Senator John Thune today met with Teresa Lasseter, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator, in his Washington office to discuss his concerns about the proposed South Dakota FSA county office closings. Also attending the meeting with Thune was FSA Deputy Administrator for Field Operations, Steve Connelly, who is overseeing the... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today praised the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Black Hills Health Care System for their decision to open an outreach clinic in Wessington Springs. The VA announced yesterday that Dr. Bernard Linn and his staff will conduct clinics one day a month in the Horizon Health Care,... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today sent a letter to U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, expressing his concerns with the impending reintroduction of the black-footed ferret and requesting that, prior to the release of black-footed ferrets in Wind Cave National Park, the Interior Department provide written confirmation of specific guarantees to landowners... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that he along with Senators Charles Grassley of Iowa and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska sent a letter to officials at the Department of Justice and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services requesting funds for the National Training Center (NTC) in Sioux City, Iowa. The... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-SD) today participated in a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on the rapid loss of honeybee colonies due to the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder. Senator Thune questioned Mark Brady, the President of the American Honey Producers Association, concerning the impact of the honeybee decimation on the pollination process... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune has introduced S. 1106, legislation that would extend the U.S. tariff on imported ethanol for two additional years. The current tariff is set to expire on December 31, 2008. “Extending the U.S. tariff on ethanol imported from foreign countries is a necessary and responsible step, to protect... Continue Reading
Nationwide, nearly one in four veterans live in a rural community. Despite this, a 2004 study by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) found that veterans living in rural areas are in poorer health than their urban counterparts. Last year, in response to the unfair disparity, United States Senators Ken... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today commented on the Supreme Court decision upholding the Partial Birth Abortion Ban that Congress passed and President Bush signed into law in 2003. “Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court is a major triumph in the battle to protect life in this country. I thank the Justices... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today commented on the announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to properly reclassify fuel ethanol plants under the Clean Air Act to meet our growing energy needs and bolster ethanol production across the country. “Today’s ruling by the EPA is a major step forward for the... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-SD) has introduced S. 1085, the Informed Air Traveler Act of 2007, legislation that would ensure travelers are better informed about airline performance when booking travel, in light of increased flight delays and cancellations in recent years. “Whether it’s a firsthand experience or hearing a friend or... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune will meet with officials of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and other experts today to discuss the development of wind power generation in South Dakota. Thune will hear about issues which face the wind energy industry, including the capacity of existing electricity grid transmission... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune will address the Meth on Tribal Lands Training program in Pierre on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 10:30 AM CT at the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center. The U.S. Senate recently passed the Thune Amendment to Combat Meth Abuse as part of the Fiscal Year... Continue Reading
