Senator John Thune today applauded the announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that the South Dakota eHealth Collaborative, a group of hospitals, clinics, physicians, insurers, and other health organizations across the state, has been selected for the Electronic Health Records demonstration project. The project provides financial... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today met with Jin Ha Hwang, Teag-Ky Kwon, Sang Hyun Yoon, and Dalgon Lee, Members of the Korean National Assembly, South Korea’s legislative body, which is similar to the U.S. Congress. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the necessity of South Korea honoring its earlier... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today made the following statement after Governor Rounds declared a state of emergency after recent flooding: “I support Governor Rounds’ effort to request federal assistance on behalf of the South Dakotans recently affected by flooding. I will do everything I can to help at the federal level... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today commented on the announcement that the Air Force’s Air Combat Command is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement to determine potential impacts of the proposed expansion of the Powder River Training Complex, which is regularly used for Ellsworth Air Force Base’s B-1 training. “This study is a... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune announced today that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has awarded $2 million to Lawrence County. The funds will be used to pave the extension of the primary runway at Spearfish’s Clyde Ice Field following the $5 million in federal funding that was awarded last year. “The extension... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune has announced that Jafar Karim of Sioux Falls has been nominated by President Bush to serve as South Dakota State Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Rural Development. Karim was recommended for the position by Senator Thune. “Jafar’s experience with economic development issues... Continue Reading
Senator Thune issued the below statement after the United States Senate passed all 15 titles of the 2008 Farm Bill (H.R. 6124) by a veto proof margin of 77 to 15. The House of Representatives passed the bill on May 22, 2008. A clerical error last month resulted in only... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today praised the commencement of “Operation Dakota Peacekeeper,” a Bureau of Indian Affairs project to increase the presence of law enforcement of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. “Reported incidents of violent crime on the Standing Rock Reservation are six times the national average,” said Thune. “The Bureau... Continue Reading
Senator Thune today expressed concern regarding the South Korean government’s decision to delay the importation of U.S. beef. The delay comes months after U.S. and Korean negotiators formed an agreement that would lift South Korea’s ban on U.S. beef that has been in place since 2003. “The American cattle industry... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today urged South Dakotans to use the 30-day comment period to voice their opposition to efforts to reduce the renewable fuels standard (RFS). On April 26th, an official waiver request was submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If the waiver request is granted, the RFS would... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune yesterday sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service Chief Gail Kimball urging the completion of a comprehensive prairie dog management plan for South Dakota’s Conata Basin. “The Forest Service announced that a prairie dog management plan was in the works nearly two years ago,” said Thune. “The... Continue Reading
Senator Thune today released the below statement after the Senate voted to override President Bush’s Farm Bill veto by a count of 82 to 13. Prior to the override vote in the Senate, the House of Representatives voted 306 to 110 to override the President’s veto. Under the Constitution, a... Continue Reading
