U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), members of both the Senate Commerce Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee, today urged the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to continue to investigate reports of unreasonable practices by ocean carriers, including refusal to carry certain agriculture products from U.S. ports back to... Continue Reading
In the midst of a global pandemic, Americans would expect the White House to nominate someone with a public-health background or expertise in virology or vaccines to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. President Biden instead nominated California’s attorney general, Xavier Becerra, whose most notable health-care experience involves... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion COVID spending bill, noting that only 10 percent of the legislation is directly related to public health funding to combat COVID and that a large portion of it would contribute to their liberal wish list. Thune also underscored the... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today reintroduced legislation to improve child support enforcement for Native American tribes by allowing the 60 tribes that currently operate their own child... Continue Reading
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
