Recent Press Releases

Washington, D.C. —  Senator John Thune today issued a statement following the Senate Appropriations Committee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education passage of the FY2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill, which approved several requests Senator Thune had made on behalf of various South Dakota institutions:

"This important funding would go directly to improving the lives and health care services for people across South Dakota in addition to supporting important education initiatives. Residents of rural areas like South Dakota need access to quality health care services and this funding will help improve the delivery of care to individuals throughout underserved counties."

Of Senator Thune's funding requests for South Dakota programs in the FY2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill, the following were approved in this week's Full Committee markup:
  • $100,000 for Rapid City Area School District 51/4, for construction, renovation and equipment for a school-based health clinic.

  • $300,000 for Youth and Family Services in Rapid City, for the Health Connections Program for at-risk girls.

  • $400,000 for the Community Health Center of the Black Hills (formerly, Rapid City Community Health Center), for additional equipment and expansion of its current facility.

  • $125,000 for South Dakota State University, for obesity research on prevention and treatment, focusing on children and Native American families in rural settings.

  • $350,000 for the Dakota Wesleyan University, for archiving former Senator McGovern's public papers.

  • $100,000 for the West River Foundation for the Midwest Alliance for Professional Learning and Leadership (MAPLE), to provide professional development for teachers and other educators in South Dakota.

  • $7,000,000 for the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, to promote the use of telemedicine technologies in rural areas.


The bill must now be voted on by the Senate.