Senator John Thune today toured the Heartland Consumers Power District’s Wessington Springs Wind Project. The facility outside Wessington Springs will be one of the largest wind farms in South Dakota when completed. “America needs to diversify the energy sources that fuel over everyday lives. I believe South Dakota wind power... Continue Reading
Yesterday, U.S. Senator John Thune toured the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. NREL is the nation’s primary laboratory devoted to researching renewable energy. “During my visit, I was again impressed with how much home-grown energy potential is available in the United States. NREL demonstrates on a daily... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today announced that he is an original cosponsor of S. 3406, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act. This bipartisan legislation would clarify the intent of the original ADA and would better protect the rights of all Americans with disabilities. “The original Americans with Disabilities Act... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today participated in a Senate Indian Affairs Committee Field Hearing, which dealt with the progress being made by Operation Dakota Peacekeeper, a joint effort by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to combat crime on the Standing Rock Reservation. The hearing... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today issued the following statement regarding U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Edward Schafer’s announcement that USDA will not allow early termination of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) contracts without penalty. “South Dakota agriculture and our state’s economy depend on CRP and other conservation easement programs for protection... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune made a statement after today’s “Gang of Ten” meeting. The “Gang of Ten,” of which Senator Thune is an original member, is a bipartisan group of Senators committed to addressing high gas prices by expanding domestic oil production and reducing consumption. “The energy crisis we face in... Continue Reading
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to pass today S. 2731, a $50 billion foreign assistance bill, which includes Senator John Thune’s amendment directing $2 billion to address tribal issues. The Thune amendment authorizes $1 billion in authorization for law enforcement and improved health care in Indian Country and... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune today announced the introduction of the bipartisan Tribal Law and Order Act of 2008, of which he is an original cosponsor. “Everyone in America wants to live in a community where their family and loved ones are safe and secure, where law enforcement is reliable and... Continue Reading
Last night the U.S. Senate passed the Health Care Safety Net Act (S. 901), which reauthorizes the Community Health Centers Program, by unanimous consent. Senator John Thune is a cosponsor of the legislation and has supported annual increases in funding for the community health centers program. “We face many challenges... Continue Reading
Senator John Thune today commented on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson’s decision to delay a determination regarding the request by the Governor of Texas to waive the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The EPA has indicated that a decision to grant the waiver would not be reached by the... Continue Reading
A coalition of U.S. Senators has pressed U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson for a meeting soon, prior to a decision on the Renewable Fuels Standard. Recent press reports indicated that Texas Governor Rick Perry met behind closed doors with Administrator Johnson on July 9 to discuss Governor Perry’s request for... Continue Reading
U.S. Senator John Thune and three other members of the Senate Agriculture Committee met July 17 in an executive session with U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab to discuss her negotiating positions on agriculture during World Trade Organization (WTO) talks, which resume in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 21, 2008. “It’s no... Continue Reading
