NDGOP Thanks Stenehjem for “Exemplary” Public Service
BISMARCK – Today, Perrie Schafer, Chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party (“NDGOP”) issued the following statement in response to the announcement of Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s retirement:
NDGOP Reports “Productive Discussions” from December State Committee Meeting
BURGUM: Burgum, Dohrmann visit North Dakota National Guard soldiers supporting CBP at U.S.-Mexico border
NEAR THE RIO GRANDE, TEXAS (DEC. 15, 2021) – Gov. Doug Burgum and the North Dakota National Guard’s adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Al Dohrmann, today visited the 125 soldiers from the Bismarck-based 957th Engineer Company serving along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, getting a first-hand look at their border mission and thanking them for their service in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Roughrider Roundup – December 13, 2021
Happy Monday!
Dear Fellow Republicans,
We wanted to provide you with a roundup of everything you might have missed from North Dakota’s great Republican leaders this past week. Please share with family and friends!
– Perrie Schafer, NDGOP Chairman
North Dakota
ND gov. slams Biden’s ‘overreaching, unlawful’ vaccine mandates
Fox Business
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum argues federally mandates vaccines are counterproductive because they only create more resistance. He also weighs in on how Biden’s energy policies are impacting jobs.
Burgum urges federal government to reinstate oil-and-gas leases
The Center Square
Burgum, who is in Coronado, Calif., attending the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) winter meeting, met with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and asked her to direct the Bureau of Land Management to stop delaying the lease auctions, according to a news release.
Minn-Dak beet co-op steps up with $44 per ton net payment
Agriculture Week
North Dakota Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford, a Republican, addressed the co-op members, saying his administration is working to prevent negative impacts of “federal overreach” in the Biden administration. Among the concerns are “overreaching vaccine mandates on private business,” he said, and a re-energization of the Waters of the United States.
North Dakota Mill and Elevator Posts Profit
Feed and Grain
The company’s operations provided more than $250.76 million to the region’s economy and another $581.8 million in secondary economic activity, bringing the total economic impact to more than $883.5 million, according to the audit report of the North Dakota State Mill and Elevator by North Dakota State Auditor Josh Gallion for the year ended June 30, 2021.
Burgum to visit North Dakota National Guard soldiers at U.S.-Mexico border next week
AM 1100 The Flag
While on site, Burgum will receive briefings from North Dakota National Guard officials and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and visit with members of the Bismarck-based multi-role bridge unit as they support U.S. Customs and Border Protection in ongoing efforts to secure the border. The mobilization was requested by the U.S. Army through the National Guard Bureau and is a continuation of the southern border military mission that began in 2018.
Girls Who Code conclude six-week program with special graduation
Wahpeton Daily News
“Learning more about coding, computer science and other technology will give our students a greater opportunity to thrive in today’s classrooms and tomorrow’s economy while also addressing our state’s significant need for a workforce equipped with 21st-century skills,” North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said. “Hour of Code is made possible by the dedicated teachers, administrators and volunteers who are committed to ensuring that students of all ages are equipped with the digital skills they need to succeed, and we are grateful for their work.”
ND Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem in D.C. for annual conference
KFYR
Stenehjem says he is finding the meeting helpful in terms of initiatives for the state of North Dakota. One of the topics of conversation is vaccine mandates. Stenehjem has joined other states in suing the federal government over the policy. “This is a stretch beyond anything that has ever been attempted before, and I think that at some point you have to stand up and say, no matter how beneficial the result might be. The federal government does not have that authority,” said Stenehjem.
After court ruling, UND employees won’t be required to get coronavirus vaccinations
Grand Forks Herald
According to a release from North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, the mandate would have applied to any employee who works on federal contracts, even if the work they did was unrelated to the contract. Stenehjem represented the state in a multi-state lawsuit against the contractor mandate, which was being heard in the Eastern District Court in Missouri.
Cost-share program deadline extended for ranchers
The Journal and Tioga Tribune
The deadline for applications has been extended until Jan. 21, 2022. “We encourage producers to first seek assistance from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Assistance for Livestock Program (ELAP),” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said.
Federal judge blocks another Biden vaccine mandate
KVRR
“The Biden administration has yet again exceeded its authority in apparent disregard of the Constitution and the rule of law,” North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said. Stenehjem noted that with Tuesday’s order, federal courts have now blocked the three most invasive federal vaccine mandates. “I will continue to work with Attorneys General across the nation to protect the citizens of North Dakota from federal overreach.”
