Senator John Thune applauded today’s vote by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to pass the Seventh Generation Promise: Indian Youth Suicide Prevention Act. Senator Thune is a cosponsor of the measure, which would provide resources for tribes to combat the high rates of youth suicide that affect many reservations, including... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune applauded today’s announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that the agency has determined the black-tailed prairie dog does not require designation as a threatened or endangered species. “Anyone who lives or ranches on the grasslands of South Dakota can see that prairie dogs are thriving,... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today released the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement that the agency will not meet the December 1, 2009 statutory deadline and will instead delay a final decision on approving higher blends of ethanol for use in conventional vehicles: “Today’s announcement is... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune last week sent a letter along with seven other Senators to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging him to commit additional resources to the Rocky Mountain Region of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to fight the widespread bark beetle infestation. The Rocky Mountain Region has 17 national forests... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today released the following statement in anticipation of the 8:00 PM ET cloture vote tonight on the motion to proceed to the health care reform proposal unveiled by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Wednesday: “The American people have asked for health care reform that will lower... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today highlighted important provisions in the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, which the Senate today passed by a vote of 100-0. The bill provides a total of $133.9 billion for military construction and veterans affairs, as well as advance funding for veterans... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today introduced a bill that would prohibit the Treasury Secretary from extending the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) beyond its current December 31, 2009 expiration date. The original legislation creating TARP allows the Treasury Secretary to extend the program without additional Congressional consent until October 3, 2010;... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has selected Western Biomass Energy, LLC to participate in the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). Western Biomass Energy converts wood chips from the Black Hills into renewable fuels. Senator Thune authored BCAP, which was included in the 2008 Farm... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today led 30 of his colleagues in sending a letter to all members of the U.S. Senate urging them to oppose any amendments to the health care reform bill that would limit the existing tax deduction for charitable donations. Earlier this year, the Senate passed Senator Thune’s... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that the U.S. Forest Service will extend the comment period for the Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands Draft Environmental Impact Statement for designation of a motorized travel access system for an additional 45 days. Senator Thune sent a letter to the agency earlier this week... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune sent a letter today to Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), requesting that Forest Service extend the original comment period for the Nebraska National Forest and Grasslands Draft Environmental Impact Statement for designation of a motorized travel access system for an additional 45 days.... Continue Reading
Senators John Rockefeller (D-WV), John Thune (R-SD), and Jim Webb (D-VA) today introduced S. 2097, the bipartisan Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act, a bill that would rededicate the existing District of Columbia War Memorial as the National and District of Columbia World War I Memorial on the National... Continue Reading
