WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer, both R-ND, touted the wins for farmers, veterans and others in a Senate agreement Nov. 10 to fund the government and pass three full-year appropriations bills.

Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, worked with colleagues on the final package.

“Importantly, the package will help us get back to regular order with passage of three of the full-year appropriations bills, including the Agriculture Appropriations bill to support our farmers and ranchers. Under regular order, we are able to fund our priorities while finding savings to reduce the debt and deficit. In addition, the Senate will tee up the Defense Appropriations bill for consideration next week to properly and adequately fund our great troops,” Hoeven said.

“The passage of this package is big. It’s a win for our veterans, law enforcement officers, farmers, ranchers and manufacturers, as well as every American across the nation,” Cramer said.

“Not only does it reopen the government, which is the fundamental point, but it pays the people who’ve earned their pay and it keeps vital programs running, all while delivering some key wins for North Dakota,” he said. “It provides funding for the Jamestown Armory and ensures North Dakota is not neglected when we pursue certain suicide prevention grants for veterans. The bill supports North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers through programmatic funding increases by prohibiting the closure of FSA county offices, which we know are critical to servicing our farmers and ranchers every day.”

Regarding the agriculture bill, Hoeven added, “We worked to ensure our ag funding legislation supports the innovative research being conducted by NDSU, Grand Farm and their partners. At the same time, this bill supports better access to credit and the services our producers rely on at FSA. This is important not only as harvest wraps up, but as we work to advance an ag assistance bill to provide a bridge to help producers until the new reference prices come into effect.”

Specifically, the legislation allocates $10 billion for farm loans and $4.1 billion for rural development programs while providing additional funds for rental assistance, housing loans, water and waste grants and loans, rural business and industry programs, rural broadband grants and loans and food assistance.

The military appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026 includes $702.8 million for the Supportive Services for Veterans Families program, which serves every county in North Dakota through regional Community Action agencies, including the Minot office. The bill reflects Cramer’s efforts as a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to ensure North Dakota veterans receive suicide prevention support.