Press Releases
Rounds Statement on House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Vote
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after the House Judiciary Committee voted to send impeachment articles to the full House floor. "This is yet another step in the Democrats' plan to impeach the president, which started over three years ago on the day he was elected. They're trying to undo the result of the 2016 election by making a mockery of the impeachment process. Based on what we've seen from the House Democrats, they have not provided the ev… Continue Reading
12.13.19
Rounds, Tester Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Establish Grant Program Honoring Veterans
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced the Memorializing Veterans Act, bipartisan legislation establishing a grant program to help honor the lives of our nation's veterans. "For more than 40 years, the United States has maintained its military superiority thanks to an all-volunteer force stepping up to the plate," said Rounds. "Educating the next generation about the service and sacrifices made by our veterans is one way we can encourage young peopl… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Rounds, Colleagues Urge Congressional Leadership to Fully Repeal “Cadillac Tax”
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Reps. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) and Mike Kelly (R-Penn.) wrote to House and Senate leadership urging swift action of their legislation to repeal the "Cadillac Tax," a tax on high premium employer-sponsored health insurance. Legislation repealing the tax passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly earlier this year. Identical legislation, introduced by Sens. Rounds and Heinrich (S. 684), has 63 bipartisan cospons… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Rounds Cyber Consortia Provision Included in Final NDAA Package
WASHINGTON - Last night, the House and Senate Armed Services Committees released the conference report for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2020. The final legislation includes a provision authored by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, that would require the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a university consortia to advise and assist DOD on cybersecurity. The provision will provide a single portal for DOD to acce… Continue Reading
12.10.19
Constitutional Carry States’ Rights Act Introduced in the House
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) made the following statement after companion legislation to his Constitutional Carry States' Rights Act was introduced in the House of Representatives last week by Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.): "I thank Rep. Hern for introducing our Constitutional carry legislation in the House," said Rounds. "Our bill, which I introduced in the Senate earlier this year, would close federal loopholes in the Gun-Free School Zones Act to make sure individuals who choose t… Continue Reading
12.09.19
Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Increase Affordable Housing for Volunteer Firefighters and First Responders
WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) to introduce bipartisan legislation that would provide affordable housing opportunities for volunteer firefighters and first responders in order to help recruit and retain more volunteers, particularly in rural and under-served communities. The Volunteer First Responder Housing Act would expand eligibility for qualified volunteer first resp… Continue Reading
12.05.19
Update on Jean Rounds
ROCHESTER, MINN. - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and his wife, Jean, today provided the following update on Jean's cancer treatment: This week, Mike and Jean traveled to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., after Jean experienced pain in her right leg. Doctors found a hematoma at the site of her surgical incision. It was determined that this was causing pressure on her sciatic nerve. It was likely caused by blood thinners she was taking following November's successful surgery to remove the rem… Continue Reading
11.26.19
Upholding the Renewable Fuel Standard
While working as governor and now as your United States Senator, I've fought for South Dakota's corn and corn ethanol producers to make certain they're getting a fair deal under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). For over a decade, the RFS has provided the statutory certainty necessary for the corn industry to grow and prosper in the United States. As a result, corn ethanol has become a vital component of our nation's fuel supply. Many consumers now seek out ethanol blends when they're at the ga… Continue Reading
11.21.19
Rounds Votes No on CR
WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after voting "no" on the Continuing Resolution (CR), which funds government operations through December 20, 2019. "Even with an additional two months to work on appropriations bills, Congress has failed again to get its work done - or even show signs of progress. CRs are no way to run a country. They're wasteful, ineffective, destabilize government programs and could end up hurting South Dakota families. And, they j… Continue Reading
11.20.19
Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Create Monarch and Pollinator Highways
WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) to introduce new, bipartisan legislation to help states create pollinator-friendly habitats along roads and highways. This legislation would help address the steep decline of pollinator populations, which poses a serious threat to American farmers and the American food supply. "Bees play a vital role in making sure food gets on our table, acting as pollina… Continue Reading
11.19.19
Rounds and Thune Join Colleagues to Call on EPA to Provide Clarity on Biogenic Carbon Emissions
WASHINGTON-- U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined a number of their colleagues to send a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler requesting clarity on the regulatory treatment of biogenic carbon emissions produced from feedstocks such as corn and soybeans. This clarity will remove an obstacle to investment in rural America. "Rural communities in our states see the economic and environmental potential that a growing U.S. bio… Continue Reading
11.19.19
With Funding Deadline Approaching, Senators Rounds, King Lead Effort to Support Seasonal Businesses
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Angus King (I-Maine) led a bipartisan group of 30 colleagues in sending a letter to Senate leadership urging them to provide H-2B visa cap relief for seasonal employers in any funding agreement. In the letter, the senators stress that there are not enough U.S. workers qualified and available to meet the seasonal demand for employment - and that these seasonal positions support the jobs of thousands of American citizens. "The shortage of U.S. work… Continue Reading
11.19.19
Rounds’ RESPECT Act Passes Senate With Unanimous Support
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) made the following statement after legislation he introduced, the Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Encouraging Conciliation with Tribes (RESPECT) Act, passed the Senate unanimously: "My colleagues in the Senate took a great first step toward righting the wrongs that have been done to Native Americans throughout our history," said Rounds. "Our RESPECT Act will repeal a number of immoral, racist federal laws related to the treatment of Native … Continue Reading
11.18.19
Delegation Applauds Administration’s Decision to Grant Disaster Declaration For Southeast South Dakota Following September Flooding and Tornadoes
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today applauded the Trump administration for approving a major disaster declaration for several South Dakota counties, including Aurora, Brookings, Brule, Charles Mix, Davison, Douglas, Gregory, Hanson, Hutchinson, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, McCook, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Sanborn, Turner, Union, and Yankton, and the Yankton Indian Reservation and Flandreau Santee Indian Reservation followin… Continue Reading
11.15.19
Midwest Senators Renew RFS Recommendations to President Trump
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) today renewed their recommendations to President Trump with respect to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) supplemental rule. The letter, which enclosed their initial comments to EPA, urges the administration to take corrective action in its RFS rulemaking to uphold the agreement reached betwee… Continue Reading
11.08.19
Rounds, Jones Propose Wounded Warriors Fellowship in the Senate
PIERRE - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.) have introduced a resolution to establish a fellowship for wounded American veterans to hold two-year fellowships in the United States Senate. The program, called the McCain-Mansfield Fellowship, would offer each Senate office a fellowship, which would each last two years. The positions could be in a senator's state or Washington, D.C., office. "America's veterans have gained valuable insight and expertise throughout their service… Continue Reading
11.07.19
Rounds: During Meeting at White House Today, President Trump Re-Confirms his Commitment to Blending 15 Billion Gallons of Ethanol Annually
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined President Trump and a number of his Senate colleagues for lunch at the White House. During the meeting, President Trump re-confirmed his commitment to assuring 15 billion gallons of conventional ethanol is blended into our nation's fuel supply annually. Following a Sept. 12, 2019, meeting at the White House with Rounds and others, Trump requested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revise its practice to guarantee that any … Continue Reading
11.07.19
Rounds Makes Good on ‘Dakota Marker’ Game Wager, Brings SDSU Dairy Bar Ice Cream to Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Mike Rounds made good on his friendly wager with North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) on the October 26, 2019, 'Dakota Marker' football game between South Dakota State University (SDSU) and North Dakota State University (NDSU). The senators bet ice cream from their respective states, SDSU Dairy Bar ice cream and Cass Clay Creamery ice cream from North Dakota. SDSU lost to NDSU 16-23. Today, Rounds hosted an ice cream social for Senator Cramer and his st… Continue Reading
11.07.19
Rounds Submits Letter to EPA on RFS Supplemental Rule
11.06.19
With Delegation Support, Brookings Receives Critical Infrastructure Grant
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) decision to award the City of Brookings $18.7 million in critical infrastructure funding under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program. Today's announcement follows requests from the delegation to DOT Secretary Elaine Chao for the project's funding. "Thanks to Secretary Chao for her commitmen… Continue Reading
