Thune Introduces Bill to Expedite Urgently Needed Forest Management on Federal Lands

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today introduced the Expediting Forest Restoration and Recovery Act, legislation to require the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to expedite treatment of more than 70 million acres of National Forest System lands, in consultation... Continue Reading

Thune, Daines, McConnell, Crapo Lead Entire Senate Republican Caucus in Urging Biden Administration to Drop Step-Up In Basis Tax-Hike Proposal

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), members of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) today led the entire Senate Republican caucus in urging President Biden to abandon his effort to impose a capital gains tax increase on family-owned businesses, farms, and ranches. Repealing this part... Continue Reading

Thune: Biden’s Anti-Gun ATF Nominee Threatens Second Amendment, Law-Abiding Gun Owners

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed David Chipman’s nomination to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Thune announced that he would vote against the nomination because of Chipman’s extreme views on gun control and restricting the Second Amendment, including his support for banning a popular rifle in... Continue Reading

Thune: Democrats’ Manufactured Crisis is an Attempt at a Partisan Federal Election Takeover

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the political theater Democrats are engaging in, including hyperbolic statements from the president, false narratives from the White House, and the ongoing antics from Texas state legislators, as they double down on their commitment to pass a partisan federal takeover of state election laws. Thune also stressed the dangers of the government getting... Continue Reading

Thune’s Office Accepting Fall Interns

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) is currently seeking college students to serve as fall interns in his office in Washington, D.C., as well as in his offices in Aberdeen, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls.  Interns in Thune’s state offices will participate in constituent service and state outreach activities, while students... Continue Reading

Thune, Wicker Urge FCC to Move Quickly in RDOF Application Review

U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and John Thune, R-S.D., ranking member of the Subcommittee on Communications, Media, and Broadband, today sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to request a status update on the... Continue Reading

Thune: Law Enforcement Officers Deserve Much Better Than Far-Left’s Anti-Police Rhetoric

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed surging crime rates in communities across the country that have slashed their police budgets in response to the far-left’s “defund the police” movement. Thune emphasized the essential role that law enforcement officers play in keeping our communities safe and the gratitude we owe the men... Continue Reading

Thune-Wyden Bill to Improve Child Support Enforcement for Native American Tribes Unanimously Passes Senate

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Taxation and IRS Oversight, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, applauded the Senate for passing their bill to improve child support enforcement for Native American tribes by allowing the 60 tribes that currently operate... Continue Reading

Thune: USDA’s Haying and Grazing Announcement Good News for South Dakota, More Work Needed to Be Done to Support Producers

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the Democrat state legislators who have abandoned their jobs in Texas and the irony of Washington Democrats applauding their effort as they openly discuss trampling on minority rights in the U.S. Senate. Thune also discussed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) announcement that it... Continue Reading

Thune: The Right to Life Will Not Be Ignored

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who has a 100 percent pro-life voting record in Congress, today discussed Speaker Pelosi’s and the White House’s refusal to answer if they believed that a 15-week-old unborn baby is a human being. Thune also discussed the president’s budget and the pro-abortion measures that would direct taxpayer dollars... Continue Reading

Thune, Burr, and Scott Urge Department of Labor to Protect the Classification of Independent Contractors and Workers in the Gig Economy

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) today urged U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Martin Walsh to protect individuals’ ability to work as independent contractors in the gig economy. The senators’ request follows up on the DOL’s withdrawal of a Trump-era rule that would... Continue Reading

Thune, King Introduce Resolution to Confront China’s Exploitation of WTO Trade Status

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Angus King (I-Maine) last week introduced a resolution that confronts China’s self-designation status as a developing country at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The resolution states that the WTO should reform its special and differential treatment rules... Continue Reading