{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"House\", state = \"SD\" and year = 2014 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=3DF04EBC-8E9A-48DA-95E1-63CE1C8FD653", "Weekly Column: Keeping Resolutions", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Making New Year\u2019s resolutions seems to be as much of a tradition as breaking New Year\u2019s resolutions.\u00a0 We commit ourselves to getting in shape or quitting bad habits, but by January 5, many have already strayed.\u00a0 We blame it on self-discipline or holiday leftovers, but research suggests it has more to do with how we go about setting goals.\r\nStudies show we\u2019re more likely to achieve our resolutions if we set specific goals, such as \u201cI will lose five pounds by March 1.\u201d\u00a0 And once those goals are set, we ought to tell someone so we don\u2019t go it alone.\u00a0 With this approach to goal setting in mind, I sat down and put together a list of specific and public resolutions that will move us toward the larger goal of reigniting the promise of opportunity in America.\u00a0\r\nFirst, I will work to update and simplify the tax code, which hasn\u2019t been done since gas cost less than 90 cents a gallon.\u00a0 Over the last 25-plus years, special interest groups have manipulated the tax code time and again, carving out so many loopholes that we now have a 73,954-page-long tax code.\u00a0 As a friend of mine says, that\u2019s 10 times longer than the Bible with none of the Good News!\u00a0\r\nI want to strip out those loopholes, protect folks from an abusive IRS, and lower the tax rate for hardworking Americans, and I\u2019m optimistic there\u2019s positive momentum behind such changes.\u00a0 We won\u2019t likely rewrite our entire tax code in a single year, but we must make progress toward creating something that\u2019s simpler and fairer.\r\nSecond, I want to open new markets for trade between South Dakota and the world.\u00a0 The United States is currently in negotiations with 11 nations to create a Trans-Pacific Partnership and with the European Union to create the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.\u00a0 South Dakota already exports around $1 billion annually to markets involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and $125 million to the European Union, but there is room to grow if we can level the playing field for U.S. exporters.\u00a0 Both the President and Congressional leadership are optimistic this is an area where we can put partisanship aside, find common ground and make progress on these negotiations.\r\nFinally, I want to target government agencies and programs that inhibit our liberties and lives.\u00a0\u00a0 One of the most significant impediments to our individual liberties today is the Affordable Care Act.\u00a0 While I would like to see the legislation fully repealed, there is little-to-no hope that President Obama will sign legislation doing so and there isn\u2019t enough support from Democrats in Congress to override the certain veto.\u00a0 Nonetheless, I\u2019ll do all I can to weaken the law and give relief to those most impacted until we can get the support needed for a full repeal.\u00a0 Already, we\u2019ve reduced the law\u2019s funding and repealed the onerous 1099 requirements.\u00a0 This year, I\u2019m hopeful we\u2019ll also be able to repeal the law\u2019s medical device tax and further limit its Independent Payment Advisory Board, a panel of 15 unelected bureaucrats who are charged with making decisions that could limit Medicare recipients\u2019 access to coverage.\r\nOnerous federal regulations and roadblocks have also made energy more expensive than it has to be.\u00a0 I fully expect that one of the first votes I\u2019ll take in the new Congress will be to move forward on the Keystone XL Pipeline \u2013 a pipeline that would create jobs and generate over $20 million in property taxes in South Dakota.\u00a0 I\u2019ll also be looking to rein in unnecessary EPA regulations, which could help make energy more affordable for South Dakotans.\r\nI know I\u2019ve outlined a very aggressive agenda.\u00a0 Some of these items can be settled in the next 12 months.\u00a0 Others, like simplifying the tax code and expanding trade, may take longer if we want to do it right, but this is the year to get started on these larger goals as well.\u00a0 I am optimistic though and I believe we have a new Congress that is prepared to govern and ready to take the tough votes that are necessary to restore the American Dream.\u00a0 I for one can\u2019t wait to tackle all that 2015 has in store.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=b5ffd728-927f-436d-b452-bab232c67a24", "Thune Announces Staff Changes", "2014-12-23", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and likely incoming chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today announced several staff changes on his Washington-based team. Should Thune be elected Commerce Committee chairman in January, he will be the first senator in 30 years to hold a third-ranking leadership office or higher, while also holding a chairmanship of an \u201cA\u201d committee.\r\nBrendon Plack, Thune\u2019s deputy chief of staff, has been named staff director of the Senate Republican Conference. Plack will also continue to oversee operations in Thune\u2019s DC-based personal office. Plack, a South Dakota native, has served on Thune\u2019s team in various capacities for the past 10 years, including Thune\u2019s legislative director, policy director for the Senate Republican Conference, and energy analyst at the Senate Republican Policy Committee.\r\n\u201cBrendon is an experienced leader in the United States Senate,\u201d said Thune. \u201cWith ties to South Dakota and a deep policy background, I am pleased he will be running my leadership office while continuing to oversee day-to-day operations in my D.C. personal office.\u201d\r\nAnn Marie Hauser has been named deputy staff director of the Senate Republican Conference. Most recently, Hauser handled public affairs strategy for the financial regulatory consulting firm Patomak Global Partners. Prior to that, she served as managing vice president at JDA Frontline; communications director for Gov. Tim Pawlenty\u2019s presidential bid; vice president of corporate communications at JPMorgan Chase; communications director for Senator Mike Johanns (R-N.E.); and director of public affairs at the U.S. Department of Commerce and spokesperson at the U.S. Department of Treasury in the George W. Bush administration.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to welcome Ann Marie to my team,\u201d said Thune. \u201cAnn Marie brings a valuable perspective as someone who has served in senior positions in government, campaigns, and the private sector. Her wealth of experience will help strengthen member services provided by the Senate Republican Conference and ensure my offices coordinate seamlessly as Republicans in the Senate work advance pro-growth policies.\u201d\r\nAshLee Strong, Thune\u2019s national communications director, has been promoted to senior communications director. She will continue to serve as Thune\u2019s chief spokesperson and will coordinate Thune\u2019s national message in his leadership office and across his committee assignments. Previously, Strong served as press secretary for Thune; press secretary for Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.); communications aide for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and an aide at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in the George W. Bush administration.\r\n\u201cAshLee is one of my most trusted advisers and played a critical role in crafting a communications strategy that helped Republicans in the Senate make our case to the American people,\u201d said Thune. \u201cAs she takes on this expanded role, I will continue to rely on her insights as we articulate Senate Republicans\u2019 policies and vision in the next Congress.\u201d\r\nFrederick Hill has been named Thune\u2019s communications director for the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.\u00a0Hill most recently served as deputy staff director for communications to Chairman Darrell Issa (R-C.A.) on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Hill has worked for Issa for the past 13 years.\r\n\u201cFrederick\u2019s many years of communications experience on one of the most active committees in the House of Representatives will make him a valuable member of my Commerce team. I look forward to utilizing Frederick\u2019s communications ability as I roll out my agenda for the Commerce Committee in the 114th Congress.\u201d\r\nIn addition, Rachel Millard will continue to serve as Thune\u2019s communications director for state press.\u00a0Millard, a native of Chamberlain, South Dakota, and graduate of Creighton University, has served on Thune\u2019s personal staff for over five years and previously served as press secretary for Thune, internal communications adviser at the Senate Republican Conference, and legislative correspondent for Thune.\r\n\u201cServing the people of South Dakota is and always will be my primary focus, and Rachel\u2019s role will only grow in importance in the new Congress as our legislative goals and accomplishments are communicated to all South Dakotans,\u201d said Thune.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=081231F1-31E5-4A62-A1A9-C0A4CC12A5B3", "Weekly Column: Joy of Giving", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I am the epitome of your last-minute shopper.\u00a0 Bryon and I usually know what we\u2019re getting the kids weeks in advance.\u00a0 But between going to school Christmas programs, decorating the house, addressing Christmas cards, and finishing up legislative work for the year, the purchases are typically made just in time to get the gifts wrapped.\u00a0 As parents know though, the joy of watching your kids (no matter how old they are) tear open those gifts on Christmas morning makes all the stresses of shopping worth it.\u00a0 It\u2019s perhaps the best reminder we have of the age-old adage:\u00a0 It is better to give than to receive.\u00a0\r\nFor many in South Dakota, the joy of giving is shared not only during this season, but throughout the year.\u00a0 In fact, 35 percent of South Dakotans spent time volunteering in 2013, according to a study by the Corporation for National and Community Services that was released last week.\u00a0 When you add it all up, we spent 21.5 million hours serving others that year and what a powerful message that sends.\r\nOf course, only a small portion of South Dakota\u2019s sense of giving can even be quantified by the hours we spend volunteering. \u00a0I am still struck by the viral video of Carol Flynn purchasing diapers for the young mother ahead of her in line at Wal-Mart.\u00a0 And the story of the young girl from Mitchell who donated some of her toys to the kids in Wessington Springs after a tornado swept away all they knew.\u00a0 And the nine-year-old girl who heard that Rainbow Bible Camp near Sturgis had lost 90 horses in Winter Strom Atlas and sent the camp $28.39 \u2013 mostly in coins \u2013 to help them recover.\u00a0 She said in her letter to them, \u201cI thought you might need this.\u00a0 I\u2019ll try to get more.\u00a0 Every bit counts.\u201d\r\nThese actions by individuals are only enhanced by the generosity of the many, many organizations in South Dakota dedicated to serving their community.\r\nThis year, the Toy Industry Foundation donated 500 toys to three of these generous local charities \u2013 the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Sioux Falls, the Children\u2019s Home Society in Sioux Falls, and the Northeast South Dakota Head Start Program in Aberdeen \u2013 after I was named a \u201cChampion of Play\u201d for my work in Congress.\u00a0 The donation enables children who are victims of abuse, suffering from illnesses, or living in poverty to give and to receive.\u00a0 It shows them that there is a community surrounding them that wants them to succeed \u2013 that wants them to find joy.\u00a0 Truly, a special gift.\r\nThis holiday season, it is my hope that you experience the incredible joy of giving.\u00a0 From my family to yours, merry Christmas.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=231612d7-219f-46d9-bf63-eaed02400eb2", "A Christmas Frame of Mind", "2014-12-19", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tIn the Christmas movie classic \u201cMiracle on 34th Street,\u201d Kris Kringle wisely says, \u201cOh, Christmas isn\u2019t just a day, it is a frame of mind...\u201d The Christmas season is truly a frame of mind; it\u2019s a time of memories, tradition, and generosity shared with family and friends. From picking out the Christmas tree, to baking for the neighbors, nearly every family has their own customs and traditions to help them get in the spirit around the holidays.\r\nLike many South Dakotans, several of my memories are tied to the smells and tastes of the holidays. Growing up, my family would pile in the car to head to my grandmother\u2019s house for Christmas Eve where she would serve her Norwegian specialty, lutefisk and leftsa, before heading to Okaton for the annual Christmas Eve service. Over time, our family moved away from the lutefisk, and opted for oyster stew or clam chowder for our traditional Christmas Eve meal. While the foods may change, the heart of the Norwegian tradition remains the same. I still can\u2019t smell leftsa without thinking of Christmas Eve spent with family at my grandmother\u2019s home.\r\nFor many students, the much-anticipated Christmas break provides free time to enjoy the South Dakota winter weather. Growing up, you could catch me sledding down Jackson Ave in Murdo, ice skating with neighbors and friends, and even caroling with the youth group. For some, a trip to Pierre to look at the Christmas trees in the state capitol decorated by businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government offices is an annual tradition. Others enjoy the nativities and Christmas pageants that local churches and community groups host each year.\r\nPerhaps nothing gets us in the \u201cframe of mind\u201d for Christmas more than celebrating the season of giving by remembering those who are less fortunate. I am always amazed by the generosity of South Dakotans, and I know that in difficult times those in need can count on others for support during the holidays.\r\nWhile most of us will continue celebrating our traditions with family and friends, let us pause to remember those families who have loved ones serving in the military around the globe who will be apart this Christmas. The strength of family members who celebrate traditions while praying for the safety of loved ones in harm\u2019s way reminds us all of how fortunate we are to be together this time of year.\r\nWhatever your family tradition, I hope the spirit of Christmas and the reason for the season fill you and your families with joy this holiday season. Kimberley and I wish all South Dakotans safe travels, Merry Christmas, and a blessed New Year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=eef55c76-6837-4754-8701-b5dabd5a7dca", "Thune Comments on 2014 Tax Extenders", "2014-12-16", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, today commented on the passage of legislation to extend a host of expired tax measures, several of which are important to South Dakota:\r\n\u201cWhile I\u2019m disappointed the president stymied the bipartisan good-faith negotiations to make a number of important tax provisions permanent, I\u2019m pleased the Senate acted to ensure individuals and businesses can utilize these tax deductions and incentives on their 2014 taxes. From the deduction for state and local sales taxes, to the higher business deduction limits relied upon by small businesses, extending these expired tax provisions is important to South Dakota families and businesses.\u201d\r\nEarlier this month, Congress came very close to a bipartisan deal to make permanent a number of tax relief measures for individuals and businesses that have recently expired. The proposed deal was supported by Senate leadership of both parties as well as House Republicans, but fell apart when the president issued a veto threat in the midst of negotiations, effectively killing the chances this year for permanent tax relief.\r\nThune believes that South Dakotans deserve permanent tax relief and a predictable and stable tax system, and he intends to keep working toward this goal in the next Congress. He supported the one-year tax extender package as a stopgap measure in order to prevent a tax hike on millions of Americans.\u00a0The following provisions, which expired at the end of 2013, were extended for one year through December 31, 2014:\r\n \r\nState and Local Sales Tax Deduction: The tax deal extends the local and state sales tax deduction. South Dakota is one of only seven states without an income tax, and South Dakota taxpayers deserve the same treatment as taxpayers in states with an income tax, where the deduction for state income taxes is a permanent part of our tax code.\r\n \r\n \r\nSmall Business Expensing: The tax deal extends the Section 179 $500,000 small business expensing limit, which is critical for small business owners and family farmers as they plan future investments.\u00a0If this provision had not been extended, the limit would have dropped to $25,000.\r\n \r\n \r\nCharitable Giving: The tax deal extends three charitable tax incentives to encourage private acts of charity and compassion. The measure included provisions to: allow individuals 70 and a half years of age and older to donate up to $100,000 of their individual retirement accounts to charity without incurring a tax penalty; the enhanced deduction for food donations, which encourages businesses to donate food to food pantries and other organizations that serve the hungry; and the tax rules that make it easier for farmers and other landowners to donate land for conservation purposes, helping preserve America's natural habitat.\u00a0\r\nABLE Act: The tax deal included the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act, of which Thune is a cosponsor. The provision will allow individuals with disabilities to create tax-preferred personal savings accounts while ensuring they maintain eligibility for important federal programs that assist with day-to-day needs. Creation of these accounts, which are similar to 529 college savings plans, will help individuals with disabilities attain financial independence and plan for the future", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=0215A609-A53E-4CAD-A0D0-A67FB51B9337", "Delegation to Streamline and Improve Impact Aid in NDAA", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senators John Thune and Tim Johnson and Representative Kristi Noem announced that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 includes a provision to extend the simplified payment calculation process for federally impacted schools for three years, resulting in timelier payments to school districts.\r\n\u201cSchool districts need certainty from the federal government about what to budget for annual Impact Aid revenues,\u201d said Thune. \u201cDue to complicated payment formulas, Impact Aid districts in South Dakota have suffered from persistently late distribution of these funds, placing an unfair burden on school districts to cover the shortfall. I am pleased that Congress acted to extend the simplified payment calculation formulas to accelerate Impact Aid payments and hope the next Congress will act on my legislation to reauthorize the entire Impact Aid program and make these changes permanent.\u201d\r\n\"This legislation will improve funding certainty for schools across South Dakota,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cThe provisions we pushed for will reduce administrative burdens and expedite payments to school districts that have a federal presence in their district. This was the product of extensive bipartisan collaboration and will greatly benefit school districts in our states.\u201d\r\n\u201cOur children deserve a quality education, but delayed payments from the federal government have put undue burdens on South Dakota\u2019s Impact Aid schools in the past,\u201d said Noem. \u201cOur schools that have federal lands in their district deserve more certainty when it comes to the money they\u2019re due from the federal government. I was pleased to have this provision included in the initial House-passed version of the bill as well as the final legislation so we can get this funding into our school systems more quickly.\u201d\r\nImpact Aid school districts receive compensation from the federal government for local taxes lost due to federal land within their school districts, such as military bases, Indian reservations, or federal grasslands. In recent years, districts have experienced a delay in receiving timely payments, which puts additional financial burdens on already cash-strapped school districts.\r\nIn 2012, the delegation worked together to enact a provision in the FY 2013 NDAA to end the highly subjective \u201chighest and best\u201d formula. The \u201chighest and best\u201d formula attempted to determine the \u201creal value\u201d of federal property, which created a highly inefficient payment formula that was subject to local interpretation by assessors on the value of taxable property adjacent to eligible federal property. The provision included in the FY 2015 NDAA extends the use of the simpler formula that removes the subjectivity from the process. It also prevents the U.S. Department of Education from having to conduct regular, lengthy, resource-intensive audits of a school district\u2019s Impact Aid application. Historically, these audits have resulted in delayed payments to every eligible district.\r\nIn June of 2013, Thune introduced the Local Taxpayer Relief Act (S. 1108) in the Senate along with Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tim Johnson to make these changes permanent. Representative Noem introduced and passed companion legislation in the House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=1c8f3d1c-41a0-4861-997a-8c3007b414c6", "Thune Announces Committee Assignments for 114th Congress", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today released the following statement after receiving his committee assignments for the 114th session of Congress (2015-2016). Thune was selected to continue serving on the following committees: Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and Finance. Members of these committees will vote in early January to select committee chairs, and the full Republican conference will ratify those selections. Thune was previously named ranking member, or the senior most Republican, of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee for the 113th Congress. Thune will continue to serve in Republican leadership as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.