Senator John Thune today announced that the Air Force has selected Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City as one of four finalists to bed down two squadrons of Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) operations. This is part of a broader effort to increase the number of MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9... Continue Reading
Continuing efforts to make sure all of America’s veterans are taken care of when they return from combat U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and John Thune (R- SD) introduced legislation that will correct a flaw in current law that excludes some disabled Native American Veterans from housing assistance programs. The... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune last week joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Ranking Member Judd Gregg (R-NH) urging them to fully fund the tribal law enforcement and justice programs authorized as part of a foreign assistance bill... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune announced today that the Department of Interior would be sending 25 additional law enforcement officers to the Standing Rock Sioux reservation until permanent Bureau of Indian Affairs officers (BIA) can be hired and trained. “This is a necessary step for the safety and welfare of the people... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today expressed his gratitude on receiving the Ducks Unlimited Federal Elected Official Wetlands Conservation Achievement Award. The award recognizes Senator Thune’s leadership on wildlife habitat preservation efforts and other issues relating to waterfowl conservation. Senator Thune is the Vice Chairman of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus. “Responsible conservation... Continue Reading
The Senate Agriculture Committee today accepted Senator John Thune’s amendment to the Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Senator Thune’s amendment would set aside funding for research into hunger, obesity, and type 2 diabetes on Native American reservations and other tribal communities. The Agriculture Committee proceeded to pass the bill, clearing... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today made the following comments after the U. S. House of Representatives voted on the Democrats’ health care legislation: “After more than a year of watching unemployment skyrocket and deficits explode, President Obama and Congressional Democrats finally made good today on their threat to pass a health... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today commented on the Obama administration’s and Congressional Democrats’ plan to use reconciliation to end the private sector role in providing student loans as a way to pay for the out of control spending associated with their unpopular health care reform bill. Under the plan, the government... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today joined Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee, and Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in speaking on the Senate floor regarding the Democrat Majority’s plan to pass a health care reform bill through the budget reconciliation process. Senator Thune and his colleagues... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson urging the agency to not move forward with proposed regulations on the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses that would amount to a national energy tax. The tax would increase energy rates paid... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune applauded the World War II-era Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) who today received the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their service at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Building. Ten women with significant ties to South Dakota served as WASPs during World War II, with two... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today released the following statement regarding legislation introduced by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) to delay the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating stationary sources of greenhouse gases for two years: “The Obama administration and its allies in Congress have failed to advance cap-and-trade legislation, so the EPA... Continue Reading
