Headed to President Trump's desk: The One Big Beautiful Bill
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Dear Friend,
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| My Best, |
Julie Fedorchak
Member of Congress
Over the summer, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law three pieces of legislation that positively affect North Dakotans:
The One Big Beautiful Bill:
Overview: This landmark legislation prevents North Dakotans from a 22 percent tax hike, a savings of nearly $1,600 for the average North Dakota family of four.
For parents:
Increases the Child Tax Credit to $2,200 per child.
Creates savings accounts for newborns.
Expands 529 college savings accounts.
Increases Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (DCFSAs) to $7,500 and expands eligibility for Health Savings Accounts.
For small businesses:
Makes the 199A small business deduction permanent.
Makes permanent 100 percent immediate expensing for equipment purchases and research and development.
Creates 100 percent accelerated depreciation for new industrial facilities and manufacturing facilities that begin construction between 2025-2028.
For workers:
Eliminates federal taxes on overtime and tips.
Protects the gig economy by repealing burdensome third-party income reporting requirements.
- Expands Pell Grant eligibility to include trade and technical school programs.
For farmers:
Increases the death tax exemption to $15 million or $30 million for those married filing jointly.
Increases reference prices for ARC and PLC by 10 to 20 percent (specific increase varies by commodity).
Expands access to affordable crop insurance.
Doubles investments in market expansion.
Extends the sugar program through 2031.
For energy:
Eliminates production tax credits for wind and solar, restoring necessary market signals for all forms of electricity.
Resumes quarterly lease sales.
Requires 4 million acres of federal coal to be made available within 90 days.
Restores the royalty rate of 12.5 percent down from 16.6 percent.
Sets a time clock on NEPA environmental assessments and limits endless legal challenges.
For border security:
Largest investment in border security in over a generation.
Invests $175 billion through 2034 to secure our border, deport terrorists and violent criminals, and prevent drug and human trafficking.
Dive deeper on what the OBBB means for working families with this column published in the Fargo Forum.
Curious about the Medicaid reforms? Check out this column in the Bismarck Tribune.
Resolution to overturn “Once-In-Always-In” Rule:
Background: The Biden administration reinstated the burdensome ‘Once-In-Always-In’ rule, which permanently classifies certain industrial facilities as “major sources” of hazardous air pollutants even if they take significant steps to reduce emissions below federal thresholds. Click here to watch how this rule would have crushed businesses like Hebron Brick with unnecessary regulations.
Solution: The resolution fixes this by allowing facilities to reclassify once they’ve made meaningful progress. It rewards innovation, encourages continued investment in emissions reduction, and strengthens our economy by giving energy producers and manufacturers the certainty they need to grow, compete, and lead.
Read what Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, House GOP Chairwoman Lisa McClain, and Western Caucus Chairman Doug LaMalfa said about House passage of this resolution. Click here to watch my Floor speech urging support of this measure.
The HALT Fentanyl Act:
The problem: Before President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, drug traffickers could skirt federal law by changing as little as one molecule in the fentanyl formula to create legal variations. Fentanyl was the number one cause of death for Americans between the ages of 19-45 in 2023.
The solution: The HALT Fentanyl Act, a bill led by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA) which I cosponsored, makes the temporary class-wide scheduling order for fentanyl-related substances permanent and gives law enforcement the tools they need to remove this poison from our streets, protect our children, and save lives.
The House reconvened this week and is laser-focused on passing the annual appropriations bills to fund the federal government. Additionally, here’s a preview of some of my top priorities:
Congressional Review Act to Overturn the BLM Resource Management Plan:
In its last week in office, the Biden administration finalized the Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plan for North Dakota, which would decimate coal, oil, and gas leasing and production in our state. The plan threatens jobs in Killdeer, Beulah, Underwood, and others, would reduce state revenue by $34 million annually, and undermines energy security.
- I introduced legislation in the House to overturn this harmful plan. We are voting on it today, after which Senators Cramer and Hoeven will lead efforts to pass it in the Senate.
- Click here to read what North Dakotans are saying about the resolution.
The Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act:
Under current law, cross-border oil, gas, and electricity projects face a patchwork of permits, agency processes, and executive discretion—leading to regulatory uncertainty, costly delays, and even permit revocations like the Keystone XL pipeline.
- My bill, the Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act, creates a clear, consistent permitting process for cross-border projects with Canada and Mexico. Streamlining approvals will encourage investment, protect jobs, and strengthen our energy security.
- Click here to read more. This bill passed the House Energy and Commerce committee in June and now heads to the full House for a vote.