\r\n\u201cContinuing to serve South Dakota in the United States Senate is the highest privilege in public service afforded to me,\u201d said Thune. \u201cOver the past 10 years I have worked diligently to be a strong voice for South Dakota and to represent the values and interests of our state and its residents both through my committee assignments and on the Senate floor. As a member of the Agriculture, Commerce, and Finance Committees, I will be able to help the new Republican majority advance solutions for American families on a variety of issues that are important to South Dakota, from agriculture to rural telecom and transportation reforms to tax and trade policy.\u201d\r\nThune Committee Assignments for 114th Congress:\r\nCommittee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry\u00a0 \u00a0\r\nThe Senate Agriculture Committee oversees matters relating to: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) activities including farm payments, crop insurance, conservation programs, and livestock marketing rules; the Rural Utilities Service and Rural Development, which carry out important programs relating to rural energy development, rural business financing, and rural health care services; nutrition programs including the National School Lunch Program, the Women, Infants and Children program, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps); and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees all futures markets.\r\nCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation\r\nThe Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has wide jurisdiction with matters relating to: the U.S. Department of Transportation with respect to highway safety, commercial motor carriers, railroads, buses, vessels, pipelines, inland waterways, and civil and commercial aviation; the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding weather and atmospheric activities at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, marine fisheries and navigation, science and technology research and development; telecommunications policy and the Internet; U.S. Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, National Aeronautics and Space Administration regarding nonmilitary aeronautical and space sciences; regulation of consumer products via the Consumer Product Safety Commission; the Federal Trade Commission; and sports.\r\nCommittee on Finance\u00a0\r\nThe Senate Committee on Finance has jurisdiction over matters relating to: taxation and other revenue measures; bonded debt of the United States; customs, collection districts and ports of entry and delivery; reciprocal trade agreements; tariff and import quotas; the transportation of dutiable goods; deposit of public moneys; general revenue sharing; health programs under the Social Security Act, including Medicare, Medicaid, and other health and human services programs financed by a specific tax or trust fund; and Social Security.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d124b855-5471-4106-8281-9590cb5aa025", "Thune Welcomes Commerce Committee Members for the 114th Congress", "2014-12-15", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today welcomed new and returning Republican members to the committee:\r\n\u201cIn the 114th Congress, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will work to advance solutions that help create jobs, grow the economy, and improve Americans\u2019 daily lives, and I\u2019m fortunate to be joined in this endeavor by a strong group of Republican members. From transportation and Internet policy to consumer protection and more, we have much work ahead of us, but I know Republicans on the Commerce Committee are ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.\u201d\r\nThe Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has wide jurisdiction over matters relating to the U.S. Department of Transportation with respect to highway safety, commercial motor carriers, railroads, buses, vessels, pipelines, inland waterways, and civil and commercial aviation; the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding weather and atmospheric activities at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, marine fisheries and navigation, science and technology research and development; telecommunications policy and the Internet; U.S. Coast Guard and Merchant Marine; National Aeronautics and Space Administration regarding nonmilitary aeronautical and space sciences; regulation of consumer products via the Consumer Product Safety Commission; the Federal Trade Commission; and sports.\r\nWith Republican and Democrat senators now named to the Commerce Committee, the subcommittee selection process will begin, enabling the committee to be formalized as early as the first full week of January, after the 114th Congress convenes.\r\nBelow is the full list of Republican members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee:\r\n\u00a0\r\nJohn Thune, South Dakota\r\nRoger Wicker, Mississippi\r\nRoy Blunt, Missouri\r\nMarco Rubio, Florida\r\nKelly Ayotte, New Hampshire\r\nDean Heller, Nevada\r\nTed Cruz, Texas\r\nDeb Fischer, Nebraska\r\nDan Sullivan, Alaska\r\nJerry Moran, Kansas\r\nRon Johnson, Wisconsin\r\nCory Gardner, Colorado\r\nSteve Daines, Montana\r\nLast week, the following Democrat senators were named to the Commerce Committee:\r\nBill Nelson, Florida\r\nMaria Cantwell, Washington\r\nClaire McCaskill, Missouri\r\nAmy Klobuchar, Minnesota\r\nRichard Blumenthal, Connecticut\r\nBrian Schatz, Hawaii\r\nEd Markey, Massachusetts\r\nCory Booker, New Jersey\r\nTom Udall, New Mexico\r\nJoe Manchin, West Virginia\r\nGary Peters, Michigan\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9792f80f-4960-4582-b20a-33df0380a3b9", "Thune Comments on Senate Passage of FY 2015 Funding Bill", "2014-12-13", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today commented on the passage of the omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 and applauded the inclusion of a number of important South Dakota provisions:\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased the annual funding bill included a number of provisions important to South Dakota,\u201d said Thune. \u201cTwo of these provisions continue the development of key state facilities, the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System and the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Several other provisions rein in burdensome regulations proposed by the Obama administration that would harm farmers, ranchers, hunters, and anglers in South Dakota. While imperfect, this legislation advances several South Dakota priorities that I look forward to continuing to work on in the 114th Congress.\u201d\r\n1)\u00a0EPA Regulation of Ammunition and Fishing Tackle: The FY 2015 funding bill includes an important provision championed by Thune preventing the Obama EPA from regulating lead in ammunition and fishing tackle for one year. Thune introduced the Hunting, Fishing, and Recreational Shooting Protection Act in the Senate with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) in September of 2013. The standalone legislation would permanently exclude ammunition and fishing tackle from regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act, leaving the oversight to the relevant state agencies, which currently regulate ammunition and fishing tackle.\r\n2)\u00a0Sage-Grouse Endangered Species Listing: The FY 2015 funding bill prevents the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) from listing the sage-grouse on the endangered species list for at least the remainder of FY 2015. In 2011, the FWS reached a secret sue-and-settle agreement to require listing determinations on more than 250 species across the United States, including the sage-grouse. The sage-grouse listing would impact ranching, energy development, and other land uses in parts of western South Dakota, so securing this provision was an important win for West River ranchers in our state.\r\n3)\u00a0EPA Regulation of Methane Emissions: The FY 2015 funding bill delays the EPA regulation of livestock methane emissions under the Clean Air Act, which could require farmers and ranchers to purchase expensive greenhouse gas permits. Thune has championed provisions in previous funding bills prohibiting the EPA from creating a livestock emissions permitting system for one year at a time. While this is an important short-term success, a permanent ban is necessary to protect South Dakota producers.\r\n4)\u00a0Lewis and Clark Regional Water System: The FY 2015 funding bill includes $2.4 million specifically for Lewis and Clark and an additional $31 million for ongoing rural water projects which will be allocated by the Bureau of Reclamation. The Lewis and Clark Regional Water System will provide safe, reliable drinking water to over 300,000 individuals in South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota once completed.\r\n5) Sanford Underground Research Lab: The FY 2015 funding bill includes $15 million to continue research in the underground lab and $23 million to support superconducting radio frequency accelerator research, development, facilities, and infrastructure.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=D9CCEE99-9A9F-4014-AD04-78EACF4912C9", "Representative Expects Tax Measure To Pass Senate", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Senate is expected to pass the tax extenders legislation prior to the end of the lame duck session before the Holiday recess. South Dakota Congresswoman Kristi Noem says the House earlier approved a one year extension and she expects the Senate to take it up either today or next week. Noem says while negotiations on a longer version of the tax extenders legislation were going on President Obama scuttled it by threatening to veto the bill even before it was decided. Noem says there are several parts of the extenders package important for agriculture, most notably the section 179 deduction as well as tax credits for biodiesel and wind energy. \r\nListen to this story at http://wnax.com/news/180081-representative-expects-tax-measure-to-pass-senate/#sthash.B2syGmxh.dpuf", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=38089DF8-382F-4C63-9683-1278368DADBA", "Weekly Column: A Look Back", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I almost can\u2019t believe how fast 2014 has gone.\u00a0 My son Booker is about three inches taller while his Christmas list is about half as long (although somehow twice as expensive!)\u00a0 As we look to wrap up the year, I wanted to share with you some of the successes I\u2019ve had in Congress during the last twelve months.\r\nThe year kicked off with passage of the long-awaited Farm Bill.\u00a0 I was honored to serve as the first House Member at the Farm Bill negotiating table in nearly two decades and even more thrilled to get so many provisions in place for South Dakota producers and consumers.\u00a0 Among other items, we got a strong crop insurance program, revived the livestock indemnity program, and built support for pine beetle mitigation efforts.\r\nA few months later, the House passed a provision I wrote that would allocate a total of $31 million to a rural water project fund that the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System is eligible to draw from.\u00a0 Our communities have put in more than their share of the funding for Lewis and Clark, but the federal government has not kept their end of the deal.\u00a0 This provision moves us in the right direction and I was glad to see it included in the final funding bill.\r\nIn July, the Black Hills Cemetery Act, a bill I wrote after many conversations with West River communities, was signed into law.\u00a0 To reduce liabilities for taxpayers and honor those who have been caring for these nine historic Black Hills cemeteries for generations, this legislation returns the cemeteries\u2019 ownership to the generous communities who maintain them.\r\nLater that month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed another piece of legislation I wrote.\u00a0 This one addressed human trafficking and would have opened an existing Department of Justice grant program to shelters that are looking to house survivors of human trafficking.\u00a0 With only around 200 beds available to underage human trafficking survivors nationwide, it was a need I spoke with many South Dakota groups about.\u00a0 I was disappointed the Senate did not take up the bill, but I\u2019ll continue the fight in the years to come.\r\nIn August, I was proud to welcome the Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs (VA) Committee to Hot Springs to hold a congressional hearing.\u00a0 I\u2019ve visited the VA hospital in Hot Springs many times and have always been impressed by their commitment to our veterans, but the impassioned showing at that congressional hearing blew me away.\u00a0 It earned them the support of the House VA Committee, which is critical.\u00a0 Through an end-of-the-year funding agreement, we were able to restrict any FY2015 funds from being used to move forward on closing the facility.\r\nEarlier this month, the House passed the ABLE Act, which would allow those with disabilities or their families to open tax-free savings accounts \u2013 similar to the 529 investment plans many people use to save for their kids\u2019 college.\u00a0 The funds in these tax-free accounts could be used for medical expenses, housing, transportation, and higher-education.\u00a0 As a co-sponsor of this bill, I always knew how important it was to extend this benefit to families, but it really hit me when I received a Facebook message from a father in southeastern South Dakota just hours before the vote.\u00a0 He wrote that the bill would help his family \u201csave for a brighter tomorrow for our son.\u201d\u00a0 The impact of this bill is real and will open new doors for many families like this.\r\nOn these issues and many others, I relied on your voice and am so grateful for those who have called, written, or emailed me with their thoughts.\u00a0 I also believe it is my responsibility to keep you informed on what I\u2019m doing, as I am ultimately accountable to you.\u00a0 As a result, my office has made more than 150,000 phone calls to South Dakotans this year and written 104,000 letters and emails.\u00a0\r\nPerhaps our most important accomplishments, however, are found in the hundreds of South Dakotans we\u2019ve helped receive veterans benefits, navigate Social Security, adopt a child, or guide through countless other federal bureaucratic processes.\u00a0 It\u2019s truly been an honor to serve you this year and I am looking forward to tackling new challenges in the year to come.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=78a07ded-8270-445a-a8d4-0b3005fd02a9", "Tax Uncertainty a Raw Deal for South Dakotans", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tWith a new year upon us, small businesses and families will soon begin reviewing their finances in anticipation of filing their 2014 taxes. The federal tax code is a maze of complicated provisions made worse by the uncertainty businesses and individuals face as they wait for Congress to act each year on a host of tax measures. From the deduction for state and local sales taxes used by those who itemize, to the higher business deduction limits relied upon by small businesses, temporary tax relief does not provide the certainty individuals and businesses need to make long-term planning decisions. Instead, South Dakotans find themselves expending time and money complying with a tax code that would be better spent on new business investments or in their local community.\r\nEarlier this month, Congress came very close to a bipartisan deal to make permanent a number of tax relief measures for individuals and businesses that have recently expired. This proposed deal was supported by Senate leadership of both parties as well as House Republicans, but unfortunately President Obama and a few of his liberal allies in Congress decided to scuttle the deal before it was finalized. Rather than work with Congress to make tax relief permanent for families and businesses, the president chose to issue a veto threat while good-faith negotiations were still under way, effectively killing the chances for a deal.\r\nThe administration\u2019s actions are especially disappointing because the bipartisan deal included a provision to finally make permanent the deduction for state and local sales taxes that expired at the end of 2013. South Dakota is one of only seven states without an income tax, and South Dakota taxpayers deserve the same treatment as taxpayers in states with an income tax, where the deduction for state income taxes is a permanent part of our tax code. The proposed deal also would have made permanent the $500,000 small business expensing limit that expired at the end of 2013, which is critical for small business owners and family farmers as they plan future investments.\u00a0Additionally, the deal would have made permanent measures that promote charitable giving, such as allowing individuals above the age of 70 and a half to give Individual Retirement Account savings to charities without incurring a tax hit.\r\nThe president\u2019s ill-advised veto threat demonstrates how difficult it has been to work with this administration on common-sense tax relief measures to give individuals, including small business owners, the certainty they need to make investment decisions to help grow our economy. Unfortunately, rather than enacting permanent relief for individuals and small businesses, Congress did the bare minimum \u2013 a one-year extension of expired tax relief, once again kicking the can to the next year for Congress to take up yet again. South Dakota taxpayers deserve much better than this. They deserve permanent tax relief that they can rely upon and a tax code that treats them fairly. \u00a0\u00a0\r\nI intend to do whatever I can next Congress to make comprehensive tax reform a reality. I hope that next time the president will choose to work with us.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3effe701-3a3b-4f22-9b26-120a58eb0882", "Delegation Advances Provision to Streamline and Improve Impact Aid in NDAA", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senators John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Tim Johnson (D- South Dakota) and Representative Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) today announced that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 includes a provision to extend the simplified payment calculation process for federally impacted schools for three years, resulting in timelier payments to school districts.\r\n\u201cSchool districts need certainty from the federal government about what to budget for annual Impact Aid revenues,\u201d said Thune. \u201cDue to complicated payment formulas, Impact Aid districts in South Dakota have suffered from persistently late distribution of these funds, placing an unfair burden on school districts to cover the shortfall. I am pleased that Congress acted to extend the simplified payment calculation formulas to accelerate Impact Aid payments and hope the next Congress will act on my legislation to reauthorize the entire Impact Aid program and make these changes permanent.\u201d\r\n\"This legislation will improve funding certainty for schools across South Dakota,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cThe provisions we pushed for will reduce administrative burdens and expedite payments to school districts that have a federal presence in their district. This was the product of extensive bipartisan collaboration and will greatly benefit school districts in our states.\u201d\r\n\u201cOur children deserve a quality education, but delayed payments from the federal government have put undue burdens on South Dakota\u2019s Impact Aid schools in the past,\u201d said Noem. \u201cOur schools that have federal lands in their district deserve more certainty when it comes to the money they\u2019re due from the federal government. I was pleased to have this provision included in the initial House-passed version of the bill as well as the final legislation so we can get this funding into our school systems more quickly.\u201d\r\nImpact Aid school districts receive compensation from the federal government for local taxes lost due to federal land within their school districts, such as military bases, Indian reservations, or federal grasslands. In recent years, districts have experienced a delay in receiving timely payments, which puts additional financial burdens on already cash-strapped school districts.\r\nIn 2012, the delegation worked together to enact a provision in the FY 2013 NDAA to end the highly subjective \u201chighest and best\u201d formula. The \u201chighest and best\u201d formula attempted to determine the \u201creal value\u201d of federal property, which created a highly inefficient payment formula that was subject to local interpretation by assessors on the value of taxable property adjacent to eligible federal property. The provision included in the FY 2015 NDAA extends the use of the simpler formula that removes the subjectivity from the process. It also prevents the U.S. Department of Education from having to conduct regular, lengthy, resource-intensive audits of a school district\u2019s Impact Aid application. Historically, these audits have resulted in delayed payments to every eligible district.\r\nIn June of 2013, Thune introduced the Local Taxpayer Relief Act (S. 1108) in the Senate along with Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tim Johnson to make these changes permanent. Representative Noem introduced and passed companion legislation in the House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d9b25d4e-3caa-49b2-85ac-2bf15036c4f0", "ROCKEFELLER AND THUNE CALL ON THE PRESIDENT TO SIGN ANTI-DOPING REAUTHORIZATION BILL INTO LAW", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and John Thune (R-SD), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today issued the following joint statement on the passage of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Reauthorization Act:\r\n\u201cWe are pleased to see that the United States Anti-Doping Agency Reauthorization Act is heading to the president\u2019s desk. This bill will ensure that USADA has the resources it needs to protect clean competition in the Olympic and Paralympic movements. Between the passage of the USADA Reauthorization Act and separate legislation to crack down on anabolic steroids, today may be the single-most productive day in the history of the Senate on anti-doping accomplishments.\u201d\r\nUSADA is a not-for-profit, non-governmental agency that is recognized by Congress as the national anti-doping organization for the Olympics in the United States. USADA was first authorized in 2006 and the authorization expired in fiscal year 2010. The United States Anti-Doping Agency Reauthorization Act (S. 2338) would authorize funding for the agency through fiscal year 2020.