A bipartisan Congressional Ports-to-Plains Caucus has been formed, and inducted as a Congressional Member Organization for the 115th Congress. This Caucus will serve as an informal group of Members dedicated to issues related to rural transportation and rural economic development in America’s Heartland, with a focus on the corridor running from Texas to North Dakota and Montana, and educating other Members on the importance of this area is feeding, fueling, and clothing America’s cities and urban areas.
Congressman Kevin Cramer (ND), member of the Congressional Ports-to-Plains Caucus states,
“The Ports-to-Plains corridor plays an important role in ensuring North Dakota’s economic strength, particularly in the agriculture and energy sectors. It’s vital that we, as Members of this caucus, strongly advocate for the issues unique to rural America so they are not disregarded in Washington. I look forward to working with the other members of the Ports-to-Plains Caucus to address transportation and economic issues significant to our districts.”
Congressman Kevin Cramer serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has the broadest jurisdiction of any committee in Congress. Cramer is assigned to three subcommittees: Communications and Technology, Energy, and Environment. In November 2016, Cramer was elevated to the influential House Republican Steering Committee – as the Small State Representative. The Steering Committee determines all committee assignments and chairmanships.
He is Co-Chairman of the House Rural Broadband Caucus, which develops policy solutions addressing Rural America’s digital divide, and the Northern Border Caucus, which fosters continued growth in the relationship between the United States and Canada. He is also a founding Chair of the Congressional Kid’s Safety Caucus.
Ports-to-Plains is a grassroots alliance of over 275 communities and businesses, including alliance partners Heartland Expressway, Theodore Roosevelt Expressway and Eastern Alberta Trade Corridor Coalition, whose mission is to advocate for a robust international transportation infrastructure to promote economic security and prosperity throughout North America’s energy and agricultural heartland including Mexico to Canada. Additional information on the Ports-to-Plains Alliance is available at http://www.portstoplains.com/.