Department of Agriculture announces Coyote Catalog program
KX News
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is partnering with the Game and Fish Department to help producers who have some unwanted guests on their property. The Coyote Catalog is meant to bring landowners together with hunters to benefit both sides, providing sport for hunters while keeping coyotes away from livestock. “They’re attacking lambs during lambing season, during calving season, they’re harassing cows out there. This is a great opportunity for those landowners, for those livestock owners,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.
Burgum: Honor the legacy of those who died at Pearl Harbor, fly flags at half-staff today
KX News
“Eight decades after the ‘date which will live in infamy,’ we continue to honor the legacy of those service members who paid the ultimate price for our freedom at Pearl Harbor,” Burgum said. “In the words of Navy Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, ‘They fought together as brothers-in-arms. They died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation.’ Today, and every day, we share our eternal gratitude for the heroes of Pearl Harbor and all of our military veterans and current service members who served and continue to serve our nation with courage and honor in the name of liberty and justice for all.”
Washington, D.C.
MonDak Congressional delegation unites over Brazilian beef imports
Williston Herald
Brazilian beef continues to be a sizzling topic on Capitol Hill. A bipartisan letter with the full support of the MonDak’s Congressional delegation has just gone out to the U.S. Department of Agriculture urging the agency to immediately suspend fresh beef imports from Brazil. The letter includes Republican Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, as well as Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven of North Dakota, and Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana.
Coalition proposes new passenger train through southern North Dakota
Inforum
An informal group is hoping to formalize its organization to restore a passenger rail line from Minnesota through southern North Dakota and into Montana in the coming months. With new federal dollars under the Build Back Better transportation infrastructure bill, they’re hopeful that the dream of bringing back the rail line that would eventually reach the west coast will become a reality. Jason Stuart, vice chairman of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority that is helping spearhead the coalition, said this time is different as it’s a coordinated effort. Already, dozens of counties and cities along the proposed route have signed on to the coalition. Stuart, of Glendive, Montana, said North Dakota’s two senators, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven, have signed a letter in support of forming an official working group on the project.
Exclusive: Republicans say WHO pandered to China by skipping ‘xi’ in COVID names
The Washington Times
But GOP Sens. Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso of Wyoming, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, and Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota expressed their doubts, citing in the letter exceptions to the “rule”…“In light of these two discrepancies, it seems the standard for naming viruses is arbitrarily based on names that are most beneficial to favored members of the WHO, particularly China,” said the letter. “Indeed, the arbitrary nature of the naming policy only further underlines concerns that the WHO kowtows to the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping that were brought to the surface after the WHO and China’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic began in Wuhan.”
Pelosi: Inflation numbers ‘only add urgency’ to pass Biden agenda
The Washington Examiner
Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota called the report “a scary indicator of Joe Biden’s soaring inflation.” “This is a de facto tax, chipping away at family’s paychecks and eating the savings of hardworking American families,” Cramer said. “Build Back Broke would only make it worse!”
As Pentagon calls for industry innovation, top acquisition nominees remain stalled
Yahoo News
North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer is awaiting multibillion-dollar decisions about replacing or overhauling intercontinental ballistic missiles based in his state, which will affect defense firms, local jobs and defense strategy for years to come. He said Schumer shares some responsibility for the delays. “I get frustrated about it, and to the point it starts affecting national security, I get concerned about it,” Cramer, who sits on the SASC with Hawley, said of the holds. “We cannot move at the speed of China without people who can say yes to really important questions, and that frustrates me.”
Senate passes deal clearing way to raise debt ceiling
Yahoo News
“I will not green light [Democrats’] big government socialist agenda, which we know adds billions if not trillions of dollars to our national debt,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said in a statement after voting against advancing the bill. Cramer accused Democrats of “holding farmers, ranchers, patients, and health care providers hostage” by including the measures to avoid Medicare cuts.
GOP Senators Slam Build Back Better Bill
One America News Network
“This is absolutely the wrong way to go. People need to understand exactly what’s in this bill, understand these gimmicks and know this is not what we need for our economy and our country. We need to get back to them pro-growth policies,” said Hoeven. Hoeven also said Democrat policies are discouraging people from going back into the work force.