\u00a0\r\nAmong other provisions, the bill will allow the agency to expand and modernize its drug testing efforts. In so doing, the bill would update the agency\u2019s role in preventing all forms of performance enhancing methods, such as gene-doping and blood manipulation, in addition to banned substances.\u00a0\r\nThe Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has general jurisdiction over sports, including amateur sports and the professional leagues.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=f78799f9-1955-4898-8242-b94743fc8623", "ROCKEFELLER, THUNE STATEMENT ON PASSAGE OF COMMERCE CYBERSECURITY BILL", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014 Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD) today applauded the passage of their bipartisan cyber legislation that will help strengthen and protect the nation\u2019s economic and national security. The passage of the Rockefeller-Thune bill last night follows years of work to reach a bipartisan consensus on cybersecurity legislation.\r\n\u201cFor years, I have said that cyber attacks pose one of the gravest threats to our national and economic security. Now, with the passage of the Commerce Committee\u2019s cybersecurity legislation, protecting our information networks is a top priority for the federal government,\u201d Rockefeller said. \u201cNIST and our research agencies will have a leading role in this effort, and the authority to work closely with the private sector to identify and reduce cyber risks. I\u2019m grateful for Ranking Member Thune\u2019s hard work on this legislation and his dedication to making cybersecurity a top priority.\u201d\r\n\u201cThis bill will ensure a voluntary partnership between the government and private sector to protect the computer systems Americans rely on every day,\u201d said Thune. \u201cIt will also focus efforts to find longer-term solutions to cyber threats through research, education and workforce development. There is much work still to be done to safeguard cyberspace so I look forward to the president signing this bill into law without delay. This bill would not have happened without Chairman Rockefeller\u2019s willingness to work across the aisle to build consensus and the cooperation of our partners in the House, led by Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith.\u201d\r\nThe Cybersecurity Act of 2013, S. 1353, which passed both the Senate and House of Representatives last night as the \u201cCybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014,\u201d authorizes the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to facilitate and support the development of voluntary, industry-led cyber standards and best practices for critical infrastructure \u2013 codifying elements of the successful process through which the NIST Cybersecurity Framework was developed.\u00a0The bill authorizes the federal government to support cutting edge research, raise public awareness of cyber risks, and improve the nation\u2019s cybersecurity workforce. The bill that will soon be sent to the President for his consideration incorporates a number of cybersecurity research provisions passed by the House of Representatives in H.R. 756, sponsored by Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) and championed by House Science Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX).\r\nThe Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014 will:\r\n \r\nFormalize cybersecurity as one of NIST\u2019s priority areas of focus by creating a NIST-facilitated, industry-driven process for developing a set of voluntary cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure. These standards will not duplicate or conflict with existing cyber requirements or regulatory processes, and they will be non-regulatory, non-prescriptive and technology neutral;\r\nStrengthen cyber research and development by building on existing research and development programs, and ensure better coordination across the federal government;\r\nImprove the cyber workforce and cyber education by making sure the next generation of cyber experts are trained and prepared for the future;\r\nIncrease the public\u2019s awareness of cyber risks and cybersecurity; and\r\nAdvance cybersecurity technical standards.\r\n \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=a01c7f31-6b5f-455e-b13b-459733ab059f", "Thune Pays Tribute to Tim Johnson on Senate Floor", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) took to the Senate floor today paying tribute to retiring Senator Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota). Below are video and transcript of his remarks on the Senate floor.\r\n\r\n\u201cMr. President, I rise today to bid farewell to my colleague and friend, Senator Tim Johnson.\r\n\u201cTim has deep roots in South Dakota and in the towns of Canton and Vermillion in particular.\u00a0\r\n\u201cHe has served our state for more than 35 years, first in the state legislature, and then, after winning a highly competitive primary against two well-known Democrat opponents, in the halls of Congress.\u00a0\r\n\u201cIn 1996, after a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives, Tim won the first of his three terms in the U.S. Senate.\u00a0 I am well acquainted with his second election because I came out on the short end of that stick.\r\n\u201cBut I\u2019ve had the privilege of serving with him in the South Dakota delegation for over 16 years, and today I want to pay tribute to his many years of public service and all he has done for our home state.\r\n\u201cI\u2019d also like to take a moment to thank his staff for their dedicated work.\r\n\u201cThey have worked closely with my staff for many years, and I\u2019m grateful for their efforts.\r\n\u201cMr. President, like many South Dakotans, I will always remember Tim as a fighter.\u00a0\r\n\u201cSouth Dakotans are tough, rugged folks, and Tim has exemplified that spirit every day in the U.S. Senate.\r\n\u201cA big part of his legacy as a public servant will be his tenacity, his work ethic, and his unwavering focus on the policies that he believed to be in the best interest of South Dakota.\u00a0\r\n\u201cTim and I haven\u2019t seen eye-to-eye on every issue, but we\u2019ve always been able to come together and work for South Dakotans in times of crisis.\r\n\u201cFrom drought relief, to flood and tornado responses, to protecting the Black Hills from wildfires, Senator Johnson and I have always been able to quickly respond to the needs of our state, regardless of party differences or past disagreements.\r\n\u201cMr. President, when you represent a state like South Dakota, what some people call a \u201cflyover\u201d state \u2013 a state some of our colleagues here in the Senate occasionally mix up with North Dakota \u2013 there are days when it can seem like the concerns of rural Americans aren\u2019t given fair consideration, that the needs of rural America are not being heard by the administration or the more densely populated coastal states.\u00a0\r\n\u201cI have had the great pleasure of working with Tim to bring a voice to the concerns of rural America and those of us who hail from the middle of the country.\u00a0\r\n\u201cTo highlight just one of the many examples I could bring up, since his first term in Congress Tim has fought for water infrastructure to deliver clean drinking water to families in South Dakota and throughout the Great Plains.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWater is a vital resource in the rural expanses of South Dakota, and Tim\u2019s efforts have helped meet this basic need in underserved Indian reservations, small towns, and rural areas across the state.\r\n\u201cThese investments will pay dividends well beyond his tenure in the Senate.\u00a0\r\n\u201cThroughout Tim\u2019s long career in public service, from his beginnings in the South Dakota Legislature to his ascension to the chairmanship of the Senate Banking Committee, he has had a hand in numerous efforts that will help South Dakotans and Americans alike for generations to come.\u00a0\r\n\u201cAnd I know I speak for all South Dakotans when I say thank you for your dedication and service to our great state.\r\n\u201cTim, it\u2019s been an honor to serve with you here in the Senate.\r\n\u201cThank you for your example, your efforts on behalf of our beloved South Dakota, and most of all, for your friendship. \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cOn behalf of my wife Kimberly and myself, I wish you, Barbara, and your family the very best as you begin a new chapter.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=4D1E06DC-7EFF-41CA-8FF6-EEDA3223A11C", "Spending bill in Congress would boost S.D.", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "South Dakota would be a big winner if Congress passes a $1.01 trillion spending package this week, with the Lewis & Clark project and hunters and fisherman benefiting from the sweeping legislation.\r\nCongress is expected to approve the 1,603-page annual spending package that includes $512 billion in defense spending and $492 billion in non-defense spending as early as Thursday. The legislation covers the entire discretionary budget of the federal government for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.\r\nWhile the bill increased the amount of money a person can contribute to a national political party and allocated billions to treating and fighting Ebola in the U.S. and abroad, among other issues, several items embedded in the measure would have a direct impact on South Dakota residents.\r\n\u201cThe best news about the omnibus appropriations agreement is that there will be no government shutdown,\u201d said retiring Sen. Tim Johnson, a Democrat. \u201cTucked into the bill is good news for South Dakota.\u201d\r\nThe entire Lewis & Clark system, which is 65 percent completed more than a decade after construction began in 2003, stretches from well fields and a water treatment plant south of Vermillion to Sioux Falls and has reached the Minnesota border just northwest of Rock Rapids, Iowa. Several communities are still awaiting service.\r\nCongress initially doled out $2.42 million in funding targeted for Lewis & Clark, while the spending bill provided an extra $31 million that would need to be distributed among five rural water projects. Last year, Lewis and Clark got a total of about $8 million to help build the long-delayed project.\r\n\u201cLewis & Clark should come out in even better hands in this negotiation and keep competing for those dollars because so many of the other projects are nearing completing or have been completed,\u201d Noem told reporters. \u201cThis is an amazing opportunity for Lewis & Clark to get access to that $31 million, which would be huge in making sure we get closer to completion.\u201d\r\nSen. John Thune, the No. 3 Republican in the Senate leadership, noted the spending bill would ban the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating lead in ammunition and fishing tackle gear.\r\n\u201cThis is a win for sportsmen and women in our state,\u201d Thune said. \u201cIf the EPA bans lead in hunting ammunition and fishing tackle, it would dramatically increase the cost, pricing many hunting and fishing enthusiasts out of the market.\u201d\r\nNoem and Thune also noted the legislation would prevent the Fish and Wildlife Service from placing the sage grouse, a Western bird whose population has declined the past three decades, on the Endangered Species List next year. Keeping the bird off has been a goal of some residents and businesses in the West River who use land shared by the sage grouse for ranching, energy development and other purposes.\r\nEnvironmental groups criticized lawmakers for ignoring efforts to protect the iconic bird.\r\n\u201cThis latest blow could delay conservation efforts for years, rendering sage-grouse recovery more expensive and more disruptive in the future, and putting the smaller populations of \u201cbi-state\u201d and Columbia Basin sage grouse at an even higher risk of extinction,\u201d said Jamie Rappaport Clark, president of the Defenders of Wildlife.\r\nThe spending bill maintains the country-of-origin labeling program, a law that requires steaks, pork chops and other meat to carry labels that identify where animals were born, raised and slaughtered. It also includes funding for agricultural research programs at South Dakota State University.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=A648BF85-51E4-4B4B-93EC-FDE4346B9F93", "Spending bill could keep Spearfish hatchery open", "2014-12-10", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The D.C. Booth\u00a0Fish\u00a0Hatchery in Spearfish could live on, at least for a while longer.  That's if the massive $1.3 trillion federal spending bill under debate in Washington makes it through Congress.\r\nIn a release, South Dakota Democratic Senator Tim Johnson says the omnibus appropriations bill has a provision to keep the Spearfish hatchery open and keep the U.S. Fish and Wildlife\u00a0Service's\u00a0national fisheries archives at the D.C. Booth Hatchery.\r\nThe bill would prevent the Fish and Wildlife Service from using funding to terminate operations or to close any facility\u00a0in fiscal year 2015.\r\nRepresentative Kristi Noem says she's happy the Sanford Underground Lab would maintain its $15 million funding\u00a0level.\r\nFederal lawmakers on Thursday will take up the measure to fund\u00a0the government through September of 2015.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=E735DD46-D7F1-4B54-B5B8-80F25C22146C", "Weekly Column: Preserving the Veterans Town", "2014-12-08", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "It\u2019s hard to believe it\u2019s been three years since our fight to save the Hot Springs VA Hospital began.\u00a0 On December 12, 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued a reorganization proposal that included plans to close the doors of the VA hospital in Hot Springs \u2013 a community so dedicated to those who\u2019ve served that it has earned the title \u201cVeterans Town.\u201d\r\nThe Hot Springs VA Hospital is a special place.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had the privilege of visiting the community and facility numerous times. I\u2019m always taken aback by how relaxing its surroundings are and the beauty of the Battle Mountain Sanitarium, a short-term home for veterans recovering from injuries or illness that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.\u00a0 The hospital employs hundreds in the Hot Springs community, many of whom are veterans themselves.\u00a0 And I\u2019ve spoken to many of the nearly 31,000 veterans served by the hospitals in Hot Springs and Fort Meade \u2013 the vast majority of which have been very passionate about keeping the hospital open.\u00a0 Needless to say, it would be a shame to lose this facility.\r\nSince the proposal was initially put forward, we\u2019ve been asking for more information on the Native Americans who are served at the hospital, the land valuation in the VA\u2019s cost-benefit analysis, and simple estimates for key provisions.\u00a0 The numbers have never added up nor have they been consistent with community stakeholder data.\r\nIn August, I held a Congressional Field Hearing with the Chairman of the House VA Committee where these same questions about data discrepancies and transparency arose.\u00a0 Once again, the answers we received from the VA were far from sufficient.\u00a0 The Hot Springs Hospital did, however, earn the respect and support of Chairman Miller at the hearing.\u00a0 He\u2019s an important ally to have in Congress.\r\nDespite the data discrepancies, the VA is pushing forward with an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), one of the last items needed to finalize their proposal.\u00a0 I helped the U.S. House of Representatives pass a provision earlier this year that would stop the VA from using any FY2015 funds to conduct an EIS on facilities like the Hot Springs hospital, but the provision has not yet been taken up by the Senate.\r\nTwo weeks ago, I spoke with VA Secretary Robert McDonald about next steps.\u00a0 He was aware of what\u2019s been going on in the community and I requested that he come out to Hot Springs to see it for himself \u2013 an invitation I also made in writing shortly after he was confirmed as Secretary in July and again last week.\u00a0 It\u2019s something we continue to work on.\r\nThis fight is far from over. \u00a0Hot Springs has been providing critical care to South Dakota veterans for more than a century and I\u2019m committed to doing all I can to ensure Hot Springs can serve veterans in this way for a century more.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=2c0fcc65-7d62-4b6d-ac47-9d222ebd924c", "Common Sense Wetlands Policies Needed in Washington", "2014-12-05", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tSouth Dakota\u2019s diverse landscape includes everything from native grasslands and fertile croplands, to forestlands and wetlands. Wetlands are especially prevalent east of the Missouri River in an area known as the Prairie Pothole Region.\r\nFarmers and ranchers in the Prairie Pothole Region are familiar with the unique challenges wetlands pose to their operations. In wetter years, seasonal wetlands can prevent crops from being planted or flood crops already planted. These complications are often exacerbated by federal regulations, which restrict how wetlands are managed by farming operations. Not only are farmers forced to deal with crop losses, but they are also forced to tread around federal rules governing the wetlands.\r\nEarlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule redefining \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d under the Clean Water Act to include nearly every stream, wetland, and ditch that has typically been regulated at the state level. This proposed expansion would have significant consequences on property owners, likely subject to new federal permit requirements, compliance costs, and threats of significant fines.\r\nAdditionally, hundreds of farmers throughout the state continue working diligently to comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) \u201cswampbuster\u201d requirements while waiting, sometimes longer than a year, for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to complete requests for wetlands determinations needed to retain eligibility for farm program assistance.\r\nOn December 4th, I raised both of these issues with the Chief of the NRCS, Jason Weller, at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing. I made clear that he and other leaders at USDA have an obligation to promote the welfare and wellbeing of agriculture producers, including defending producers from EPA\u2019s overreaching \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d rule.\r\nI also called on Chief Weller to address the backlog of undetermined wetlands experienced by so many South Dakota producers. Chief Weller stated that since the July NRCS meeting in Aberdeen, attended by more than 300 South Dakota producers, the backlog of undetermined wetlands in South Dakota decreased by 10 percent, and is currently under 2,600 requests. He also announced South Dakota will receive additional staff to reduce the state\u2019s current wetlands determinations backlog. Chief Weller\u2019s goal is to completely clear the backlog in three years.\r\nWhile I welcome Chief Weller\u2019s update on the progress made over the past few months, the current status of the wetlands determination backlog is still unacceptable, and more must be done to meet the needs of South Dakota producers.\u00a0I will continue pushing the NRCS to eliminate the backlog of determinations, and I will continue fighting to keep EPA\u2019s \u201cwaters of the U.S. rule\u201d from encroaching on farmers, ranchers, and businesses.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=058baa6c-5b0f-4d3f-873f-ff6fd93c89d7", "Thune Urges USDA Chief to Defend Farmers from EPA Rule and Provide Answers on Undetermined Wetlands", "2014-12-03", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tAt a hearing today before the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) questioned the Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture\u2019s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Jason Weller about the progress clearing the backlog of undetermined wetlands in South Dakota. Thune also reminded the NRCS Chief of USDA\u2019s responsibility to protect farmers from the potentially harmful Environmental Protection Agency proposed \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d rule.\r\n\u201cEastern South Dakota is ground zero in the Prairie Pothole Region, and farmers in this area of the state, especially northeastern South Dakota, have been challenged by flooding off and on over the past several years,\u201d said Thune at today\u2019s hearing. \u201cMany of these farmers, in order to better manage their land and to ensure they meet conservation compliance provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill, have requested wetlands determinations from NRCS.\u201d Thune also told the NRCS Chief that the wetlands backlog is a lingering problem that has created great consternation among producers in that area.\r\nVideo of Thune\u2019s questions for Chief Weller is available here.\r\n\r\nAs of September 1st, South Dakota\u2019s certified wetlands determination backlog stood at 2,824 requests. In July, the state and federal NRCS held a meeting in Aberdeen with more than 300 South Dakota producers to discuss this ongoing problem.\r\nChief Weller shared with Thune that since the July meeting, the backlog of undetermined wetlands in South Dakota decreased by 10 percent, and is currently under 2,600 requests. He also announced South Dakota will receive additional funds, almost $1.5 million, to add staff to reduce the current backlog and that 18 full-time and four part-time staff will be dedicated to wetlands determinations in South Dakota. It is Chief Weller\u2019s goal that the backlog be completely cleared in three years. Producers awaiting determinations should receive a letter updating them on their status in January.\r\n\u201cWhile I welcome Chief Weller\u2019s update on the progress that has been made over the past few months, the current status of the wetlands determination backlog is unacceptable, and more must be done to meet the needs of South Dakota producers,\u201d said Thune.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=865ee31f-516b-4679-920a-2293eb2a52aa", "Thune Announces Staff Changes in D.C. Office", "2014-12-02", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today announced that Brendon Plack has been promoted to deputy chief of staff and Jane Lucas has been promoted to legislative director in his Washington, D.C., office.