Weekly Column
Weekly Column: Judge Neil Gorsuch Will be an Excellent Supreme Court Justice
Throughout his career, Judge Neil Gorsuch has proven time and again that he is exceptionally qualified to be a Supreme Court justice. His long history of defending the Constitution and applying the law as it was written demonstrate that he has the aptitude for this lifetime appointment. His resume is second to none: after attending Columbia, Harvard and Oxford, Gorsuch clerked for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy before working for the Department of Justice. Since 2006, Go… Continue Reading
03.31.17
Weekly Column: Ag Economy is Crucial to the Future of South Dakota
Agriculture is South Dakota's number one industry. More than 2,000 of our state's farms have been in the same family for 100 years. Our farmers and ranchers play a critical role in feeding and fueling a growing global population. It's easy to take for granted the ability to have access to high quality food. Without a strong ag community, we would struggle to put food on our families' tables. In South Dakota, agriculture accounts for more than half of our economic output each year. Unfortunately… Continue Reading
03.17.17
Weekly Column: Need Help With a Federal Agency? Give us a Call
In the United States Senate, much of our time is focused on crafting and debating legislation, attending committee meetings and making sure federal policies are working for South Dakota families. But we also spend a great deal of time helping South Dakotans who are having difficulties dealing with a federal agency. It is a lesser-known but equally-important service that allows us to act as a liaison between you and the federal government. Washington is so broken and our federal bureaucracy has g… Continue Reading
03.10.17
Weekly Column: A Better Plan for America’s Health Care
When many of us ran for Congress, we promised voters that we would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act-or Obamacare. With Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress and a president in office willing to work with us, we are finally able to make good on that promise. The House of Representatives recently introduced legislation to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a patient-centered plan to improve competition within the marketplace and help make health care more affordable for al… Continue Reading
02.24.17
Weekly Column: Advancing Regulatory Reform Through EPW Subcommittee
For the past two years, I had the opportunity to chair a subcommittee in the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee focusing on regulatory oversight, providing much-needed reviews of the regulatory processes at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Army Corps, and other agencies. It was recently announced that I will have the opportunity to again be the chairman of the Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight during this next session of Congress. I'm lookin… Continue Reading
02.16.17
Weekly Column: Smart Banking Regulations Benefit South Dakota Families
The 115th Congress hasn't taken an extended break since swearing-in day on January 3, and while much of our time these first six weeks have been focused on confirming President Trump's Cabinet nominees, we have also been busy introducing legislation to provide regulatory relief for South Dakota families and businesses. Most recently I introduced two pieces of legislation that seek to ease the regulatory burden on banks and other financial institutions, so they can more easily provide loans and o… Continue Reading
02.10.17
Weekly Column: Obstruction in the Senate Does More Harm Than Good
Since even before President Donald Trump took office in January, the Senate has been attempting to work through the confirmation process for his Cabinet secretary nominees so we can get to work on the important policy issues to get our country moving in the right direction again. Filling the Cabinet is critically important for the executive branch to function effectively. In addition to their advisory duties, Cabinet members lead their respective departments, create policies that guide each unit… Continue Reading
02.03.17
Weekly Column: Judge Gorsuch an Excellent Choice for Supreme Court
Americans mourned the passing of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died suddenly last year in the middle of the presidential election. Justice Scalia was one of the strongest defenders of the Constitution who fought fiercely against judicial activism and legislating from the bench. Replacing him will be extremely difficult, and is of the utmost importance, as Supreme Court Justices can dramatically alter the course of our nation in just one vote. President Trump has made an excellent … Continue Reading
01.27.17
Weekly Column: Internships Offer Behind-the-Scenes Look at Capitol Hill
For students interested in a career crafting public policy, an internship in a Senate office can be an excellent opportunity to see firsthand how our federal government functions. My office offers internships year-round in both my Washington, D.C., and South Dakota offices for college students and recent graduates. Interns have an important job in the overall functioning of a Senate office. They help all our staff do their jobs more efficiently by assisting with legislative research, circulatin… Continue Reading
01.18.17
Weekly Column: A Peaceful Transition of Power
Every four years after a presidential election, Americans from all corners of the country flock to Washington, D.C., to attend the incoming president's inauguration ceremony. At noon on January 20, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump becomes President Donald Trump, after he is administered the oath of office by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. The oath of office of the President of the United States is only 35 words long, and is stated in the United States Constitution: "I do solemnly s… Continue Reading
