public policy should be focused on protecting and rewarding American workers for their contributions to our economic, environmental, and national security strengths.

Instead of being on the defensive, this bill is a proactive effort to keep American excellence at the head of the global table. Together, we are working across the aisle to defend America’s economic interests, create an environment for future bipartisanship, and drive global emissions reductions.

Senate Banking Committee Passes SAFER Banking Act

I joined my colleagues on the Senate Banking Committee in passing the Safe and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act with a vote of 14 to 9. This bipartisan legislation provides legal protection to banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions which offer services to state-legalized marijuana businesses, making those businesses and our communities safer. The bill also includes protections for businesses operating in legal industries, such as energy companies and gun manufacturers.

The inability of state-legalized cannabis businesses to access banking services is dangerous. It leaves workforce vulnerable when they are forced to operate cash-only establishments. North Dakota’s banks and credit unions need regulatory certainty to serve business owners without reprisal from the federal government.

Operating as a cash-only enterprise is perfectly fine for my grandkids’ lemonade stand, but it is inadequate for an industry this controversial. I strongly oppose the legalization of cannabis, but it is the state’s prerogative.

Senators Introduce Legislation to Guarantee Military Pay During Government Shutdown

I joined my colleagues in introducing the Pay Our Military Act of 2023, which would appropriate funds to pay U.S. military servicemembers in the event of a government shutdown in Fiscal Year 2024. The legislation also would fund the civilian personnel at the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security.

Servicemembers answered the call and faithfully protect our country and national security, whether overseas or at home, regardless of the circumstances.

Our troops keep defending our nation during shutdowns and we should recognize their dedication by ensuring they are paid regardless of how well Congress fulfills its own duty to fund the government.

Legislation to Improve Project Delivery, Reduce Risk of Default of Federally Funded Water Projects

U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and I introduced the Water Infrastructure Subcontractor and Taxpayer Protection Act. This bipartisan bill will require all primary contractors working on water infrastructure projects financed by federally guaranteed loans to hold a surety bond, guaranteeing the compensation of local sponsors and sub-contractors should the contractor default before the completion of the project.

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.

According to a study conducted by Ernst & Young’s Quantitative Economics and Statistics Group, in collaboration with the Surety & Fidelity Association of America, unbonded projects are 10 times as likely to default than bonded projects. Surety bonds are already required for water infrastructure projects funded by the Environmental Protection Agency through the State Revolving Loan Fund, and both North Dakota and Arizona require the use of surety bonds for state-funded projects.

However, public-private partnerships financed by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) are exempt from these surety bond requirements. This legislation will close the loophole and ensure the improvement of project delivery and reduce the risk of federally financed water infrastructure projects.

Senators to Biden CEQ: Permitting Rules Should Follow Congressional Intent

I joined my Republican colleagues on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee in a letter to the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory, expressing our opposition to aspects of CEQ’s proposed rules to implement the commonsense project review reforms achieved in the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA).

Congress’s intent and direction to the CEQ and federal agencies are clear: provide more certainty and transparency for project sponsors and investors. However, in the Proposed Rule, the CEQ has acted contrary to clear congressional intent and explicit direction

Signed into law on June 3, 2023, the FRA included the most substantive amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) since its enactment. Congress wrote the bipartisan reforms to simplify what has become an overcomplicated, needlessly burdensome, and seemingly endless federal environmental review process.

Senators Introduce Legislation to Bolster Chronic Pain Research

I joined my colleagues in introducing the Advancing Research for Chronic Pain Act, which directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to utilize available research to clarify the prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain, identify gaps in available research data, and develop standardized definitions for research.

Additionally, the legislation will create a centralized Chronic Pain Information Hub to aggregate and summarize data, maintain a summary of research, and translate findings to recommendations for clinicians and scientists.

For far too long, the lack of research and resources for many Americans who suffer from chronic pain has prevented patients from receiving the care they need. It’s time to put those chronic pain patients first by encouraging publicly available research and best practices to advance the quality of treatment and support across the country.

Per the CDC, chronic pain is a debilitating condition which affects the lives of millions of adults across the United States. In 2021, the CDC estimated 20.9% of adults in the U.S. suffered from chronic pain. The National Institutes of Health reports the lack of objective measures for chronic pain ultimately hinders the development of ways to diagnose and treat it.

Legislation to Require National Parks to Allow Cash Payment for Entrance

My colleagues and I introduced the Protecting Access to Recreation with Cash (PARC) Act, which would require all national parks to accept cash as a form of payment for entrance fees.

I may be biased, but one of the nation’s best opportunities to get outside and enjoy natural beauty is Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.

Our national parks belong to the American people and access shouldn’t depend on whether visitors can use a credit card at the entrance booth. Cash is still legal tender in the United States, and the National Park Service should recognize it as such.

Rail Companies Issue Status Reports on Grain Car Backlog

BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway publicly filed weekly grain backlog status updates as required by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board. A summary of the reporting data specific to North Dakota from the last 10 weeks is below.

North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives

I had a productive conversation with the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives on transmission policy, permitting reform, and my recent letter to FERC to counter the Democrats’ unrealistic transmission wishlist.

Chairwoman Janet Alkire, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

It was a pleasure to sit down with Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairwoman Janet Alkire to discuss the needs of the Tribe and how I can be helpful in assisting them.