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to have Brendon and Jane in these new roles,\u201d said Thune.\u00a0\u201cWith strong South Dakota roots and key legislative experience in the Senate, Brendon and Jane are well equipped to hit the ground running.\u201d\r\nPlack will replace Summer Mersinger, an Onida, South Dakota, native, who is departing Thune\u2019s office at the end of the year after 15 years of working for Thune. Previously, Plack served as Thune\u2019s legislative director after serving as policy director at the Senate Republican Conference and energy policy analyst at the Republican Policy Committee. Plack is a graduate of Augustana College and a native of Madison, South Dakota.\r\nLucas replaces Plack as Thune\u2019s legislative director. Previously, Lucas served as health policy counsel and legislative assistant in Thune\u2019s personal office. Lucas is a graduate of South Dakota State University and Georgetown University Law School and is a native of Brookings, South Dakota.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=872a0db0-7139-4bd7-ad4e-da7c9b8ae9b9", "Shop Local to Support Community Development", "2014-11-28", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tOur small businesses in South Dakota and across the country are the backbone of our nation's economy. They produce goods, provide services, and generate revenue that keep our economy growing, provide millions of Americans with quality jobs, and keep our nation highly competitive in the global community.\r\nSouth Dakota has become known for its robust business climate, consistently ranking among the top states in the country to do business. With a fiscally responsible state government, no personal or corporate income tax, and an unemployment rate of 4.3 percent, it is easy to understand why South Dakota continues to gain national attention for its healthy business environment.\r\nWhile a low tax burden is an important start, most South Dakota small businesses depend on the support of consumers in their communities to keep their doors open. The loyalty and patronage of customers in small towns and in small businesses across the state inject money into local establishments, helping them to compete and provide a greater array of products and services.\r\nMost people can recall a business in their community that donates to every fundraiser or sponsors a little league team every year. Local businesses not only contribute to local projects hoping their sponsorship will generate business, but they also contribute because they believe their contribution is important to improving the community. Whether they are employing our friends and neighbors, donating to annual food drives, or offering the \u201cfamily\u201d discount when times are tough, small businesses are truly the lifeblood of our South Dakota communities.\r\nIn Washington, I believe we must do more to provide certainty and support for our small businesses, which create 65 percent of new jobs. One of the most important things we can do for our small businesses is to make common-sense reforms to our tax code. Navigating the tax code is difficult enough for corporations with teams of Certified Public Accountants, and it is even more difficult for the vast majority of businesses in this country that are organized as pass-through businesses, which means they pay their taxes at the individual rates. In South Dakota, 93 percent of businesses pay their taxes at the individual rate. These individual operations expend time and money complying with a tax code that could otherwise be spent hiring new workers or reinvesting in their businesses. If we want businesses to grow, we need to fix our tax code for both corporations and pass-through businesses. I am eager to get to work with the new Republican majority in the next Congress to create an economic climate that encourages small businesses to expand and hire more workers.\r\nAs the holiday season kicks off, I encourage South Dakotans not to limit your small business patronage to Small Business Saturday. Remember to support your friends; support your community; and support small businesses by shopping local throughout this holiday season.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4fc1b9c6-510a-4fd9-854f-61b96254c7bb", "Proposed Obama Ozone Regulation An Undeniable Gut Punch to Middle Class", "2014-11-26", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SIOUX FALLS, S.D.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today criticized a proposed regulation from the Obama Environmental Protection Agency to expand costly ground-level ozone regulations across the country:\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s disappointing, though not surprising, that the Obama administration would unveil what could be the most expensive regulation in history on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday. With nearly 9 million Americans still struggling to find work and make ends meet, the last thing the president should be proposing is a regulation that will have a devastating impact on jobs and energy prices for those who can afford it the least.\r\n\u201cMajor metropolitan areas in states like California and New York \u2013 where smog is the worst \u2013 cannot meet the existing standard even after years of non-compliance. We should be targeting these problem areas before devastating rural economies in states with cleaner air. I will continue to look for ways to move my legislation, the CASE Act, to block the EPA\u2019s absurd regulation and make sure we first focus on the most problematic levels of smog in populated areas.\u201d\r\nThune\u2019s bipartisan, bicameral CASE Act, S.2833, would block the EPA from lowering the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone below 75 ppb until 85 percent of the current non-attainment counties achieve compliance with the existing standard. It would also require the EPA to consider the costs and feasibility of the lower standard, which the EPA currently does not consider.\u00a0Finally, the bill would prohibit the EPA from using unreliable modeling to expand non-attainment areas to rural counties that otherwise would not be impacted by the expensive regulation.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=c68033ca-b0c7-4236-8901-32bb2c6909c2", "Thune Statement on Extension of Iranian Nuclear Talks", "2014-11-24", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today issued the following statement regarding the extension of the Iranian nuclear talks:\r\n\u201cAfter continued unsuccessful talks and repeated extensions while Iran continues to enrich, it is increasingly evident that the administration is unable to secure a deal that will force Iran to fully suspend its enrichment program. Any agreement allowing Iran to maintain significant nuclear enrichment capabilities will likely prompt neighboring countries to pursue nuclear enrichment programs of their own, increasing tensions in an already volatile region and further threatening the security of our ally Israel.\r\n\u201cGiven the fact that it\u2019s been a year since the original six-month interim agreement, it is time for the Senate to take action on the bipartisan Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act to impose additional sanctions on Iran.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=77189FCA-4B24-4080-B70F-642FE7F8EF39", "Noem receives award from S.D. Farm Bureau", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Associated Press \r\n\tU.S. Rep. Kristi Noem has been recognized by the South Dakota Farm Bureau.\r\nThe group awarded Noem its \u201cFriend of Farm Bureau\u201d honor.\r\nScott VanderWal is the group\u2019s president. He says Noem\u2019s relentless efforts to get the 2014 farm bill approved by Congress have given producers \u201ca strong safety net for the always risky agriculture industry.\u201d\r\nThe award is given to members of Congress who have a record of voting in support of Farm Bureau issues.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=78CFC6B5-D374-4746-864D-2E831B37D485", "Noem Receives \"Friend of Farm Bureau\" Award", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem today accepted the \u201cFriend of Farm Bureau\u201d award from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) for her work to expand markets, curtail irresponsible government regulations, and support small business.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cIt is an honor to accept this award today,\" said Noem.\u00a0 \"The last two years have been an uphill battle.\u00a0 There were a lot of hours put into educating my colleagues in Congress about the importance of ag policy, but in the end, we passed one of the strongest and most reformed farm bills in history.\u00a0 We have a lot more to do.\u00a0 In the next few years, I\u2019ll be looking to expand the market for our commodities through new trade agreements and reform the tax code to make it easier for farmers and ranchers to do business.\u00a0 I\u2019m looking forward to the challenge.\"\r\nThe award is given at the conclusion of each Congress to those members who were nominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus and approved by the AFBF Board of Directors.\r\n\u201cProducers across South Dakota understand that they have a friend and advocate in Rep. Noem,\u201d said South Dakota Farm Bureau President Scott VanderWal.\u00a0 \u201cRep. Noem understands the challenges farmers and ranchers face every day because she\u2019s walked in our boots.\u00a0 She fought relentlessly to get a farm bill passed this last Congress, and as a result, we have a strong safety net for the always risky agriculture industry.\u00a0 I look forward to all she will accomplish in the coming years.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=D6A65D4B-63D5-42F4-9C00-B65E6CE61634", "Weekly Column: Thanksgiving in Action", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Our Thanksgiving Day typically starts off with my husband, Bryon, convincing all of us to sit and watch the parade with him.\u00a0 It\u2019s not that we don\u2019t enjoy seeing the floats and balloons barreling down New York City\u2019s narrow streets as much as he does, but we\u2019re an active family and at some point food must be prepared, chores done, and football games to get ready for.\u00a0 This year, we will be spending the holiday with Bryon\u2019s side of the family \u2013 after the parade, of course \u2013 where we\u2019ll celebrate and give thanks for our blessings of the past year.\u00a0\r\nBut as I sit down to write this column and think about all our Thanksgiving traditions, I wondered: Do we do enough to show how grateful we are and put the blessings we\u2019ve been given to work for others?\r\nI feel incredibly fortunate to have such a wonderful and supportive family.\u00a0 I have an outstanding partner by my side and my kids are surrounded by a loving and safe community that looks out for them day in and day out.\u00a0 We have a roof over our heads and plenty of food on the table.\u00a0 And to top it all off, we live in a secure country that promises opportunity and freedom.\u00a0\r\nMy family expresses our gratitude through our words often, but I don\u2019t know that we adequately put our thanksgiving into action.\u00a0 I\u2019m reminded of a quote from the English preacher, W.T. Purkiser.\u00a0 He said, \u201cNot what we say about our blessings, but how we use them is the true measure of our thanksgiving.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s not just about giving thanks, it\u2019s about showing thanks.\r\nPerhaps no one deserves more gratitude than our women and men in uniform.\u00a0 They put our values of justice and liberty to work in order to keep our nation safe.\u00a0 Hundreds of South Dakotans who have exchanged snowstorms for dust storms have missed Thanksgivings, Christmases, and birthdays to do the job, but because of their sacrifices we can have freedom from fear.\u00a0 For that, I am eternally grateful and committed to serving them as they have served us.\r\nWe all have so many reasons to be thankful.\u00a0 Every year during our thanksgiving dinner, my family has gone around the table and listed out one thing we were thankful for that year.\u00a0 Expressing that gratitude through our words can mean a lot, but showing it in our actions can change the world around you.\u00a0 I hope you join me this year in putting thanksgiving in action.\r\nFrom my family to yours, have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=33d8e650-209c-4616-9eb7-6c6fdc4c1976", "New Republican Majority Will Prioritize Jobs, Energy", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tFor more than six years, the Keystone XL pipeline has been at the bottom of the Democrats\u2019 list of priorities. Yet, less than a month after the voters soundly rejected the Obama agenda at the polls on Election Day, the Democrat leadership in the Senate was suddenly willing to vote on the Keystone XL pipeline. Unfortunately, the vote wasn\u2019t due to the tens of thousands of jobs it would create for the American people, but instead was used as a bargaining chip to help save the job of one senator who\u2019s facing a tough run-off election.\r\nIt\u2019s disappointing that they finally lifted their objection to voting on the pipeline when the job of one of their own was on the line. Regrettably, even after all of the theatrics, a majority of Democrats still voted to block this common-sense, job-creating project, which failed by a single vote.\r\nThe Keystone XL pipeline is a no-brainer. It would invest billions of dollars in the U.S. economy and would put thousands of Americans back to work, all at zero expense to the American taxpayer. The Obama State Department estimates that in South Dakota alone, the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline will bring 3,000-4,000 jobs. These jobs will range from construction jobs for welders, pipefitters and laborers, to spin-off jobs at local hotels, restaurants, and gas stations. This will generate well over $100 million in earnings and some $20 million in annual property taxes to local counties. That represents funding for a lot of schools, roads, bridges, and law enforcement personnel in our state.\r\nIn addition to the economic boom, the Department of Energy concluded in 2011 that Keystone XL oil will be refined in the U.S. and will offset imports from Venezuela. Another benefit of the pipeline is that it would transport 100,000 barrels of U.S. oil per day from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota and Montana, which would relieve over one unit train per day and help to alleviate the rail bottleneck preventing farmers and other shippers from reaching markets. Farmers in South Dakota have piled harvested grain on the ground because much of the rail capacity they depend on is tied up moving Bakken oil \u2013 the very oil that could be moved in the Keystone XL pipeline.\r\nWhile opponents of the pipeline like to cite environmental concerns as their reason for opposing the pipeline and its jobs, five separate environmental reviews from the president\u2019s own State Department found that the pipeline poses no meaningful risk to the environment. In fact, the State Department admits that the Keystone pipeline is the safest way of transporting the oil. Pipelines also produce fewer emissions than other modes of transport.\r\nThis fight is far from over. One of the first priorities of the new Republican majority next Congress will be to send the president a bill that approves the Keystone XL pipeline. It\u2019s time for the president and Democrats to put the interests of hard-working Americans ahead of the extreme environmental wing of his party. Let\u2019s get this passed and put Americans to work.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=dbea6c64-ac0f-4f10-ba7b-a2d1f8e52c92", "Senate Passes Bill to Preserve Rural Access to Therapy Services", "2014-11-21", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tSenator John Thune (R-S.D.) praised last night\u2019s Senate passage of bipartisan legislation led by Senators Thune, Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) that prohibits the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from enforcing a regulation that harms access to therapy services in rural areas for calendar year 2014.\r\nThe extension of the prohibition on enforcement provides additional time for Thune, Tester, and Moran to advance their Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services (PARTS) Act (S. 1143), which clarifies that general supervision of outpatient therapeutic services by a physician or non-physician practitioner is sufficient for payment of therapeutic hospital outpatient services.\r\n\u201cRequiring supervising physicians to be present for some outpatient therapy services places an unnecessary strain on the already overextended staff of rural health care facilities,\u201d said Thune. \u201cI applaud my colleagues in the Senate for supporting this legislation that will provide rural health care facilities in states like South Dakota with the flexibility needed to continue to deliver quality outpatient therapy services without being subjected to budget-busting workforce regulations as we seek a long-term solution beyond 2014.\u201d\r\nOutpatient therapeutic services include services such as drug infusions, blood transfusions, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services. These health care services have always been administered by licensed, skilled medical professionals in hospitals under the overall direction of a physician. However, in its attempt to clarify existing regulations in 2009, the CMS retroactively interpreted existing policy in place since 2001 to require a supervising physician be physically present in the department at all times when Medicare beneficiaries receive outpatient therapy services, the majority of which are low risk.\u00a0\r\nIn response to perennial concerns raised by hospitals and lawmakers, including Senator Thune, CMS delayed enforcement of its direct supervision policy from 2009 through 2013 for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other small, rural hospitals. Recognizing that CMS would be enforcing the regulation in 2014, Senator Thune offered the PARTS Act as an amendment to the Senate Finance Committee\u2019s SGR and Medicare Beneficiary Access Improvement Act, which passed by voice vote out of committee on December 13, 2013.\u00a0The language included in the SGR and Medicare Beneficiary Access Improvement Act would permanently prohibit enforcement of this regulation for CAHs.\u00a0However, until Congress enacts a permanent fix, the legislation passed by the Senate last night would provide for an additional year of relief from the regulation.\u00a0\r\nThe legislation passed by the Senate last night will now be sent to the President for his consideration.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=0A7A3850-39C2-46A8-9121-404DB6163849", "Noem Looks for a Real Fix, Not Quick Fix on Immigration", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem today urged President Obama to work with Congress to explore permanent, long-term solutions on immigration, rather than pursuing unilateral action.\u00a0 \r\n\u201cWe need to look for real, permanent solutions on immigration, not quick fixes,\u201d said Noem.\u00a0 \u201cThere is no doubt that we have a problem on our borders.\u00a0 They are extremely porous and that raises serious concerns about our national security.\u00a0 I\u2019m willing to work together to find a commonsense solution that first and foremost secures our borders, but a \u2018my way or the highway\u2019 negotiation won\u2019t work.\u201d\r\nNoem has long supported a step-by-step approach to immigration reform, which would begin by taking steps to secure the border and putting in place a system that works for South Dakota agriculture.\u00a0 This summer, Noem supported H.R.5230, which would have authorized the deployment of the National Guard to the southern border, provided funding to increase security, accelerated judicial proceedings, and ensured U.S. Customs and Border Protection had access to federal land near the border.\u00a0 The legislation passed the House, but was blocked in the U.S. Senate.\r\n\u201cI am confident the House will use available tools at its disposal to bring an end to the President\u2019s unilateral executive action,\u201d continued Noem.\u00a0 \u201cThe President is blatantly disregarding the will of the people of South Dakota and the Constitution\u2019s separation of powers.\u00a0 It\u2019s unacceptable and must be stopped.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=55be444f-5204-432a-89b5-6bdebabd4749", "Thune Joins Colleagues in Introducing Ebola Visa Ban Legislation", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today joined Senators Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), and Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) in introducing the Keeping America Safe from Ebola Act of 2014 to impose common-sense travel restrictions by creating a temporary visa ban for foreign nationals who are residents of a country that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has designated as a country with \u201cwidespread transmission of Ebola.\u201d\r\n\u201cAs the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, I have questions about our country\u2019s ability to handle the threat that Ebola poses among our transportation sectors, including airports and ports,\u201d said Thune. \u201cWe need to do all we can to keep Americans safe and to prevent the spread of Ebola, which is why Congress should place a temporary travel ban on individuals coming from areas with widespread transmission of Ebola. \u201d\r\nThe legislation would suspend new visas and revoke current visas for individuals who are permanent residents or nationals of a country the CDC has designated as a country for \u201cwidespread transmission of Ebola\u201d and whose last habitual residency was a country the CDC certified as a country with \u201cwidespread transmission of Ebola.\u201d Aid workers and foreign military who must travel to the United States would be exempt. The bill also requires the president to report to Congress every 30 days to provide an update on the Ebola outbreak and would sunset the bill 60 days after the Director of the CDC certified there is no longer an Ebola outbreak.\r\nIn October, Thune joined House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) in calling for a temporary travel ban from affected West African countries. Additionally, Thune and Shuster sent a letter on October 14th calling on the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security to provide an accounting of their plans to help protect the public from the transmission of the Ebola virus or any other infectious disease via the nation\u2019s transportation network. On October 23rd, the two members also sent a letter to President Obama urging him to consider use of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet to help deliver aid and resources to West Africa.