Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota announced Wednesday that he suffered a serious injury to his right hand and is potentially facing amputation.
The Republican lawmaker said he was working in his yard over the weekend when he sustained the injury that required immediate surgery, and may result in losing one or more fingers.
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“I continue to remain in North Dakota close to medical care as there is a high risk of infection and the possible need for amputation,” Cramer said in a statement. “I am alert and in good spirits.”
Cramer did not specify the kind of injury.
The injury means Cramer will miss the remaining days of votes and hearings this week.
Cramer promised to communicate with his Washington office.
“Although I am missing this week of votes and hearings, I am monitoring Senate business closely and in constant contact with my colleagues and staff,” he wrote. “I plan to return to Washington… and expect to be doing a lot of left-handed fist bumps.”
The Senate goes into recess after Friday week to celebrate the Fourth of July. The chamber is currently advancing a bipartisan gun control bill, which is predicted to pass the chamber by the end of the week.
In other words, Cramer appears likely to miss the vote on this bill.
The landmark package, Congress’ response to mass shootings in Texas and New York that shook the nation, did not receive Cramer’s support. He and other Republican senators expressed criticism of the package’s inclusion of “red flag” laws that make it easier to temporarily take firearms from people adjudged dangerous Nineteen states mostly dominated by Democrats and the District of Columbia have them, but Republicans have blocked efforts in Congress to pass federal legislation on the subject.
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“If we’re not going to pass a federal red flag law, and we shouldn’t, why would we incentivize states to do something that we think is a bad idea?” Cramer told AP last week.
Cramer has represented North Dakota in the Senate since 2019, after defeating incumbent Democrat Heidi Heitkamp. Previously, he represented the state’s sole congressional district in the House, and he held several executive positions in state government and in the state’s chapter of the Republican Party.
He endorsed eventual President Donald Trump early in the 2016 Republican primaries, becoming one of the first congressmembers to do so.
He currently sits on the energy committee.
We at The Horn News are wishing the senator a speedy recovery.
Read Cramer’s full statement here —
A statement on my recent injury ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/tIEuPO9LJP
— Sen. Kevin Cramer (@SenKevinCramer) June 22, 2022
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.