Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) and Representative Kevin Brady (R-Texas) today re-introduced legislation to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, better known as the death tax, to finally put an end to this punitive tax on family farms, ranches, and businesses upon the death of an owner. Thune and Brady’s bill,... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, issued a statement today following the Senate’s rejection of his border security amendment (S. Amdt. 1197) to the immigration reform bill (S. 744). Thune’s amendment would have required construction of approximately 350 miles of reinforced, double-layer fencing, which was required... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) issued statements today applauding a recent decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that will provide rural hospitals with the staffing flexibility needed in order to satisfy a federal emergency room “on call” staffing requirement. Thune and Udall, who have... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, has introduced several amendments designed to strengthen border security as part of the Immigration Reform Bill (S. 744). Below is a list of Thune’s amendments: (Amendment 1197) An amendment to require the construction of 700 miles of double-layered border fence.... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), along with U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.)– members of the Senate Rural Health Caucus – today introduced S. 1143, the Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTS) Act, to make sure that rural and other patients have access to a full... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today made the following statement regarding the Senate passage of the Agriculture Reform, Jobs and Food Act (S. 954): “The Senate missed an important opportunity today to improve federal agriculture policy by passing a Farm Bill with a problematic commodity title and which fails to rein... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced legislation to improve the federal Impact Aid program’s efficiency by permanently simplifying payment calculation, resulting in the ability for school districts to receive payments in a timelier manner. The Local Taxpayer Relief Act (S. 1108) would also improve the Impact Aid program to ensure... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) this week again called on the Obama administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to answer for leaking approximately 80,000 farmers and ranchers’ personal data to left-wing environmental groups. Thune joined a bipartisan group of senators in a letter to the EPA requesting answers on the leaked data.... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and member of the Senate Finance Committee, today sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew questioning whether Sarah Hall Ingram, the former commissioner of the office responsible for tax-exempt organizations between... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement regarding the National Park Service (NPS) decision to reverse its plans to close Wind Cave’s Elk Mountain Campground following the implementation of sequestration, and instead reopen the campground for the summer season. “Reopening the Elk Mountain Campground is the right decision... Continue Reading
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement after meeting with Secretary of Commerce nominee Penny Pritzker and Secretary of Transportation nominee Anthony Foxx today in his office: “I would like to thank both nominees for... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) today announced that the Black Hills Cemetery Act (S. 447) was passed by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. This bill would transfer the ownership of nine historic cemeteries in the Black Hills from the U.S. Forest Service to local communities. Johnson introduced this... Continue Reading