\r\nCompanion legislation was introduced in the House today by U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6e7c1ae7-f611-4b23-a97e-6f1ff3651b4a", "Thune Statement on Obama Executive Action", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, tonight issued the following statement in advance of the president\u2019s announcement of executive action on immigration:\r\n\u201cPresident Obama\u2019s decision to move forward unilaterally demonstrates a willful disregard of the American people. The president\u2019s policies and go-it-alone approach were soundly rejected on election night, but he doesn\u2019t appear to be interested in listening to the American people.\r\n\u201cThe president has stated more than 20 times that he lacks the authority to take this executive action. He may have chosen to ignore the American people, but congressional Republicans won\u2019t. We hear their concerns, and we will take action.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=c121a0d4-75da-431a-ae48-894a94e88cfc", "Thune, Nelson Introduce Legislation to Help Prevent Auto Injuries, Deaths From Faulty Parts by Incentivizing Whistleblowers", "2014-11-20", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida) today introduced legislation (S. 2949) that would incentivize employees from the automotive sector to voluntarily provide information on faulty products to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to prevent serious physical injuries and death. In the 114th Congress, Thune is in line to become the Commerce Committee chairman, and Nelson is in line to become the ranking member. U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) and Dean Heller (R-Nevada), the leaders of the Commerce Committee\u2019s subcommittee on consumer protection, are cosponsors of the bill.\r\nThe Thune-Nelson bill would allow employees or contractors of motor vehicle manufacturers, part suppliers, and dealerships to receive up to 30 percent of the monetary penalties resulting from a DOT or Justice Department enforcement action that totals more than $1 million if they share original information not previously known to the DOT secretary relating to any motor vehicle defect, noncompliance, or any violation of any reporting requirement that is likely to cause risk of death or serious injury.\u00a0\r\n\u201cBy encouraging employees in the auto sector to speak up about auto safety problems, we can help prevent injuries and even deaths for American drivers,\u201d said Thune. \u201cThis bill will ensure that more Americans are aware of faulty parts in their vehicles sooner and better protect the traveling public.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt took years for problems with faulty ignitions and defective airbags to fully come to light,\u201d said Nelson. \u201cIf ever there was a time to encourage industry insiders to speak out, it is right now.\u201d\r\n\u201cIt has taken too long for this vital information of defective products to reach the surface,\u201d said Heller. \u201cThis legislation is intended to save American lives by removing these vehicles from the road. In the majority, I will continue to focus on auto safety and work with my colleagues, Senators Thune and Nelson, to insure safety on the road remains a top priority of this committee.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cIn my experience as an auditor, and in my work to boost accountability and oversight of government, whistleblowers are absolutely critical to rooting out waste, fraud, and misconduct,\u201d said McCaskill. \u201cThis is a commonsense, bipartisan effort that we should all be ready to get behind to keep drivers safe and better protect American consumers.\u201d\r\nThe Thune-Nelson bill will take into account whether or not the whistleblower had the opportunity to report the problems internally, as well as the significance of the information. It will also protect whistleblowers\u2019 identities. The legislation is modeled after existing statutory whistleblower protections that encourage individuals to share information with the Internal Revenue Service and the Securities and Exchange Commission.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=ceef784f-77e0-4329-97eb-5e8dec9efa95", "Thune Statement on NHTSA Nomination", "2014-11-19", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today issued the following statement on the nomination of Dr. Mark R. Rosekind to serve as the administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):\r\n\u201cAfter months of calling on the president to nominate an administrator to oversee motor vehicle safety laws, I'm pleased to hear that he has finally nominated someone. The administration has fallen short on its responsibility to the American people by leaving NHTSA without a\u00a0Senate-confirmed leader for nearly a year. There is much to be done at NHTSA, and I look forward to sitting down with Dr. Rosekind to hear more about his plans to address the rising number of motor vehicle safety recalls.\u201d\r\nThune has sent two letters to the Obama administration calling on the president to nominate a NHTSA director, the first on March 31, 2014 and the second on October 29, 2014.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=FE6E93D6-17FC-495C-8AD7-D6FED37AD3FE", "Noem To Continue Fight For Keystone XL", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KCSR Radio \r\n\tSouth Dakota Representative Kristi Noem has promised to continue the fight for the Keystone XL Pipeline\u2019s construction in the wake of the U.S. Senate voting down legislation to advance the pipeline. Noem helped the House pass the legislation on November 14th.\r\n\u201cI was extremely disappointed to see the United States Senate vote down bipartisan legislation to construct the Keystone XL Pipeline,\u201d said Rep. Noem. \u201cThis pipeline would create jobs, alleviate pressure on our road systems and rails, and generate revenues for our states to support local schools and infrastructure. This is not the end of this fight and I look forward to resurrecting this debate in the New Year.\u201d\r\nNoem has been a vocal supporter of the Keystone XL Pipeline\u2019s construction. She is a co-sponsor of H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, and has strongly urged President Obama and Secretary Kerry in writing to support immediate approval of the pipeline.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=18BB0CBE-97EE-481B-9FD1-9A8A6F6CE3EB", "Noem Promises to Continue Fight for Keystone XL Pipeline", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem today promised to continue the fight for the Keystone XL Pipeline\u2019s construction in the wake of the U.S. Senate voting down legislation to advance the pipeline.\u00a0 Noem helped the House pass the legislation on November 14.\r\n\u201cI was extremely disappointed to see the United States Senate vote down bipartisan legislation to construct the Keystone XL Pipeline,\u201d said Rep. Noem.\u00a0 \u201cThis pipeline would create jobs, alleviate pressure on our road systems and rails, and generate revenues for our states to support local schools and infrastructure.\u00a0 This is not the end of this fight and I look forward to resurrecting this debate in the new year.\u201d\r\nNoem has been a vocal supporter of the Keystone XL Pipeline\u2019s construction.\u00a0 She is a co-sponsor of\u00a0H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, and has strongly urged President Obama and Secretary Kerry in writing to support immediate approval of the pipeline.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=67445a15-eb6f-4510-8cd3-0e3503786917", "Senate Democrats Choose Obstruction Over Jobs", "2014-11-18", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today issued the following statement on the Senate Democrats\u2019 latest blockade of the Keystone XL pipeline: \u00a0\r\n\u201cWhile Senate Republicans have spent the last six years working to get the job-creating Keystone XL pipeline approved, Senate Democrats have done all they can to block it. It\u2019s disappointing that not until the job of one of their own was on the line did they finally lift their objection to voting on the pipeline. Even after all of the theatrics, a majority of Democrats still voted to block this common-sense, job-creating project.\r\n\u201cThis fight is far from over. One of the first priorities of the new Republican majority next Congress will be to send the president a bill that approves the Keystone XL pipeline. Approving this project is a no-brainer. It would invest billions of dollars in the U.S. economy and would put thousands of Americans back to work, all at zero expense to the American taxpayer.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=82bfd283-4009-4045-be73-19870d92eee8", "Thune Discusses Keystone Vote, Climate Change, Immigration On Fox News Sunday", "2014-11-16", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today appeared on \u201cFox News Sunday\u201d with Chris Wallace to discuss the upcoming Senate vote on Keystone, the president\u2019s one-sided emissions deal with China, and the president\u2019s potential executive action on immigration.\r\nClick here to watch Thune's full interview.  \r\nOn the upcoming Senate vote on the Keystone XL pipeline: \r\n\u201cIf the Democrats were serious about this, we would have voted on this years ago. This thing has been hanging around now for six years. There\u2019s been five environmental impact reviews of the Keystone pipeline, all of which have come back and said it would have minimal impact on the environment. The president\u2019s own State Department says it would support over 40,000 jobs. In my state of South Dakota, three to four thousand jobs, $100 million in earnings, $20 million in property tax revenue. This is an issue \u2013 a no-brainer in the eyes of the American public, which finally, finally is coming to the floor of the United States Senate, not because they\u2019re worried about American jobs, but because they're worried about the job of a senator from Louisiana.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Canadians are going to produce the oil. The only question is whether or not America\u2019s going to benefit from it and we\u2019re going to get the jobs that come with it and whether we\u2019re going to replace the oil, the same type of oil that\u2019s coming in from Venezuela, which is what the State Department said this project would do.\u201d\r\nOn the president\u2019s one-sided emissions deal with China:\r\n\u201cWhat the president agreed to was a bad deal. It\u2019s all pain and no gain for the American people. It\u2019s one-sided, it\u2019s non-binding. There\u2019s a hope that someday down the road, the Chinese might, might actually reduce, at the same time the United States makes reductions twice at what we\u2019re planning right now. And what that means is, a 90 percent increase in utility rates for people, low-income people in places like South Dakota.\r\n\u201cAnd I guess what I would say to that is, if you trust the Chinese on something like this, I\u2019ve got some oceanfront property here in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for you, because this is a one-sided \u2013 and it is a non-binding deal that we have agreed to, and I don\u2019t expect that we\u2019re ever going to see China agree to it in the end.\u201d\r\nOn the president\u2019s potential executive action on immigration:\r\n\u201cI think Republicans, Chris, are looking at different options about how best to respond to the president\u2019s unilateral action, which many people believe is unconstitutional, unlawful action on this particular issue. But my concern is \u2013 shutting the government down doesn\u2019t solve the problem. My concern is what happens if we end up shutting down what could be a record of legislative accomplishment that\u2019s there for the taking if the president would choose cooperation instead of conflict. This president right now is choosing friction, partisanship instead of cooperation. There\u2019s an opportunity for us to get some things done here, and instead the president is going down this unilateral path, and it\u2019s going to make it very hard for us to get anything done on immigration or any other issue, for that matter.\u201d\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=5E4BAAAD-4464-489A-9B42-1C33B7AF5310", "Noem Helps Advance Legislation to Build the Keystone XL Pipeline", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem today helped advance H.R.5682, a bill to cut through regulatory red tape and allow the Keystone XL Pipeline to move forward.\u00a0 Noem joined both Republicans and Democrats in passing the legislation, which would formally approve TransCanada\u2019s application to construct the pipeline, through the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday.\r\n\u201cMany South Dakotans are paying twice as much of their after-tax income on energy than the national average.\u00a0 We ought to be doing everything we can to bring those costs down,\u201d said Rep. Noem.\u00a0 \u201cThe Keystone XL Pipeline\u2019s construction will create jobs and give America more leverage in the global energy marketplace.\u00a0 It could alleviate pressure on our road systems and rails and generate much-needed revenue for communities and counties across the state. \u00a0This administration has run out of excuses.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to build.\u201d\r\nNoem has been a vocal supporter of the Keystone XL Pipeline\u2019s construction.\u00a0 She is a co-sponsor of\u00a0H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act and has strongly urged President Obama and Secretary Kerry in writing to support immediate approval of the pipeline.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u201cFor far too long, the politics of the Keystone XL Pipeline have blocked its construction as well as the jobs and economic activity it would generate,\u201d continued Noem.\u00a0 \u201c10,000 miles of pipeline have been constructed since Keystone was initially proposed, which is the equivalent of eight Keystone XL Pipelines.\u00a0 Let\u2019s move beyond the politics and start pushing energy back into this economy.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=8DC79322-9C32-424C-AC3D-5559DAC0E3A6", "Weekly Column: Stopping a Federal Land Grab", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 14 marked the last day where the public could comment on what could become the largest federal land grab in our country\u2019s history.\u00a0 So, what\u2019s the next step?\r\nLast March, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers proposed changing the definition of \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s one of those things bureaucracies try to do to expand their control.\u00a0 Currently, the term \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d encompasses all waters that are navigable or waterways that significantly connect to navigable ones.\u00a0 What the EPA and Army Corps are trying to do is expand the rule to include much smaller bodies of water and even some areas that are only seasonally wet.\u00a0\r\nIn practical terms, it could mean ditches, small ponds, and prairie potholes could be regulated by the EPA and Army Corps.\u00a0 Farmers, ranchers, and homeowners could have to get permits for things like controlling bugs and weeds on their fields or lawn \u2013 or building a fence around their property.\u00a0 If you fail to comply, fines could reach as high as $37,500 per violation per day.\r\nIt\u2019s not difficult to see why folks are so concerned and why many I spoke to planned to submit a comment to regulators.\u00a0 Even though the public comment period is now expired, our fight continues.\r\nThe strategy we\u2019re taking is two pronged:\u00a0 Cut off the resources needed to move the proposal forward and apply as much pressure as we can on the EPA and Army Corps to withdraw the proposal.\u00a0 It\u2019s a strategy that I\u2019ve helped make work in the past.\u00a0\r\nWhen I was first elected to Congress, the EPA was reviewing their regulations on dust, including dust that is part of many everyday farming activities.\u00a0 We applied legislative pressure through a bill I wrote and the EPA moved in a different direction.\u00a0 In another instance, we combined pressure from Congress and pressure from the public to get the Department of Labor to rescind a rule that could have banned kids from doing some chores on their relative\u2019s or neighbor\u2019s farms.\u00a0 And when OSHA was attempting to impose hefty regulations and fines on small family farms, we took the agency head on and they reversed course.\r\nAlready, I have helped the House pass limited legislation to ensure FY2015 funds are not used to move the EPA\u2019s proposal forward; the bill has not been taken up by the Senate, however.\u00a0 I have thrown my support behind H.R.5078, which prohibits the EPA and Army Corps from developing, finalizing, adopting, implementing, applying, administering, or enforcing \u2013 in other words, moving forward in any way \u2013 the proposal.\u00a0 Myself and more than 200 other Members of Congress \u2013 both Republicans and Democrats \u2013 have written the EPA and Army Corps about our concerns as well.\u00a0 And I will continue to do all I can to fight this rule.\r\nWhat I\u2019ve had a hard time understanding \u2013 and what I bluntly asked an administration official who was testifying before the Agriculture Committee a few months ago \u2013 is why they are pursuing the rule they claim is helpful when almost everybody is opposed to it.\u00a0 Needless to say, I didn\u2019t get a straightforward response.\r\nWe all ought to be able to turn on the faucet or go fishing and know the water is safe.\u00a0 But there has to be a way to do it without farmers, ranchers, homeowners, and property owners having to turn to the EPA when they want to put up a fence.\u00a0 It\u2019s just not practical.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=23f4d9f9-3bee-4e80-a165-08c2f485de14", "Working to Address South Dakotas Transportation Needs", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tLife in South Dakota\u2019s wide open spaces means the nearest hospital or airport can be many miles away. It also means that adequate funding and sound infrastructure are critical to maintaining roads, bridges, railroads, and airports throughout our state. The stability provided by long-term federal transportation policy gives states and localities the tools they need to prioritize targeted transportation investments. Maintaining a national transportation system keeps roads safe for South Dakota families and ensures efficient movement of the commercial vehicles vital to a host of South Dakota industries.\r\nThis past week, I was pleased to host U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in South Dakota to discuss a variety of transportation issues. We spent the day highlighting transportation priorities in South Dakota and the importance of an efficient transportation system. We started the morning in Rapid City where Secretary Foxx, Governor Daugaard, and I participated in a roundtable meeting with a number of South Dakotans to discuss the importance of transportation and the impact it has on South Dakota\u2019s and the nation\u2019s economy, particularly as it relates to the state\u2019s largest industry, agriculture. As we have witnessed since late last year, the inability of shippers and ag producers to secure rail cars and locomotives to get their products to market in a timely manner has a significant impact on our state.\r\nWe also made a stop in Chamberlain to show the secretary steps the state of South Dakota is taking to improve the state-owned rail line, providing ag producers and other shippers with expanded options to getting their grain to market.\u00a0This portion of the secretary\u2019s tour underscored the positive impact federal investment combined with state and local funding has on infrastructure and economic development.\r\nIn addition to the rail discussions, we organized a briefing for Secretary Foxx with officials at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The briefing was an opportunity to underscore how the pending proposal to expand the nearby Powder River training range is critical not only for our military servicemen and women but for our nation\u2019s long-term safety and security.\u00a0Secretary Foxx oversees the FAA which is currently reviewing this training expansion proposal.\r\nMaintaining a sound and efficient transportation network in large, landmass states like South Dakota with a relatively small population is important to stimulating economic development. While we still need to make investments to maintain the thousands of miles of roads, bridges, and highways our state\u2019s residents depend upon, Secretary Foxx left South Dakota with a better understanding of our state\u2019s unique transportation challenges and the key role South Dakota plays in the national transportation system.\r\nWith my role as the next chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which has direct oversight of the U.S. Department of Transportation, I look forward to working with Secretary Foxx and others to ensure that South Dakota\u2019s transportation needs are not overlooked.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=cb726fc8-211e-47ed-b7df-a9eac96335a7", "Celebrating Native American Heritage Month", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tWhile November is a busy time of year among football games, hunting trips, and the approaching holiday season, this month we also pause to reflect on the important contributions of Native Americans to our state and nation. On November 14th, I joined several of my Senate colleagues in introducing a resolution to recognize November as Native American Heritage Month.\u00a0Since 1990, our country has celebrated Native American Heritage Month to honor and pay tribute to the proud ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.\r\nThe rich traditions of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota are woven into the fabric of South Dakota\u2019s history, and are a significant part of what makes South Dakota such a unique and special place. In fact, our state name of Dakota is a Native word for \u201cfriendly\u201d or \u201callies.\u201d\u00a0\r\nNative American warriors such as Crazy Horse, Chief Sitting Bull, and Chief Red Cloud, were from the Dakotas and helped to shape the early history of our country. In World War I and World War II, Native American soldiers known as code talkers, used their native languages to send messages to the Allied forces. Code talkers played a critical role in efficiently and securely transmitting messages that enemy forces were not able to decode. These communications were a tremendous benefit to the Allied forces during military combat.