April 26th was a great day for South Dakota farmers and ranchers as two key events occurred in Washington, D.C. that will help our agriculture community breathe a little easier. After months of work with my colleagues on the Senate Agriculture Committee, the Committee passed its version of the 2012... Continue Reading
Spring has arrived and many of us will begin taking on outdoor home improvement projects. Whether you are fixing an old fence, putting in underground sprinklers, or simply expanding your garden, digging beneath the ground can pose serious risks to safety and property if not done properly. Each year, Americans... Continue Reading
Over the past several years, the growing pine beetle epidemic has devastated parts of South Dakota’s landscape, including the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF). This epidemic has not only ravaged our countryside, but it has led to economic loss for the entire state and created unsafe conditions for residents and... Continue Reading
As tax day approaches, I am reminded of a quote by Benjamin Franklin: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” The loss of a loved one is an especially difficult time for family members. The grieving process becomes even more difficult and prolonged... Continue Reading
Thousands of children throughout South Dakota have lived without one, and in some cases, both of their parents while they are serving in the U.S. military far away from home. These quiet warriors face an array of stresses that most children will never have to consider, including anxiety about the... Continue Reading
After formally rejecting the Keystone XL Pipeline outright in January of this year, President Obama recently traveled to Cushing, Oklahoma, to announce an “expedited” process to approve the southern 29 percent of the 1,700-mile Pipeline from Cushing to the Gulf of Mexico—the segment that does not require presidential approval. Ironically,... Continue Reading
On the eve of the second anniversary of the passage of the sweeping health care law, Americans are evaluating the impact the law has had on cost and quality of care in our country. When Washington began debating changes to health care in this country, Americans were promised legislation that... Continue Reading
In March of 2010, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi infamously stated, “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it” regarding President Obama’s signature piece of legislation. Two years later, America is indeed finding out what was in that controversial bill and the... Continue Reading
The sun is a-risingTo welcome the day.High-ho!Come to the fair! When my brother and I heard those lyrics in crystal clear soprano, we usually pulled the pillow over our heads. It meant that our mother was trying to rustle us out of bed in the morning. She had a way... Continue Reading
During the 2008 presidential election, then-candidate Obama stated that under his policies, energy costs would necessarily “skyrocket.” That same year, when national gasoline prices hit an all-time high of $4.11 per gallon, then-candidate Obama also said that he “would have preferred a gradual adjustment” to higher gasoline prices. After three... Continue Reading
Job creation and economic growth continue to be the subject of national discussion as America’s unemployment rate has hovered over eight percent for the past 36 straight months and the national economy remains stagnant due to a crippling national debt, and excessive taxation and regulations on U.S. job creators. During... Continue Reading
A recent Gallup poll found that 85 percent of small businesses in this country are not hiring and when asked why, nearly half of those businesses said it was due to the president’s signature health care law and concern over new government regulations. I believe there is no better example... Continue Reading
