WASHINGTON, D.C.— The U.S. Senate yesterday officially ratified U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee for the 114th Congress. Sen. Thune issued the following statement on taking the gavel for the committee: “It is an honor to serve as chairman of the... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today issued the following statement on the Nebraska Supreme Court decision on the Keystone XL pipeline: “The president’s litany of excuses for delaying the Keystone XL pipeline has hit yet another dead end. This court decision further erodes... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today introduced S. 38, the Helping Individuals Regain Employment Act (HIRE Act), a bill that would provide an incentive for employers to hire long-term unemployed Americans by permanently exempting those employees from the government-mandated ObamaCare employee count. “The HIRE... Continue Reading
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Representative Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) joined for the first photo in the 114th Congress of the new South Dakota Delegation this morning in Washington, D.C. This Congress marks the first time since 1962 that South Dakota is represented by an all-Republican... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) welcomed U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) to the South Dakota delegation following Rounds’s swearing in ceremony earlier today: “Mike is a solid, proven leader who will bring South Dakota common sense to the Senate and is a welcome addition to the South Dakota delegation. As... Continue Reading
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy calling on the EPA to withdraw its proposed regulations on existing power plants, citing the significant financial burdens it will impose on South Dakota consumers, as well as technical infeasibilities that will drive... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today joined CNN’s Wolf Blitzer to express his disappointment with President Obama’s threat to veto the bipartisan, job-creating Keystone XL pipeline legislation, should it pass Congress. “Well, that’s a disappointment to us, Wolf, and the president fails his... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and likely incoming chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today announced several staff changes on his Washington-based team. Should Thune be elected Commerce Committee chairman in January, he will be the first senator in 30... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, today commented on the passage of legislation to extend a host of expired tax measures, several of which are important to South Dakota: “While I’m disappointed the president stymied the bipartisan good-faith negotiations to make a number... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today released the following statement after receiving his committee assignments for the 114th session of Congress (2015-2016). Thune was selected to continue serving on the following committees: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Finance. Members of these committees will vote in... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today welcomed new and returning Republican members to the committee: “In the 114th Congress, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will work to advance solutions that help create jobs, grow the economy,... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today commented on the passage of the omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 and applauded the inclusion of a number of important South Dakota provisions: “I’m pleased the annual funding bill included a number of provisions important to South Dakota,” said Thune.... Continue Reading
