The recent blizzard that blanketed communities across South Dakota with a fresh layer of the white stuff was a harsh reminder that Mother Nature’s winter grip remains strong. Punxsutawney Phil didn’t do us any favors either. So, while snow still covers a vast majority of the state, spring will be... Continue Reading
I’ve often said that my Senate committee assignments put me in a unique position to give issues that are important to South Dakota the attention they deserve, and there are plenty of results to show for it. For example, my spot on the Agriculture Committee allows me to advocate for... Continue Reading
Exactly two weeks after the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law, which represents the first major successful tax reform effort in a generation, business after business was lining up to announce they were awarding bonuses to more than 1 million workers around the country. More take-home pay... Continue Reading
It was September 1988 – nearly 30 years ago today – when the torch was lit over Seoul, South Korea, for the Summer Olympic Games, which took place just a short distance away from where the Winter Olympic Games are being held this year in Pyeongchang. Athletes from around the... Continue Reading
Recently in the Senate, we took a vote on an important human rights bill, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This bill would protect unborn children who have reached the age of 20 weeks – that’s five months of pregnancy – from being killed by abortion. Right now, there are... Continue Reading
One of the most fundamental jobs we have in Congress is to ensure that the federal government – including the military and the brave men and women who support it – is funded and operational. Unfortunately, Congress recently failed this basic legislative function because a significant number of my colleagues... Continue Reading
For folks who haven’t been following my “Thune Farm Bill” effort in the Senate, thanks to the help of stakeholder groups and individual farmers and ranchers throughout South Dakota, we made significant progress last year as we laid important groundwork for the 2018 farm bill. The current farm bill expires... Continue Reading
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which became law just before the beginning of the new year, is already working for South Dakotans and the rest of the American people. When we were debating it in Congress – myself, as a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee and the... Continue Reading
The Republican-led Congress had a successful 2017. We confirmed a record number of the president’s nominees to fill circuit court judgeships, and we confirmed Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. We used the Congressional Review Act a record number of times to roll back burdensome regulations implemented by the... Continue Reading
The Senate Republican majority has made significant progress this year on behalf of the American people. We’ve confirmed numerous executive and judicial branch nominees, rolled back burdensome government regulations, laid important groundwork for the 2018 farm bill, repealed one of the fundamental pillars of Obamacare, and we delivered pro-growth tax... Continue Reading
As Congress enters the homestretch here in 2017, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to head back to South Dakota in the coming weeks to spend the holiday season with my friends and family. There are few things in life that are as important as spending time with those you... Continue Reading
The term “historic” is a bit of a relative term, I suppose. In most cases, it’s in the eye of the beholder. “History,” on the other hand, is far more finite. It either is or it isn’t. All of the actions we take in Congress eventually become part of history,... Continue Reading
