GOOD GROUP? Cramer Doubles-Down to Anti-Agriculture Republican Study Committee Membership

Cramer’s Republican Study Committee wants to slash crop insurance and eliminate Renewable Fuel Standard, sugar program 

“At the end of the day, Cramer said, the Republican Study Committee is a good group.”

(BISMARCK, ND) – Kevin Cramer, who does not serve on the House Agriculture Committee, is doubling down on his dues-paying membership to the anti-agriculture Republican Study Committee (RSC). Cramer told the Wahpeton Daily News that he thinks the RSC is a good group – but their proposals would be devastating for North Dakota’s ag producers.

In a recently unveiled budget, the RSC proposed slashing crop insurance payments, eliminating the Renewable Fuel Standard and eliminating the sugar program. North Dakota farmers and ranchers are learning that they can’t count on Cramer – he’s refused to stand up to the president’s damaging tariffs and now, during the Farm Bill debate, touted that he’s a cosponsor of a bill the radical Freedom Caucus used to hijack the legislation. He even called their actions that derailed the Farm Bill “not inappropriate.”

“There’s nothing ‘good’ about slashing crop insurance, eliminating the sugar program or getting rid of the Renewable Fuel Standard – and Kevin Cramer should be ashamed of his membership to this extreme, anti-agriculture group,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “But just like in 2014, Corrupt Cramer is proud of his work to hijack the Farm Bill – calling the anti-ag Republican Study Committee a ‘good group,’ and bragging about cosponsoring the measure extremist members of the House used to tank the bill. It’s time Corrupt Cramer stopped killing the Farm Bill and started standing up for North Dakota farmers by calling these efforts what they are – bad for North Dakota.”

Wahpeton Daily News: Cramer, Heitkamp discuss farm bill, immigration and party leadership

• Incumbent U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., is concerned about U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer’s membership in the Republican Study Committee. The committee’s budget has called for cuts to crop insurance, eliminating the Renewable Fuel Standard and eliminating the sugar program.

• “Anyone who would support this, like Congressman Cramer, is not a person who believes in maintaining the strength of our family farmers,” Heitkamp said.

• “By holding the Farm Bill hostage with extra demands, those who did so are basically condemning our farmers to years of struggle,” Heitkamp responded. “America’s strength is based on what it grows and extracts. We have to have policies that allow for growth, reducing poverty and being able to earn a living on the farm.”

• Heitkamp also criticized the Republican Study Committee’s proposal to cut crop insurance support from 60 percent to 30 percent. “This would devastate the program and those who benefit from it in numerous ways. There will be less access, difficulty in affordability and a higher cost to produce than what can be recovered,” she said.

• At the end of the day, Cramer said, the Republican Study Committee is a good group.