Press Releases
Rounds Statement on Senate Passage of Five-Year Farm Bill
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement on the Senate passage of the farm bill conference report, which includes a number of priorities he requested earlier this year. It passed with strong bipartisan support, 87-13. "The farm bill is a vital piece of legislation for farmers and ranchers in South Dakota, where our economy depends on agriculture," said Rounds. "At a time when farm income is down 50 percent and our producers are at the tip of the spear with… Continue Reading
12.11.18
Rounds Statement on Confirmation of Jon Kobes to be Circuit Court Judge
WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the confirmation of his counsel, Jonathan Kobes of Sioux Falls, to be a Circuit Judge on the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Kobes will replace Judge Roger Wollman, who is taking senior status at the end of the year. "Jon will be an excellent judge on the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit," said Rounds. "He has spent his career demonstrating his commitment to justice, the fair application of the… Continue Reading
12.11.18
Rounds: Revised WOTUS Rule a Win for Landowners, Ag Community & States’ Rights
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, today joined Acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James, American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and other stakeholders in announcing a revised 'Waters of the U.S.' rule. "The revised WOTUS rule gives farmers, ranchers and landowners the certainty they need to know when the Clean Water Act a… Continue Reading
12.10.18
Rounds Announces Nominations to U.S. Service Academies for 2019-2020 School Year
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he has nominated 25 South Dakota students to the nation's service academies for the 2019-2020 school year. "The U.S. service academies only accept the best and the brightest," said Rounds. "I am fortunate to have the opportunity to nominate 25 highly-qualified students to the academies this year. Each student I nominated went through a thorough application process and has proved that he or she possesses the necessary qualities to… Continue Reading
12.06.18
With Rounds, Thune Support, Tea and U.S. Highway 83 Receive Critical Infrastructure Grants
U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) today applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) decision to award the City of Tea's County Highway 106 project and South Dakota Department of Transportation's U.S. Highway 83 project $8.7 million and $20 million, respectively, in critical infrastructure funding under the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program. Today's announcement follows multiple requests from the senators to DOT Secretary Elai… Continue Reading
12.06.18
Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Fully Fund Border Wall
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D) joined Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Kennedy (R-La.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to introduce the WALL Act, legislation that would fully fund the border wall along the southern border. This legislation is also the first bill that will fund the wall by identifying specific funding sources. "The primary responsibility of the federal government is the defense of our nation, which includes strong border security," said Rounds. "The WALL Act will provide ful… Continue Reading
12.01.18
Rounds Statement on Passing of President George H. W. Bush
PIERRE-Earlier today, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on the passing of President George H. W. Bush: "Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the loss of President George H.W. Bush. From his time as a young naval aviator who fought in World War II to serving as the 41st President of the United States during the post-Cold War era, President Bush dedicated his life to our country. He will be forever remembered for his strong faith, his love of family and his love o… Continue Reading
11.30.18
Rounds Statement on EPA’s 2019 Renewable Volume Obligations
PIERRE - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 2019 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which includes the 2020 RVO for biomass-based diesel. The EPA announced a total of 19.92 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be blended in 2019, 15 billion gallons of which will be primarily made up of corn ethanol… Continue Reading
11.29.18
Rounds Statement on Senate Passage of Legislation to Commemorate End of WWII
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, praised the Senate passage of the 75th Anniversary of World War II Commemoration Act yesterday. This legislation establishes a commemorative program to honor veterans, educate the public about the history of World War II, highlight the service of the men and women who served our nation on the home front during the war, recognize the contributions of our allies and remember the horrors of the Holocaust… Continue Reading
11.29.18
Rounds, Thune Urge President to Reopen U.S. Soybean Exports to China
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) today, ahead of President Trump's trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the G20 Summit, urged the president to prioritize the restoring of U.S. soybean market access in China when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss trade and other issues. "We appreciate your efforts to address China's unfair trade practices, but our soybean producers cannot continue to bear the brunt of China's retaliatory tariffs, especia… Continue Reading