North Dakota tribal groups receive funding for head start programs
Grand Forks Herald
According to a Tuesday, Dec. 7, release from Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., the Cankdeska Cikana Community College will receive nearly $1.4 million in funding, while the Three Affiliated Tribes will receive more than $1.2 million. The funds come through the Head Start and Early Head Start programs, which promote school readiness for young children and toddlers from low-income families. The programs work to enhance children’s cognitive, social and emotional development, as well as early learning, health and family well-being.
GOP senators say they believe House will take up anti-vaccine mandate bill, force Biden veto
Fox News
“We’re gonna pass this Congressional Review Act on a bipartisan basis in the Senate sending a very clear message that this is an overreach by the Biden administration and we need to stop it,” Sen. John Hoeven R-N.D., said in a press conference with other Republicans. “And I think in the House, there a very good chance that they will get enough people to sign on to this, to actually force a vote,” Hoeven added. “Now, we understand that, that when that goes to the administration the president may well veto it. But we’ve sent a very clear bipartisan message on behalf of the people that this mandate needs to be stopped.”
Senate Republicans introduce bill to crack down on Palestine ‘martyr payments’
The Washington Times
Senate Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at cracking down on foreign banks that knowingly facilitate “martyr payments” by the Palestinian Authority to families of terrorists. The proposal underscores the GOP’s effort to double down on pro-Israel policies as Democrats increasingly side with Palestinians in the Middle East conflict…[T]the bill introduced Monday has 11 Republican cosponsors, including…Kevin Cramer of North Dakota[.]
CRAMER: Sen. Cramer Votes Against Raising the Debt Ceiling
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement after voting against a bill to increase the debt ceiling today:
“Chuck Schumer put us in this terrible box confronted with nothing but bad choices. Democrats ran up an irresponsible amount of debt and they took any structural reforms off the table. Time and again Democrats punted on their responsibility to lift the debt ceiling, which they can do on their own without a single Republican vote. I will not green light their big government socialist agenda, which we know adds billions if not trillions of dollars to our national debt. They have been unsuccessful thus far so now they’re holding farmers, ranchers, patients, and health care providers hostage. I will not condone this behavior. It’s wrong and I will not vote to increase or facilitate the increase of the debt ceiling,” said Senator Cramer.
CRAMER: Senate Passes CRA to Eliminate Biden’s Vaccine Mandate on Private Businesses
***Click here to download video. Click here for audio.***
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) voted to overturn President Biden’s vaccine mandate on private businesses through the Congressional Review Act (CRA), the official process for Congress to eliminate an executive branch rule. The CRA passed by a vote of 52-48. With Senate passage, the CRA now moves to the House of Representatives.
“The Constitution does not allow Joe Biden to impose this COVID-19 vaccine mandate on private businesses. It is a blatant and obvious overreach of the federal government – and the good news is the courts agree. At a time when businesses are struggling, the Biden Administration is further shrinking the workforce by forcing Americans to choose between their job and their individual right and decision of whether to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Our bipartisan resolution protects personal liberties, our economy, and – above all else – the Constitution and personal privacy,” said Senator Cramer.
This Biden Administration rule strips personal freedoms from Americans and subjects private businesses to additional duress in the midst of the current labor shortages and supply chains disruptions. In short, this unacceptable federal directive impacts tens of millions of Americans and warrants review by Congress – the representatives elected by the American people to make the laws.
Background
- On September 8, President Joe Biden announced vaccine mandates which extend to 80 million private sector workers and additional mandates on millions of federal workers and contractors.
- In early November, Senator Cramer and all 50 Republican Senators announced their plans to formally disapprove and nullify President Biden’s vaccine mandate on private employees through the CRA. The formal challenge was filed on November 18, 2021.
- Last month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at the Department of Labor (DOL) announced they have “suspended activities related to the implementation and enforcement” of the Biden vaccine mandate following a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which blocked the rule from going into effect.
- To implement this mandate, OSHA issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Employers who fail to comply will be fined $13,653 for each offense and willful violations will result in a $136,532 penalty. This rule places unrealistic compliance burdens on employers—especially during a time where business and supply chains are already suffering serious constraints. For example, 30 days after publication, all requirements other than testing for employees must be in place. In addition, 60 days after publication, all testing requirements must be in place.
- The CRA can be used by Congress to overturn certain federal agency regulations and actions through a joint resolution of disapproval. If a CRA joint resolution of disapproval is approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the President, or if Congress successfully overrides a presidential veto, the rule at issue is invalidated.
