Weekly Column
Column: Americans Deserve Better Than Obamacare
The Senate recently released the discussion draft of the plan to fix the failing health care system in our country, and Senate leadership is hoping to hold a vote before the 4th of July holiday. My staff and I have been reviewing the legislation to make sure the provisions included are good for South Dakotans. Like any legislation, we will carefully analyze it before taking a vote. I encourage South Dakotans to read it too, and to share their thoughts with me. The text of the bill, along with an… Continue Reading
06.17.17
Drought Relief is Needed
Today in South Dakota, much of our state is experiencing a significant drought. Ranchers are struggling to feed their livestock and farmers are concerned about their crops. In many counties, the hay and forage being harvested is yielding one-third or less of normal production. Despite recent rainfall across much of the state, these dry conditions are expected to continue into the summer. The drought underscores the importance of the farm bill, the primary ag and food policy legislation that dir… Continue Reading
06.09.17
Weekly Column: Veterans' Selfless Service Keeps America Free and Safe
We recently recognized Memorial Day to honor the brave men and women who died in combat, as well as the 73rd anniversary of D-Day, where more than 116,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches of northern France to free Europe from the Nazis during World War II. These days serve as important reminders of the tremendous sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform and their families. They risk everything to protect the freedoms we enjoy in the United States each and every day. While our debt t… Continue Reading
06.02.17
Weekly Column: A Better Way to Determine How Your Tax Dollars are Spent
President Trump recently sent his first budget proposal to Congress. Historically, a president's budget, which is required by law to be submitted annually, is viewed as a framework for the administration's priorities and typically kicks off the appropriations process in Congress, where we are supposed to work our way through 12 individual appropriation bills. These bills allow us to make important changes to policy in the United States. When the appropriations process works as intended, it is th… Continue Reading
05.26.17
Weekly Column: Tax Cuts Work for South Dakotans
We don't have a taxing problem in America - we have a spending problem. First of all, the government doesn't generate money, it is not a person or a business. In South Dakota, if we don't produce or earn money, whether in our home or business, we don't spend money. The federal economic projection methods that Congressional appropriations are based upon are flawed. Therefore, it shouldn't be a surprise that the national debt has soared. We need to focus on tax cuts and let people keep more o… Continue Reading
05.19.17
Weekly Column: South Dakota Students Taking the Next Steps
Every spring, a new group of students takes a big step into the next phase of life upon graduation. Whether students are moving on from high school, college or a technical institute, each graduate has an opportunity to use his or her talents, education and determination to shape their future and begin a new journey in life. I congratulate all 2017 graduates as they step out into the world to make a mark of their own. We are fortunate in South Dakota to have good, quality grammar and high sch… Continue Reading
05.12.17
Weekly Column: A Big Win for South Dakota Veterans
South Dakota veterans and doctors who participate in the Choice program received some good news recently. Late last month, President Donald Trump signed into law legislation that includes a provision of a bill I introduced which, in essence, makes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) the primary payer for services under the Choice Act. This is important because now veterans will no longer have to pay higher health care costs when they seek care at a non-VA facility when using the Choice Act.… Continue Reading
05.05.17
Weekly Column: Obamacare Has Failed; Time to Replace it is Now
In 2009, as part of a delegation from the National Governor's Association, I had the privilege of meeting the President and the Vice President on their proposed health care plan, which later became known as Obamacare. Although I disagreed with his plan, it was a friendly conversation. I wish the president would have considered some of our suggestions. The most egregious and unsustainable portions of Obamacare were delayed. But, they are impacting us now. It was a smart political move by Presid… Continue Reading
04.28.17
Weekly Column: Paris Climate Agreement Another Misguided Step That Puts U.S. At Competitive Disadvantage
Last year, President Obama entered into a radical climate agreement called the Paris Agreement with other global leaders in an attempt to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gas. Unfortunately, it is a bad deal for America. We all want to pass on a clean, safe environment to future generations, but the Paris Agreement was made without the support of Congress or the American people. The new energy restrictions outlined in the Paris Agreement will lead to higher electricity rates and re… Continue Reading
04.21.17
Weekly Column: Undoing the Obama Legacy of 'Government Knows Best'
It has been three months since President Trump took office with a Republican-led Congress in place ready to help him advance policies that grow our economy and allow hardworking Americans to keep more of their paycheck each month. Almost immediately, we have been delivering on that promise by undoing a number of Obama-era regulations, regulations that take much-needed capital away from families and small businesses. Under the Congressional Review Act, the Senate has passed 13 resolutions undoing… Continue Reading
04.14.17
Protecting Your Internet Privacy Rights
Since the House and Senate voted to undo Obama-era regulations related to internet privacy last month under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a lot of misinformation has been floating around about your privacy online. I would like to take the opportunity to clear up some of this misinformation. First and foremost, it is important to point out that repealing these regulations did not change your current internet privacy. The new rules had not yet gone into effect due to a judicial stay. In oth… Continue Reading
04.07.17
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
