WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $38,148,520 to the University of North Dakota’s (UND) Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). This funding will advance the implementation of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies at Rainbow Energy’s Coal Creek Station.
Additionally, UND plans to complete site characterization and permitting efforts for a CO2 storage hub in central North Dakota, with CO2 to be sourced from electric generation and ethanol production and about 200 million metric tons of total CO2 storage capacity.
“North Dakota has been implementing carbon capture, utilization, and storage for decades and we are leading the way in new, innovative projects,” said Senator Cramer. “This is another substantive victory from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, delivering a win-win for the people who work at Rainbow Energy and the reliable, clean energy they produce.”
Background:
Last year, Senator Cramer wrote a letter of support to the EERC’s Vice President for Strategic Partnerships, John Harju and helped secure funding for the research center. He also invited Mr. Harju to be a witness in an EPW hearing to highlight EERC’s work on its ongoing innovative research in energy production.
Earlier this Congress, the Senator joined Axios for a fireside chat on energy and environment issues, which included a discussion on the outlook for permitting reforms. He then signed onto the Revitalizing the Economy by Simplifying Timelines and Assuring Regulatory Transparency (RESTART) Act to reform the nation’s broken permitting and environmental review processes.
Most recently, he delivered remarks to emphasize the importance of maintaining states’ authorities over transmission systems, a priority he reiterated at an EPW hearing in April.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, penned an op-ed in the Washington Times on flood control and mitigation efforts in North Dakota and the mid- and long-term economic benefits of water infrastructure investments.
“For over one hundred years, North Dakotans braced themselves in March and April while praying for a slow, rain-free melt. The memories of the Souris River and Missouri River floods of 2011 and the Red River Valley floods of 1997 and 2009 are vivid: dikes piled high with sandbags, roofs of homes peeking above the murky river, and standing water over farmland as far as the eye can see,” wrote Senator Cramer.
“On the federal level, I helped craft and negotiate recently enacted laws like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 from my seat on Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittees. These bills provide critical resources to North Dakota, including $592 million for water and flood mitigation. Sustained federal partnership with the state will help North Dakotans sleep a little better, without worrying about how high the water will rise or if the levee will hold,” continued Senator Cramer.
“Make no mistake: North Dakota will continue to flood. Thankfully, we avoided severe floods this year, but luck is not an adequate mitigation strategy. Our communities and economies are worth protecting. I look forward to the completion of these projects and finally celebrating the joys of spring without the heartache (and backache) of fighting another flood,” concluded Senator Cramer.
Water infrastructure protects communities, safeguard farms, prevents insurance spikes
Managing water matters. North Dakota’s snowy winters and wildcard spring weather can combine to form the perfect storm for flooding. Come the spring melt, our greatest concern is preventing floodwaters from washing over entire communities.
From the Souris to the Red River, water infrastructure is essential in our battle against the springtime onslaught of rain and melting snow. Our state is no stranger to this challenge. For over one hundred years, North Dakotans braced themselves in March and April while praying for a slow, rain-free melt. The memories of the Souris River and Missouri River floods of 2011 and the Red River Valley floods of 1997 and 2009 are vivid: dikes piled high with sandbags, roofs of homes peeking above the murky river, and standing water over farmland as far as the eye can see.
In Grand Forks, the spring of 1997 brought back-to-back blizzards and a hundred-year flood, which some residents still refer to as the Flizzard. The predicted crest increased overnight and the river rose five feet over the city’s dikes, several of which broke under the immense stress. A little over a decade later, the Red River Valley flooded again with Fargo as the epicenter. Despite the memory of 1997, it was hard to believe another hundred-year flood would hit the valley, and residents fought the rising river through rain and sleet. Across the state, the Souris River Basin, which runs through Minot, experienced a late-spring flood in May 2011. Despite a reprieve after the first crest, a second wave forced two rounds of evacuations. Not only did it crest several feet above the previous record, but it also flowed over twice the highest recorded rate. The water drowned out Minot’s levees and displaced a quarter of its residents.
