Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a Senate Budget Committee member and the Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, joined Ana Cabrera on CNN this afternoon to discuss the benefits, amendment process, and criticism of the bipartisan infrastructure package, as well as the COVID-19 vaccine. Excerpts and a link to the full video are below.
On Voting to Proceed to Debate:
“I happen to be the Ranking Member of the EPW Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. So the base of the service transportation part of this is our bill. It’s a bill that passed out of our committee unanimously. It has things that Democrats like, things that Republicans like, things that I think most Americans like. That’s really the basis. I’ve had a pretty good working knowledge of the fundamentals. And then there’s things in the energy title, as well. But for me it was preserving. It was not so much of what I could get in the bill, but it preserving things like the permitting reforms, like One Federal Decision in the surface transportation piece and the permitting council in the rest of it. And then making sure that the funding formula of 90/10 – 90% going to states, 10% competitive grants. Those things that protect rural America and that recognize that there are a lot of long roads that don’t have a lot of people. That’s worked for transportation funding for the last several decades. Those were the things I really insisted on and being paid for, and so far all that standard has been met.”
On the Amendment Process:
“It’s so important to get the bill text dropped into the bill as an amendment and we get on the amendment. There are a lot of members who is haven’t seen as much as I have. They’re perhaps on other committees. I think the more they see it, they’ll like it. Then the members [can] find things we haven’t thought of that should be added.”
On Criticism:
“I understand some of [the] frustration. I think the context that a lot of opponents to the legislation is that we just spent so much so quickly in the last year and a half, and I agree with all that. But I think this particular bill. … I think [infrastructure] would have been a better way to stimulate the economy and pay people to work instead of not work, but that didn’t happen. Now we’re given this opportunity. My responsibility, frankly, is to the people of North Dakota. I think that this is an appropriate next move in that process.”
On the COVID-19 Vaccine:
“Inform yourself. Self-governed people can be self-informed. There’s no shortage of information. Talk to your doctor and then make the decision that you think is best for you. I personally believe that there’s less risk in being vaccinated than not being vaccinated, but I understand a lot of people don’t agree with me. … I think it’s really important to, again, for self-governed people to get informed and make the decision they think is best for them and their family.”