Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
***Click here for photos of the Military Roundtable. Click here for photos of the meeting with Horace Mayor Peterson.***
FARGO – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), participated in a military roundtable with the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo (FMWF) Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee and Honor Star members to discuss the current state of the military and veterans affairs.
“What we’re seeing with the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a reminder of how important Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) is in modern warfare. Fargo’s Happy Hooligans and the Grand Forks Air Force Base are critical assets in our nation’s ISR capabilities. Maintaining and developing North Dakota’s unmanned system expertise is one of my overriding priorities on the Senate Armed Services Committee,” said Senator Cramer.
He also walked through recent National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAA) including $78 million for the Air Force to acquire additional MQ-9 Reapers as flown by the 119th Wing in the North Dakota Air National Guard based in Fargo from the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY2022) NDAA and $32 million in military construction for the Army National Guard Readiness Center in Fargo from the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY2021) NDAA. Senator Cramer
participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Fargo Air National Guard Base for the North Dakota Air National Guard’s new Consolidated Operations Center in August 2021.
“It never ceases to amaze and impress me how many former naval officers and Navy sailors come from our area, which makes me feel a lot better about being the Ranking Member of the Seapower Subcommittee. I appreciate having the Chamber’s Military Affairs committee actively educating employers, employees, and the community about the importance of the national defense of freedom. Thanks for the opportunity to hear and learn from you today,” continued Senator Cramer.
During the discussion, Senator Cramer highlighted his Burial Equity for Guards and Reserves Act, which passed out of SVAC unanimously in December. The bipartisan and bicameral
bill ensures all reserve components and the National Guard are eligible to be buried in state veterans cemeteries as long as their service was terminated under honorable conditions. It
received a legislative hearing in November and brought Veterans Affairs Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Matthew Quinn to Fargo to hear directly from North Dakotans on this issue. In another SVAC hearing, VA Secretary Denis McDonough
expressed his support for the Burial Equity for Guards and Reserves Act.
Background
As the first-ever North Dakotan to serve on an Armed Services committee in Congress, Senator Cramer has used his seat on SASC to secure funding authorization and language for missions both directly and indirectly benefiting North Dakota’s military community. In December, the Senate passed FY2022 which fully funds nuclear modernization efforts, supports efforts to develop increased intelligence capabilities, grows the Space Force, and authorizes a litany of North Dakota-specific military projects. Senator Cramer was able to successfully include language in the NDAA to advance nuclear modernization at Minot Air Force Base, support Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) at Grand Forks Air Force Base, grow the U.S. Space Force, and authorize key North Dakota military projects in Fargo, Dickinson, and Jamestown.
