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
Senator John Thune today announced that the Senate Small Business Committee accepted his amendment to the Small Business Contracting Revitalization Act at today’s markup of the bill. Senator Thune’s amendment would explicitly state the federal government’s policy to avoid competition with the private sector, including small businesses. “Private sector job... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune last night introduced an amendment to a tax extenders bill currently before the Senate that would create and expand small business tax incentives. The incentives are targeted at helping small businesses invest in new capital and hire workers. Senator Thune has proposed redirecting unspent portions of last... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has allocated an additional 33,500 acres to South Dakota for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). This announcement is part of a 300,000 acre nationwide general CRP sign up. CRP, which was reauthorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, provides... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that the National Guard Bureau is replacing the South Dakota Air National Guard’s 18 Block 30 F-16’s at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls with 18 more modern Block 40 F-16’s later this year. “This is good news for the South Dakota Air National Guard... Continue Reading
Today U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Thune (R-SD) announced legislation with that will help make internet users more aware of privacy and security risks associated with peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing programs. The bill, known as the P2P Cyber Protection and Informed User Act, would require software developers to clearly... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today applauded the announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture expects to commit $2 million to the Black Hills National Forest to fight the effects of the pine beetle infestation. Last year, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced he would be reallocating $40 million to fight the... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune commended Republicans in the House of Representatives for offering a motion that would have given House Members an opportunity to end the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and allow unspent funds that are paid back to lower the national debt. Democrats successfully blocked the measure to proceed... Continue Reading