Millions of sandbags later, these floods cost billions in physical damages. Thankfully, North Dakotans did not sit idly by waiting to get hit again. Grand Forks completed its flood protection project in 2007, consisting of a levee which retains water from the flooding river and a diversion channel that moves overflowing water to the west side of the city.
In Minot, over $71 million has been utilized to build out infrastructure, mitigating the effects of another 2011-type flood. This is all tied into the larger state and federal Souris River Flood Protection Plan, which I helped authorize in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020. To their credit, cities across the state took the initiative and raised billions for flood prevention efforts. None of these projects are silver bullets, but they are long-term investments in the safety of North Dakotans and the stability of our economy.
The Fargo area is nearing the completion of its diversion project, adding onto the flood-fighting infrastructure like bolstered walls and dikes. While the vast majority of the funding was a result of local efforts, hundreds of millions in federal funds from the recent Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act have supplemented the project.
On the federal level, I helped craft and negotiate recently enacted laws like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 from my seat on Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittees. These bills provide critical resources to North Dakota, including $592 million for water and flood mitigation. Sustained federal partnership with the state will help North Dakotans sleep a little better, without worrying about how high the water will rise or if the levee will hold.
Proactive infrastructure investment saves taxpayers billions in damages. While expensive, it is also only a fraction of the cost of fighting a flood without it. Cities will be able to deal with flooding as if it were expected rather than a catastrophe. We’ll also reduce costly federal flood insurance requirements on thousands of homes and prevent massive increases in premiums. Better managing water ensures farmers can access their land for spring planting, limiting the need for federal crop indemnity payments.
Make no mistake: North Dakota will continue to flood. Thankfully, we avoided severe floods this year, but luck is not an adequate mitigation strategy. Our communities and economies are worth protecting. I look forward to the completion of these projects and finally celebrating the joys of spring without the heartache (and backache) of fighting another flood.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, held a hearing on the authorities available to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) for addressing water management issues.
He invited and introduced Ms. Jennifer Verleger, Chair of the Western States Water Council and North Dakota assistant attorney general, and Dr. Andrea Travnicek, Director of the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, to serve as witnesses. Both are knowledgeable about water resource management and Corps operations in the state.
OPENING STATEMENT
***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***
In his opening remarks, Senator Cramer covered cooperative federalism and states’ rights regarding water management, wins in the 2020 and 2022 Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA), including the Western Water Cooperative Committee, and the Corps’ management of the Snake Creek Embankment. A transcript may be found here.
WITNESS QUESTIONING
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Senator Cramer first discussed the Corps’ onerous proposed Water Supply Rule, which, before its withdrawal in 2020, threatened to significantly limit states’ abilities to develop and administer their water resources.
“Dig down on the legal objections to the [Water] Supply Rule in the first place, because history is instructive,” said Senator Cramer. “[Could you] give a little legal analysis as to why it was so objectionable?”
“By the Corps trying to usurp control over all of that water, that takes away the states’ ability to allocate the water in accordance with their state laws. Every state allocates their laws or their water somewhat differently, but generally, we all use the prior appropriation system in the West,” responded Ms.Verleger. “There are already mechanisms set up in place to allocate water between users, especially in times of shortage, and when the Corps comes in and tries to take control over the whole sink, that takes away the states’ ability to do any sort of regulation and that is contrary to state law and the Constitution.”
Senator Cramer asked about the role and future impacts of the Western Water Cooperative Committee, which he and his colleagues established in the 2022 WRDA.
“The Corps wasn’t crazy about [the creation of the Western Water Cooperative Committee]. Their sense was, ‘we can work with attorney generals, and we can work with governors in individual states.’ Tell me how you see the new committee working and why it might work better in getting better cooperation with the Corps,” said Senator Cramer.
“There’s one person appointed by the governor and one person appointed by the Attorney General from each of the states, and those are supposed to be people who actually have technical expertise. These aren’t meant to be political appointments, but people who are actually going to be able to dig down into the weeds with the Corps of Engineers, staffers, and discuss the problems and try to find solutions,” said Ms. Verleger. “They are required to report to Congress every year after we have the meeting. I expect it to be focused a lot on water supply issues, but I think we can broaden out from that and see where there’s conflict.”
