U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today urged Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary David Shulkin to more prominently feature the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), a suicide crisis telephone line for veterans, families of veterans, and military personnel, on VA.gov. Specifically, it recommends that the VCL be displayed in the first... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement regarding passage of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (H.R. 3364), legislation that gives the Trump administration an essential tool for deterring threats from Iran and North Korea and expands current U.S. sanctions on Russia. “The continued hostile... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) met this week with Christopher Wray, President Trump’s nominee to be director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). “After meeting with Christopher Wray, I am confident he is the right person to lead the thousands of dedicated men and women at the FBI who... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today received important feedback on his 2018 farm bill proposals, including his bill to modernize and target commodity assistance and his Soil Health Improvement Protection Program (SHIPP), a short-term acreage conserving use program.... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the Senate agreed to move forward on legislation to repeal the failing Obamacare law: “For seven years, we’ve watched the bad Obamacare news pile up, from lost health care plans to soaring premiums and dwindling choices. Americans all across the... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would immediately allow emergency haying and grazing on more than 450,000 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in South Dakota that are categorized as... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) today introduced S. 1532, the No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act and S. 1536, the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, of which all three senators introducing the... Continue Reading
Bill Ewing, pastor of Christian Life Ministries in Rapid City, today served as the U.S. Senate guest chaplain. U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) nominated Ewing for this honor. “I want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to welcome today to the United States Senate, Pastor Bill Ewing,” said Thune.... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, today introduced the New Economy Works to Guarantee Independence and Growth (NEW GIG) Act of 2017 (S. 1549), legislation that addresses the classification of workers – independent contractors versus employees – and creates a safe harbor for... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today, after last week’s successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile by the North Korean regime, addressed North Korea’s increasing threat to the United States. Thune called for military deterrence against a nuclear-capable North Korea. Thune also discussed the ongoing failures of Obamacare and the... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted a request to allow emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres beginning July 16, which is more than two weeks ahead of... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, issued the following statement after the Commerce Committee approved the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization Act of 2017. As the Working Group on Improving Air Service to Small Communities recently recommended, the bill includes a Thune-led... Continue Reading