\r\nLast fall, in Washington, D.C., in a long overdue ceremony, Congress recognized South Dakota\u2019s Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota code talkers by awarding their families and tribes with a Congressional Gold Medal. The Congressional Gold Medal is among the highest expressions of appreciation and recognition given by Congress for distinguished achievements and contributions and I was proud to cosponsor legislation to help make this recognition possible.\u00a0\r\nThis month is not only a time to celebrate Native American contributions, culture, and traditions, but also provides an opportunity to examine the issues facing Indian Country today. As we work to improve life in Indian Country at all levels of government, we continue to look for innovative solutions to improve education, public safety, access to health care, and economic opportunity on South Dakota\u2019s nine reservations. Though we have achieved legislative successes over the years aimed at addressing these challenges, through strong federal, state, and tribal relationships, we can continue to make improvements to enhance the quality of life for tribal citizens, both on and off the reservations.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d3e206f3-f1d6-4063-b820-c7ade4467555", "Thune Discusses Senate Keystone Vote on FOX News On the Record", "2014-11-14", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, joined Fox News\u2019 \u201cOn the Record\u201d with Greta Van Susteren to discuss the Senate\u2019s upcoming vote on the Keystone XL pipeline and ObamaCare architect Jonathan Gruber\u2019s negative comments about the American people\u2019s understanding of the Democrats\u2019 signature law.\r\nClick here to watch Thune's interview.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5022de25-7c06-4fe4-a20a-7b04e6b15b8c", "Thune Re-elected Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference", "2014-11-13", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) was re-elected Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference today by his fellow Republican Senators. Thune was originally elected to the post in December of 2011, but officially assumed the position of Senate Republican Conference Chairman in January of 2012. The Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference is the number three leadership position for Senate Republicans and is tasked with spearheading messaging efforts for the conference.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s an honor to be selected by my colleagues to serve as the Chair of the Republican Conference,\u201d said Thune. \u201cWe will continue to speak directly to the American public about our solutions to create jobs, grow the economy, and strengthen the middle class. The new Republican majority is ready to roll up our sleeves and get the Senate back to work. With the House Republican majority, we will work to pass policies that lead to more jobs, lower energy costs, and a less intrusive, more efficient government.\u201d\r\nPrior to being elected Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, Thune previously served as Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee and as Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. The Senate Republican Conference helps senators communicate their priorities to the American people through a wide variety of communications resources, including television, radio, and web technology, among other services.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=F621BC85-7669-4797-A1BD-258EB1FF447B", "Noem encourages volunteerism to mark Veterans Day", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Ripon Advance \r\n\tRep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) encouraged Americans on Friday to demonstrate their appreciation for the contributions of veterans on Veterans Day.\r\nNoem encouraged citizens to volunteer at Veterans Administration facilities or local charities to show their \u201cgratitude and respect.\u201d\r\n\u201cOf course, there have been many instances where our nation has fallen short of giving veterans the admiration they deserve,\u201d Noem said. \u201cWidespread mismanagement, data manipulation and subpar care within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) became a topic of national debate this year \u2014 and rightfully so. I was proud to help Congress pass a bill that the president signed to help address the VA\u2019s most significant problems, but we must continue to implement this legislation and identify other areas where remedies are necessary.\u201d\r\nNoem said she has also worked to protect a VA facility in Hot Springs, S.D., that has provided critical care to thousands of veterans like Arthur Hilland, a World War II veteran.\r\nHilland\u2019s family recently discovered a scrap book from his time in World War II that contained mementos from the places he was stationed, photos and newspaper clippings.\r\n\u201cWhile they\u2019ll never know for sure, his family believes the scrapbook was perhaps a therapeutic exercise to cope with what he\u2019d seen in battle,\u201d Noem said. \u201cEarlier this year, they donated the scrapbook to the Library of Congress as part of the Veterans History Project \u2014 an effort to collect, preserve and make personal accounts of American veterans accessible so we too could benefit from the story of a man on the front line.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141106192329/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=4C27897A-11C3-44BB-B23A-62EC8B04F2C7", "Noem Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Belle Fourche on November 12", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Kristi Noem today announced that Kyle Holt of her Rapid City office will hold Mobile Office Hours in Belle Fourche on Wednesday, November 12. \u00a0If any Belle Fourche resident needs help with a federal agency or has comments they would like passed along to the Congresswoman, they may schedule an appointment with Holt by calling 791-4673.\nWhile in Belle Fourche, Holt will also be holding meetings with community organizations and local businesses.\u00a0\u00a0To get immediate assistance, please contact Rep. Noem\u2019s Rapid City office at 791-4673 or visit her website at www.noem.house.gov.\u00a0\n- WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 -\nWHAT: Noem Staff Hold Mobile Office Hours in Belle Fourche \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   WHEN: Wednesday, November 12, 2014   SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT: Please call Kyle Holt at 791-4673   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Belle Fourche residents may meet with Kyle Holt of Rep. Noem\u2019s Rapid City office to get help with a federal agency or pass on any concerns or comments they have for the Congresswoman.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141106192332/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=98EEEEDE-7EBE-45B8-9FEA-E801E4C51856", "Noem Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Sturgis on November 12", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Kristi Noem today announced that Kyle Holt of her Rapid City office will hold Mobile Office Hours in Sturgis on Wednesday, November 12. \u00a0Holt will be available that day between 9:00AM and 10:00AM at the Sturgis Public Library (1040 2nd Street, #101, Sturgis) to meet with residents who need help with a federal agency or have concerns or comments they would like passed along to the Congresswoman.\nIf area residents are unable to meet during the Mobile Office Hours from 9:00AM to 10:00AM, please contact Rep. Noem\u2019s Rapid City office at 791-4673 or visit her website at www.noem.house.gov to schedule a separate appointment or get immediate assistance.\u00a0\n- WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12 -\nWHAT: Noem Staff Hold Mobile Office Hours in Sturgis \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   WHEN: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 \u2013 9:00AM to 10:00AM (MT)   WHERE: Sturgis Public Library (1040 2nd Street, #101, Sturgis)   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Sturgis residents may meet with Kyle Holt of her Rapid City office to get help with a federal agency or pass on any concerns or comments they have for the Congresswoman.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3df59bb9-5aa5-4af2-ba74-14db9ce59ce5", "House and Senate Republicans Warn FCC Against Regulating Internet Like a 20th Century Monopoly", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u2014House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Michigan) and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Ranking Member John Thune (R-South Dakota) today led Republicans on their respective committees in writing to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler regarding the commission\u2019s consideration of regulations that would impose 20th century common carrier rules on the Internet - a 21st century information service. Despite the failure of the commission\u2019s two previous attempts to implement such rules, there remains a strong effort to advance policies that would hamper innovation, job creation, and investment in the widespread growth and expansion of the Internet.\r\n\u201cRecent proposals have suggested that the FCC can use its authority under Title II of the Communications Act to create legally enforceable rules to regulate Internet access. We believe this is beyond the scope of the FCC\u2019s authority and would defy the plain reading of the statute,\u201d wrote over three-dozen House and Senate Republicans.\r\nThey continued, \u201cReclassification would require the FCC to reverse nearly two decades of legally sound \u2013 and Supreme Court affirmed \u2013 reasoning that Internet access services are explicitly not Title II services. Justifying this course change is no easy task under current law. Among other harms, reclassification would threaten the jobs and investment made possible by the broadband industry, which the Communications Workers of America and the NAACP state accounted for more than $193 billion in capital investment and more than 270,000 jobs over the last three years.\u201d\r\nThe House and Senate Republicans concluded, \u201cGiven the significant legal barriers to reclassification and the uncertainty that yet another appeal of the FCC\u2019s rules would bring to the Internet, we strongly urge you to reject any such reclassification proposals. As you know, we are not alone in our concerns. In May, Rep. Gene Green led twenty Democratic members of the House in a letter calling on the commission to reject reclassification. We urge the commission to heed our bipartisan concerns.\u201d\r\nThe letter was signed by all Republican members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, including:\r\nHouse Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI)\r\nSenate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD)\r\nHouse Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR)\r\nSenate Communications, Technology, and the Internet Subcommittee Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-MS)\r\nSen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)\r\nSen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)\r\nSen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)\r\nSen. Dean Heller (R-NV)\r\nSen. Dan Coats (R-IN)\r\nSen. Tim Scott (R-SC)\r\nSen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)\r\nSen. Deb Fischer (R-NE)\r\nSen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)\r\nRep. Joe Barton (R-TX)\r\nRep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)\r\nRep. Bob Latta (R-OH)\r\nRep. Ralph Hall (R-TX)\r\nRep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY)\r\nRep. John Shimkus (R-IL)\r\nRep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA)\r\nRep. Lee Terry (R-NE)\r\nRep. Mike Rogers (R-MI)\r\nRep. Tim Murphy (R-PA)\r\nRep. Michael C. Burgess (R-TX)\r\nRep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA)\r\nRep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)\r\nRep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)\r\nRep. Gregg Harper (R-MS)\r\nRep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ)\r\nRep. Bill Cassidy (R-LA)\r\nRep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY)\r\nRep. Pete Olson (R-TX)\r\nRep. David McKinley (R-WV)\r\nRep. Cory Gardner (R-CO)\r\nRep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS)\r\nRep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)\r\nRep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA)\r\nRep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)\r\nRep. Bill Johnson (R-OH)\r\nRep. Billy Long (R-MO)\r\nRep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC)\r\nRead the full letter here.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=404408c2-8562-4713-834a-9429454b8586", "Thune Launches Interactive Web Map Displaying Proposed EPA Overreach", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today launched a new interactive map on his website displaying South Dakota rivers, streams, wetlands, flood plains, and other waterways that could be under new federal regulation due to a proposed power-grab from the Obama administration.\r\n\u201cThe Obama EPA\u2019s power-grab over small and seasonal bodies of water could have a devastating economic impact on our state\u2019s farmers, ranchers, homeowners, and businesses,\u201d said Thune. \u201cSouth Dakotans deserve to know where the EPA will target and with what regulations property owners will be forced to comply. I encourage all South Dakotans to explore the map to help better understand the impact this rule could have on properties throughout the state.\u201d\r\nThe map displays analyses from the American Farm Bureau Federation, which compiled data from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 19 states to map areas the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could regulate under the new proposed definition of \u201cwaters of the U.S.\u201d Thune has been fighting to stop the EPA\u2019s proposal \u00a0from being finalized due to concerns that the rule would provide the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers authority to begin regulating small and seasonal bodies of water that have typically been regulated at the state level. Thune\u2019s map allows users to locate potentially regulated areas on their property.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4a9bf51c-a6c9-4979-9721-8b3899cc0c08", "Thune Statement on Presidents Carbon Emissions Agreement With China", "2014-11-12", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today made the following statement in response to President Obama\u2019s recent one-sided agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping on carbon emissions:\r\n\u201cPresident Obama\u2019s agreement with China is a bad deal for hardworking American families and promises to deliver a gut punch to middle-class families harder and sooner than he vowed before the election. China has promised to potentially, maybe, possibly start reducing emissions after 2030, but this is a non-binding agreement and there is little reason to believe China will blunt its economic ambitions and comply. Over that period, China will build as many coal-burning power plants as possible while President Obama runs ours out of business, slashing American jobs and driving up energy prices.\u201d\u00a0\r\nChina is the world\u2019s largest emitter of carbon dioxide and is currently building one new coal-fired power plant nearly every week.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=52b5a53d-b5c8-436c-bbb3-b4f4de0286bd", "Thune Statement on Presidents Net Neutrality Announcement", "2014-11-10", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today made the following statement on the president\u2019s call for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to use Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 to craft additional net neutrality regulations:\r\n\u201cThe president\u2019s call for the FCC to use Title II to create new net neutrality restrictions would turn the Internet into a government-regulated utility and stifle our nation\u2019s dynamic and robust Internet sector with rules written nearly 80 years ago for plain old telephone service. The president\u2019s stale thinking would invite legal and marketplace uncertainty and perpetuate what has needlessly become a politically corrosive policy debate.\r\n\u201cIt is critical that the Internet remain open and that consumers are protected.\u00a0As it crafts new rules, the FCC should recognize the benefits of its highly successful light-touch regulatory approach to Internet policy and, most importantly, the FCC must follow the law.\u201d\r\nIn May, Thune and the entire Senate Republican leadership team sent a letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler saying, \u201cRather than attempting further legal contortions to encumber modern communications networks with last century\u2019s rules, the Commission should work with the Congress to develop clear statutory authority and direction for the agency so that it can be a productive regulator for the 21st century marketplace", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=E673E324-3D9F-483F-B4F1-CCFA40CD3118", "Weekly Column: A Veteran's Story", "2014-11-07", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I first heard Arthur Hiland\u2019s story from his daughters.\u00a0 Born in Aberdeen, he was drafted to serve in the European Theatre during World War II.\u00a0 He helped defeat the Nazis, earning him a Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart, and then returned home to South Dakota.\u00a0\u00a0 He rarely, if ever, spoke of his time in the military, but his account of wartime America was never lost.\r\nAfter he and his wife passed, his daughters found a scrapbook.\u00a0 It weighed maybe 20 pounds and contained much of his wartime story:\u00a0 His draft notice.\u00a0 Mementos from the places he was stationed.\u00a0 Pictures.\u00a0 Newspaper clippings.\u00a0 His discharge papers.\u00a0\r\nTo his daughters, this book has been a peek into their father\u2019s past.\u00a0 To you and me, it is a snapshot of our nation\u2019s history from a man on the front line.\r\nThis week, we celebrate the women and men who, like Arthur, have served our nation and earned the title of \u201cveteran.\u201d\u00a0 We remember their stories and formally recognize their contributions to the moments that have defined the American spirit and our nation\u2019s resilience.\r\nWe can never repay our veterans for these contributions, but I encourage you to take the opportunity this Veterans Day to actively demonstrate your appreciation for their service.\u00a0 Participate in your hometown\u2019s Veterans Day celebration.\u00a0 Volunteer at a VA medical facility, the VFW, or a local charity that helps veterans or military families.\u00a0 There are countless ways to show your gratitude and respect.\r\nOf course, there have been many instances where our nation has fallen short of giving veterans the admiration they deserve. Widespread mismanagement, data manipulation and subpar care within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) became a topic of national debate this year \u2013 and rightfully so.\u00a0 I was proud to help Congress pass a bill that the president signed to help address the VA\u2019s most significant problems, but we must continue to implement this legislation and identify other areas where remedies are necessary.\u00a0\r\nWe also have work yet to do to protect the VA hospital in Hot Springs.\u00a0 This facility has provided critical care to thousands of South Dakota veterans, including Arthur Hiland.\u00a0 Like many of his comrades, he suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.\u00a0 He received treatment in Hot Springs and spent his career giving back to the facility, working as a switchboard operator and in the accounting department.\r\nWhile they\u2019ll never know for sure, his family believes the scrapbook was perhaps a therapeutic exercise to cope with what he\u2019d seen in battle.\u00a0 Earlier this year, they donated the scrapbook to the Library of Congress as part of the Veterans History Project \u2013 an effort to collect, preserve, and make personal accounts of American veterans accessible so we too could benefit from the story of a man on the front line.\r\nThis Veterans Day, please join me in honoring our veterans and recognizing the sacrifices they\u2019ve made \u2013 and continue to make \u2013 so that our freedom, safety and independence remain secure.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=372d5c0d-82a8-4c10-9bb8-712465b4f667", "Honoring our Nations Heroes", "2014-11-07", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tThis month we pause to thank and pay tribute to the veterans and active members of the military who have risked life and limb protecting our freedoms. Their selfless service has played a defining role in shaping who we are as South Dakotans, and their leadership on veterans\u2019 issues is crucial in guiding the discussion as we seek to provide for those who have answered the call to defend the freedoms of all Americans.\r\nThe service numbers for our state are remarkable, especially given South Dakota\u2019s relatively small population. Approximately 32,000 South Dakotans served in World War I, 65,000 served in World War II, 26,000 in the Korean War, 28,000 in the Vietnam War, and 5,600 in the Gulf War. The men and women of Ellsworth Air Force Base continue to serve as a key component of our military capabilities, maintaining global reach and deterrence with the B-1B bomber and MQ-9 Reaper. And, the citizen-soldiers of the South Dakota National Guard have responded to domestic emergencies and have repeatedly deployed throughout the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, always performing to the highest of standards. \u00a0\r\nWe owe our veterans a tremendous debt, and I am committed to ensuring that our veterans receive the resources they deserve for the sacrifices they have made for our country. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a solemn responsibility to be a leader in serving our veterans, especially when it comes to specialty care to address the lasting wounds of battle. There is no reason that the men and women who served should be subjected to unacceptably long wait times or drive hundreds of miles just to see a primary doctor for the flu or get a routine screening test.\r\nOur veterans deserve better. That\u2019s why I responded to the VA scandals this summer by introducing legislation to require the VA inspector general to investigate national wait times for veterans seeking medical appointments and treatment from the VA. My bill would also prohibit the VA from closing any health care facilities or utilizing funds to conduct Environmental Impact Statements concerning closures until the IG\u2019s report is released.