Military service covers a wide range of duties and responsibilities throughout the branches of our Armed Forces. From operating and maintaining equipment, to defending our nation at home, to deploying forces abroad, each of these men and women—civilian, National Guard and Reserve, and active-duty military—are critical to sustaining our military... Continue Reading
Hunting and fishing are a way of life in South Dakota. Like many across the state, I have great memories of heading out to the stock dam with my Dad, rod in hand, working hard to land a bigger fish than him. Sometimes we caught our limit, sometimes we went... Continue Reading
South Dakota depends on affordable and reliable energy from coal and natural gas-fired power plants in the upper Great Plains. However, a new proposed rule out of the Obama administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) threatens to raise energy costs for families and businesses and restrict economic growth and job creation... Continue Reading
The vast network of health care providers across our country have the important responsibility of managing the secure exchange of patient health information between consumers, providers, government entities, and insurers. The sharing of this information through hospital systems and between physicians and patients has increasingly been managed by health information... Continue Reading
What if I told you that if you graduated from college in the last 10 years, in addition to your student loan debt, you might owe the federal government over $300,000? If you’re in your 20s and 30s, that is unfortunately your reality. For too long, politicians in Washington have... Continue Reading
Rising temperatures replaced the roar of motorcycles and the smell of State Fair funnel cakes as families across the state began another school year. Back to school ads in full swing, teachers prepping classrooms and lesson plans, and fall sports back on the newscasts mean students and parents are adjusting... Continue Reading
Every year, South Dakotans of all ages enjoy attending the fairs across our state. Whether it is the Turner County Fair, Central States Fair, Brown County Fair, Dakotafest, the State Fair, or any event in between, these fairs mark an annual tradition that families look forward to all year. I... Continue Reading
It was three years ago that the Obama administration dubbed the summer of 2010 the “summer of recovery.” Three years later, many Americans are still searching for recovery as our economy continues to struggle under the weight of stagnant economic growth, high unemployment, and dwindling household income. National unemployment remains... Continue Reading
Whether traveling for business or a family vacation, South Dakotans rely on commercial airline service and our state’s aviation infrastructure to provide safe, reliable air travel. While there can be frustrations when it comes to airline travel, maintaining connectivity through safe, reliable, and affordable air service is vital to South... Continue Reading
August marks a season of change and an important milestone in the life of our family. This month our youngest daughter Larissa will marry Scott Hargens in Sioux Falls. I always knew this day would come; it just seems to have come sooner than I expected. It’s not them, it’s... Continue Reading
The days of summer are slowly fading. While there is still time before heading back to school, many college students and their families have been keeping a watchful eye for news coming out of Washington about what student loan interest rates will look like for the coming school year. On... Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Education (DoE) has a specific role within the federal government, fostering the education and growth of our nation’s students. The coordination of federal education programs, management of education activities, and supplementing states efforts to provide our students with the highest quality education is a massive responsibility—one... Continue Reading