He then questioned Dr. Travnicek about the Snake Creek Embankment, a project with which she has been highly engaged. She previously contacted Senator Cramer and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum for access to corresponding economic data included in the Corps’ draft Environmental Assessment (EA).
“Thanks for your work on the Snake Creek Embankment,” said Senator Cramer. “[Could you] dig down on what an EA should include in terms of information?”
“We had requested seeing the data associated with the economic analysis and what that looked like,” responded Dr.Travnicek. “My team was able to dive in working with Garrison Diversion Conservancy District as well. We feel if there was an opportunity to make sure we’re looking at this from a multiple purpose perspective, versus just [the Corps’] dam safety, loss of life perspective, we would be above that 1.0 needed for the benefit-cost ratio to move forward with a structural fix versus an operational fix.”
Finally, Senator Cramer reiterated the importance of preserving cooperative federalism as it relates to water management in western states and ended on a note of optimism, highlighting the role of the Western Water Cooperative Committee moving forward.
“This is where hope lies in my view: the Western Water Cooperative Committee,” said Senator Cramer. “The West together, while we aren’t identical, we have similar concerns. That’s why we created this committee that will answer to the Court and then to Congress. We will be able to be kept up-to-date on how they’re responding, so we can hopefully make it crystal clear they’re either meeting or not meeting [needs].”
He posed a question to the two witnesses regarding whether they are hopeful about the Corps leadership. They confirmed they are.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
WASHINGTON–U.S. SenatorChris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, along with U.S. Senators Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Alex Padilla (D- Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) reintroduced the Strength in Diversity Act on the 69th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education U.S. Supreme Court decision. This legislation would promote diversity in schools through a federal grant program to support voluntary, community-driven strategies. U.S. Representative Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“American public schools are more segregated than they have been in generations. Almost seventy years since the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, we stillhave a lot of work to do. Black and Latino students and those in low-income communities far too often get the short end of the stick and are more likely to attend segregated schools with fewer resources and educational opportunities. But let’s also be clear, all students benefit from a diverse classroom, and the Strength in Diversity Act would give local school districts and state education agencies the resources to better integrate schools and give every kid a quality education,” said Murphy.
“A child’s zip code or socioeconomic background should not determine their educational future. Strengthening diversity in our schools will give students an equal opportunity to learn and succeed. Our legislation is an investment in our children – opening countless doors, unlocking their unlimited potential, and addressing the historic inequities plaguing our educational system,” said Blumenthal.
“America is strongest when people from different racial backgrounds, lived experiences, and socio-economic statuses live, work, and learn together,” said Padilla. “Our legislation would help communities grow together and show that there is more that unites than divides us.”
“No child should ever be denied equal resources, protections and opportunities to achieve their American Dream—not in schools, not anywhere,” said Duckworth. “Nearly 7 decades after the Supreme Court unanimously dismantled racial segregation in our school system, I’m proud to help introduce the Strength in Diversity Act to make sure every kid has the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.”
“Diversity is one of our country’s greatest assets. As we mark the anniversary of Brown V. Board of Education, this legislation will help us nurture young talent, and allow more students to learn from both people who look like them, and from different perspectives. It will help us give children a well-rounded education and strengthen how students learn and grow, both in and out of the classroom,” said Brown.
“It’s difficult to teach students that diversity makes our communities stronger when they are sitting in de facto segregated classrooms. We need to do better,” said Cardin. “Our bill would give school districts tools that can help improve diversity initiatives and better support students and educators. Federal investments made through this bill could bolster programs authorized under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, providing much desired federal partnerships statewide.”
Specifically, the Strength in Diversity Act would establish a grant program to support voluntary local efforts to increase diversity in schools. Grants could fund a range of proposals, including:
Studying segregation, evaluating current policies, and developing evidence-based plans to address socioeconomic and racial isolation;
Revising school boundaries, expanding equitable access to transportation for students, or improving open enrollment processes;
Creating or expanding school programs that can attract students from outside the local area;
Recruiting, hiring, and training new teachers and improving teacher diversity;
Supporting the development and maintenance of best practices.