\r\nI also supported the Veterans\u2019 Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014, which seeks to reduce veteran wait times and travel for care. I will continue to work with my colleagues across the aisle to address the shortcomings in VA care, and I will work with VA Secretary McDonald to hold VA officials accountable to the men and women they aim to serve.\r\nAs Americans gather to celebrate Veterans Day and reflect on the service of those who have bravely served in our armed forces, let us redouble our efforts to support those who have served our nation. From simple acts of kindness to opportunities for employment, we as Americans must never take for granted the sacrifices undertaken by our veterans. These men and women have protected our nation and fought in the name of liberty all over the world. They deserve our sincere respect and gratitude. I encourage all South Dakotans to honor the sacrifice of our veterans and keep the brave members of our military and their families in our thoughts and prayers as they continue to serve on our behalf.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=029A04E1-1D57-4B91-9B9C-28293EF22B13", "Noem's Office Accepting Applications for Spring Interns", "2014-11-06", "2014", "2014-11", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representative Kristi Noem is accepting applications for spring internships in her Washington, D.C. office, as well as in her offices in Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Watertown.\r\nStudent interns in Representative Noem\u2019s office will assist staff with various constituent service and communications projects, as well as assist with legislative research. \u00a0Both South Dakota and Washington, D.C., internships provide students with first-hand knowledge of the legislative process and the countless other functions of a congressional office.\r\nCollege students who are interested in interning in any of Representative Noem\u2019s offices should submit a resume, cover letter, and references to Christiana.Frazee@mail.house.gov by December 15.\r\nFor more information, contact Christiana Frazee at 202-225-2801.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=427E4A5D-3944-46B2-8F8F-C90E9D022EE6", "Weekly Column: Heritage, Honor, and Sovereignty", "2014-10-31", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Last year, I had the opportunity to help honor hundreds of Native American code talkers with the Congressional Gold Medal.\u00a0 These men were critical to our success in numerous battles during World War II, using their native languages to help protect, defend, and secure freedom.\u00a0 There are hundreds of stories about their bravery and altruism, but I\u2019ve never forgotten one article I read where an Oglala Lakota member explained that when he was first approached about becoming a code talker, he said:\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want rank.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want money.\u00a0 I just want to do what I can to protect America and our way of life.\u201d\u00a0 To me, that statement reflects the selflessness and sense of duty that is embedded in the heritage and traditions of Native American communities.\r\nNovember is Native American Heritage Month and in South Dakota, much of our own history is tied to Indian Country.\u00a0 It\u2019s one of the reasons I\u2019ve remained committed to protecting tribal sovereignty, offering support for safer schools and an improved healthcare system on reservations, and promoting economic development in our Native American communities.\r\nOne of the issues I talk most about with tribal leaders is tribal sovereignty, or the ability for tribes to govern themselves.\u00a0 One area of concern has been the expansion of authority the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has tried to impose on Indian Country.\u00a0 The NLRB was set up to help oversee union elections, but it has become the bureaucratic arm of Big Labor.\u00a0 By further expanding jurisdiction, NLRB threatened the foundation of Indian law and the principle of tribal sovereignty.\u00a0 As a result, I introduced legislation to help combat the NLRB\u2019s expansion by prohibiting the agency from regulating tribally owned businesses on reservation land.\u00a0\r\nSouth Dakota tribal communities have also raised concerns about taxes on individuals who receive support from tribal governments.\u00a0 When state or federal agencies offer things like school supplies to families in need, the beneficiaries are exempt from paying taxes on those items.\u00a0 The law wasn\u2019t clear, however, when it came to benefits offered by tribal governments.\u00a0 Last year, I helped co-sponsor the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act to help reduce the tax burden for these families.\u00a0 This bill was signed by the President in September.\r\nI\u2019m hopeful my tribal sovereignty bill, the Tribal General Welfare Exclusion Act, and a provision I wrote in the Farm Bill that would permanently establish an Office of Tribal Relations within USDA will help bolster the economy in Indian Country, but I understand that more must be done.\u00a0 Unemployment in Native American communities is far too high and incomes are too low.\r\nLooking forward, I\u2019ll also continue my work to address human trafficking across the country \u2013 and specifically in Native American communities.\u00a0 A few weeks ago, I participated in the Wiconi Wawokiya Prayer Walk in Fort Thompson.\u00a0 The experience was remarkable.\u00a0 The prayers, singing and dancing helped focus our hearts and minds on healing for victims of abuse and trafficking.\u00a0 The tribal members involved in this effort are inspiring and the event was extremely powerful.\u00a0 It\u2019s something I\u2019ll never forget.\u00a0 Project SAFE, Mita Maske Ti Ki, and others are working hard to protect young people within the Native American community and I am committed to doing all I can to support their efforts.\r\nNative American heritage is woven into South Dakota\u2019s story.\u00a0 Tribal traditions have enriched our culture and played an important role in the American journey.\u00a0 Please join me this month in recognizing and honoring the Native American heritage that exists here in South Dakota.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=b1f0ef83-1dcd-412f-8595-a698b0f0c058", "Bat Endangered Species Listing Puts Forest Health at Risk", "2014-10-31", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tWorking cooperatively, private citizens, state officials, federal government, and an active timber industry in the Black Hills has successfully fought the spread of the pine beetle and maintained the health of the forest in the area. These efforts ensure that our forests provide healthy habitat for a variety of species and remain a destination for visitors around the world. Despite efforts to maintain our forestlands in South Dakota, proposals from federal agencies in Washington threaten to end important forest management practices that keep the Black Hills forestlands healthy.\r\nIn 2011, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) reached a secret sue-and-settle agreement with two radical environmental groups to require listing determinations on more than 250 species across the United States, including the northern long-eared bat. Northern long-eared bats are dying at alarming rates in parts of the country due to the spread of white-nose syndrome. Of the 39 states considered prime northern long-eared bat habitat, white-nose syndrome has only been found in 22 states, and has not been found in South Dakota.\r\nDespite the lack of evidence suggesting white nose syndrome is a problem in our state, the FWS has proposed limiting forest management in the Black Hills to preserve the bats habitat. Unfortunately, these proposed regulations don\u2019t address the real problem\u2014eradicating white nose syndrome. Instead of dealing with the problem at hand, the FWS\u2019s proposal will increase the potential for large scale wildfires, risk spreading the pine beetle epidemic, and will severely impact the Black Hills timber industry.\r\nOn October 14th, I sent a letter to the FWS with Representative Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) encouraging the agency to withdraw its proposed listing of the northern long-eared bat as endangered and to refocus its attention on combating white-nose syndrome.\r\nActive forest management is critical to combating the spread of pine beetles in the Black Hills and cultivating a healthy forest, which provide a healthy habitat for the bats. As the South Dakota Department of Agriculture noted in its comments on FWS\u2019s proposal, restricting forest management \u201cwould severely limit our ability to manage forests for insect and disease outbreaks, fuel reduction, and habitat for other species.\u201d These restrictions would also significantly curtail the timber industry in the Black Hills, and may drive the industry out of the area altogether, at a cost of more than 1,500 jobs and $119 million in lost revenue to local economies.\r\nWhile I firmly believe that listing the northern long-eared bat as an endangered species is inappropriate and that the FWS should instead concentrate its efforts on eradicating white-nose syndrome, if the FWS chooses to list the bat as endangered it must alter its guidelines to recognize the many benefits forest management provides to overall forest health and bat habitat. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to monitor the FWS\u2019s proposals and advocate for common-sense policies that protect the forest and the animals that call it home.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=c39893d2-155b-4995-bc6d-2b1bfc24fd1b", "Thune Calls on President to End Nearly Yearlong Vacancy at Helm of NHTSA", "2014-10-29", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014 U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, today sent a letter to President Obama urging him to act swiftly by nominating a candidate to serve as administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).\u00a0Thune sent a similar letter in March, which remains unanswered. Despite bipartisan requests to fill this position promptly, and lingering questions about NHTSA\u2019s role in the recall of millions of vehicles manufactured by General Motors and other automakers, NHTSA has been without a Senate-confirmed administrator since December 2013.\r\n\u201cWe all want to ensure the safety of the American driving public,\u201d said Thune.\u00a0\u201cNominating a qualified individual to serve as the Administrator at NHTSA is an important step towards meeting this goal.\u00a0While the Deputy Administrator and career staff have carried on the work of the agency, the task of assessing NHTSA\u2019s shortcomings, communicating with Congress and the American public, and fully implementing any necessary improvements will be hampered without an official endorsement for this important safety position.\u201d\r\nThe Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has jurisdiction over NHTSA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation.\r\nFull text of the letter can be found below, and a copy of the March letter can be found here.\r\n----\r\nThe President\r\nThe White House\r\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW\r\nWashington, DC 20500\r\nDear Mr. President:\r\nI write to follow up on my March 31, 2014, letter urging you to act swiftly to fill the vacant Administrator position at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in light of the issues surrounding the recall of millions of vehicles manufactured by General Motors and the latest safety issues pertaining to defective airbags in close to 8 million vehicles from various manufacturers.\r\nWhile I have not yet received a formal response to my previous letter, Secretary Foxx informed me in June following testimony before the Committee, that the White House Office of Presidential Personnel was working to find the appropriate candidate.\u00a0 In September, Senators Dean Heller and Claire McCaskill, leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee\u2019s Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, joined the call for you to fill the position quickly.\u00a0 Regrettably, this has not yet happened, and NHTSA has now been without a Senate-confirmed Administrator for more than 320 days.\r\nRecent media reports indicate that the Department of Transportation is undertaking a comprehensive review of NHTSA to determine whether it is effectively meeting its mandate to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes on the nation\u2019s roadways.\u00a0\u00a0 I request that your Administration share the results of this inquiry with the Senate Commerce Committee and other congressional committees of jurisdiction and provide briefings on your progress.\u00a0 Nevertheless, it is imperative that the pending review not further delay filling the top vacant position at NHTSA.\u00a0\r\nWe all want to ensure the safety of the American driving public.\u00a0 Nominating a qualified individual to serve as the Administrator at NHTSA is an important step towards meeting this goal.\u00a0 While the Deputy Administrator and career staff have carried on the work of the agency, the task of assessing NHTSA\u2019s shortcomings, communicating with Congress and the American public, and fully implementing any necessary improvements will be hampered without an official endorsement for this important safety position.\r\nI therefore reiterate my request that you formally nominate a qualified individual to serve as the Administrator at NHTSA.\u00a0 In turn, I commit to work with Chairman Rockefeller and our colleagues on the Commerce Committee to review any such nominee in a timely manner.\r\nSincerely,\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141026185057/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=0DE6D4BA-1EAF-49BE-97B6-875CF2AEA9E9", "Noem in Watertown on October 27", "2014-10-27", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem will be in Watertown on Monday, October 27.\u00a0 If you plan to cover any of her events, please contact Brittany Comins at brittany.comins@mail.house.gov.\nMonday, October 27, 2014\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Visit Mellette Elementary School  WHEN:\u00a0 Monday, October 27 \u2013 10:45AM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Mellette Elementary School (619 2nd Street NW, Watertown)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be touring the school, meeting with students and teachers.\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Speak to Watertown Kiwanis Club  WHEN:\u00a0 Monday, October 27 \u2013 12:00PM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Minervas Restaurant (1901 9th Avenue SW, Watertown)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be giving the Kiwanis Club an update of her work in Congress.\u00a0\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Recognize Hamlin County Deputy Sheriff Jon Barthel with Challenge Coin  WHEN:\u00a0 Monday, October 27 \u2013 1:15PM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Watertown Office of Rep. Noem (505 12th Street SE, Watertown)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 In April 2014, Deputy Sheriff Barthel rescued a father and son from the cold waters of Lake Poinsett.\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be recognizing Barthel with a Challenge Coin to recognize his heroic efforts.\u00a0\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Address Watertown High School Government Class  WHEN:\u00a0 Monday, October 27 \u2013 2:00PM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Watertown High School (200 9th Street NE, Watertown)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be discussing the legislative process and her role in Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=69CCCBC4-A4F4-41E4-83D6-1414ABFD0869", "Weekly Column: Costly Policies", "2014-10-24", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "I spoke with a young woman in the grocery store last March who had a hand full of coupons and a cart full of generic food. \u00a0We had a long conversation about how tough it was to make ends meet when electricity costs were so high.\u00a0 Then again, the cost of almost everything was seemingly on the uptick.\u00a0 Even the cart of groceries each of us was pushing was going to cost more than it did a few years ago \u2013 and we weren\u2019t alone.\u00a0\r\nMore than half of people say they\u2019re spending more on groceries this year than last.\u00a0 It\u2019s one of the reasons I pushed so hard for the Farm Bill to be passed.\r\nGrowing up, my Dad always told me that you can have a decade of good years and lose it all after one bad year.\u00a0 The Farm Bill was designed to help control this risk and ensure disasters like Winter Storm Atlas wouldn\u2019t wipe out a portion of our agriculture industry.\u00a0 Without this safety net, you and I would probably be paying a lot more for fruits, vegetables, cereal, milk, meat and more every week.\r\nEven with the Farm Bill passed, there\u2019s more to do.\u00a0 I\u2019m constantly fighting back the EPA and other agencies to ensure producers, local businesses, and consumers aren\u2019t paying more because of unnecessary regulations. We\u2019ve already been able to stop the EPA\u2019s talks of expanding dust regulations and OSHA\u2019s attempt to regulate small family farms, but this administration keeps pushing new regulations \u2013 that means new costs for the average South Dakotan.\r\nJanuary 2014 represented the largest month-to-month increase in electricity costs in the last four years.\u00a0 Still, the administration is moving forward on new greenhouse gas regulations that could increase electricity costs by $17 billion nationwide.\u00a0 In South Dakota, families earning less than $50,000 per year already spend one-fifth of their after-tax income on energy, which is double the national average.\u00a0 It\u2019s unacceptable to further increase these costs for families.\r\nIt doesn\u2019t have to be this way.\u00a0 I filled up my tank in Watertown last week for less than $3.00 a gallon. \u00a0It\u2019s been a while since there\u2019s been prices like that.\u00a0 We\u2019re seeing these lower prices in large part because U.S. oil production is rising.\u00a0 Because many states have streamlined their regulatory processes, oil production on state lands increased 61 percent between 2009 and 2013.\u00a0 Meanwhile, production on federal lands fell 6 percent.\u00a0 Just think what gas prices might be if we eliminated some of the unnecessary federal regulations too?\r\nPoor policies out of Washington have also pushed the cost of healthcare up for many South Dakota families I\u2019ve spoken to.\u00a0 With healthcare costs expected to rise 6.8 percent in 2015, many South Dakotans are bracing for another round of premium increases.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been working on a bill to replace the Affordable Care Act with a patient-centered model that targets the primary drivers of healthcare costs.\u00a0 Rather than costly mandates, my plan would infuse more competition into the marketplace, shift to an outcome-based reimbursement model, and limit frivolous lawsuits.\r\nThe fact of the matter is that our paychecks buy less today than they did a year ago \u2013 let alone five or 10 years ago.\u00a0 And still, this administration is working to implement policies that make it harder to stretch a dollar.\u00a0 I believe we ought to be eliminating costly regulations, not adding new ones.\u00a0 We should be restoring genuine accountability to government and making sure Washington is doing more with less \u2013 just like families are.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=3ed998a0-4c75-47e3-bc52-7b7fcc99371e", "Celebrating 125 Years of South Dakota", "2014-10-24", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tSunday, November 2, 2014, marks a historic milestone in South Dakota\u2019s rich history, the 125th anniversary of its admission into the Union. On that day in 1889, the Dakota Territory was divided, simultaneously creating South and North Dakota. We kind-heartedly debate which was first to be admitted, but historians offer that President Benjamin Harrison shuffled the Act of Admission papers for the states to ensure that no one knew which state entered the Union first.\r\nRegardless, we have much for which we should be proud. Since 1889, millions of Americans and international visitors have enjoyed the beauty of our great plains, crossed the rolling hills of the Missouri River, and marveled at the ruggedness of the Badlands. Others have joined in the thrill of an autumn pheasant hunt, curiously visited the Mitchell Corn Palace or Wall Drug, or have reveled in the beauty of the historic Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, and Crazy Horse Memorial.\r\nTo us, though, South Dakota is home, and in addition to the wondrous beauty God blessed upon the state, we are fortunate to live in welcoming communities, many of which were built by those who came here to make a better life for themselves. My grandfather immigrated to America from Norway in 1906 and was drawn to the freedom and opportunity that the young state of South Dakota offered. He started a small hardware store, exhibiting the entrepreneurial spirit that still resonates today on our main streets and fields throughout the state.\r\nWhile many immigrated to South Dakota, we also celebrate the culture and traditions of our nine Native American tribes. The rich history of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota are woven into the fabric of South Dakota and are a significant part of what makes South Dakota such a unique and special place.\r\nSouth Dakota\u2019s dynamic and resourceful workforce has made our state the number one place in the country to do business, and our proud agricultural tradition helps feed the nation and the world. Yet it is South Dakota\u2019s people, past and present, that are by far our greatest commodity. South Dakota\u2019s 125-year history has been paved by the humble, generous, and hard-working men and women who lend a helpful hand to their neighbors and communities to build a better life for the next generation.\r\nFrom small towns such as Murdo, where I grew up, to cities such as Sioux Falls, where I now live, and all points in between, there is no mistaking the genuine character of South Dakotans. We gather under the lights of Friday night games, at rodeos, local parades, powwows, and church gatherings for comradery and fellowship that provide support during good times and bad. South Dakotans are the people who selflessly lend a hand after a storm sweeps through the plains or help friends through a deployment. South Dakotans uphold the highest ideals of community.