Press Releases
Weekly Column: Counting our Blessings this Christmas
The Christmas season is a special time that allows us to reflect upon the blessings in our lives and spend quality time with our loved ones. Jean and I are blessed to call South Dakota home, and we are especially grateful for our continued health and the health of our family. This year, we welcomed two new grandchildren - eight in all! We look forward to spending additional time with them and the rest of our family in the coming weeks. It is well-known that the Rounds extended family is quite l… Continue Reading
12.09.15
Rounds: Education Reform Bill a Victory for South Dakota’s 150,000 Students
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement on the Senate's passage of the final Conference Report for the Every Student Succeeds Act. This bipartisan legislation replaces the widely criticized No Child Left Behind Act and shifts authority for academic standards back to the states and local school districts. It now heads to President Obama's desk to be signed into law. "I've always believed in local control of schools," said Rounds. "The Every Student Succeed… Continue Reading
12.08.15
South Dakota Delegation Urges Air Force to Base New Air Force Fighter in Sioux Falls
WASHINGTON - South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) and South Dakota Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Timothy Reisch today wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James urging the Air Force to base the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Next year, the Air Force is expected to announce its basing decisions for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, to include two Air National Guard… Continue Reading
12.08.15
South Dakota Senators Insist President Pursue Additional Military Options in ISIS Fight
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.), along with eight of their Senate colleagues, today sent a letter to President Obama insisting that he pursue additional military options to degrade and destroy ISIS abroad and protect the nation from further attacks against American citizens: "The American people are understandably concerned in the aftermath of the horrific attack in San Bernardino and increasingly apprehensive about the prospect of another terrorist attack … Continue Reading
12.03.15
Rounds: Long-Term Highway Bill Brings Certainty to Transportation Projects, Restores Crop Insurance Cut
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today issued the following statement on the Senate's passage of the final Conference Report for the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, bipartisan legislation to fund America's highway and transit programs for five years. The FAST Act allocates approximately $1.6 billion for South Dakota transportation projects over the next five years. It now heads to President Obama's de… Continue Reading
12.03.15
Legislation to Repeal Obamacare Passes Senate
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today praised the Senate's passage of legislation to repeal significant portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). "We knew the massive, 2500-page law was unworkable when it passed five years ago and that it would crumble under its own weight. And that is exactly what is happening. Health insurance providers are dropping policies and pulling out of the exchange, premiums are skyrocketing for South Dakota families and health care providers are facing un… Continue Reading
11.30.15
Public Comment Period Extended on VA’s Proposed Reconfiguration of Black Hills Health Care System
WASHINGTON-Members of the South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska congressional delegations today made the following statement in support of the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) decision to extend the public comment period on the environmental impact statement regarding proposals for reconfiguration of the Black Hills Health Care System (BHHCS) until February 5, 2016. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Mike Enzi (R-Wy.), John Barrasso (R-Wy.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and U.S. Repre… Continue Reading
11.24.15
Rounds Reinforces Commitment to Restoring Crop Insurance Cut in Appropriations Process
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) wrote his colleagues to reinforce his commitment to restoring the $3 billion in crop insurance cuts that were included in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, which was signed into law earlier this year. Prior to voting for the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, House and Senate Leadership publicly offered to help fix the cuts during the appropriations process. In letters addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Agriculture Commi… Continue Reading
11.17.15
Senate Passes Bills to Eliminate Obama’s Costly Energy Regulations
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today voted to stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from moving forward with its proposed "Clean Power Plan" regulations for existing sources and its final rule governing greenhouse gas emissions from new sources. The Senate passed two resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act, which will stop these rules all together. Rounds is a cosponsor of both resolution… Continue Reading
11.17.15
Rounds Signs Letter to President on Potential ISIS Infiltration of Syrian Refugee Flow
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today joined his colleagues in a letter to President Obama requesting the administration make certain no members, supporters or sympathizers of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are infiltrating Syrian refugee movements to enter the United States. ISIS claimed responsibility for the synchronized terror attacks in Paris, and French and other European officials said at least one of the attackers used the flow of Syrian refugees to enter the Eur… Continue Reading
11.13.15
Senators Press White House for Increased Transparency on Guantanamo Detainees
WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, along with Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), James Inhofe (R-OK), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), are urging President Obama to adhere to his own promise of increasing transparency, a commitment on which the administration has fallen short when it comes to detainees at Guantanamo and their transfer to other countries. "When a detainee is transferred, the only specific information released by the Departmen… Continue Reading
11.10.15
Tri-State Delegation Requests Extended Public Comment Period of Reconfiguration of Black Hills Health Care System
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, led his colleagues from South Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska in a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald to request an extension of the public comment period in the wake of the VA's Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed reconfiguration of the Black Hills Health Care System (BHHCS). The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S… Continue Reading
11.10.15
Video Available: In Advance of Veterans Day, Rounds, Colleagues Introduce New Legislation to Improve Staffing at VA Health Centers
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), along with Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), today held a press conference in the U.S. Capitol to announce the introduction of the Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation to make common-sense changes in staffing policies at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and improve veterans care at VA health care facilities. "It is our duty to make certain our veterans receive the care… Continue Reading
11.10.15
Senate Passes Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement on the Senate's passage of its first appropriations bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, H.R. 2029, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (MilCon/VA). It passed 93-0. "I am pleased that the Senate is finally doing its job to pass appropriations bills, especially the Military Co… Continue Reading
11.10.15
Rounds Statement on Senate Passage of NDAA
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement on the Senate's passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). It passed by a bipartisan majority vote of 91-3 and includes a number of provisions offered by Rounds. It now heads to President Obama's desk to be signed into law. "As we approach Veterans Day, we are reminded of the enormous sacrifices and dangerous missions of our brave men and women in… Continue Reading
11.06.15
Rounds Statement on President’s Rejection of Keystone XL Pipeline
PIERRE-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on President Obama's decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline: "This decision is no surprise," said Rounds. "While disappointing, this underscores the need for Congress to take affirmative action to see that this project is allowed to move forward. The Keystone XL pipeline would bring millions of dollars of tax revenue to local units of government in South Dakota. It would also ease the congestion on our rail syste… Continue Reading
11.05.15
Senate Passes Resolution Recognizing November as “National Native American Heritage Month”
11.05.15
Rounds Encourages South Dakotans to Send Feedback on TPP
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today posted the full text of the just-released Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement on his website. South Dakotans interested in learning more about the proposed trade agreement are encouraged to review it and send their comments to Sen. Rounds. "International trade plays an important role in American commerce," said Rounds. "From higher wages for U.S. workers to supporting small businesses and agriculture, trade has a proven record of ke… Continue Reading
11.05.15
Senate Democrats Block Defense Funding Bill Again
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement on the Senate Democrats' filibuster of the Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations bill for the third time this year, following the budget deal of last week: "Refusing to debate the 12 appropriation bills which provide the necessary funds to keep the government running, simply to create a crisis, is not acceptable," said Rounds. "Yet again, Senate Democrats blocked an important appropriations bill from being op… Continue Reading
11.03.15
Rounds Statement on Democrat Filibuster of Bill to Stop WOTUS
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today issued the following statement after Senate Democrats filibustered S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act, of which he is an original cosponsor. The Federal Water Quality Protection Act would have prevented the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule from taking effect and would have tasked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers with completely redr… Continue Reading
