Senator John Thune this week cosponsored S. 2253, legislation that would open up certain areas within Lease Sale 181 in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration. Today the Senate Energy Committee passed this legislation, which will now be sent to the Senate floor for consideration. Lease Sale... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today joined Senators Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee; James Inhofe (R-OK), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee; and Craig Thomas (R-WY) at a press conference to discuss ways to reduce America’s dependence on oil. The press conference followed a... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune voted in favor of legislation passed by the Senate today accelerating $1 billion in FY 2007 LIHEAP funds, so that it can be used this winter to curtail anticipated emergency funding shortages. “This action will accelerate the distribution of critical LIHEAP funds to those states that need... Continue Reading
Senators Tim Johnson and John Thune, and Representative Stephanie Herseth today sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne expressing their strong support for the Air Force Financial Services Center (AFFSC) to be located at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The letter highlights some of the advantages to... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-SD) today voted in favor of legislation to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act, saving certain critical national security provisions from expiring on March 10. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 89-10. “Today’s passage of legislation to re-authorize the Patriot Act was essential for safeguarding... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune has signed a letter with Senate colleagues to encourage Senate Armed Services Chairman Senator John Warner (R-VA) to increase top-line funding for the Department of Defense. U.S. Senators Jim Talent (R-MO), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Trent Lott (R-MS), Olympia Snow (R-ME), James Inhofe (R-OK), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), and... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today applauded the Army Corps of Engineers decision not to conduct a spring pulse this month due to the continued low water levels along the Missouri River system. “This is good news in the ongoing issue of management of the Missouri River,” Thune said. “The water levels... Continue Reading
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a proposed rule that would update the Clean Air Act to meet today’s energy needs and bolster ethanol production across the country. This rule is subject to a 60-day comment period. The current Clean Air Act, originally written before the ethanol industry... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune yesterday made a direct appeal to the Director of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program to waive a requirement that is currently impeding the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation from receiving much-needed COPS funding to fight crime and drug abuse. Current regulations require Pine Ridge to match... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today condemned Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) for his derogatory remarks against the state of South Dakota. In a FORTUNE article, published online yesterday (http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/27/news/economy/railroad_fortune/), Senator Mark Dayton launched an unprovoked attack against the people of South Dakota when he said, “[t]he Mayo Clinic is worth a hell... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune made the following comments today after Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) issued Thune an apology for his disparaging remarks about South Dakota: “For months now, Senator Dayton has been attacking me personally. Just this morning in one of our nation’s largest newspapers, Senator Dayton went so far as... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune praised the findings of a study sponsored by The Tax Foundation that ranked South Dakota’s business-friendly tax climate the second best in the country. “This is great news for South Dakota but not a surprise to the thousands of business owners across the state who take advantage... Continue Reading