College Sports NIL Reform:
Current rules governing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) have created an uneven playing field in college sports, with few safeguards to protect student-athletes from exploitation. The Energy and Commerce Committee passed the SCORE Act in July to set clear guardrails to restore fairness, transparency, and opportunity in college athletics while protecting students’ rights. My team worked closely with both UND and NDSU leaders as well as other small school advocates to make sure the legislation benefits North Dakota athletic programs.
Here’s a list of other recent legislative efforts I’m working on for North Dakota:
- Protecting the Right to Life: The Defund Planned Parenthood Act prohibits Planned Parenthood and its affiliates from receiving federal funds for one year. This legislation was included in the OBBB, and it is my hope that the policy is continued in perpetuity.
- Protecting landowner rights: The Landowner Easement Rights Act, which I introduced with Rep. Hageman (R-WY), limits new federal easements to 30 years and gives landowners the flexibility to reassess, renegotiate, and reclaim control over their property. North Dakota landowners should have the ability to manage their own land, not be locked into conservation easements that last forever. I'm working with landowner rights and farm groups to build support throughout Congress for this bill.
- Supporting gun owners’ right to privacy: The Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act, which I cosponsored, prevents credit card companies from issuing firearm-specific merchant category codes—a backdoor way to surveil the purchases of lawful gunowners. The Second Amendment clearly gives Americans the right to own firearms, and policies that restrict or infringe on this right impact responsible gun owners in North Dakota and throughout the U.S.
- Requesting federal disaster assistance: Governor Armstrong requested federal assistance from President Trump for recovery efforts in 19 counties across southern, central, and eastern North Dakota following the destructive Derecho storm. I joined Senators Hoeven and Cramer in supporting this request.
- Opposing costly federal building mandates: The Biden administration's energy performance mandates for federal buildings increase costs and conflict with mission-critical needs on military installations. I cosponsored a bill to repeal this.
- Improving pipeline safety: Faster training programs for state pipeline inspectors and reviving key pipeline safety demonstration programs at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) are among the reforms we need to advance to promote the ongoing integrity of our vital nationwide pipeline infrastructure.
- Supporting defense and veterans: I was proud to support both H.R. 3944, which fully funds veterans' health care, benefits, and VA programs and H.R. 4016, which boosts pay for every service member and funds the Sentinel program at Minot Air Force Base.
On the Homefront
District work periods are often called "recess," but unlike grade school recess, we don't take much time to play. My top priority is listening and understanding the impact of legislation on our state’s citizens, businesses, industries, and organizations. Here are some highlights from early summer:
- Our Border Patrol agents throughout the state work day-in and day-out to keep our border secure and our communities safe! They’re leading on new efforts to enhance border security, while customs and immigration agents have the complicated task of ensuring free, safe, and lawful flow of goods and people across our border with Canada.
- I am proud to support Standing Rock Chair Janet Alkire and Tribal Council members in their efforts to increase resources for BIA law enforcement and invest in long-overdue infrastructure improvements.
- The Blue Flint Ethanol plant in Washburn is producing low-carbon fuel from corn using cutting-edge technology. This powerhouse facility is North Dakota resourcefulness at its best!
The OBBB helps nursing homes like the Richardton Health Center by eliminating the Biden administration's minimum staffing mandate. As the North Dakota Long Term Care Association put it, "with severe workforce shortages—especially in rural areas—this mandate could force closures and limit care for those who need it most." Now that the bill is law, nursing homes no longer have this one-size-fits-all mandate. Click here to watch Mandy Robinson, Administrator of the Richardton Health Center, explain what this means to her.
- The everyday challenges facing North Dakota’s economy and the opportunities that come with the OBBB are top of mind for the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber members. We had a long and dynamic discussion with these folks in July.
- My first in-person office hours in Fargo generated great conversations with constituents ranging from legislative ideas (with bill text written and all!) and farm policy to Medicaid reforms and immigration issues. Since then, we've hosted meetings with North Dakotans in Bismarck and Dickinson. Look for more office hours across the state this fall.
- More than 800 North Dakotans joined the fourth Fedorchak Forum to discuss health care reforms in the OBBB, protecting property rights, fiscal responsibility, education funding, and other issues of concern. Click here to read a summary of everything discussed.
"While there will be changes to people’s experiences on Medicaid over the next couple of years as we implement the requirements, we hope they will be good additions to the program,” Aker said. “If people are compliant, if people meet the eligibility requirements, they will stay covered.” – Sarah Aker, executive director of medical services for the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, in the North Dakota Monitor |
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