Press Releases
Rounds, King Introduce Bill to Allow Local Meat and Poultry Products to be Sold Across State Lines
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Angus King (I-Maine), today introduced the New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act. The bipartisan bill would allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs to be sold across state lines. Currently, there are 27 states with inspection programs, certified by the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), which meet or exceed federal inspection standards. However, products processed at these FS… Continue Reading
05.07.18
Sturgis Brown High School Graduate Accepted to U.S. Naval Academy
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that Sturgis Brown High School graduate Justice West has received a fully qualified offer of appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, which he intends to accept. West, the son of Patrick and Cassandra West of Piedmont, received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy from Rounds. He currently attends the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, RI. "I congratulate Justice on his offer of appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy," said… Continue Reading
05.03.18
Rounds Honored with U.S. Chamber 'Spirit of Enterprise' Award
SIOUX FALLS - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 'Spirit of Enterprise' Award for his support of pro-growth economic policies in the first session of the 115th Congress. "It's a good time to be doing business in America, thanks to a slate of legislative accomplishments that laid the groundwork for more economic growth and job creation," said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "These efforts to advance commonsense, growth-… Continue Reading
05.03.18
Rounds Accepting Fall 2018 Internship Applications
PIERRE- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he is currently accepting internship applications for fall 2018. The deadline to apply for internships in his Washington, D.C., Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls offices is May 21, 2018. College credit is available. Duties in the Washington, D.C., office may include tracking legislation, researching bills, attending committee hearings and briefings, leading tours of the U.S. Capitol, handling constituent phone calls, sorting mail … Continue Reading
05.02.18
Rounds: Ellsworth to be one of Three Bases to be Considered to Receive the First B-21 Bombers
PIERRE - U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement on Ellsworth Air Force Base being named one of three bases evaluated to receive the first B-21 Raider Bombers. "I welcome today's decision to include Ellsworth Air Force Base as a candidate to be the first base to receive the new B-21 Raider bomber," said Rounds. "It reaffirms the vital role Ellsworth plays in our national defense. As a member of the Senate Armed … Continue Reading
05.01.18
Family-Owned Dairy Queen in Madison Nominated to be Small Business of the Day for National Small Business Week
PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today nominated Dairy Queen of Madison, owned by DeLon Mork, as the Small Business of the Day for National Small Business Week. The restaurant has been in the Mork family since it was purchased by DeLon's parents in 1964. "I'm happy to nominate DeLon Mork and his small business as South Dakota's Small Business of the Day during National Small Business Week," said Rounds. "DeLon and h… Continue Reading
04.30.18
Rounds, Thune Join Bipartisan Group of Senators in Pushing EPA Administrator Pruitt for Year-Round E15 Waiver
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined 16 of their Senate colleagues in writing to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt highlighting the benefits of year-round E15 sales. The letter comes weeks after the president indicated he supported such a waiver. Thune and Rounds want Pruitt to provide an expected timeline for an administrative Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) waiver, and they request that the agency allow for the sale of E15 d… Continue Reading
04.30.18
Fort Pierre Student Accepted to U.S. Air Force Academy
PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that Stanley County High School student Ryan Habeck has been offered an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy, which he intends to accept. Habeck, the son of Clint and Melissa Habeck of Fort Pierre, received a nomination to the U.S. Air Force Academy from Rounds. "I congratulate Ryan on his offer of appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy," said Rounds. "As Student Council president, Ryan has shown leadership skills that will serve him… Continue Reading
04.26.18
Baltic Student Accepted to U.S. Military Academy at West Point
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that Jayden Pittmann of Baltic has received a fully qualified offer of appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which he intends to accept. Jayden is the son of Jason and Kristen Pittmann, and is a senior at Baltic High School. He was nominated to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point by Rounds. "I congratulate Jayden on his offer of appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point," said Rounds. "Jayden's strong w… Continue Reading
04.25.18
Rounds Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help Veterans Secure Good-Paying Jobs