North Dakota Republican Leaders Are Standing Up To Biden – And Winning
BISMARCK – Today, Perrie Schafer, Chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party (“NDGOP”) issued the following statement in response to recent legal victories against the Biden Administration’s radical, totalitarian agenda:
“Our Republican leaders, like Governor Burgum, Republicans in the North Dakota legislature, and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, are working seamlessly together to carry out what North Dakotans have elected them to do: to defend our freedoms. Washington may be broken with radical ideas designed to change the country we love, but we are grateful to have Republican leaders who never stop fighting to protect us,” said Schafer.
He continued: “Attorney General Stenehjem has, in particular, taken the fight to the Biden Administration in court, challenging their unconstitutional vaccine mandates for large employers, federal contractors, and medical workers. In just the past week, Attorney General Stenehjem’s efforts have led to the enjoinment of all of these un-American mandates. Voters should know that our leaders haven’t just shown up for them – they’ve gone and beyond to keep North Dakotans free.”
Roughrider Roundup – December 6, 2021
Happy Monday!
Dear Fellow Republicans,
We wanted to provide you with a roundup of everything you might have missed from North Dakota’s great Republican leaders this past week. Please share with family and friends!
– Perrie Schafer, NDGOP Chairman
North Dakota
State Christmas Tree lighting ceremony set Monday at Capitol
The Bismarck Tribune
Gov. Doug Burgum and first lady Kathryn Burgum will oversee the event at 5:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall at the Capitol in Bismarck. The 40th annual ceremony will include holiday readings, music and carols. The theme of this year’s Christmas tree is “Share Your Story.” It’s inspired by the first lady’s platform of encouraging people to share their experiences of how addiction and recovery have impacted their lives, but it also broadly applies to the notion that every person has a story worth sharing, according to the governor’s office. Kathryn Burgum often shares her personal story as a recovering alcoholic.
Auditors will ‘get to the bottom’ of Mayville State University payroll issue, state Auditor Josh Gallion says
Grand Forks Herald
State Auditor Josh Gallion spoke to the Herald this week, saying he wouldn’t describe himself as “alarmed” about the overpayment issue at Mayville State. “But there is definitely a reason to be concerned,” Gallion said. “And from an audit standpoint, things like this come up. It’s definitely something we need to look into and get to the bottom of. I refrain from passing judgment until I truly know what the circumstances are.”
Kringstad: West-East pipeline already has more than a dozen interested companies
Williston Herald
“Part of the distance that we’ve got between east and west or west to east is there’s no users in between,” [Burgum] said. “Part of what I think we’re trying to solve for the next 20, 30, 40 years is there actually will be users in between, whether those are you know, communities or value-added ag or something that would start showing up in the central part of the state. So you wouldn’t have like no customers until you go to Grand Forks.”
Burgum: New BSC Polytechnic Education Center will be Key to Addressing North Dakota’s Workforce Needs
The Valley City Times Record
State lawmakers approved and Burgum signed legislation last month providing $38 million for the BSC Polytechnic Education Center…Burgum praised the project’s concept of equipping students with workplace-ready skills, credentials and degrees driven by local demand for customized career pathways. He also commended BSC’s leadership for embracing a polytechnic focus that is responsive to the unstoppable forces of demographics, economics, technology and culture that are creating challenges for higher education institutions across the country.
Pride of Dakota Holiday Showcase set in Bismarck
The Bismarck Tribune
“This year’s Holiday Showcase features more than 200 companies offering unique, North Dakota-made products,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “Shoppers will find thousands of products to choose from, including gourmet food, wine and spirits, books, jewelry, apparel, personal care, pottery, quilting, photography and framed art, children’s items and more.”
Governor Burgum talks legal challenges to vaccine mandates; says NDSU should “pause” employee requirement
AM 1100 The Flag
“Then on December 7th coming up is the one on federal contractors. That one has got the most, or the least I should say, the least likelihood. If OSHA can’t do it for large employers and CMS can’t do it for nursing homes, I don’t know how in the world they are going to get a judge to agree that they can somehow do it for federal contractors. So I think all three of these attempts at federal vax mandates are going to do down and North Dakota was on the front of the line and the tip of the spear helping to fight these things,” said Burgum.
