With the holiday season in full swing, many of us will be traveling to celebrate the season with family and friends. In South Dakota, this often means many miles in the car to be with family and loved ones. While the recent drop in energy prices is welcome news for... Continue Reading
All holidays give us a special opportunity to spend time with family and friends, but Thanksgiving in many ways is special. While we take time to give thanks for our good fortune, we should also remember those people who bring joy into our lives. It is impossible, however, to count... Continue Reading
The times when the U.S. Senate is out of session give me the opportunity to travel extensively in the state and gather valuable input from South Dakotans regarding their views on various matters. The time I have spent in South Dakota in October and November has been particularly informative and... Continue Reading
November is the month when Americans look back and remember all of the blessings of the year. It is also the month when we set aside a day to celebrate those who have given so much in defense of our country: our military veterans. Upon reflection, we quickly realize that... Continue Reading
We recognize heroes in all shapes and sizes from all walks of life, but there are also heroes who garner less attention than others. Some heroes who too often get overlooked are those families who open their hearts and homes to children through adoption. November is National Adoption Month, and... Continue Reading
South Dakota towns, both large and small, are great places to live, to work, and to raise families. Like towns and cities everywhere, however, there are problems that endanger lives and can tear at the fabric of our communities. South Dakota has a tragically high rate of methamphetamine abuse, and... Continue Reading
As I traveled throughout South Dakota during the month of October, I’ve had the privilege of visiting several schools to speak with students of all ages and their teachers. Wherever I go, I am impressed by the dedication our of state’s teachers and administrators. My father was a teacher and... Continue Reading
American history is full of colorful examples of public resentment of taxes. The Boston Tea Party is perhaps the most famous display of taxpayer outrage, and a revolt against whiskey taxes nearly tore our young nation apart during the presidency of George Washington. This is not a phenomenon unique to... Continue Reading
I have found that when you ask a non-South Dakotan what they associate our state with, most of the time they respond, “Mount Rushmore.” This makes sense. We are the Mount Rushmore State; it’s written on our flag. For many who call our state home, however, another notable icon is... Continue Reading
There are few symbols of the cost of our freedom as potent as the Gold Star service flag, which adorns the homes of those families who have lost a loved one in service to our country. Every year, our nation takes the last Sunday in September to honor those families,... Continue Reading
When a person is in good health it can be easy to forget that there are many people in South Dakota and across the nation who overcome disabilities every day. As a Senator, I have the opportunity to meet with various groups representing Americans with disabilities, and I never cease... Continue Reading
Mark Twain once wrote, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Many South Dakotans surely know, or are themselves, people who embody Twain’s adage. Like many people my age, I am starting to consider exactly what these words mean as I discover... Continue Reading
