U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today released the following statement after President Obama vetoed the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): “Today the president demonstrated he is willing to put politics ahead of the security of our nation by vetoing this bipartisan bill. This veto jeopardizes funding for the Long... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today requested an update from Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell on a pending Indian Health Services (IHS) regulation that would extend access to IHS contract care. The pending regulation would expand Medicare-like rate payment methodologies to all health care services contracted under... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today released the following statement after Senate Democrats blocked a bill that would protect families and communities from the dangers posed by sanctuary cities, which harbor criminals who are in this country illegally. “Sanctuary policies have allowed thousands of dangerous criminals to return to... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement in response to a nationwide stay of the implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule: “The Obama EPA’s WOTUS rule – one of the largest federal land grabs in history – was dealt... Continue Reading
This week, in a bipartisan vote, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee advanced the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act, legislation introduced by U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). The bipartisan NATIVE Act would enhance and integrate native tourism, empower native communities, and expand unique... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today applauded the administration’s decision to only consider the most relevant nutritional science in determining the 2015 dietary guidelines, which is consistent with statutory guidelines, and reject the advisory committee’s earlier inconsistent conclusions and recommendations regarding the role of lean red meat in a healthy... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on a bipartisan basis: “As conflict spreads throughout the Middle East, we need a military that is strong, ready, and well-equipped. The bipartisan defense bill the Senate passed today is critical... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) today reintroduced the Family Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation to remove barriers currently preventing health care professionals from volunteering their services at cost-effective, high-quality primary and preventative health care facilities, known as Community Health Centers (CHCs). The Family Health Care Accessibility... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today received an update from Dr. Nigel Lockyer, director of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), based in Batavia, Illinois, on the progress of the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) that will facilitate the Deep Underground... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) today placed a friendly wager on this weekend’s matchup between the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Jackrabbits and the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Bison football teams. The Division I rivalry game has become known as the Dakota Marker game, and... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today denounced the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of a final rule to lower the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, or smog. The new standard would be set at an unprecedented 70 parts-per-billion (ppb), down from the 75 ppb standard set... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after Senate Democrats blocked H.R. 2029, a bill that funds veterans’ health services and benefits, military housing and family support, and hospital and military construction. “This legislation has historically been one of the most bipartisan of all the funding bills... Continue Reading
