Columns

  Let’s be real – Washington D.C. is broken. If it were just you and me out there, we could figure this thing out pretty quickly with a little South Dakota common...

“I’m really impressed.” Words spoken about Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Words spoken by a surprising voice, Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top ranking Democrat on the...

HAU MITAKUYEPI, CANTE WASTE NAPE CIYUZAPELO (Hello my relatives, I greet you with warm heart and handshake).   This year, South Dakotans are celebrating the 30th anniversary...

When I was a kid growing up, I was a paperboy who delivered the Minneapolis Star Tribune to homes around Pierre. Today, news is delivered a little differently than it was back...

In the Bible, the book of Ecclesiastes says “there’s nothing new under the sun.” That’s been proven true time and time again. In 1937, President Franklin...

I come from a big family – a good Catholic family! I’m the oldest of eleven kids - Mike, Mick (Michele), Doc (Dennis), Doug, Tim, Dan, Tom, Pat, Steve, Scott and Jamie....

Jacob Chestnut. John Gibson. They’re not household names instantly recognizable. They were sons, husbands and fathers. They were two regular people, just like the rest of us,...

I’m not savvy with social media by today’s standards. I’m pretty good with texting and emailing, but for the most part, I’m old fashioned and appreciate a...

I read a quote from my local sale barn operator Bryan Hanson, the other day: “You used to be able to survive on a 100 head operation; now you have to have a full-time job and...

I chair the Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In that role, we’ve worked extensively on election security. It’s well documented that...

During the month of August, Congress traditionally takes an extended break from Washington to spend time at home to hear firsthand from their constituents, and this year is no...

Dear Students, Parents and Teachers: The longest summer break you will ever experience is almost over. Life has been different for all of us since COVID-19 hit our communities in...

With fewer than 90 days left until the November election, voters are considering how best to cast their ballot in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. We won’t be moving the...

South Dakota is a special place. We all know that. It’s where we choose to live, work and raise our kids. It’s where we call home and are surrounded by the people we...

This year marks the 60th consecutive year that the U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act—or NDAA. The NDAA is one of the most important...

When the Senate goes back into session the week of July 20, one of the proposals we’ll be working on is a “phase four” coronavirus relief package. The last...

The year 2020 is only half written, but already it’s one for the history books.  Everyone, whether 8 or 78, will remember this year as one unlike any other.  While...

As we enter into the summer and continue working to get our economy back on track, COVID-19 continues to impact our country. Addressing growing public health needs has become a...

I’ll never forget the first time we brought our youngest son, Johnny, to see Mt. Rushmore. He was two at the time, and we were on a family road trip. We pulled up to Mt....

A fair and independent judiciary is a cornerstone of our democracy. Filling vacancies in our nation’s courts with men and women who apply the law as written, rather than...