01.13.17
Weekly Column: Repealing Obamacare First Step Toward Replacing it with a Truly Affordable, Patient-Centered Plan
When I ran for Senate, I ran on the promise to do everything I could to repeal and replace the unworkable Affordable Care Act (ACA) and mitigate the damaging effects it was having on South Dakota families, health care providers and small businesses. After two years and a Republican entering the White House eager to work with us, the 115th Congress has finally begun the process of repealing and replacing the ill-advised law. The Senate took the first steps recently by passing a repeal resolution… Continue Reading
01.06.17
Time for A Real Strategy to Protect Americans from Cyber Threats
It is alleged that in recent months, the Russian government conducted cyber hacks of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) server and attempted to hack the Republican National Committee (RNC) email system. In October 2016, the Department of Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence stated that the cyber hackers "intended to interfere with the U.S. election process" - a very serious charge. On Dec. 29, President Obama imposed sanctions against Russian intelligence services… Continue Reading
12.29.16
Wrapping up my first session of Congress, ready to get to work in the year ahead
Two years ago, you trusted me with your vote to serve as your United States Senator. Having seen the damaging effects of our overreaching, broken federal government as a business owner, governor, father and grandfather, I was eager to get to work to fix Washington. While partisan gridlock in Washington still exists, we were able to make progress in several specific areas. We were able to enact the first major changes to our education laws since 'No Child Left Behind,' returning decision-making … Continue Reading
12.23.16
A South Dakota Christmas
Each year around the holidays, Jean and I like to reflect upon all of our blessings. We are incredibly grateful for our family and friends, our good health and the fact that we get to call South Dakota home. We are looking forward to spending Christmas with our loved ones, including my dad Grandpa Don and his wife Rosemary, Jean's parents, our four kids, their spouses, our eight grandkids and all of our extended family members. For as long as I can remember, our family has always gathered toget… Continue Reading
12.16.16
Weekly Column: Investing in Infrastructure is an Investment in the Future
In 2017, with a new president in office and a reinvigorated Congress eager to get to work, finding ways to help grow our economy will be a top priority in Washington. For the first time in nearly a decade, we will have an executive branch willing to work with us to reform the tax code and undo many of the burdensome regulations that are preventing job creators from expanding their businesses. Additionally, we will have a president in office who has committed to investing in infrastructure across… Continue Reading
12.09.16
Weekly Column: The Need for a Strong Military
The number one responsibility of the federal government is to provide for the defense of our country. One way we do that is by passing the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) each year. The NDAA, which has passed the Senate every year for more than 55 years, is a vital piece of legislation that shows our service members and their families that they have the full backing of Congress. I am pleased that the NDAA for fiscal year 2017 passed the Senate with overwhelming support and now heads to… Continue Reading
12.02.16
Weekly Column: The Electoral College a Vital Piece of our Constitution
The Electoral College was one of the most innovative concepts created by our Founding Fathers when they were setting up our young republic. Embedded in our Constitution, the Electoral College is the system for electing our president through a slate of 'electors' in each state, rather than by direct popular vote. It was carefully crafted to satisfy smaller states' desire for greater representation while balancing popular sovereignty with our Founders' fear of the tyranny of the majority. To win t… Continue Reading
11.22.16
Weekly Column: Getting our Country Back on Track
As we look forward to the start of a new year, Congress and the new president will have a number of agenda items to start working on to get our country back on track. Along with executive overreach and regulatory reform, finding a solution to our nation's fiscal crisis is one of the more important issues to address. With our debt spiraling out of control at more than $19 trillion, it's clear that federal spending at current levels is unsustainable. According to a report from the nonpartisan Cong… Continue Reading
11.18.16
Weekly Column: Plenty to be Thankful for This Year
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season for many of us, and it's a special time of year where we show gratitude for all the blessings in our lives. I am thankful to have the opportunity to serve the people of South Dakota in the U.S. Senate, and for the love and support of my family as I do this job. I'm also thankful for our men and women in uniform, many of whom may be far away from their friends and families for the holidays. This Veterans Day, I attended activation ceremonies… Continue Reading
11.10.16
Weekly Column: Obama's Failed Foreign Policy Legacy
Since President Obama took office nearly eight years ago, the world has changed considerably. During his time in office, ISIL rose to prominence due to the administration's determination to withdraw all U.S. forces from Iraq. Iran has ascended as a regional destabilizing power, and it remains on a path to acquire nuclear weapons. The U.S. effort to combat the Taliban in Afghanistan faces potential under-resourcing. Russia has increased its nuclear arsenal and continues its aggression against Ukr… Continue Reading
