It would be a serious understatement to say pheasant hunting is one of the most highly anticipated outdoor traditions in South Dakota, and its roots go back an entire century. During the state’s first established pheasant season in 1919, which took place in Spink County, lasted just one day, and... Continue Reading
It’s been 28 years since South Dakota started recognizing the second Monday in October as Native Americans’ Day. In 1990, Governor George Mickelson led the state in a “Year of Reconciliation” with South Dakota’s tribal communities – a fabric of our state’s rich culture and history. To non-South Dakotans, it... Continue Reading
I’ve had the privilege of serving as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee for nearly four years now. Over the years, my committee, which has broad jurisdiction over things like our nation’s transportation system, consumer protection, and technology, has held hearings on a variety of topics. We’ve covered everything from... Continue Reading
The time has come for Congress to work on putting consumer data privacy protections into law. For years, the wizards of the tech world have amazed all of us and helped fuel our economy with innovative products and services. No one wants that to end. At the same time, mounting... Continue Reading
The opioid crisis that’s plagued many areas of the country has reached epidemic levels, and it’s on the rise. Last year alone, more than 72,000 Americans lost their lives to drug overdoses. Of those, nearly 50,000 were related to opioids – a highly addictive drug that can be fatal when... Continue Reading
After nearly a decade of economic stagnation, the economy has been regaining its footing and is getting stronger by the day – welcome news for South Dakotans and Americans around the country. While there’s no doubt the economy is heading in the right direction, I always believe it can be... Continue Reading
After the president nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court several months ago, based on what I had read about him as a judge on one of the nation’s most prominent circuit courts, I said he seemed like the kind of judge who interprets the law and the Constitution... Continue Reading
Until John McCain’s passing, I had the distinct honor of serving alongside him for the entirety of my Senate career. And while John loved the Senate and a good, fiery debate (I know firsthand, having been on the receiving end of a few of them myself), he loved nothing more... Continue Reading
In 2016, when I asked South Dakotans for the opportunity to serve another term as their U.S. senator, I told them I wanted to pursue a pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda that put them and the rest of the American people first. At the time, the economy had been stuck in neutral... Continue Reading
While I’ll likely regret saying this in January when I’m knee deep in the white stuff, every season in South Dakota has its advantages and is worth experiencing, but few, if any, outmatch summer in the 605. The temperature is hard to beat (sometimes quite literally) and there are a... Continue Reading
It’s amazing how the littlest things in life can have an outsized effect on the decisions a person makes in the future. For me, it was a missed free throw. As silly as it might sound, it’s true. It was a Friday night in Murdo, South Dakota, during the semi-final... Continue Reading
The Republican-led Senate has been hard at work. We passed the most comprehensive, pro-growth reforms to the U.S. tax code in a generation, which has already allowed South Dakota families and businesses to keep more of their hard-earned money. We gave our men and women in uniform the largest pay... Continue Reading
