By Amy Dalrymple | Editor
“I think that we just need to slow down on this a little bit.” - Holly Burch of Mandan, a member of a Morton County planning and zoning subcommittee, on the pace of data center development in North Dakota.
The meeting room for a new legislative committee to study artificial intelligence and data centers was standing room only on July 15, 2026. More than 70 members of the public were in attendance. (Photo by Jacob Orledge/North Dakota Monitor)
By Jacob Orledge
More than 70 members of the public filled every seat and stood shoulder to shoulder on the side of the room Wednesday as a new North Dakota legislative committee held its first meeting focused on artificial intelligence and data centers.
Rep. Jonathan Warrey, R-Casselton, chair of the committee, was aware of the interest and announced that written testimony will be accepted. That typically is not the case for interim committees. The written submissions will be linked in the meeting minutes.
The lion’s share of the public comment provided over the course of 50 minutes focused on concerns with data centers being constructed in North Dakota. Multiple speakers told the committee they do not feel their voices are being heard when a data center is developed in their area.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 that a new budget reconciliation process would provide a way for Congress to change how elections work and appropriate more funding for defense. In this photo, Johnson answers reporters’ questions after holding a press conference on Jan. 13, 2026. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)
By Jennifer Shutt
U.S. House Republicans released their latest budget resolution Wednesday, the first step in a long and complicated process that could allow Congress to approve a third party-line bill.
The 47-page document, once adopted by both chambers, would send instructions to four House committees to draft bills that would be bundled into a roughly $95 billion package.
The Administration Committee could provide a maximum of $10 billion that would likely create a grant program for states that institute voter identification requirements.
The Agriculture Committee would be able to spend no more than $12 billion for farm aid.
The Armed Services Committee could write a bill that gives the Defense Department a maximum of $60 billion to account for increased costs related to the war with Iran and other military actions taken by the Trump administration.
The Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence would be able to approve up to $13 billion in new spending.
Vegetables and lettuces at a grocery store in Michigan. Michigan health officials say lettuces and salad greens are emerging as a likely source in the nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak, which has sickened hundreds of people across 31 states. (Photo by Jon King/Michigan Advance)
By Anna Claire Vollers
As state and federal officials work to identify the source of the recent outbreak of the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, Michigan health officials have identified lettuces or salad greens as one potential culprit.
Officials cautioned they haven’t ruled out other food items as the source. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 1,645 cases in 34 states, but that is a significant undercount based on the numbers being reported by state health officials.
The CDC as of Tuesday had not identified any cases in North Dakota, but had in neighboring Minnesota.
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FROM STATES NEWSROOM
Mike Lindell takes selfies with people July 1, 2026, ahead of President Donald Trump's speech at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre in Medora, N.D. (Photo by Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)
By Michelle Griffith
President Donald Trump endorsed Mike Lindell for Minnesota governor Wednesday, boosting the MyPillow CEO’s campaign weeks before the Aug. 11 GOP primary.
Lindell is squaring off against House Speaker Lisa Demuth and retired health care executive and Army veteran Kendall Qualls, who won the endorsement at the state GOP convention in the spring.
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