Press Releases - Senator John Thune

Thune Launches Interactive Web Map Displaying Proposed EPA Overreach

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today launched a new interactive map on his website displaying South Dakota rivers, streams, wetlands, flood plains, and other waterways that could be under new federal regulation due to a proposed power-grab from the Obama administration. “The Obama EPA’s power-grab over small and seasonal... Continue Reading

Thune Statement on President’s Net Neutrality Announcement

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today made the following statement on the president’s call for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 to craft additional net neutrality regulations: “The president’s call... Continue Reading

Thune Calls on President to End Nearly Yearlong Vacancy at Helm of NHTSA

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today sent a letter to President Obama urging him to act swiftly by nominating a candidate to serve as administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Thune sent a similar letter... Continue Reading

Thune & Shuster Support Use of Civil Reserve Air Fleet to Aid Ebola Efforts

Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, urged President Obama to consider all existing options to protect U.S. citizens and deliver aid and resources to West Africa in the ongoing... Continue Reading

Thune Calls on Forest Service to Increase 2015 Investment in Timber Harvest Program

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service (FS) Chief Tom Tidwell calling on the FS to increase its 2015 investment in the timber harvest program to help fight mountain pine beetle infestation and maintain forest health in the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF).... Continue Reading

Thune & Shuster Call for Travel Ban in Response to Ebola Outbreak

To help contain the current outbreak of the Ebola virus, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Ranking Member John Thune (R-South Dakota) and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) today called for a temporary travel ban from affected West African countries. Additionally, Thune and Shuster have asked the... Continue Reading

Thune, Noem to FWS: Listing Bat as Endangered Threatens Forest Health, Jobs

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Representative Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Dan Ashe calling on the FWS to withdraw its proposed listing of the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) as... Continue Reading

Heitkamp, Thune Lead Bipartisan Group of Senators in Calling for Administration to Consider Rural Impact Before Finalizing Health Care Policies

U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota) and John Thune (R-South Dakota) today led a bipartisan group of 33 senators in sending a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Marilyn Tavenner expressing concern that federal regulations for health care facilities do not adequately consider the impact... Continue Reading

Thune Calls on Interior and Commerce Departments to Withdraw Endangered Species Act Rules

Today, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, along with a number of committee and subcommittee leaders, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker requesting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)... Continue Reading

Thune Applauds New STB Transparency Reporting Requirements For Railroads

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, made the following statement today regarding the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) new data reporting requirements: “I welcome the additional transparency the STB is seeking from the nation’s largest freight railroads as service delays continue... Continue Reading

Thune, Klobuchar Request Update on Implementation of Home Heating Fuel Bill

U.S. Senators John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) sent a letter today to the acting administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Scott Darling, and the administrator of the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Adam Sieminski, calling... Continue Reading

Thune’s Office Accepting Spring Internship Applications

Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) is currently seeking intelligent, hard-working college students to serve as spring interns in his office in Washington, D.C., as well as in his offices in Aberdeen, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls. Interns in Thune’s state offices will participate in constituent service and state outreach activities,... Continue Reading