Press Releases

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the release of proposed Obamacare rate increases for South Dakota for 2017: “The proposed Obamacare rate increases show that the president’s law continues to be anything but affordable. Some plans have proposed rate increases as high as 36 percent,” said... Continue Reading

SIOUX FALLS — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today delivered the keynote address at the South Dakota Technology Showcase in Sioux Falls. One of Thune’s top priorities as chairman of the Commerce Committee has been to ensure rural South Dakota... Continue Reading

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after Senate Democrats blocked essential funding for veterans benefits and combating the Zika virus.  “At a time when the Zika virus is posing a significant public health threat to an increasing number of Americans, especially would-be mothers, Senate Democrats have chosen... Continue Reading

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced legislation cosponsored by Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) that would facilitate a federal-state land exchange that includes nearly 2,000 acres of federally owned land in the Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake areas and nearly 2,000 acres of land in four separate state-owned parcels. U.S.... Continue Reading

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Pat Roberts (R-Kans.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) today introduced the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Regulatory Relief Act (S. 3173), legislation that would provide regulatory flexibility and hardship relief to providers and hospitals operating under the meaningful... Continue Reading

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today met with members of the Delta Air Lines executive team to discuss why a recent Delta Air Lines flight flying from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Rapid City failed to land at its intended destination, Rapid... Continue Reading

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the Republican-led Senate passed legislation to help prevent heroin and prescription painkiller abuse and expand treatment options for the millions of Americans struggling with opioid addiction. “An epidemic of heroin and prescription painkiller abuse is sweeping our nation, wrecking... Continue Reading

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.), members of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, today introduced the S Corporation Modernization Act of 2016 (S. 3181), legislation that would make several pro-growth reforms to help S corporations operate more easily, which would improve their ability to raise capital. S... Continue Reading

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement on the Senate’s bipartisan passage of his FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 by a vote of 89-4. The bill, which will provide important, time-sensitive safety and security improvements... Continue Reading

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) issued the following statements after the Senate passed the United States Appreciation for Olympians and Paralympians (USA Olympians and Paralympians) Act (S. 2650), legislation that would exempt Team USA from being taxed by the Internal Revenue Service on medals or... Continue Reading