U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced legislation that would create an independent ombudsman position within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) that would be tasked with establishing a methodology for resolving certain complaints levied by veterans, their family members or designated caregivers, VA... 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 wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt to request feedback on... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) issued the following statements after the Senate unanimously approved the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act, bipartisan legislation that will enhance and integrate native tourism, empower native communities, and expand unique cultural tourism opportunities in the United States. ... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the state of Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities in the Great Plains area and the need to hold the agency accountable. In February, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing, in which Thune participated, that examined the failures in patient care at... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) today introduced the Veterans’ Disability Compensation Automatic Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Act, bipartisan legislation that would require the federal government to provide disabled veterans with an automatic COLA in years when there is an increase in benefits payable under title II... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) this week recognized personnel at the Rapid City Police Department and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office for their service to the community. Thune remarked on the significant decline in Rapid City’s crime rates after an aggressive, years-long campaign conducted by Rapid City law enforcement officers.... Continue Reading
Bishop Paul J. Swain, eighth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, today served as the U.S. Senate’s “Chaplain for a Day.” U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) nominated Bishop Swain for this honor. “He is a pillar of our community and a spiritual leader to over 100,000 Catholics in... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, applauded the committee’s adoption of the Taxpayer Protection Act, which included numerous taxpayer protection provisions he authored with Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). Several provisions of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Enhancement Act, a separate bill Thune and... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after the Senate passed the bipartisan Energy Policy Modernization Act (S. 2012), legislation that would modernize energy policy and help maximize development in this economic sector. Included in the final bill was a Thune provision to create a coordinating subcommittee... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today applauded the Senate’s adoption of the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act, legislation they introduced earlier this session that would facilitate a permanent land transfer of approximately 200 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to expand the Black... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today applauded the Senate’s passage of his bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2016 (S. 2658), which makes important reforms to protect consumers and enhance airport security in South Dakota and throughout the... Continue Reading
