Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today called for the resignation of Acting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Steven Miller following the release of a report last night from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) on the shameful targeting of conservative groups. “After reviewing the official IRS IG report released... Continue Reading
Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) today introduced legislation to remove barriers currently preventing health care professionals from volunteering their services at cost-effective, high quality, primary and preventative health care facilities known as Community Health Centers (CHCs). The Family Health Care Accessibility Act (S. 955) would amend the... Continue Reading
The States’ Water Rights Act, an amendment sponsored by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and cosponsored by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.), today passed in the U.S. Senate. The measure blocks the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from charging residents and... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued a statement following the Senate Agriculture Committee’s markup of the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013: “Today’s markup is just the beginning of drafting the 2013 Farm Bill,” said Thune. “The current climate of budgetary and fiscal restraint requires that we subject... Continue Reading
Following press reports indicating Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius solicited funds from health care executives to assist with the implementation of the President’s health law, Senate Finance Committee Republicans are demanding answers. In a letter spearheaded by Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the Senators asked for a top... Continue Reading
Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), and Representatives Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) today sent a letter to the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mary Jo White, urging the SEC to move forward with the proposed rule to implement Section 201 of... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today reacted to the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) admission that it inappropriately targeted conservative political groups for additional screening and scrutiny: “Chicago-style politics strikes again. The specific targeting of groups or organizations by a government agency due to the... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today released the following statement ahead of President Obama’s health care speech to women later this afternoon: “Instead of delivering another stump speech, President Obama should finally level with the American people about the true consequences of his signature... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) in introducing an amendment (S.Amdt. 862) to the Water Resources Development Act (S. 601) to prevent the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from implementing their proposal to restrict access to Missouri River water and charge users for water taken from... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today praised the Air Force’s announcement that it plans to alter its previous decision to ground B-1B Lancer bombers at Ellsworth and once again begin flying B-1 training missions on a limited basis starting May 1, 2013. On April 12, 2013, the Air Force had announced... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) yesterday sent a letter along with several of his colleagues to Acting U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador, Demetrios Marantis, and Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Rebecca Blank, urging them to evaluate a recent decision by the European Commission (E.C.) to impose a country-wide... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today led an effort to send a letter to Senators Jack Reed (D-RI.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, urging the Senators to prioritize pine beetle forest management over land acquisition when they... Continue Reading
