U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today met with President Obama’s nominee to be U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), Robert McDonald, to discuss much needed reforms at the VA and to underscore the importance of the Hot Springs VA facility in providing high quality care to veterans in the... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) took to the Senate floor today to honor the 70th anniversary of the heroic landings of D-Day at Normandy. Thune made the following remarks on the Senate Floor, “…The incredible bravery exhibited on June 6th, 1944…is one of the defining moments of modern... Continue Reading
Following ongoing reports of waiting lists, delayed care, and gross mismanagement at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facilities, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) joined Senators John McCain (R-Arizona), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), and Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) in cosponsoring their legislation to improve veterans’ health... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) made the following statement regarding the resignation of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Eric Shinseki: “Secretary Shinseki’s resignation is a necessary first step, but the VA crisis is bigger than any one person at the top. We must hold accountable all who played a role... Continue Reading
Following the release today of the interim Veterans Affairs (VA) inspector general (IG) report, which concludes that misreporting veteran wait times is systemic throughout the Veterans Health Administration, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) again called for a nationwide IG investigation of all VA medical facilities. Of the hundreds of... Continue Reading
This morning, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) joined CBS’s “Face the Nation” to discuss the ongoing nationwide crisis at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Excerpts of Thune’s interview are available below and video of Thune’s interview on the VA crisis is available here. On the Obama administration’s... Continue Reading
Following President Obama’s press conference today regarding the ongoing nationwide scandal at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facilities, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) issued the following statement: “While I’m glad the president finally acknowledged the VA scandal, it’s completely unacceptable that it took several weeks for... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today condemned an announcement from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that it will move forward with a contractor to conduct the Hot Springs VA’s Environment Impact Statement (EIS) in the wake of national reports of secret VA wait lists and preventable deaths. “The... Continue Reading
Following reports of secret waiting lists and delayed care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), today introduced a bill to require the VA Inspector General (IG) to issue a report to Congress on the wait times veterans are experiencing at VA health care... Continue Reading
Last night, the Senate passed by unanimous consent Senator John Thune’s (R-S.D.) bipartisan resolution (S.Res. 280) recognizing the sacrifice that U.S. combat troops made during the Vietnam War and pressing for renewed support for the veterans of that conflict. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S.... Continue Reading
Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), and Representative Kristi Noem (R-S.D.), today announced that Native American code talkers from eight of South Dakota’s tribes will be recognized for their dedicated and valorous service during World War I and World War II at a gold medal ceremony to be... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced a resolution recognizing the sacrifice that U.S. combat troops made during the Vietnam War and expressing renewed support for the veterans of that conflict. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam. Thune’s resolution is cosponsored by Senators... Continue Reading