The Strength in Diversity Act has been endorsed by the following organizations: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, American Federation of Teachers, Children’s Defense Fund, Education Law Center, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity at the University of Minnesota, Integrated Schools, Intercultural Development Research Association, Magnet Schools of America, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, National Coalition on School Diversity, National Education Association, New York Appleseed, North Carolina Justice Center, Poverty & Race Research Action Council, Public Advocacy for Kids, Sheff Movement Coalition, Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy based at Brandeis University, Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children, The Bridges Collaborative at The Century Foundation, The Education Trust, Wayne County Community College District
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
WASHINGTON–Amid the continued rise in horrific incidents of domestic terrorism and hate crimes targeting religious and ethnic minorities and communities of color, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) joined U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, in reintroducing legislation to address the growing domestic terrorism threat. The shooter’s documented ties to white supremacy and neo-Nazi beliefs in the tragedy in Allen, Texas earlier this month demonstrates the continued threat posed by white supremacists and other violent extremists. The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2023 would enhance the federal government’s efforts to prevent domestic terrorism by establishing offices dedicated to combating this threat; requiring federal law enforcement agencies to regularly assess this threat; and providing training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement in addressing it.
“The mainstreaming of hateful, violent far-right extremism is a real threat to public safety, and we see those consequences around the country, including in Connecticut. This legislation would allow the federal government to treat this threat with the seriousness it requires and help state and local law enforcement more effectively investigate hate crimes and acts of domestic terrorism. It’s one way to fight back against hate and bigotry and keep communities safe,” said Murphy.
“We must recognize that threats to our homeland are increasingly coming from across the street instead of across the ocean. As I have said on many occasions, I condemn all violence, regardless of ideology. But we need to be abundantly clear that violent white supremacists and violent militia extremists are the most significant domestic terrorism threat facing the United States today,” said Durbin. “As we watch one community after another torn apart by sickening acts of violence, the members of this Senate have to go beyond thoughts and prayers. If members are willing to take the most basic step to save lives, I urge them to support my Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act. This threat must be confronted with the full force of the federal government.”
The legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).
The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2023 authorizes Justice Department (DOJ), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and FBI offices that are responsible for monitoring, analyzing, investigating, and prosecuting domestic terrorism. The bill also requires these offices to issue joint biannual reports to the House and Senate Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Intelligence Committees that assess the domestic terrorism threat posed by white supremacists; analyze domestic terrorism incidents that occurred in the previous six months; and provide transparency through a public quantitative analysis of domestic terrorism-related assessments, investigations, incidents, arrests, indictments, prosecutions, convictions, and weapons recoveries.
The DHS, DOJ, and FBI offices would be required to focus their limited resources on the most significant domestic terrorism threats, as determined by the number of domestic terrorism-related incidents outlined in the joint report. The legislation also codifies the Domestic Terrorism Executive Committee (DTEC), an interagency task force, which was originally created by the Department of Justice in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing.
Additionally, the bill requires DOJ, DHS, and the FBI to provide training and resources to assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement in understanding, detecting, deterring, and investigating acts of domestic terrorism. Finally, the legislation would establish an interagency task force to combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed services.
The Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act is endorsed by the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights; the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism; the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund; Human Rights Campaign; Bend the Arc: Jewish Action; and the Sikh Coalition.
In May 2022, Senate Republicans filibustered the House-passed Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday spoke at a hearing on what comes next for U.S. policy towards Russia with Dr. Andrea Kendall Taylor, Senior Fellow and Director for the Center for a New American Security’s Transatlantic Security Program, and John Sullivan, former Deputy Secretary of State and Ambassador of the United States to the Russian Federation.
Murphy argued the U.S. should do more to persuade our partners who continue to help Russia evade U.S. sanctions to stop providing indirect support to the war against Ukraine: “One, we can talk about expanding our sanctions. But two, we can just talk about elevating this question of Russia lifelines with our friends. I mean, this is one of a myriad of articles you can find on this question. This is from the Center for European Policy Analysis. An article entitled ‘UAE Throws Lifeline to Beleaguered Russian Tech Sector.’ You could find similar stories about Turkey, India, countries in Central Asia. And it strikes me that this is a missed opportunity, maybe most particularly in the Gulf, where they’re making individual decisions to support Russia’s sanctions evasion, but they are also helping to prop up the cost of oil in a way that allows Putin to power forward.”
