Weekly Round[s] Up: July 28 - August 3, 2025
We had another busy week out in DC as we continue to work on confirming the President’s nominees. While we also had our usual schedule of meeting with South Dakotans and attending hearings and briefings, I was honored to be invited to the White House by President Trump this past week to attend an event on Making Health Technology Great Again. The President and his administration are utilizing AI technology to improve access to patients' electronic medical records. The information used in these records will make it easier for patients to be diagnosed using AI. As a co-chair of the Senate’s AI Caucus, I’m excited about the potential this has to save lives and improve the quality of life for those who voluntarily participate. Watch a clip from the event here, and read more on the rest of my week in my Weekly Round[s] Up:
South Dakota groups I met with: Dr. Ben Jones and Tyler Tordsen, who are both serving on South Dakota’s planning commission for America’s 250th birthday next year; Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President of Dakota State University; and Billy Mawhiney and Malachi Nelson, leaders from the South Dakota Afterschool Network.
South Dakota towns represented: Madison, Rapid City and Sioux Falls.
Other meetings: Dr. Joseph Jewell, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology; leaders from Rwanda; David Beck, nominee for Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs at the National Nuclear Security Administration; Christopher Pilkerton, nominee for Assistant Secretary for Investment Security at the Department of Treasury; Neel Kashkari, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis; and members of the American Council of Blind and American Foundation of the Blind.
I also co-hosted a dinner this past week for all of the former governors with my fellow former governor and current colleague Senator John Hickenlooper of Colorado. There are 12 of us in the Senate and we always enjoy reminiscing on what many of us consider to have been the best job in the world! I also attended our Senate Bible Study, where our verse of the week was Galatians 5:25, and our Senate Prayer Breakfast, where Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota was our speaker.
Committee work: I attended two committee events. The first was a business meeting in the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. At this business meeting, we marked up and passed the Road to Housing Act out of committee. I had four of my bills included in this package of legislation addressing housing issues. Access to safe affordable housing is critical to the strength and future of our communities. I’m proud that my legislation became key provisions in this bill, including modernizing rural housing programs, cutting burdensome regulations and giving local communities more tools to address homelessness and housing shortages. View a full list of my bills and read more about this legislation here.
I also chaired a hearing this past week in the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment, titled “Guardrails and Growth: AI’s Role in Capital and Insurance Markets.” The hearing examined how artificial intelligence is transforming financial services and Congress’ role in fostering innovation while promoting transparency and accountability. Read more here.
Briefings and markups: I attended four classified briefings this past week: one classified briefing as part of my work on the Armed Services committee, one as part of my work on the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and two closed briefings in the Select Committee on Intelligence. I also attended another markup in the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
Legislation introduced: I reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to promote artificial intelligence (AI) innovation in the financial services industry. The Unleashing AI Innovation in Financial Services Act would direct financial regulatory agencies to create Innovation Labs for regulated entities to test AI projects, allowing them to experiment with cutting-edge technologies in a safe way. Read more about this bill here.
Votes taken: 63 – we confirmed an additional 18 nominees to the executive and judicial branch this week. We also passed three of our 12 appropriations bills. The Senate is finally making a return to regular order appropriations under Leader John Thune and Appropriations Chair Senator Collins’ leadership. This past week, the Senate passed the Milcon-VA, Agriculture and Legislative Branch appropriations bills, with $21.9 million for projects in South Dakota included. Glad to have worked on these as part of my first year serving on the Committee. Three bills down, nine to go!
My staff in South Dakota visited: Aberdeen, Chamberlain, Mitchell and Rosebud.
Steps taken: 54,580 steps or 24.64 miles
Video of the week: I discussed our housing legislation with KOTA Territory News this past week:
