The U.S. Senate today passed Senator John Thune’s amendment to S. 2731, a $50 billion foreign assistance bill. The Thune amendment redirects $1 billion in funding for law enforcement and improved health care in Indian Country as well as $1 billion for water projects on reservations across the nation. Under... Continue Reading
The U.S. Senate tomorrow is scheduled to pass Senator John Thune’s amendment to S. 2731, a $50 billion foreign assistance bill. The Thune amendment redirects $1 billion in funding for law enforcement and improved health care in Indian Country as well as $1 billion for water projects on reservations across... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today praised a study released by South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long. The study compiles data from both state and federal law enforcement entities and attempts to identify the perpetrators of violent crime in Indian Country. “In order to combat the serious problem of crime in Indian... Continue Reading
Last night U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and John Thune (R-SD) introduced a bill (S. 3251) which would ensure eligible farmers suffering crop losses would receive advance disaster payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in the calendar year crop losses occur. Grassley and Thune and other members of... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2009 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) bill and the Energy and Water Appropriation bill – both of which include important funding priorities for South Dakota. “Today’s committee passage of these important funding... Continue Reading
Yesterday Senator John Thune visited the Standing Rock Reservation to see first-hand the work being done as a result of Operation Dakota Peacekeeper. Senator Thune was given a tour by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Chairman Ron His Horse Is Thunder, Director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune made the following statement today regarding the Senate Democrats’ filibuster that resulted in $2 billion in LIHEAP funding being removed from a spending bill: “Today’s action by the Senate Democrats will deprive South Dakota’s neediest from crucial emergency heating funds. This winter’s freezing temperatures have put an... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune made the following statement today regarding the Senate Democrats’ filibuster against expanding oil production in Alaska, which would provide long-term funding for LIHEAP, as well as $2 billion for immediate LIHEAP funding: “Senate Democrats are obstructing an effort to pass legislation that provides America a chance to... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune made the following statement today regarding a procedural move by the Senate Democrats to delay legislation to trim nearly $40 billion from the national deficit: “Today we saw the Democrats in the Senate play politics with the wellbeing of the American people. They used an obscure procedural... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today joined a select bipartisan group of Senators in meeting with President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Rice, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, National Security Advisor Hadley and other top Administration officials at the White House to discuss ongoing efforts in Iraq. “With South Dakotan soldiers and... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today made the following statement regarding the announcement by Japan to lift their ban on U.S. beef: “It looks like our efforts to pressure Japan to reopen its market have finally paid off. This long-overdue decision by Japan to open their market to U.S. produced beef is... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today toured parts of Southeastern South Dakota that were heavily impacted by the recent winter storm. Thune surveyed the damage, and visited with local officials to ensure they are receiving the aid they need to continue to help South Dakotans in their area recover. “Today I had... Continue Reading