On pursuing this diplomatic effort, Murphy said: “It is labor intensive, which means we need resources, which means we can’t continue to ask the State Department to fight Russia with one hand tied behind its back because there are so many things that our allies, our partners could be doing, that they are not today. And our under investment in the tools of winning friends, in particular around fighting misinformation and propaganda, makes the job of our diplomats pretty difficult, which is another reason why we should be plussing up those resources so that we can win more of these fights.”
Murphy concluded: “I think the administration has done a great job of rallying our closest friends. But I do think we have to shed light on the fact that the sort of next set of friends in the next concentric circle is kind of playing China off against Russia, telling us they’ll work with us on China policy, but they’re not with us on Russia policy. We have to elevate this dialogue on Russian sanctions evasions with some of our important allies, not in Europe.”
A full transcript of Murphy’s exchange with Taylor and Sullivan:
MURPHY: “Thank you both for being here. So there’s a question of whether Ukraine can ultimately carry the cost of this war for as long as is necessary. And then there’s this corresponding question of whether Russia can carry the cost of this war for as long as necessary. And it seems to me that we appropriately are engaged in public policy, trying to impact both sides of that coin: getting Ukraine everything it needs and trying to winnow the pathways through which Russia gets what it needs.
“You responded to a question from Senator Menendez about our sanctions regime. But there is also a set of bilateral relationships the United States has with countries that are still actively engaged with Russia, helping them either to manage or evade those sanctions regimes.
“And so there’s two things at play here. One, we can talk about expanding our sanctions. But two, we can just talk about elevating this question of Russia lifelines with our friends. I mean, this is one of a myriad of articles you can find on this question. This is from the Center for European Policy Analysis. An article entitled ‘UAE Throws Lifeline to Beleaguered Russian Tech Sector.’ You could find similar stories about Turkey, India, countries in Central Asia. And it strikes me that this is a missed opportunity, maybe most particularly in the Gulf, where they’re making individual decisions to support Russia’s sanctions evasion, but they are also helping to prop up the cost of oil in a way that allows Putin to power forward.
“So just a word on how you view our bilateral relationships with countries that are still helping Russia fund this war and why it’s, I hope you believe, it’s important to elevate this as a priority and those bilateral relationships. I put this to you, Ms. Taylor.”
TAYLOR: “Yes, so I think the sanctions evasion is a big piece. But I think the important thing to think about with all of these different countries is that they all have very disparate interests. They’re continuing to support Russia, often for very different reasons. India because they have this long military sales relationship. Some for historical reasons. Some because they don’t want to be drawn into the U.S.- China confrontation. And so as you noted, I think working it through bilateral channels is a critical way to go.
“India, for example, this is an excellent opportunity to step in – the United States, France, some of our allies – to try to wean India away from its defense sales. It’s not going to happen overnight, but it is an important opportunity that we can exploit and take advantage of.
“So I guess the bottom line is, we’ve been talking about the role of diplomacy, arms sales, working it through the sanctions channels. There’s a number of different components and opportunities and pathways that the United States could pursue in these bilateral relationships. But I agree, one of the goals of our policy should be to grow the coalition of countries that oppose Russia. That will be needed, especially if we are talking about this as a protracted conflict. So that should be one of the explicit priorities of U.S. policy on Russia is to grow the number of countries and figuring out those issues where our interests overlying their specific relationships with Russia and how we can exploit them, I think should be a central focus.”
MURPHY: “Anything on this question, Mr. Sullivan?”
SULLIVAN: “Yes, I agree. First of all, with you, Senator, and with Dr. Kendall Taylor. It’s labor intensive. We need to push the message out to all our posts worldwide. All of those countries, I’m focused on the 141 that voted for the resolution in the General Assembly, more than half of them have done nothing to implement that resolution. In fact, many of them keep trading with Russia. We’ve got the almost 40 that abstained. We need to be using all the tools and they it may vary from country to country.