11.20.18
Delegation Invites Veteran Affairs Secretary to Hot Springs VA Facility 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.) have invited Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, who was confirmed in July, to visit the Hot Springs VA facility in South Dakota. The delegation has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and previous secretaries to highlight the good work being done at the facility and encourage them to keep it open and operational. "As you continue to appreciate the scope of the V… Continue Reading
11.15.18
Thankful for the Opportunity to Work for South Dakota in the Senate
This Thanksgiving, I would like to share with all South Dakotans my gratitude for the opportunity to work for you in the United States Senate. It is a privilege that I will never take for granted. I continue to work every day to make decisions that will improve the lives of everyone in South Dakota. Jean and I send our warmest wishes to you this holiday season. Thanksgiving is a good time to look back on the year and thank the Lord for the blessings that we have received. This year, we welco… Continue Reading
11.14.18
Rounds Opening Statement at Cybersecurity Subcommittee Hearing
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, today delivered opening remarks at a hearing on the private sector perspective on the Department of Defense's (DoD) cybersecurity acquisition and practices. "The Department's cybersecurity acquisition is slow, decentralized and often overly reliant on the National Security Agency's product evaluation and indigenous production," said Rounds in his opening remarks. "And, because of this… Continue Reading
10.31.18
Rounds Statement on Proposed Rule to Facilitate Liquidity in Options Markets
PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today issued the following statement on a proposed rule by the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation that would implement the standardized approach for measuring counterparty credit risk: "I'm pleased to see that our regulators are taking action to implement the standardized approach for measuring counterparty credit ri… Continue Reading
10.22.18
What They're Saying About Rounds' Bill to Require a Comprehensive Assessment of IHS
Last month, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs passed S.465 with broad, bipartisan support. S. 465 would require the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to contract an assessment of the Indian Health Service's (IHS) health care delivery systems and financial management processes only at direct-care facilities. It now awaits consideration by the full Senate floor. Here is what stakeholders have been saying: Harold C. Frazier, Chairman, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe… Continue Reading
10.11.18
Rounds Introduces Legislative Package to Promote Economic Growth
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today introduced six bills to reduce the regulatory burden for investors and small businesses seeking to raise capital so they can create jobs and grow our economy. "These bills seek to lessen financial regulatory burdens, making it easier for consumers to invest and for job creators to thrive," said Rounds. "They maintain protections for consumers and have already received strong,… Continue Reading
10.11.18
Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Commemorate End of WWII
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced the 75th Anniversary of World War II Commemoration Act. This legislation would establish a commemorative program to honor veterans, educate the public about the history of World War II, highlight the service of the men and women who served our nation on the home front during the war, recognize the contributions of our allies a… Continue Reading
10.10.18
Rounds Statement on Senate Passage of Water Infrastructure Bill
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued a statement on the Senate's passage of America's Water Infrastructure Act, a comprehensive, bipartisan bill that will benefit communities across South Dakota. "Water is one of our most precious natural resources," said Rounds. "South Dakotans rely on water infrastructure for energy, irrigation, agriculture, recreation, flood control, and clean drinking water. The legislation we passed today builds on the Senate's commitment to investing … Continue Reading
10.09.18
Rounds Supports Year-Round E-15 Sales
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement regarding the administration's decision to allow year-round sales of gasoline mixed with 15 percent ethanol, or E-15. In previous years, sales of E-15 were banned annually between June 1 and September 15, which includes the country's busiest driving months. "Allowing year-round sales of E-15 will not only increase markets for South Dakota producers, it will increase consumer choice at the pump and keep fuel costs … Continue Reading
10.06.18
Rounds Statement on Confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice to the United States Supreme Court: "Despite a prolonged 'advice and consent' process in which our Democrat colleagues went to extreme, unprecedented measures to try and stop his nomination, today the Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Judge Kavanaugh is immensely qualified to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. During the last 12 years … Continue Reading
