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During the 69th Legislative Assembly, North Dakota Democratic-NPL Insider will provide updates and calls to action each day of the regular session. If you would like to have something added to the newsletter, email us at [email protected]. Spread the word of our newsletter by sharing our sign-up link today: https://demnpl.com/join-our-newsletter/.
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What happened today (and yesterday)?
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The House killed Rep. Jared Hendrix's (R-10) resolution HCR 3026 to encourage the US to annex Greenland. This bizarre resolution got a DO PASS recommendation from the committee.
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Rep. Nico Rios' (R-23) resolution HCR 3020 which urges "North Dakota to acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ" also failed
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After Rep. Jorin Johnson's (R-41) bill (HB 1255) to defund Prairie Public passed by 1 vote when it came back to the floor yesterday.
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What's coming up?
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School Meals for All
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Democrats have continued the fight to feed all school children in North Dakota. While Rep. LaurieBeth Hager's (D-21) bill failed, Rep. Patrick Hatelstead's (R-1) bill (HB 1475) hasn't received a vote yet. Stand up for school meals and tell your Representatives to VOTE YES on HB 1475—especially if you have Republican lawmakers!
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Crossover
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The House and Senate must finish voting on all their bills by February 28! Then the bills that have passed cross over to the other legislative body to be heard in committee and voted on. The House is meeting every afternoon and evening to get these votes in. You can follow along with their daily calendar here, and you can follow the Senate's calendar here!
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Help us spread our message—share these recent posts!
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North Dakota Legislative Review: Senator Kathy Hogan
Senate Minority Leader Kathy Hogan (D-Fargo) talks about behavioral health, school meals, the proposed new state hospital in Jamestown, and tobacco taxes.
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Cartels comment was ‘slap in the face,’ tribal chairman says; senator acknowledges ‘reckless statement’
“I’ve been gut-punched a few times by state legislation, but this one … some of the comments on record this time really hit home, a little bit deeper than usual,” said Turtle Mountain Band Chairman Jamie Azure. “To even imply that any tribal gaming has anything to do with a cartel is a blatant slap in the face to the Sovereign Nations.”
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Witchy Womb-an
VanWinkle’s version of God is a horror-movie warlock busy sewing up the wombs of Voodoo dolls from a shelf marked “American women.” He is also a handy appeal-to-authority figure for ending all debate on any issue. In earlier testimony, VanWinkle pointed out that another legislator “couldn’t quote an actual scripture” in defense of his position.
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Speaking out: IVF families deserve support and empathy
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In the wake of VanWinkle’s comments, many have spoken out on social media. It has shown that her viewpoint is the clear minority, and the people of North Dakota largely support fertility treatments and those going through the IVF journey to have children.
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My heart hurts for those who have struggled or are currently struggling with fertility. It is a situation that comes with unimaginable pain, and we need to rally behind these individuals with compassion, love and support.
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Episode Six: Free For You and Me
This episode, we look at things that are free, or could be free depending on legislation being debated in Bismarck.
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Port: Legislative resolution congratulating Donald Trump on election victory becomes contentious
"The President has subleased the powers of the Oval Office to an unelected bureaucrat billionaire," Ista said at one point in his remarks, referring to Elon Musk, "and perhaps it's that richest man in the world we should instead be congratulating today."
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House votes to defund North Dakota public broadcasting, sends bill to Senate
In written testimony, Linda Mork, education services manager for Prairie Public in Fargo, said cutting the funding would impact the organization’s educational mission.
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“The loss of funding would not only affect educators but also students across the state, especially those in underserved communities,” she said.
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Bill seeks to strengthen tribal consultation on North Dakota legislation
“It is not just a courtesy to consult, it’s a moral and legal obligation,” said Rep. Collette Brown, the primary sponsor of House Bill 1455 and a citizen of the Spirit Lake Nation.
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The bill would task the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission with alerting tribal chairs of any proposed legislation that could impact tribes before the bills pass. Four other Native lawmakers — Rep. Lisa Finley-DeVille, Rep. Jayme Davis, and Sen. Richard Marcellais — are also among the proposal’s sponsors.