“Egypt, for example, making sure that the Egyptians don’t sell military equipment to the Russians and do sell equipment to the Ukrainians. So it’s labor intensive, it needs to be tailored to the particular countries.”
MURPHY: “And this comes back to Senator Menendez’s original point. It is labor intensive, which means we need resources, which means we can’t continue to ask the State Department to fight Russia with one hand tied behind its back because there are so many things that our allies, our partners could be doing, that they are not today. And our under investment in the tools of winning friends, in particular around fighting misinformation and propaganda, makes the job of our diplomats pretty difficult, which is another reason why we should be plussing up those resources so that we can win more of these fights.
“Listen, I think the administration has done a great job of rallying our closest friends. But I do think we have to shed light on the fact that the sort of next set of friends in the next concentric circle is kind of playing China off against Russia, telling us they’ll work with us on China policy, but they’re not with us on Russia policy. We have to elevate this dialogue on Russian sanctions evasions with some of our important allies, not in Europe.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
May 17, 2023
“The Invest to Protect Act will help these police departments with recruitment and retention so they have enough officers to serve. These are important jobs that make good careers in public service. In honor of Police Week and the sacrifices our officers have made to protect us, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and Senator Grassley in supporting the Invest to Protect Act.”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke on the floor today in honor of Police Week, calling on her colleagues to pass her bill, the Invest to Protect Act, which will set aside crucial funding specifically for small police departments across the country.
As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading advocate in the Senate for our police officers and is part of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. Last year, she secured historic funding for the Byrne JAG grant program, the leading source of criminal justice funding in the country. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties. Cortez Masto recently reintroduced the BADGES for Native Communities Act to support the Bureau of Indian Affairs with law enforcement recruitment and retention.
Below are her remarks as prepared for delivery:
M. President, we observe Police Week every year to honor the men and women who risk their lives each day for the safety of our communities. As we go about our daily lives, our police officers are the ones protecting us and our families.
They know that this job puts their lives in danger. And their families know that every day when their loved one leaves for work, they may not come home. It’s a sacrifice for the individual getting up and leaving that house, and it is a sacrifice for the loved ones watching that individual leave.
Why do I know that? Because I’m married 25 years to a federal law enforcement officer now retired. And I remember in the middle of the night when he was on call, and he got that call, and his boots were by the side of the bed, slips his feet into them, and walks out that door.
And every spouse, every loved one who sees them leave has always in the back of their mind, “Are they going to come home?”
And so, this is important that we recognize the men and women who are representing and protecting our communities every single day.
I’ve been honored to work with Nevada’s police officers throughout my career. I have worked with police departments across my state to crack down on crime, prosecute offenders, and keep Nevadans safe. Not only have I worked in my state as a prosecutor, I’ve worked here in the District of Columbia, in the United States Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.
I’ve witnessed the hard work and dedication of our police officers firsthand, whether you’re a state police officer, a local city or county police officer, or a federal officer. I have worked alongside them. I know what they do day in and day out. And that’s why my role in the Senate will always be to fight for our law enforcement.
It’s been my priority to listen to the needs of police departments throughout Nevada, both big and small, to ensure I’m doing everything I can to get them what they need to protect our communities. That includes securing funding for more resources, improved technology, and better training for our officers.
Last year, alongside Senator Grassley, I was proud to make sure Congress passed the biggest increase in Byrne JAG funding in ten years. And to help put an end to tragic law enforcement suicides, I introduced and passed legislation to increase data collection on suicide and support peer counseling programs that can improve police officers’ mental health.
Now, while these investments are so crucial to ensuring our officers are prepared for the job, far too many smaller police departments just can’t compete with their larger counterparts for resources. I know this from our law enforcement agencies in my rural communities in Nevada. Our law enforcement communities in our rural areas, which are much smaller, have to really fight for resources that they need. Over 90% of police departments nationally, including several in Nevada, have fewer than 200 full-time officers.
That’s why I’ve worked with Senator Grassley to introduce the Invest to Protect Act. This legislation would set aside grant funding specifically for smaller local police departments, including Tribal law enforcement, to ensure they can access the resources they need to keep our families safe.
