Press Releases
Rounds Statement on Supreme Court’s Decision on South Dakota v. Wayfair
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the Supreme Court's ruling on South Dakota v. Wayfair. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of South Dakota, paving the way for states to collect sales taxes from most online retailers. "Today's ruling is a victory for brick-and-mortar stores across South Dakota, who now have an opportunity to be on a level playing field with online businesses," said Rounds. "With online sales growing at four times the rate of reta… Continue Reading
06.20.18
Rounds: “Time is of the Essence” to Finalize Trade Deals
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) yesterday joined Bloomberg TV to discuss the need for the administration to finalize trade deals as soon as possible. "The president doesn't think we're getting good, fair trade deals and there are a lot of people in the United States who feel the same way," said Rounds during the interview. "We'll allow the administration time in which to put together their plan and their negotiations. But time is going to start running short - particularly in ag ar… Continue Reading
06.19.18
Rounds, Colleagues Urge Senate to Pass the Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today joined Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), John Kennedy (R-La.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) in a press conference to urge their Senate colleagues to pass President Trump's rescissions package, which seeks to cut approximately $15 billion in unused, unspent funds, or funds that cannot be used for the original purpose Congress intended. "While this legislation won't fix our entire spending problem or di… Continue Reading
06.19.18
Rounds Statement on Family Separation at Border
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement regarding the separation of families at the border: "Nobody wants to see families separated. Attempting to illegally enter the country is a crime that jeopardizes our national security. But we believe we can protect our borders while also showing compassion for the children who are in this situation through no fault of their own. The best course of action to stop family separation at the border is for Congress to … Continue Reading
06.18.18
Vital National Security Legislation Passes Senate with Rounds’ Support
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, last week delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2019. The NDAA passed the Senate tonight by a vote of 85-10. It now heads to a conference committee, where differences will be worked out with the House-passed NDAA. "As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am pleased we as a committee have … Continue Reading
06.15.18
Rounds, Jones Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reform Living Will Submission Process for Financial Institutions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.), members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today introduced bipartisan legislation to reform the living will submission process. As a result of regulations promulgated under the Dodd-Frank Act, large bank holding companies are required to prepare and submit 'living wills' to federal banking regulators that describe their resolution strategy in case of a crisis. The process prescribed by Dodd-Frank f… Continue Reading
06.13.18
Rounds Delivers Opening Statement at EPW Subcommittee Hearing on Surplus Water Rule
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight, today delivered opening remarks at a hearing entitled "Oversight of the Army Corps' Regulation of Surplus Water and the Role of States' Rights." Rounds' opening statement, as prepared for delivery: The Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight is meeting today to conduct a h… Continue Reading
06.08.18
Delegation Introduces Bills to Allow Tribal Grant Schools to Focus Resources to Improve Education
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today introduced Senate and House companion bills that would allow tribal grant schools to participate in Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) programs. This change would free up resources to improve recruiting and retention efforts for professional educators in rural communities by allowing schools to spend less on health care and more on … Continue Reading
06.07.18
Trump nominates Jon Kobes to Federal Judgeship
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the nomination of Jonathan Kobes to be a district judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Kobes currently serves as Rounds' general counsel. "Jon's wide range of experiences in both the public and private sectors provides a strong platform for this role as a judge," said Rounds. "A lifelong conservative, he believes a judge's role is to make decisions based on the law as it is written, not to… Continue Reading
06.06.18
DoT to fund Veterans Parkway Project in Sioux Falls
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement regarding Department of Transportation (DoT) Secretary Elaine Chao's announcement that the agency has proposed a $21 million grant to construct the Veterans Parkway Project in Sioux Falls. "I'm pleased Secretary Chao understands the importance of this project to Sioux Falls and Eastern South Dakota," said Rounds. "This project will not only ease congestion and increase safety along the roads, it will allow for i… Continue Reading
05.31.18
USDA Announces New Relending Pilot Program on Tribal Lands in South Dakota
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today welcomed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue's announcement that USDA, at the request of the delegation, will implement a new Section 502 relending pilot program on tribal lands in South Dakota. The USDA Rural Development (USDA-RD) Section 502 Direct Loan Program helps low-income families pursue home ownership. According to USDA, South Dakota and North Dakota are… Continue Reading
05.25.18
Rounds Statement on Committee Passage of Annual Defense Authorization Bill
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Chairman of the Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, today issued the following statement on the committee passage of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019. It includes a number of Rounds' provisions. The committee voted 25-2 to send the bill to the full Senate floor for consideration. "The NDAA is one of the most important pieces of legis… Continue Reading
05.24.18
Rounds Supports Legislation to Provide Live Load Haulers with Additional Flexibility on ELD Rules
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today cosponsored legislation to give live load haulers additional flexibility and relief from the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) rules. The Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act, introduced earlier this week by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), would exempt live load haulers from federal hours of service requirements until crossing the threshold of 300 air miles away from their point of origin. Haulers would also be able to take a break at any poin… Continue Reading
05.24.18
Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Tribes from Costly Obamacare Employer Mandate
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and James Risch (R-Idaho) to introduce legislation to protect Native American tribes from Obamacare's employer mandate. "The federal government has a trust obligation to provide health care to Native Americans, yet tribal governments and tribal entities are being wrongfully forced to comply with the Affordable Care Act's employer health care coverage mandate or risk paying… Continue Reading
05.22.18
Rounds: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief Bill Heads to President’s Desk
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the House of Representative's passage of S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act. Rounds, an original sponsor of S. 2155, led seven different provisions included in the final legislation. It now heads to the president's desk for signature. "Our smaller, local banks and credit unions - who had nothing to do with the financial crisis of 2008 - have been disproportionately aff… Continue Reading
05.22.18
Rounds Statement on EPW Committee Passage of Water Infrastructure Bill
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), today issued the following statement after the EPW Committee voted unanimously to pass America's Water Infrastructure Act. This legislation includes a number of Rounds' priorities. "The water infrastructure bill we passed today will benefit all South Dakota communities," said Rounds. "It includes language to update and maintain water infrastructure systems such as dams and levees, upgrad… Continue Reading
05.22.18
Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Rural Health Care Delivery
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today joined Sens. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) to introduce the bipartisan Rural Health Liaison Act. This legislation would improve coordination among the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other health care stakeholders through the creation of a rural health liaison. This legislation is supported by the National Rural Health Association. "Making sure all South Dakotans, including those in rural areas who live far a… Continue Reading
05.16.18
Rounds Statement on Net Neutrality CRA
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on his vote against the Congressional Review Act (CRA) on net neutrality: "Sound, reliable internet service is a vital component of nearly everything we do today, and there is widespread support on both sides of the aisle to protect consumers from blocking, throttling and paid prioritization of internet traffic. However, net neutrality should be regulated through a light-handed approach that protects consumer… Continue Reading
05.16.18
Rounds-Thune-Enzi Bill to Double Size of Black Hills Veterans Cemetery Heads to President
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), and Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) issued the following statements after the U.S. House of Representatives passed their bill, the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act (S. 35), legislation that will facilitate a permanent land transfer of approximately 200 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to expand the Black Hills National Cemetery outside of Sturgis, South Dakota. The bill, which the senators reintroduced during the fi… Continue Reading
05.16.18
Rounds Statement on Meeting with Army Corps
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today issued the following statement after meeting with R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, regarding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' management of the Missouri River. The meeting comes more than two months after Rounds requested an in-person briefing. "I appreciate the opportunity to meet with Assistant Secretary James today to share my concerns about … Continue Reading
