U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today reintroduced the Prioritizing Help to Businesses Act, legislation to allocate additional H-2B visas to states with the lowest unemployment rates. Specifically, the bill would set aside up to 2,500 H-2B visas for states at or below 3.5 percent unemployment, with a capped increase of 25 percent... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) today reintroduced the Railroad Rehabilitation and Financing Innovation Act, legislation to improve the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program by providing dedicated funding for RRIF financing costs, streamlining the application... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today discussed his priorities to help agriculture producers weather the COVID-19 pandemic and the ways he will continue to provide support for our nation’s farmers and ranchers. Thune said he believes recently confirmed Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) today reintroduced the Network Security Trade Act, legislation to ensure U.S. communications infrastructure security is a clear negotiating objective of our country’s trade policy. “There... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed Democrats’ recently introduced resolution calling for President Biden to forgive $50,000 of student loan debt per American. While high college costs and student debt are a problem, Thune does not believe that blanket loan forgiveness is the answer. He proposed alternative solutions such... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) today reintroduced the Strengthening Local Processing Act, bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would provide much-needed federal support to America’s small meat and poultry processors and help strengthen and streamline their operations. The... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today reintroduced the Tribal Transportation Equity and Transparency Improvement Act, legislation to increase tribal transportation funding flexibility and improve the transparency and consistency of the Tribal Transportation Program’s administration and data... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed Senate Democrats’ push to include a liberal wish list of agenda items in their partisan COVID relief package. Thune noted that of the five COVID relief bills that have already become law, all of them passed with strong bipartisan support. He urged Democrats... Continue Reading
U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and John Thune (R-SD), as well as Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI), are leading a bipartisan group of their colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to issue new clarifications that would ensure more farmers and ranchers are eligible... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today released the following statement regarding the conclusion of the Senate impeachment trial: “The impeachment trial is over and former President Trump has been acquitted. My vote to acquit should not be viewed as exoneration for his conduct on January 6, 2021, or in the... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today introduced an amendment to the budget resolution that would provide Congress a means to better protect mobile and remote workers from unfair tax burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Doctors and nurses who voluntarily crossed state lines to help... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today voiced his disappointment in President Biden’s decision to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, which has served as a prominent source of oil and energy for the U.S. The cancellation potentially jeopardizes the stability of the country’s affordable energy supply and eliminates good-paying jobs for... Continue Reading
