Press Releases
Rounds’ General Counsel to serve as DC Deputy Chief of Staff
PIERRE -U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that Kyle Chase will serve as Rounds' Deputy Chief of Staff in his Washington, D.C., office. Chase, who has worked for Rounds since 2017, will continue to serve as Rounds' General Counsel. Additionally, Mark Johnston, head of Rounds' DC office since 2018, will remain on Rounds' staff as a Special Advisor. Chase will report to Chief of staff Rob Skjonsberg, who will remain based in South Dakota. "Kyle is one of my most trusted advisers… Continue Reading
10.28.20
Rounds, Loeffler Introduce Bill to Curb Veteran Homelessness
PIERRE - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) introduced the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Act, a bill to make needed changes to two programs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prevent and decrease veteran homelessness. "Every single veteran should have a place to call home," said Rounds. "While we've made progress over the past decade at reducing the number of veterans experiencing homelessness, there are still too many vets without a roof over their he… Continue Reading
10.21.20
Rounds Meets with Judge Amy Coney Barrett
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on his meeting with Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump's nominee to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court: "I appreciate the opportunity to meet with Judge Barrett today. We had a wonderful discussion about a number of issues that South Dakotans care about, such as the importance of upholding the Second Amendment and the role of Congress - not the Judiciary - in making policy decisions. During our meetin… Continue Reading
10.14.20
Rounds, Colleagues Urge HHS Secretary to Take a Closer Look at Reporting Requirements Which Could Disadvantage Rural Hospitals
PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and a bipartisan group of his Senate colleagues sent a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar about changes in reporting requirements, which have the potential to create financial hardships and uncertainty for hospitals across the country, especially those operating in rural areas. "In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our health care providers need more certainty, not less. The CARES Act, enacted in March 2020, established the P… Continue Reading
10.09.20
Rounds Statement on Official VA Action to Keep Hot Springs VA Campus Open
FORT PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) decision to rescind its Record of Decision regarding the Hot Springs VA Medical Center. "The Hot Springs VA facility is among the best in the country," said Rounds. "Today's notification is the result of a years-long battle to keep the facility open and make sure veterans from across the region are able to continue receiving the same top-notch care in the future. We tha… Continue Reading
10.07.20
Rounds, Thune Legislation Would Create a Congressional Charter for National American Indian Veterans (NAIV)
PIERRE -U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) recently introduced legislation to create a Congressional Charter for the National American Indian Veterans (NAIV). Headquartered in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Reservation, the NAIV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to advocating for tribal veterans. Originally started in 2004, today the NAIV serves the needs of Native veterans in all 50 states. "We are grateful to our Native veterans for their service … Continue Reading
10.02.20
Rounds, Smith Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Health Care Providers Continue Delivering Telehealth Services to Rural America
WASHINGTON--U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced bipartisan legislation to help health care providers continue delivering tele-health services to rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Telehealth Program Extension Act would provide an additional $200 million for the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) COVID-19 Telehealth Program, which ran out of funding in July. A bipartisan House companion bill has been introduced by U.S. Representativ… Continue Reading
10.01.20
Rounds Introduces Bill to Reform NRCS to Better Serve South Dakota Farmers, Ranchers and Landowners
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) introduced legislation to reform the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which is in charge of making wetland determinations. Among other things, Rounds' legislation would guarantee landowners a wetland redetermination process, reform the NRCS appeals process and create a state oversight committee, comprised of local farmers and ranchers, to review the NRCS' determination process. Additional cosponsors include Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D… Continue Reading
09.29.20
Rounds, Thune, Johnson: Army Corps Announces Major Step Toward Implementation of Snowpack Monitoring System
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and Rep Dusty Johnson R-S.D.) today praised the news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has awarded major contracts to four universities, including South Dakota State University (SDSU), to establish a network of stations to monitor snowpack and soil moisture throughout the plains area of the Upper Missouri River Basin. SDSU will receive a $12.8 million contract, and earlier today the first task issue was issued for the … Continue Reading
09.29.20
Rounds, Thune, Johnson: Army Corps Announces Major Step Toward Implementation of Snowpack Monitoring System
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and Rep Dusty Johnson R-S.D.) today praised the news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has awarded major contracts to four universities, including South Dakota State University (SDSU), to establish a network of stations to monitor snowpack and soil moisture throughout the plains area of the Upper Missouri River Basin. SDSU will receive a $12.8 million contract, and earlier today the first task issue was issued for the … Continue Reading