Governor Burgum: North Dakota no longer in “crisis mode” responding to Covid-19
AM 1100 The Flag
“We are in management mode. I mean we are handling this thing, the serious issue that it is. But businesses are all open. Schools are all open. We’re focusing our time on fighting the Biden Administration and also driving a record amount of economic development with billions of dollars of new value added energy and value added agriculture coming to North Dakota,” said Burgum.
Devils Lake Journal
Gov. Doug Burgum has announced that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has granted his request for another extension of the hours of service waiver for drivers of commercial vehicles transporting water and livestock feed to help North Dakota livestock producers affected by continuing drought conditions.
N.D. Guard welcomes new commander for land component command
Devils Lake Journal
“The citizens of North Dakota are well served by the unwavering dedication of our National Guard Soldiers, thanks in part to outstanding leaders like Brig. Gen. Leo Ryan,” said Gov. Doug Burgum, commander in chief of the N.D. National Guard. “Our well-trained Guard Soldiers continually answer the call of duty here at home and across the nation and world. We are deeply grateful to Brig. Gen. Ryan for his service to North Dakota and the nation.”
Wind Farms Request Extension for Lighting System Requirement
NewsDakota.com
A number of wind farms in North Dakota have asked for an extension – or a waiver – of the state requirement that they must have a new lighting system – called ADLS, or “Aircraft Detection Lighting System.”…Commissioner Brian Kroshus says the Public Service Commission will be considering the extensions and waivers on a case-by-case basis.
Coal Creek carbon capture, hydrogen hub among projects seeking clean energy funding
The Bismarck Tribune
The eight applications request a combined $49.5 million in grants, more than the $25 million the Legislature authorized earlier this year for the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority to consider. The projects requesting grant money have to do with biodiesel, saltwater, hydrogen, carbon capture, liquid fuels and flaring reduction…The three-member commission chaired by Gov. Doug Burgum is expected to choose the first awardees on Dec. 20. The state will consider future requests for assistance during additional funding rounds next year.
ND Housing Finance Agency approves $3M for GF housing projects
Knox Radio
“The development assistance managed by North Dakota Housing Finance Agency helps to ensure that our most vulnerable state residents have access to safe and affordable housing,” said members of the Commission in a joint statement. The Commission, consisting of Gov. Doug Burgum as chairman, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, oversees the agency.
Biden vaccine rule for health workers blocked in 10 states including North Dakota
The Bismarck Tribune
“This is significant for health care workers in North Dakota, especially rural hospitals who were facing serious impacts due to this mandate,” North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said in a statement. “While today’s ruling is a hopeful moment, there’s more work to be done, and we will continue fighting to push back on this unprecedented federal overreach.”
Reconciliation bill: Transportation secretaries from rural states raise alarm over green energy provision
Fox Business
Transportation secretaries from Wyoming, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana say in a letter obtained by Fox News to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee that one provision of the bill gives the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) too much power. The letter says Section 110002(a) would give the FHWA the authority to impose general “consequences” on state highway programs if states do not reduce greenhouse gas emissions over a 10-year period.
Washington, D.C.
All sides wait for Biden administration WOTUS redo
High Plains Journal
“The Obama era Waters of the United States rule would have been a disaster for North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers,” said Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-ND. “Now, the Biden administration is trying to revive this failed one-size-fits-all policy that will destroy their livelihoods and decimate our rural communities… Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, said, “It’s a shame the Trump administration’s rule was repealed at all. Americans deserve better than regulatory pingpong. I look forward to hosting EPA and the Corps of Engineers next week in Bismarck to give North Dakotans the opportunity to put our priorities in front of the Biden administration as the process moves forward.” Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, said, “The EPA’s proposal undermines the certainty we worked to provide with the NWPR (Department of Army’s Navigable Waters Protection Rule) and is part of President Biden’s efforts to impose burdensome and costly mandates under a new WOTUS definition.
Legislation would prevent settlement payments to illegal immigrants
Minot Daily News
Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both R-ND, on Thursday joined Senators Thom Tillis, R-NC, Tom Cotton, R-Ark., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in introducing the Protect American Taxpayer Dollars from Illegal Immigration Act. “As the crisis at our nation’s southern border continues, American’s taxpayer dollars should not be used to financially reward individuals for coming to our country illegally,” said Hoeven. “This legislation is about preventing an incentive for illegal immigration.”…”The last thing we need is another incentive for more migrants to come here illegally. Our bill prevents hard-earned taxpayer dollars from going to absurd settlements for immigrants who didn’t even come here legally,” said Cramer.