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Dr. Kari Odermann gives her take from the Munich Security Conference
Dr. Kari Odermann is a North Dakota native and fled Kyiv, with her family, prior to the attacks on the city, and is now living in Egypt. She has been a political commentator in Ukraine and covered President Zelensky when she was a news anchor for state-run Ukrainian TV.
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She attended the Munich Security Conference this weekend where Vice President Vance shared some controversial comments. Joel and Kari also talk about the current "peace" talks with the United States and Russia, and lack of including Ukraine in the talks.
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Check out these posts from the national Democratic Party
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Trump administration firing FAA staff including safety workers despite recent crashes
Former FAA air traffic controller Dylan Sullivan claimed on social media that agency personnel who were terminated “maintain every piece of equipment that keeps flying safe, from the radars to the ILS, to ATC automation”.
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Job cuts at the FAA are likely to raise concerns. The agency has struggled to recruit air traffic controllers in recent years. An increase in recruitment during the previous two administrations was hobbled by budget cuts that limited training and certification.
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Debunked explanations for Musk's reckless firings expose true goal of wrecking the government
"If you voted for Donald Trump, this is what you were voting for." Rachel Maddow shows that the latest excuse for firing huge numbers of federal workers with no regard for the importance of their role in Americans' lives, bad performance reviews, is false, as have been countless other explanations for reckless dismissals of federal employees, making clear that the resulting wreckage of the U.S. government has been the motivation all along.
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JD Vance’s Debacle in Germany Exposes MAGA’s Sinister Global Endgame
I’d be hard-pressed to argue that JD Vance’s meeting with the leader of the German fascist party on Friday was weakly covered by the press. Yet somehow, it hasn’t registered quite the degree of shock and revulsion here in the United States that it deserves to. That visit, along with Vance’s shocking speech at the Munich Security Conference, confirms every worst suspicion about this morally rudderless mountebank. The argot of diplomats and newspaper editorials, which express “concern” or even “grave concern,” doesn’t begin to describe how we Americans should feel about what Vance did last week in our name.
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Trump admin scrambles to rehire hundreds of nuclear weapons workers
“The termination letters for some NNSA probationary employees are being rescinded, but we do not have a good way to get in touch with those personnel," an email reported by NBC that was sent to employees at NNSA reads. "Please work with your supervisors to send this information (once you get it) to people’s personal contact emails."
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Committees
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Every bill is voted on in the North Dakota legislature, but first, it must go through a committee hearing. The committee will vote to give the bill a "Do Pass" or a "Do Not Pass" recommendation. Below is a list of Standing Committees this legislative session.
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Senate Standing Committee Members
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Monday through Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Desiree Van Oosting (R-36)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Desiree Van Oosting (R-36)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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House Standing Committee Members
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Gretchen Dobervich (D-11)
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Cynthia Schreiber-Beck (R-25)
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Meets Monday through Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Cynthia Schreiber-Beck (R-25)
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Patrick R. Hatlestad (R-1)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Mike Motschenbacher (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Gretchen Dobervich (D-11)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Lisa Finley-DeVille (D-4A)
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Meets Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
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Lawrence R. Klemin (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Patrick R. Hatlestad (R-1)
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Lawrence R. Klemin (R-47)
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Mike Motschenbacher (R-47)
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Meets Thursday and Friday
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Lisa Finley-DeVille (D-4A)
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The Century Club supports our year-round work to build party infrastructure supporting candidate recruitment, local district and regional leadership, issue-based education, and tools for Dem-NPL success.
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Help us elect great Democrats up and down the ballot!
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The North Dakota Democratic-NPL is launching a new grassroots program called “Neighbor to Neighbor” where volunteers will connect with voters in your community to elect Democrats up and down the ballot. As a volunteer, you will be responsible for connecting with voters in 25 homes in your neighborhood or friends and family to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot about 3-4 times this year.
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Grassroots organizers are the lifeblood of the Dem-NPL! Sign up to volunteer with the Dem-NPL!
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