Thune: Democrats’ Election Reform Bill Would Weaponize the IRS

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the Democrats’ supposed election integrity bill and the multitude of unwise and unconstitutional provisions in the legislation, specifically the weaponization of the IRS. If enacted, the Democrats’ partisan bill would repeal a Treasury Department rule that was designed to help prevent the... Continue Reading

Thune: Biden Picks Russia’s Energy Monopoly Over South Dakota’s Energy Independence

  WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the United States’ progress toward energy independence and the importance of all-of-the-above energy policies that invest in oil and natural gas, ethanol and other biofuels, solar, wind, and hydropower. Thune noted that President Biden’s hostility toward affordable and reliable energy security in... Continue Reading

Thune: Democrats’ Proposed Tax Hikes Would Hit Middle-Class Americans

 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the array of “free stuff” President Biden unveiled in his American Families Plan, from free community college to free preschool to a wide range of government subsidies. Thune noted that despite the president’s advertisement, someone has to pay for these “free” programs.... Continue Reading

Thune: Democrats’ Big Government Policies are Having a Negative Effect on the Economy

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the dismal April jobs report, which found that just 266,000 workers were hired despite the 8.1 million job openings that existed at the end of March. The national unemployment rate also increased to 6.1 percent. Thune noted that Democrats’ “throw money at... Continue Reading

Thune, Johnson Lead Colleagues in Urging Department of Justice to Continue Investigation into Beef Industry

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D) today led several of their colleagues in urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to continue the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into the nation’s four biggest meatpackers. Thune and Johnson’s bicameral letter also requested that DOJ provide Congress with... Continue Reading

Thune: Democrats’ Partisan Election “Reform” Bill a Thinly Veiled Power Grab

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed S. 1, a partisan election “reform” bill, which amounts to a thinly veiled power grab by Democrats to increase their chances of winning elections. The Democrats’ bill would, among other things, overturn popular voter ID laws in the states, make the federal election... Continue Reading

Thune: Americans Aren’t Fooled By Democrats’ Attempt to Rewrite the English Language to Advance Their Political Agenda

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed Democrats’ creative attempt to redefine or manipulate common words and phrases, including “infrastructure,” “court-packing,” “crisis,” “Jim Crow,” and “bipartisan,” to advance their political agenda.  Thune’s remarks below (as prepared for delivery): “Mr. President, ‘infrastructure.’ “‘Court-packing.’ “‘Crisis.’ “‘Jim Crow.’ “‘Bipartisan.’ “All words that... Continue Reading

USDA Announces 2021 Sign-Up Period for Thune-Authored Soil Health and Income Protection Program

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for announcing that producers in South Dakota and other Prairie Pothole states can now sign up for the Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP), a Thune-authored program, which became law as part of the 2018 farm bill. SHIPP... Continue Reading

Thune Joins Colleagues in Reintroducing Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Telehealth Access, Make Permanent Telehealth Flexibilities Available During COVID-19 Pandemic

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) this week joined Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) in leading a bipartisan group of 50 senators to reintroduce the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of... Continue Reading

Thune, Stabenow Reintroduce Cover Crop Legislation

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today reintroduced the Cover Crop Flexibility Act, legislation to remove the prohibition on harvesting or grazing cover crops on prevented plant acres prior to November 1 and... Continue Reading

Thune: Radical Left’s Green New Deal Promises Heavy Burden on American Families

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed Democrats’ recent reintroduction of the Green New Deal resolution and the massive costs it would impose on the American people. Thune emphasized his continued efforts to advance policies that promote clean energy and improve our environment without placing heavy burdens on American workers... Continue Reading

Thune, Wicker Request GAO Review of FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit Program

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to request that they conduct an independent review of the... Continue Reading