09.29.20
Rounds, Thune, Johnson: Army Corps Announces Major Step Toward Implementation of Snowpack Monitoring System
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and Rep Dusty Johnson R-S.D.) today praised the news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has awarded major contracts to four universities, including South Dakota State University (SDSU), to establish a network of stations to monitor snowpack and soil moisture throughout the plains area of the Upper Missouri River Basin. SDSU will receive a $12.8 million contract, and earlier today the first task issue was issued for the … Continue Reading
09.26.20
Rounds Statement on Supreme Court Nominee
PIERRE -U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement on President Trump's nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. "President Trump has made an excellent choice in nominating Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court. As an accomplished jurist, wife and mother from the Midwest, Judge Barrett brings a unique perspective to our nation's highest court. With so many important decisions to be made at the Supreme Court that are important to South Dakotans - from … Continue Reading
09.23.20
Rounds Nominates Chris and Amber Friedel of Parkston for “Angels in Adoption” Award
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced he has nominated Chris and Amber Friedel of Parkston for this year's Angels in Adoption award, presented by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). Chris and Amber Friedel have adopted two children, Chase Robert (age 5) and Kamber Jean (age 2). After dealing with years of fertility treatments, Chris and Amber decided to look into adoption. On Christmas Day of 2015, they were notified that they would be adopting Chas… Continue Reading
09.17.20
Delegation Introduces Bill to Allow State to Conduct Clean-Up Effort at Gilt Edge Mine
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 introduced the Gilt Edge Mine Conveyance Act, legislation that would authorize the state of South Dakota to purchase approximately 266 acres of U.S. Forest Service land in Lawrence County. The land transfer authorized by this legislation would allow the state to conduct a clean-up effort within the boundary of the Gilt Edge Mine superfund site once the Environmental Protection Agency c… Continue Reading
09.17.20
Rounds, Colleagues Lead Effort to Punish Criminals for Targeting Law Enforcement Officers
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today joined Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and a number of their Senate colleagues to introduce the Protect and Serve Act, legislation that would create federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state or federal law enforcement officers with violence. "South Dakota's law enforcement officers are men and women with families just like ours, who put their lives in danger every day to protect our communities," said Rounds. "As a nation… Continue Reading
09.17.20
Rounds Receives Top Rating from Pro-Life Group
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) received an "A" Rating from the pro-life organization the Susan B. Anthony List for consistently voting to protect the lives of unborn babies as well as the consciences of taxpayers who don't want their hard-earned tax dollars paying for abortions domestically or internationally. "Every life is a precious gift from God," said Rounds. "The sanctity of human life is something we should all seek to protect. I'll continue working in the Senate on polic… Continue Reading
09.14.20
Delegation Applauds Environmental Protection Agency Decision to Deny ‘Gap-Year’ Small Refinery Exemption Petitions
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued the following statements after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied dozens of requests from oil refineries seeking economic hardship exemptions from ethanol blending requirements under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) dating from 2011 through 2018. "The EPA's excessive issuance of Small Refinery Exemptions has undermined the integrity of the RFS for years, harming Sout… Continue Reading
09.10.20
With Delegation Support, Department of Transportation Awards South Dakota Critical Highway Funding
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT's) decision to award a $22 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to reconstruct 30 miles of Highway 46 between US-81 and I-29 near Beresford and Irene, a critical route for agriculture producers in southeast South Dakota and for those driving between Yankton and Sioux Falls. "South Dakota's highways … Continue Reading
09.10.20
Rounds, Colleagues Urge Protection for Law Enforcement Officials
WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) joined Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) in a letter to Attorney General William Barr concerning the recent rise in individuals willing to justify targeting law enforcement officers for harassment, assault and deadly attacks. "Over the past three months, our nation has been in the … Continue Reading
09.09.20
Deadline Extended for Service Academy Nomination Applications
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that the deadline for students to apply for a service academy nomination has been extended to October 30, 2020. Each year, Rounds is able to nominate a certain number of South Dakota students to the following U.S. Service Academies: U.S. Military Academy at West Point, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. These academies allow young people to serve our country while receiving a full four-year sc… Continue Reading