Police officers in both Northern and Southern Nevada have told me about how hard it is to do their jobs when they’re short on personnel. They’re stretched too thin, and that makes it harder for them to protect our communities and their own lives.
The Invest to ProtectAct will help these police departments with recruitment and retention so they have enough officers to serve their communities. These are important jobs that make good careers in public service.
So, in honor of Police Week and the sacrifices our officers have made to protect us, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me and Senator Grassley in supporting the Invest to Protect Act.
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
May 17, 2023
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) passed legislation to protect Lake Tahoe and Nevada’s Ruby Mountains through the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources today. Her bipartisan, bicameral legislation to extend the authorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act will help deliver more federal funding to Lake Tahoe to support environmental protection and habitat restoration programs. Her Ruby Mountains Protection Act prohibits oil and gas development in the pristine Ruby Mountains. Both bills will now advance to the full Senate for consideration.
“Thousands of Nevada families enjoy our beautiful outdoor spaces each year, and my bills will help ensure the Ruby Mountains and Lake Tahoe are protected for generations to come,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to support our public lands and outdoor recreation economy.”
“This bill provides needed continuity to the programs that are central to preserving and restoring the Lake TahoeBasin and ensuring equitable access and enjoyment for this and future generations,” said Julie Regan, Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. “On behalf of Lake Tahoe’s conservation partners, we appreciate the leadership of Sen. Cortez Masto and Tahoe’s congressional delegation in moving this legislation forward.”
“Sportsmen groups from across Nevada have rallied to support Senator Cortez Masto as she works to protect the Ruby Mountains from speculative oil and gas operations that can harm wildlife habitat,” said Pam Harrington, Nevada field manager for Trout Unlimited.
Senator Cortez Masto has been a champion for Nevada’s great outdoor spaces and public lands. She passed critical legislation to permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which protects public lands in Nevada and across the U.S. She secured nearly $17 million in funding for the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, in addition to critical resources to address microplastic pollution in the Lake and to improve transportation options to and from Reno.
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Ted Budd (R-NC) led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Secretary of the Navy and Attorney General Garland expressing concerns over the Navy’s failure to adjudicate claims submitted since August 2022 for Camp Lejeune water contamination.
“We write concerning reported delays in settling claims and lawsuits filed by veterans, military personnel, and their families related to injuries associated with water contamination at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in Jacksonville, North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. It is imperative that the Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Department of Justice (DOJ) act expeditiously to ensure these individuals receive the justice they deserve without undue delay,” the members wrote.
The members continued, “According to recent reports, over 45,000 claims have been filed since enactment, yet the Navy has taken no action to resolve a single claim. […] Reports also suggest that many of those filing claims are elderly and/or have adverse health conditions and a growing number have died without seeing a resolution to their case. Further delay is unacceptable, and it is critically important that JAG and DOJ move quickly to adjudicate or settle these cases in a transparent, efficient manner. Anything less is an injustice. Constituents have reached out to our offices with concerns about the Navy and DOJ’s delay in adjudicating claims and settling lawsuits.”
“Our nation’s service members and their families have made incredible sacrifices in service to the United States. We owe it to them to provide efficient and timely processing of their claims resulting from government negligence. We respectfully request a response to these questions no later than June 9, 2023,” the members concluded.
The letter was also signed by Reps. Richard Hudson (R-NC), Dan Bishop (R-NC), Greg Murphy (R-NC), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Don Davis (D-NC), and Valerie Foushee (D-NC).
Source: United States Senator for South Dakota Mike Rounds
05.17.23
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) led a bipartisan group of colleagues to call out the Biden administration’s misguided draft guidance that allows non-dairy product imitators to use dairy names, like milk, when labeling their products.
In February, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) contradicted their own regulations by releasing draft guidance that would allow plant-based products to continue to use dairy terms, despite not containing any dairy ingredients or having comparable nutritional value of dairy products. In their letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, the senators again called on the Biden administration to require accurate labeling and to define the nutritional differences between plant-based imitation products and dairy products to protect consumers and producers.