Hoeven cosponsors bill prioritizing domestic energy production
The Ripon Advance
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) joined almost a dozen Republicans to introduce legislation that they say prioritizes American energy production and protects America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve. “This administration put in place energy policies that have drastically restricted American energy production and caused prices to increase for consumers,” Sen. Hoeven said. “Rather than tapping into our nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is intended for emergency purposes, the administration should boost production of American energy to help lower prices and ensure our energy independence.”
December begins with record heat in western North Dakota; significant snow possible this weekend
The Bismarck Tribune
U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., have signed on to a bipartisan letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address a gap in coverage under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program. Senators say the federal program provides aid for the cost of transporting feed to livestock during the drought, but not for transporting livestock to feed sources.
Biden’s Build Back Better plan ‘will fundamentally change America’: Sen. Cramer
Fox Business
SEN. KEVIN CRAMER: She’s [Janet Yellen] doing her best to spin this thing. But you’re exactly right, but both Penn Wharton, at least both Penn Wharton and the Council for Responsible Government Budget have both analyzed this… Build Back Better plan. And remember that the one point seven trillion-dollar cost is based on things like the child tax credit, for example, expiring after one year or that, or the child care tax expiring after one year. Well, we all know that’s not going to happen. But this is the budget trick that they use. They pass a 1-year bill and pay for it over 10 years, so it looks like it actually balances where it’s actually paid for. So you’re right, we’re talking about something between 4.5 and 5 trillion dollars over the course of 10 years. And then, of course, that it becomes permanent. I mean, it’s not just 10, it’s 20, it’s generations. It changes fundamentally changes America, which is what they want to do, which is why we’ve got to oppose it.
EXCLUSIVE: Senate Republicans Demand Answers Over DOD Program That Could Target Military Members Who Speak Out On ‘Woke, Leftist Ideology’
Daily Caller
A group of Senate Republicans sent a letter Wednesday to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding answers over the Department of Defense (DoD)’s recently established Countering Extremism Working Group (CEWG). The lawmakers believe could be used to “target service members who voice opposition to woke, Leftist ideology.”…The other Republicans who signed the letter included…Sen. Kevin Cramer[.]
Armstrong, GOP colleagues oppose Biden’s push for FTC investigation over gas prices
The Ripon Advance
U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) led 19 of his Republican colleagues in denouncing President Joe Biden’s request that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigate oil and gas companies. “We write to express our concern regarding your November 17, 2021, letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan that encouraged an investigation into oil and gas companies based on inaccurate allegations concerning retail gasoline prices,” the members wrote in their letter to Biden. “It is obvious that your request for an FTC investigation is an attempt to distract the public from soaring retail gasoline prices that are a consequence of several ill-advised energy policies implemented by your administration.”
GOP lawmakers hammer Biden over increase in coal costs, historic shortage
Fox Business
“The supply chain crisis brought on by the Biden administration’s failed policies is causing shortages across the economy, including resources needed to meet our energy demands,” Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., told FOX Business. “We must empower energy producers in North Dakota and around the country to provide baseload power to millions of Americans, not burden them with more regulations and red tape that do nothing to make our air and water cleaner,” the congressman continued.
Biden vaccine rule for health workers blocked in 10 states
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought the first legal challenge against the requirement.
The court order said that the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid had no clear authority from Congress to enact the vaccine mandate for providers participating in the two government health care programs for the elderly, disabled and poor.
The preliminary injunction by St. Louis-based U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp applies to a coalition of suing states that includes Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Similar lawsuits also are pending in other states.
The federal rule requires COVID-19 vaccinations for more than 17 million workers nationwide in about 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers that get funding from the government health programs. Workers are to receive their first dose by Dec. 6 and their second shot by Jan. 4
Even under an exceedingly broad interpretation of federal powers, “Congress did not clearly authorize CMS to enact the this politically and economically vast, federalism-altering, and boundary-pushing mandate,” Schelp wrote.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
You may read the article here: https://www.kfyrtv.com/2021/11/29/biden-vaccine-rule-health-workers-blocked-10-states/
Roughrider Roundup – November 29, 2021
Happy Monday!
Dear Fellow Republicans,
We wanted to provide you with a roundup of everything you might have missed from North Dakota’s great Republican leaders this past week. Please share with family and friends!
– Perrie Schafer, NDGOP Chairman