Press Releases - Senator John Thune

Thune Applauds Release of DOT Emergency Funds to Aid Infrastructure Repairs From June Flooding

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for providing $750,000 in quick release emergency relief funds to South Dakota to help repair roads and bridges damaged in the June flooding. The funding will be used to make repairs in two locations on SD-19... Continue Reading

Thune Bipartisan Bill to Permanently Block Taxes on Internet Access Overwhelmingly Passes House

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, today applauded the U.S. House of Representative’s broad bipartisan approval of the companion bill to his Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act (S. 1431), which he... Continue Reading

Thune Encourages Residents Impacted by Flooding in Minnehaha, Lincoln, Union Counties to Apply for SBA Disaster Assistance

Following the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) announcement that it rejected South Dakota’s request for individual assistance in Jerauld, Lincoln, and Union counties, Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) is encouraging South Dakota residents in Minnehaha, Lincoln, and Union Counties to consider applying for Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance. “While... Continue Reading

Johanns, Fischer, Thune Amendment Would Have Given States Authority Over Niobrara River, Ponca Bluffs

U.S. Senators Mike Johanns (R-Nebraska), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) and John Thune (R- South Dakota) today offered an amendment to legislation before the Senate that would give Nebraska and South Dakota authority over potential land acquisitions by the federal government along the Niobrara Confluence and Ponca Bluffs Conservation areas. Unfortunately, Sen. Majority... Continue Reading

Thune, Klobuchar Lead Bipartisan Group of Senators in Calling for Consumer-Friendly Labeling of Liquefied Natural Gas Fuel

Today, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), Chair of the Joint Economic Committee and a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, led a bipartisan group of 32 senators in sending a letter to U.S.... Continue Reading

Thune Offers Amendments to Sportsmen’s Bill

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today introduced several amendments to the bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act (S. 2363) on the Senate floor. Thune’s amendments would improve the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to save farmers and taxpayers money, redirect Forest Service funds to fight pine beetles and wildfires, and encourage elk hunting... Continue Reading

Black Hills Cemetery Bill Passes Senate

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today praised the Senate’s passage of H.R. 291, an identical House version of his bipartisan Black Hills Cemetery Act (S. 447). This legislation would transfer the ownership of nine historic cemeteries in the Black Hills from the U.S. Forest Service to local communities. Because... Continue Reading

Thune Statement Ahead of FCC E-Rate Vote

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today made the following statement on the upcoming July 11th Federal Communication Commission (FCC) vote on reforms proposed by Chairman Wheeler to E-Rate, a program intended to support communications services for schools and... Continue Reading

Delegation Urges President Obama to Declare a Major Disaster in Storm Damaged South Dakota Counties

U.S. Representative Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) and U.S. Senators Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota) and John Thune (R-South Dakota) today sent a letter to President Barack Obama requesting he declare a major disaster for Jerauld, Lincoln, and Union counties in South Dakota. The delegation’s letter also requests that the president instruct... Continue Reading

Thune Statement on Burwell v. Hobby Lobby SCOTUS Decision

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Obama administration’s attempt to restrict Americans’ religious freedom: “Today’s decision is a victory for religious freedom. Religious freedom is one of our most basic principles and the very first right mentioned in the... Continue Reading

Thune Home Heating Fuel Bill Signed into Law

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today applauded the enactment of his bipartisan legislation, the Reliable Home Heating Act (S. 2086). Thune’s bill, which he introduced earlier this year along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), will provide governors greater... Continue Reading

Thune Statement on Supreme Court’s Rebuke of Unconstitutional Recess Appointments

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Obama administration’s attempt to violate the separation of powers: “When the president couldn’t get his appointments through the Senate, he decided to ignore the law and... Continue Reading