Roughrider Roundup – November 15, 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

Gov. Burgum Signs Income Tax Relief Bill For North Dakota
KVRR
Gov. Doug Burgum signs legislation to provide an estimated $211 million in income tax relief over the next two years. The legislation will eliminate the state income tax bill for around 300,000 people and provide partial relief to another 200,000 taxpayers.

North Dakota Gov Signs Bill Banning Critical Race Theory From Public Schools
Daily Wire
On Friday, the North Dakota state Senate passed a bill banning the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools; the state House of Representatives passed the bill the day before. On Friday, Republican Governor Doug Burgum signed the bill into law.

Burgum signs bill to approve legislative redistricting
Minot Daily News
“We appreciate the Legislature and the interim redistricting committee for their fairness, diligence and transparency as they conducted this important process, which is key to ensuring a representative democracy,” Burgum said.

Gov. Burgum signs ‘Vaccine Mandate’ Bill
KFYR TV
Gov. Doug Burgum, R-N.D., signed a bill to reform vaccine mandate powers. HB 1511 bans state and local governments from ordering vaccine mandates…Under the bill, companies will still be allowed to install their own vaccine mandates for their employees. But the legislature expanded exemptions for these company-ordered mandates which include morals, proof of antibodies over the past six months, having a doctor’s note, or undergoing weekly testing.

2021 Special Session ends in one week
KFYR TV
Legislative leaders took the time to thank their colleagues for their work; even the ones who didn’t serve on any of the limited committees…“You were like Paul Revere. You were ready to ride. You were there. You were supporting the people on the committees. You were involved,” said Sen Majority Leader Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson.

North Dakota joins 3rd lawsuit over vaccine mandates, 2 businesses file similar challenge
Grand Forks Herald
“Yet again, this lawsuit is not about whether people should get vaccinated,” Stenehjem said in a news release. “Instead, it is about federal overreach and the federal government using an unconstitutional mandate to force front-line health care workers to choose between a vaccination or unemployment. North Dakota is already experiencing a shortage of healthcare workers, and this mandate will only exacerbate the situation.”

Gov. Burgum supports natural gas pipeline in State of the State address
KX News
He also expressed support for spending some of those federal dollars on a new natural gas pipeline that would take the product to the eastern side of the state. “Developing and utilizing these abundant natural gas resources, it’s good for the environment, it’s good for the economy, and it’s good for taxpayers,” Gov. Burgum said.

Federal grant helps North Dakota farmers deal with stress
The Bismarck Tribune
“These stresses not only create severe financial stresses in agriculture but elevate negative effects on physical and mental health, relationships and overall well-being of those working in agriculture. In turn, such conditions place the larger agricultural system at risk,” state Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said in a statement.

Washington, D.C.

Hoeven, FSA discuss agricultural drought relief in Dickinson
AG Week
On Tuesday, Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, held a roundtable with livestock producers to gather input on the $10 billion in disaster assistance, including $750 million for livestock producers, that Congress approved and the senator worked to secure as part of the continuing resolution passed in September. The meeting came as part of Hoeven’s efforts to ensure the assistance works for producers and is distributed as soon as possible.

Nine military awards given Wednesday to Wahpeton’s Collins
Wahpeton Daily News
Family, friends and admirers of Al Collins, Wahpeton, came out Wednesday, Nov. 10 to see him receive long-overdue recognition. Collins, 73, served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He was honorably discharged in 1971 and now, in 2021, is the recipient of nine military awards. The honors were given by U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., during a ceremony at the Richland County Courthouse in Wahpeton.“I was surprised to hear that I would receive these awards. It feels really good, and I am honored to receive this recognition. I appreciate the Richland County Veterans Service Office and Congressman’s Armstrong’s office for helping me receive them,” Collins said.

Runway reconstruction, possible new terminal at Dickinson’s airport
KFYR-TV
Kelly Braun gave Senator Hoeven a tour of the crews working on the new runway. He and other city leaders also talked about the plan to develop a new terminal, something several other cities have done recently. “Williston has got a brand-new terminal, Minot’s got a brand-new terminal, we have upgrades to many others, so this is doable, and we want to make sure we get the planning done so we can accomplish it,” said Senator Hoeven.

UND School of Law receives Tribal Justice Institute grant
Grand Forks Herald
The UND School of Law has received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The funding award was announced by the office of Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., on Wednesday, Nov. 10. The funds will be used by the Tribal Justice Institute at the law school, to “provide technical assistance and training to those tribes funded under the 2021 Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program,” according to the DOJ grant award.


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