Since 2011, I have been raising concerns about a controversial proposal from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that would restrict access to Missouri River water and charge users for surplus water taken from Missouri River reservoirs in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana. When the Corps built the dams... Continue Reading
South Dakota has a proud legacy of military service, extending from some of our state’s earliest days to our current conflicts around the globe. South Dakotans of every background have always answered the call to defend America from those who seek to destroy the freedom that we cherish. I doubt... Continue Reading
I’ve been blessed with two incredible mothers in my life, one was my mother Pat Thune who passed away in March of last year, and the other is my wonderful wife Kimberley who is mother to our two beautiful daughters. Every Mother’s Day our family, along with millions of other... Continue Reading
The unnecessary flight delays experienced across the country due to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to furlough 47,000 employees, including 15,500 air traffic controllers, were avoidable. The administration has blamed these delays on the Budget Control Act (BCA), which passed in August of 2011 as a last-resort measure to... Continue Reading
Former Governor George S. Mickelson is a tough guy to forget. Twenty years after the tragic plane crash that claimed his life, it is still easy for those of us who knew him to tell stories about his striking personality and his zest for life. As the son of former... Continue Reading
Recently the March jobs numbers were released and it was more grim news for the American economy. We learned that nearly 500,000 Americans stopped looking for work, driving down the labor force participation rate to 63.3 percent, the lowest level since Jimmy Carter was president. In fact, if the labor... Continue Reading
As South Dakota’s largest industry, agriculture is not only the economic engine of our rural communities, it also provides jobs and opportunities across the United States. More than two million farmers and ranchers work hard each day to provide our nation with a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply. However,... Continue Reading
More than three years ago, Congress was embroiled in a debate over how to best address the growing cost of health insurance in our country. ObamaCare, which was signed into law in March of 2010, was pitched to the American people as a way to lower the cost of health... Continue Reading
Washington has long been embroiled in a debate over how to best to preserve and strengthen the Medicare program. Frequently we hear politicians discussing the need to cut costs while still ensuring that beneficiaries have access to the quality health care they need. Yet far too often we are left... Continue Reading
In December of 2012, my wife Kimberley, along with Senator Tim Johnson’s wife Barb, wrote an op-ed about the frustrations for many military spouses in obtaining a license or certification for their career as they move across state lines. Their article, along with the hard work of many throughout the... Continue Reading
Nearly every day I meet with groups, agencies, and organizations that are impacted by agriculture production. Some are ranchers and farmers, while others are bankers, car dealers, and lawyers, all of whom take a special interest in agriculture despite not always directly working in agriculture. All of them know that... Continue Reading
Washington has had more than a year to prepare for the across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester. For months, Congressional Republicans have been warning of the effects that these cuts could have on our national security. What few people realize is the sequester was actually President Obama’s idea. The... Continue Reading
