Weekly Round[s] Up: May 11-17, 2026
We’re back with another edition of the Weekly Round[s] Up to update you on another jam-packed week in DC. As always, the highlight of the week was meeting with so many groups from across South Dakota visiting our nation’s capital. These South Dakotans are typically here representing their professional organizations and discussing legislation or federal policies that impact the work they do. It requires them to take time away from their families and other commitments to be here, but I’ll tell you what I tell them: If you’re not here telling your story, someone else is going to try and tell it for you.
Alongside meetings in the office, I spent time in hearings reviewing the President’s FY27 budget request and casting votes on several key pieces of legislation. One notable action this week was the Senate’s passage of an en bloc package of executive nominees as we continue working through the backlog of nominations awaiting confirmation. Since President Trump took office, no nominee has been confirmed by unanimous consent, making these packages an important way to move nominees forward efficiently. More on this past week in the Weekly Round[s] Up:
South Dakota groups I visited with: South Dakotans with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; Doug Curry and Rob Timm from City of Box Elder; Matt Campbell, COO / CLO of My Place Hotels of America LLC based in Aberdeen; Peter Mehlhaff, CEO and Chairman of Great Plains Bank and Director of Federal Home Loan Bank; South Dakota Edward Jones Grassroots Task Force; South Dakotans with the American Association of People with Disabilities; South Dakotans representing the American College of Physicians; Associated General Contractors of South Dakota; South Dakotans with the Black Hills Chapter of Pheasants Forever; South Dakotans with the American Land Title Association; and Trace Beck with National Automobile Dealers Association from Pierre.
Over the weekend I also attended and spoke at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association State Conference in Pierre.
Met with South Dakotans from: Aberdeen, Belle Fourche, Black Hills, Box Elder, Eureka, Flandreau, Pierre, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls.
Other Meetings: Steve Squeri, Chairman & CEO of American Express; Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Rodney Davis, Head of Government Relations at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and Sir Charles Roxburgh, Chairman of Lloyd's of London.
In addition, on Thursday, the Senate Banking Committee held a two hour long executive session where we voted on all of the amendments put forward for the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025.
I also gave remarks and participated in a Q&A at the U.S. Bank D.C. Fly-In breakfast.
Hearings: This past week, I spoke at 2 hearings.
On Tuesday, I attended an Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee hearing titled “A Review of the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Requests for the Architect of the Capitol and Library of Congress.” During the hearing, I spoke with Thomas E. Austin, Architect of the Capitol, and Robert R. Newlen, Acting Librarian of Congress. Click here to watch the exchange.
On Wednesday, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, I discussed artificial intelligence with Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Brandon Williams, Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. The hearing focused on the Defense Authorization Request for Fiscal Year 2027 and the Future Years Nuclear Security Program. Click here to watch.
Briefing: On Wednesday I chaired a classified briefing with the Cybersecurity Subcommittee.
Votes taken: 11. This past week, I voted to confirm the nomination of Kevin Warsh to serve as Chairman and Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve.
The Senate also approved an en bloc package of 49 executive nominations as we continue working through the backlog of nominees awaiting confirmation. Additionally, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution, 99-0, to withhold senators’ pay during a government shutdown.
Lastly, I cast multiple Nay votes this week, including on a resolution that would have required the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. I also voted Nay on resolutions relating to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Click here to see the votes I took this past week.
Steps taken: 60,461 steps or 27.89 miles.
My Staff in South Dakota Visited: Custer and Hot Springs.