One of the most basic principles of our economy is that people should be free to choose the best product for their own needs. When it comes to buying health insurance, individuals and employers in South Dakota and across the nation suffer from high costs and restricted choices. One of... Continue Reading
I have used this column to talk about the benefits of cellulosic ethanol on many occasions, and I am excited about the future of its production in South Dakota. In Congress, I am working to secure cellulosic ethanol’s place in our national energy strategy, and currently, this means fixing a... Continue Reading
A recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of Nebraska has discovered that ethanol produced from switchgrass yields 540 percent more energy than is required to produce the fuel. These findings help underscore the great potential that cellulosic ethanol could play in reducing our dependence... Continue Reading
Earlier this month, oil traded at over $100 per barrel, an all-time high and a troubling indication of future energy prices. The increasing price of oil is not only creating a drag on the U.S. economy and squeezing the wallets of hard working Americans, it is creating a financial windfall... Continue Reading
Christmas is a special time in South Dakota just like it is across the country and the world. Families who are spread far across the nation often return home to be together and to share the peace of this holy time of the year. It goes without saying, however, that... Continue Reading
I have been frustrated by the lack of progress under Democratic leadership in the U.S. Congress all year on legislation especially important for South Dakota and the nation. Countless hours have been spent engaged in partisan wrangling while the Farm Bill and Energy Bill remained stalled. Last week, however, marked... Continue Reading
The distance between South Dakota and Washington should not be a barrier between citizens and their elected representatives, and as your U.S. Senator I take very seriously the responsibility to keep you informed about the most important issues. Over the last few months I have frequently updated South Dakotans about... Continue Reading
One of the greatest challenges our country faces is energy independence. As a nation, we face growing demands for energy and if we do nothing to address this situation we will become even more dependent on foreign sources of energy. I find it unacceptable that the world’s largest economy, which... Continue Reading
I want to take this opportunity to remind South Dakotans that the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit open season began November 15, 2007 and continues through December 31st. Over 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries in South Dakota currently have prescription drug coverage. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency... Continue Reading
One of the great advantages of representing South Dakota in Washington is the ability to see how life can be so different from one place to another. Congress is currently mired in a mess where little progress is being made on issues that are vital to our national interest and... Continue Reading
If Congress fails to enact a higher Renewable Fuels Standard, South Dakota’s biofuels industry faces an uncertain future. South Dakota has 13 ethanol plants in operation and four plants under construction. In the current ethanol marketplace, our small-locally owned ethanol plants, which have created thousands of jobs in our state,... Continue Reading
South Dakotans who meet with me in Washington frequently ask me what I recommend they see and do while they are in town. The city is rich in history and I always have plenty of suggestions. Part of Washington’s heritage comes from the monuments that the nation has erected to... Continue Reading