“We are disappointed because under this guidance we expect the agency will continue to neglect to enforce standards of identity for plant-based products that mimic or imitate dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter,” wrote the senators. “The inaction by FDA harms public health as a result of consumer misperception over dairy products’ inherent nutritional value. As a result, it is imperative that FDA enforce its existing standards of identity for dairy in both current and future guidance.”
“FDA’s lack of enforcement, and now its recent draft guidance, both fail to provide Americans with the transparent and truthful labeling necessary for preventing such misperceptions that have been demonstrated to lead to harmful nutrition-related health consequences,” the senators continued.
As plant-based imitators continue to flood the market, the draft guidance released in February will hurt America’s dairy producers and add to consumer confusion over nutritional content. According to a 2018 survey by IPSOS, more than 70 percent of consumers believed that plant-based, non-dairy substitutes contain equivalent or greater amounts of protein than dairy milk. However, an actual comparison of nutritional profiles shows that most types of non-dairy substitutes are nutritionally inferior to their nutrient-dense dairy counterparts.
Rounds, Baldwin and Risch previously teamed up to crack down on imitation products using dairy’s good name. They authored bipartisan legislation, the DAIRY PRIDE Act, to combat the unfair practice of non-dairy products using dairy names by requiring non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants and algae to no longer be mislabeled with dairy terms such as milk, yogurt or cheese.
Joining Rounds, Baldwin and Risch in signing the letter are Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Angus King (I-Maine), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
We write to you today regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Draft Guidance for Industry: Labeling of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives and Voluntary Nutrient Statements. We are disappointed because under this guidance we expect the agency will continue to neglect to enforce standards of identity for plant-based products that mimic or imitate dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt and butter. The inaction by FDA harms public health as a result of consumer misperception over dairy products’ inherent nutritional value. As a result, it is imperative that FDA enforce its existing standards of identity for dairy in both current and future guidance.
The draft guidance released on February 23, 2023 provides only voluntary options for the plant-based industry to disclose their products’ nutritional inferiority relative to their dairy counterparts. Additionally, the draft guidance does not enforce standards of identity for dairy, allowing some imitation products to continue to use dairy terms. In doing so, FDA is failing to address the root cause of consumer confusion over nutritional content. Studies have demonstrated that consumers incorrectly believe non-dairy, plant-based substitutes are nutritionally equivalent or even nutritionally superior to their dairy counterparts. For example, according to a 2018 survey by IPSOS, more than 70% of consumers believed that plant-based, non-dairy substitutes contain equivalent or greater amounts of protein than dairy milk. However, an actual comparison of nutritional profiles shows that most types of non-dairy substitutes are nutritionally inferior to their nutrient-dense dairy counterparts. This confusion over nutrition is especially stark among those who are purchasing imitation dairy products, as the same IPSOS survey shows that 62% of plant-based beverage buyers cite nutrition as important to their purchase decision.
Given the central role dairy plays in providing essential nutrients, the consumer misperception of nutritional equivalency between imitation products and dairy products can lead to serious health consequences. Doctors and health scientists have reported on these risks, including increasing rates of malnutrition and nutrition-related diseases associated with consuming nutritionally inferior imitation products as a replacement for dairy beverages. The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans explicitly addresses nutritional inferiority by grouping dairy products and plant-based products separately, and providing the following explanation: “[o]ther products sold as ‘milks’ but made from plants (e.g., almond, rice, coconut, and hemp ‘milks’) may contain calcium and be consumed as a source of calcium, but they are not included as part of the dairy group because their overall nutritional content is not similar to dairy milk and fortified soy beverages.” It is precisely these type of nutritional content concerns that FDA regulations are supposed to prevent.
FDA’s lack of enforcement, and now its recent draft guidance, both fail to provide Americans with the transparent and truthful labeling necessary for preventing such misperceptions that have been demonstrated to lead to harmful nutrition-related health consequences. Due to the proliferation of the plant-based alternative market, and the potential for consumer confusion over the nutritional content of these products compared to the original dairy products, we request that any final guidance clearly define the nutritional differences between plant-based imitation products and dairy products, and require accurate labeling requirements for plant-based producers to use in the marketplace that are compliant with the agency’s own standards of identity for dairy.