Trinity Bible College

I had a discussion with Vaughn Jordan of Trinity Bible College about issues facing their school and the Biden administration’s attacks on religious liberty.

North Dakota Newspaper Association

I appreciated the chance to sit down with Cecile Wehrman, Executive Director of the North Dakota Newspaper Association, to discuss the challenges newspapers in North Dakota are facing.

International Mountain Bicycling Association

During their visit to D.C., members of the International Mountain Bicycling Association stopped by my office to speak about the Maah Daah Hey Trail and the Biking on Long-Distance Trails (BOLT) Act, legislation which Senator Ben Ray Luján and I are leading in the Senate.

Bank of America

I sat down with Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America, to speak about a variety of topics including current issues impacting banks across our country.

Reed Reyman Commissioning Ceremony

I was honored to attend the commissioning ceremony for Reed Reyman at CHI St. Alexius Medical Center and to thank him for his service and work to meet the needs of the community.

$12 Million Grant to Improve Rail for New Soybean Crushing Plant, Regional Ag Products

I joined the rest of the North Dakota delegation in announcing a nearly $12 million federal grant to develop and construct safe and efficient freight rail service to help with expected growth from the new soybean crushing facility in Casselton. We wrote a letter to the Department of Transportation to help secure this grant.

This grant will help to transport these products, as well as other agriculture products in the region, more safely and efficiently. Improving the short line railroad network in our state is vitally important to moving our agriculture products safely and efficiently, while at the same time helping to grow our state’s economy.

The federal funding will enable Red River Valley and Western Railroad Company (RRVW) to develop, design, and construct track improvements to help accommodate the expected growth in carloads of agriculture products in the region. The grant will upgrade track between Casselton and Wahpeton to continuous welded rail to avoid either diverting soybeans on a more than hundred-mile detour or shipping soybeans by truck. The grant is being awarded through the Department of Transportation’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program.

National Park Service Awards $2 Million to North Dakota’s Pembina Gorge

The National Park Service, through the North Dakota Department of Parks and Recreation, awarded a total of $2,000,000 to the Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

These funds will support campground construction, including grading for the site, park road, visitor parking, water and electrical service, dump station, comfort station, vault toilet, campground pads, cabins, maintenance building, picnic tables, and trash receptacles.

Enjoying the great outdoors is one of the best ways to experience North Dakota and the newly created Pembina Gorge State Park is one of the best. Future visitors can look forward to a new campground with all the amenities.

DOL Awards Nearly $2 Million to Bismarck State College

The Department of Labor (DOL) awarded $1,996,246 to Bismarck State College to provide workforce development training programs to address our nation’s labor shortage.

These funds will be disbursed through DOL’s Building Pathways to Infrastructure Jobs Grant Program, which prepares job seekers for high-demand, high-quality career pathways. Specifically, Bismarck State College intends to focus on expanding occupations in engineering technology, geographic information systems, and unmanned aerial systems technology.

USDA Awards More Than $1 Million to NDSU

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded a total of $1,033,356 to North Dakota State University (NDSU) for the following programs and initiatives:

• $684,338 for the North Dakota Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program, which coordinates IPM education for agronomic crops, promotes pollinator health, and provides IPM education through the NDSU Extension Pesticide Applicator Training and Certification Program.
• $349,018 for a program seeking to reduce the number of deaths caused by unintentional injury by providing Stop the Bleed training throughout rural North Dakota.

NTIA Awards $500,00 to the Three Affiliated Tribes for Broadband Connectivity

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded a total of $500,000 through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program to the Three Affiliated Tribes.

Not only does the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act help repair physical infrastructure like roads and bridges, it also makes critical investments to increase internet connectivity across our state. This award will get the ball rolling toward deploying broadband across Fort Berthold and will provide a roadmap for implementation.

This grant will go towards a planning, engineering, feasibility, and sustainability studies project to complete the design of a future wireless network with two Radio Access Network sites. Additionally, this project will complete an Infrastructure Survey, an environmental assessment, and will identify partners and all needed permitting to establish a broadband deployment plan for the Tribe.

DOT Awards $500,000 to Fargo Airport Authority

The Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded a total of $500,000 to the Municipal Airport Authority of the City of Fargo. The grant will go towards the recruitment, initiation, and support of a non-stop service between Fargo Hector International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

In June, I joined the rest of the North Dakota delegation in a letter supporting the non-stop service.

Fargo-Moorhead is a dynamic community and serves as a hub of technology entrepreneurship for the region. This is resulting in growth across sectors, both in North Dakota’s traditional industries of agriculture and energy and in emerging industries like autonomous technologies.

EPA Awards $430,000 to North Dakota for Safe Drinking Water

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $430,000 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality and Tri-County Water District to implement a program to provide drinking water assistance to underserved, small, and disadvantaged communities.

These funds will be distributed through the Assistance for Small and Disadvantaged Communities Drinking Water Grant Program to extend new water main extensions to residences currently using private wells or hauling in drinking water.

HHS Awards $200,000 to the University of North Dakota

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded a total of $200,000 to the University of North Dakota (UND) to support the implementation of the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM) patient safety bundles and expand the reach, depth, and quality of AIM implementation.

UND is one of 28 recipients to receive funding for the AIM program, which is designed to promote safe care for every birth in the United States and assist with addressing the high maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity rates.