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, along with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), today introduced the Better Access to Technical Training, Learning, and Entrepreneurship for Servicemembers Act (BATTLE for Servicemembers Act), to better connect servicemembers with resources to secure quality education and good-paying jobs as they transition from military service to civilian life. "The men and women who serve in the U.S. military are some o… Continue Reading
04.24.18
Rounds Statement on EPA Rule to Increase Science Transparency
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on steps that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking to increase transparency at the agency. Today, Rounds and House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith joined EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt as he signed a proposed rule that would make certain the regulatory science underlying EPA actions is fully transparent, and that the scientific information is publicly available in a manner sufficient for indepe… Continue Reading
04.17.18
Letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works
04.11.18
Rounds Receives “Award for Conservative Achievement” from American Conservative Union
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) this week received an "Award for Conservative Achievement" from the American Conservative Union (ACU) for consistently voting to uphold conservative principles. "We commend Senator Rounds for his support of conservative values, and applaud his votes to confirm conservatives such as Mick Mulvaney, Besty DeVos and Ajit Pai," said Matt Schlapp, Chairman of the ACU. "His votes to pass comprehensive tax reform, repeal Obamacare, and confirm true conservat… Continue Reading
04.05.18
Rounds Statement on China Tariff Proposal
PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on China's proposed tariffs on U.S. products, including corn, soybeans and beef products: "While I support the administration's desire to negotiate better trade deals, I've continuously expressed my concern about retaliation from other countries. The new tariffs China is proposing on soybeans and other U.S. goods is a prime example. With planting season about to start and the farm economy still lagging, South Dakota f… Continue Reading
04.04.18
Rounds Urges VA to Make Timely Payments to Community Providers
PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, today sent a letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert Wilkie to request the VA address its reimbursement process for community providers, and to reimburse old claims dating back to September 30, 2016, and older that the VA has rejected as ineligible. "According to the VA's policy, claims from September 30, 2016, and older are no longer eligible for reimbursement," wr… Continue Reading
03.30.18
Rapid City Resident Accepted to U.S. Military Academy at West Point
PIERRE -U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that Coby Mack of Rapid City has received a fully qualified offer of appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which he intends to accept. Coby is the son of Heidi Bestgen and Troy Mack, the stepson of Branden Bestgen, and is a graduate of Andover High School in Andover, Mass. He was nominated to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point by Rounds. "I congratulate Coby on his offer of appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at … Continue Reading
03.23.18
Rounds: Omnibus Bill Includes Important South Dakota Priorities, Adequately Funds Armed Forces
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the Senate passage of the omnibus appropriations bill to fund the government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2018, which he supported: "While I continue to be frustrated with Washington's broken budget process, I voted to support the omnibus because it includes a significant increase in military spending - the biggest increase since the War on Terror began. This increased funding will allow our armed forces… Continue Reading
03.22.18
Rounds Pushes Senate to Include Health Care Market Stabilization Legislation in Omnibus
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to support an amendment to the pending omnibus bill that would stabilize the health insurance market and lower premiums for South Dakota families. The amendment, which is being offered by Sen. Susan Collins and cosponsored by Rounds, was filed earlier today. If enacted, it will decrease premiums for those enrolled in Obamacare's individual market by 20-40 percent. Additionally, the nonpartisan Con… Continue Reading
03.22.18
Rounds Statement on 199A Fix in Omnibus Legislation
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the inclusion of a legislative fix to section 199A of the tax code in the omnibus: "Cooperatives and grain operators alike provide a vital service to our farming community and contribute significantly to South Dakota's economy," said Rounds. "The inclusion of Section 199A in the tax law was always to maintain the status quo for the agricultural sector, not to give an unfair advantage to cooperatives over inde… Continue Reading
03.22.18
Rounds Statement on H-2B Provisions in Omnibus
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the inclusion of language in the omnibus that provides a path for the administration to increase the number of H-2B visas by 69,000 for Fiscal Year 2018: "With one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, South Dakota's workforce depends on temporary, H-2B visa workers to fill important short-term, seasonal jobs each year when employers are unable to find American workers to fill them. While the omnibu… Continue Reading