\r\nAs communities throughout the state continue celebrating this important milestone, I was proud to join Senator Tim Johnson in passing a resolution in the Senate on September 18, 2014, celebrating the 125th anniversary of statehood. As we look to the next generation to continue improving our communities and strengthening our state\u2019s resolve, I offer my prayers that God will continue to bless our great state.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3ef9b8ad-4994-47af-aa75-cecaefd9e45f", "Thune Calls on Forest Service to Increase 2015 Investment in Timber Harvest Program", "2014-10-23", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) today sent a letter to U.S. Forest Service (FS) Chief Tom Tidwell calling on the FS to increase its 2015 investment in the timber harvest program to help fight mountain pine beetle infestation and maintain forest health in the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF).\r\nIn January, the FS announced an additional $1.5 million for BHNF timber harvest in 2014. Thune\u2019s letter notes that increased investment in the timber harvest program has received national acclaim and the Black Hills received the 2013 \u201cChief\u2019s Award\u201d as a result of the innovation and increased ability for the BHNF to reduce the spread of mountain pine beetle.\r\n\u201cThe timber industry is vitally important to the Black Hills region and supports hundreds of local jobs,\u201d said Thune. \u201cAdditional support for the timber harvest program will allow more timber to be harvested and sold, stimulating the local economy, decreasing the chance of devastating wildfires, and combatting the pine beetle epidemic.\u201d\r\nThune also introduced legislation in March of 2013, the Emergency Forest Rehabilitation and Restoration Act (S. 661), that would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement necessary procedures to thin more acres of federal forestland every year. The bill would also restrict the Forest Service from purchasing additional land for the next five years and redirect those funds to finance increased timber harvest.\r\nThe text of Thune\u2019s letter follows:  __\r\nOctober 23, 2014\r\nChief Tom Tidwell  U.S. Forest Service  1400 Independence Ave., SW  Washington, DC 20250\r\nDear Chief Tidwell:\r\nI write today to thank you for your efforts to restore\u00a0 the health of our forests and\u00a0 request\u00a0 your continued support for the timber harvest program, particularly in Region 2 and the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF).\r\nThe timber harvest program has proven to be a successful management tool that has improved forest health, especially in the Black Hills of South Dakota.\u00a0 Although the Black Hills forestlands continue to face a significant threat from bark beetles, including the mountain pine beetle, the Black Hills remain much healthier than many forests in the Rocky Mountain Region due in large part to the active management and timber harvests on federal, state, and private land within the Black Hills.\u00a0\r\nIn December 2012, the Forest Service announced it would begin implementing the Mountain Pine Beetle Response Project in the Black Hills National Forest.\u00a0 This plan included designating 250,000 acres of the forest as \u201chigh risk for mountain pine beetle infestation\u201d and outlined the Forest Service\u2019s intention to thin 122,000 acres over five to seven years.\u00a0 This project has received national acclaim and the Black Hills received the 2013 \u201cChief\u2019s Award\u201d as a result of the innovation and increased ability for the BHNF to reduce the spread of mountain pine beetle.\u00a0 Increased investment in the timber harvest program is vital to meeting the goals of this project and retaining forest health in the Black Hills.\u00a0\r\nNot only has the timber harvest program proven beneficial to forest health, it also has provided a major boost to the economy.\u00a0 The timber harvest program contributes $120 million to the economy in the Black Hills, and provides 1,500 jobs in the Black Hills area.\u00a0 Currently, ten forest products companies in the Black Hills region depend on adequate and consistent volume from the BHNF.\u00a0\r\nIt is for these reasons the Forest Service must continue its support forest management through the timber harvest program.\u00a0 For the past 10 years, the Forest Service has made a significant investment in the timber harvest program.\u00a0 Region 2 has exceeded timber sale targets for the past 11 years, and will exceed 95% of its timber sale target for Fiscal Year 2014.\u00a0 I request that the Forest Service continue making necessary investments that would not only maintain but grow the timber harvest program, and ask that your timber target for the BHNF be increased to at least match the sold volume for Fiscal Year 2012.\u00a0\r\nThank you for your consideration of this request, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to improve the health of our nation\u2019s forests.\r\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9dc9a473-88c5-465c-967b-812899fe84fb", "Thune & Shuster Support Use of Civil Reserve Air Fleet to Aid Ebola Efforts", "2014-10-23", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tSenator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee,\u00a0urged President Obama to consider all existing options to protect U.S. citizens and deliver aid and resources to West Africa in the ongoing effort to contain the Ebola virus outbreak.\r\nThe committees\u2019 top Republican lawmakers with jurisdiction over our nation\u2019s transportation system wrote to the President to highlight the capabilities of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), a voluntary program involving the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and U.S. commercial air carriers to augment the DOD\u2019s aircraft capability during a national defense or humanitarian crisis.\u00a0During such times, the CRAF program enhances the DOD\u2019s ability to move individuals and supplies to almost any region of the world.\r\nThune and Shuster, who have called for a temporary travel ban from affected West African countries, wrote that the utilization of CRAF carrier agreements would continue to allow relief supplies and qualified personnel to be carried to the West Africa region at the center of the Ebola outbreak, even with a travel ban or travel restrictions in place.\r\n\u201cCRAF carriers could replace, or even expand, payload capacity that has exited the market as foreign commercial airlines have reduced services to the region since the beginning of the crisis. The activation of CRAF would also be entirely consistent with your decision to deploy U.S. military personnel to West Africa, as the containment of Ebola and the humanitarian crisis are together a top national security priority,\u201d wrote Thune and Shuster. They cited previous utilizations of CRAF carrier for similar humanitarian relief scenarios during and after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the Rwandan genocide, and the earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima, Japan.\r\nThune and Shuster concluded, \u201cAs this crisis continues, it is imperative that all measures to protect Americans from further exposure to the disease be fully considered.\u00a0At the same time, all available means to increase the level of aid to West Africa without unduly increasing the American public\u2019s risk of exposure should be vigorously pursued.\u201d\r\nThe complete letter is available here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141017003110/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=24F990B4-7E7E-4672-B0AF-9EAB571866E8", "Noem Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Platte on October 22", "2014-10-22", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Kristi Noem today announced that Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, will hold Mobile Office Hours in Platte on Wednesday, October 22. \u00a0Vallery will be available that day between 9:45AM and 10:45AM at Dutch\u2019s (2 West 7th Street, Platte) to meet with residents who need help with a federal agency or have concerns or comments they would like passed along to the Congresswoman.\nIf area residents are unable to meet during the Mobile Office Hours from 9:45AM to 10:45AM, please contact Rep. Noem\u2019s Sioux Falls office at 275-2868 or visit her website at www.noem.house.gov to schedule a separate appointment or get immediate assistance.\u00a0\n- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 -\nWHAT: Noem Staff Hold Mobile Office Hours in Platte \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   WHEN: Tuesday, October 22, 2014 \u2013 9:45AM to 10:45AM (CT)   WHERE: Dutch\u2019s (2 West 7th Street, Platte)   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Platte residents may meet with Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, to get help with a federal agency or pass on any concerns or comments they have for the Congresswoman.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141017003112/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=700BE7FB-2306-4A5F-BB86-B28FF5D13A04", "Noem Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Gregory on October 21", "2014-10-21", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Kristi Noem today announced that Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, will hold Mobile Office Hours in Gregory on Tuesday, October 21. \u00a0Vallery will be available that day between 1:00PM and 2:00PM at Sissy\u2019s Cafe (601 Main Street, Gregory) to meet with residents who need help with a federal agency or have concerns or comments they would like passed along to the Congresswoman.\nIf area residents are unable to meet during the Mobile Office Hours from 1:00PM to 2:00PM, please contact Rep. Noem\u2019s Sioux Falls office at 275-2868 or visit her website at www.noem.house.gov to schedule a separate appointment or get immediate assistance.\u00a0\n- TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21 -\nWHAT: Noem Staff Hold Mobile Office Hours in Gregory \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   WHEN: Tuesday, October 21, 2014 \u2013 1:00PM to 2:00PM (CT)   WHERE: Sissy\u2019s Cafe (601 Main Street, Gregory)   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Gregory residents may meet with Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, to get help with a federal agency or pass on any concerns or comments they have for the Congresswoman.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141024002733/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=1D8CCD33-E292-4CF9-AF2E-252A12731964", "Noem in Aberdeen on October 21", "2014-10-21", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem will be in Aberdeen on Tuesday, October 21, to tour the Sanford Hospital and meet with the Aberdeen Development Corporation.\u00a0 If you plan to cover either event, please contact Brittany Comins at brittany.comins@mail.house.gov.\nTuesday, October 21, 2014\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Meet with Hospital Staff at Sanford  WHEN:\u00a0 Tuesday, October 21 \u2013 2:00PM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Sanford Hospital, Medical Center Conference Room (2905 3rd Avenue SE, Aberdeen)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be meeting with hospital staff at Sanford Hospital.\u00a0 Prior to the meeting, she will be touring the facility, but because the tour enters patient areas, press are not permitted to accompany.\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Meet with Aberdeen Development Corporation  WHEN:\u00a0 Tuesday, October 21 \u2013 3:30PM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Aberdeen Development Corporation (416 Production Street N, Aberdeen)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be meeting with the Aberdeen Development Corporation to discuss top issues facing community businesses.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=D5EA1DEF-22BB-452D-BBC6-8C3B83F4988E", "Bat proposal worries Black Hills timber industry", "2014-10-20", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WRAL \r\n\tThe Black Hills timber industry could suffer irreparable damage if the northern long-eared bat is added to the list of endangered species, according to a nonprofit trade group.\r\nThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to add the bat to the endangered species list because of a fungus called white-nose syndrome that is killing bats in the eastern U.S.\r\nThe bat thrives in the Black Hills region of western South Dakota. A listing would restrict forest management, including timber harvest and mountain pine beetle management, said Ben Wudtke, forest programs manager for the Black Hills Forest Resource Association.\r\nA possible restriction would be no harvesting of trees over three inches in diameter from April through October, when the bats are leaving the caves and mines in which they hibernate for the winter and moving to nests in trees.\r\n\"That's the prime time for doing forest management activities that improve the health of these forests,\" Wudtke told the Rapid City Journal (http://bit.ly/1rmYZMB ).\r\nU.S. Sen. John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem, both South Dakota Republicans, recently asked federal wildlife leaders to withdraw the proposed listing, saying it could endanger more than 1,500 jobs in the Black Hills.\r\nThe Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to make a decision next spring.\r\nOfficials are concerned about being able to manage the forest, but they also want to do what's best for the bat if it truly is endangered, said Kerry Burns, a U.S. Forest Service forest wildlife biologist in the Black Hills.\r\n\"We want to incorporate conservation measures that are truly going to make a difference,\" he said. \"The first and foremost threat is white-nose syndrome.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141024002826/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=6E4DE58F-E6CC-472A-AEE5-ADA3929D2651", "Noem in Madison on October 20", "2014-10-20", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem will be in Madison on Monday, October 20, to speak with students at Madison Central High School and address the Madison Rotary Club.\u00a0 If you plan to cover either event, please contact Brittany Comins at brittany.comins@mail.house.gov.\nMonday, October 20, 2014\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Speak at Madison High School  WHEN:\u00a0 Monday, October 20 \u2013 10:30AM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Madison Central High School, Auditorium (800 9th Street NE, Madison)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be speaking to the senior class about the legislative process and her role in Congress.\u00a0\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Address Madison Rotary Club  WHEN:\u00a0 Monday, October 20 \u2013 12:00PM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Nicky\u2019s Restaurant (1407 NW 2nd Street, Madison)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be giving the Rotary Club an update of her work in Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=FC91ACF5-9685-4DF0-AF47-256EF2327A2D", "Smiles abound as officials inaugurate cheese plant", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Tri-State Neighbor \r\n\tAntoine Fievet told the crowd at the inauguration ceremony for the new Mini Babybel plant in Brookings, S.D., in early October that his great-great grandfather started the company in France in 1865.\r\nThe chairman and CEO of the Paris-based Bel Co. said that after all those years, the biggest investment ever by the longtime family company has been taking place in South Dakota. The Brookings plant, Bel\u2019s third in the United States will use about 500,000 pounds of milk per day to produce 1.5 million Mini Babybel portions every day with a production capacity of more than 22 million pounds of cheese every year.\r\nThe milk will come from two dairy co-ops in the region, Dairy Farmers of America and Land O\u2019 Lakes.\r\nThe $144 million facility, with the latest in technology and the size of four football fields, will employ 215 people with the workforce expected to increase to 250 by the end of the year. There is room at the 48-acre site to double the plant\u2019s production sometime down the road and employ as many as 400 people.\r\nFievet, who spent some years in America after the company first moved to this country in 1970, said its mission is to \u201cshare smiles with families\u201d and ensure that its products continue to be innovative. The innovation has been achieved with all of the new technology at the Brookings plant.\r\nFrederic Nalis, president and CEO of Bel Brands USA, said sales of Mini Babybels were up 24 percent in 2013 and have tripled in the past five years. Such numbers convinced company officials that it made sense to build the plant in Brookings.\r\nSales in the U.S. account for 75 percent of the product sold outside of France, making the U.S. the No. 1 market for Mini Babybels in the world since the product was introduced in this country in 1979.\r\nAt the ribbon-cutting, held at the Swiftel Center because of the cold, windy weather that prevented the event from being held in a tent outside the plant just off Interstate 29, it was mostly a big \u201cthank you\u201d to all of the people involved \u2013 from South Dakota state officials to Brookings City Council members and all of those from Bel who chose South Dakota in January 2012 when the choice was down to two states.\r\nSouth Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who grew up milking dairy cows on his family farm near Dell Rapids, described in detail a trip made to Bel Brands USA headquarters in Chicago in May 2011 when a delegation made a pitch to have the company build in Brookings.\r\nHe recalled the team of former state agriculture commissioner Walt Bones, South Dakota State University dairy science department head Vikram Mistry, state commissioner of economic development Pat Costello, Brookings Mayor Tim Reed and others who talked about the state\u2019s business climate, the SDSU dairy program that could supply trained workers, the robust milking operations in the region and the dedicated and hardworking workforce.\r\nBel officials noted similarly in their comments that those were the main reasons for selecting Brookings.\r\nExpanding on those selling points, Daugaard noted that the number of dairy cows, currently at about 97,000 in the state, is expected to increase by about 20,000 to 117,000 cows through more and expanded dairies already permitted.\r\nThat\u2019s still far below the approximately 250,000 dairy cows South Dakota had during its peak in the 1960s. However, the numbers fell as low as 80,000 before the current rebound. The governor also reported that seven California dairy producers and one from Wisconsin currently are looking at moving operations here.\r\nHe said the numbers show the state\u2019s commitment to continue to work to help Bel and others in the state long after they become operational.\r\n\u201cOur door remains open, and we want to continue to help you find success,\u201d Daugaard told the French delegation.\r\nHe also said the SDSU dairy department is one of only two in the nation with a program offering both training in dairy production and dairy processing.\r\nHe said the hardworking people of South Dakota are the state\u2019s biggest selling point, adding and that he often hears leaders of other companies say they have their most productive plants in the state because of those employees.\r\n\u201cIn January of 2012 when you chose Brookings, you made us smile,\u201d Daugaard said. \u201cTwo years later, we are still smiling.\u201d\r\nAmong those smiling were U.S. Sen. John Thune and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem, both South Dakota Republicans.\r\nThune joked that with all of the Norwegians, Germans and Swedes in the state, \u201cwe are delighted to now have our first French settlement.\u201d\r\nOn the federal level, he said, his office will continue to work on securing trade agreements and expanding export markets.\r\nNoem complimented Francine Moudry, who oversaw the two-year construction project, calling her a \u201crock star\u201d in the way she handled her duties and became the face of the company in Brookings and the state. Moudry plans to stay in Brookings with plans to lead other possible company construction efforts around the country.\r\nNoem said she thinks the new federal farm bill gives the dairy industry a stable safety net that can benefit producers and processing companies.\r\nReed said it\u2019s so nice after the recent process of attracting the company and then having the structure being built that the operation and its employees are finally a part of the community.\r\nHe said that when he first read and learned about the company, he knew it should move to his city because of its reputation for caring for the environment, its workers and its customers.\r\n\u201cEvery time I drive by the plant, I smile, too,\u201d Reed said.\r\nThe Mini Babybels, also manufactured at a company plant in Leitchfield, Ky., are individually wrapped in signature red wax and cellophane and come in seven varieties. The product is sold in grocery and specialty cheese stores in six-, 10- and 14-count multipacks and also is available in new single-serving units in convenience and drug stores. The company\u2019s Laughing Cow cheese wedges also are made at Leitchfield.\r\nThe company has 28 production facilities in 25 countries and posted sales of $3.5 billion last year. It employs almost 11,000 people. The other U.S. plant is in Little Chute, Wis.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=05C73262-BF30-4E8C-B623-B655BFF09035", "Weekly Column: Tackling Diabetes", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This last week, I met with a nine-year-old girl from Black Hawk.\u00a0 Her name was Lauren.\u00a0 She is an incredible young lady and I had a great time getting to meet her.\u00a0 But Lauren and I were there to visit about a very serious issue. Lauren, like more than 200,000 young people in America, has diabetes.\r\nEach year, tens of thousands of Americans \u2013 including many children \u2013 learn they have diabetes.\u00a0 While nearly 10 percent of Americans have the disease, there are still a number of misperceptions surrounding diabetes and what it means for everyday life.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I wanted to take a moment this week to write about some things each of us should be aware of regarding diabetes.\r\nFirst, there are two kinds.\u00a0 Type 1 diabetes, which is what Lauren and my nephew Hunter have, occurs when a person\u2019s immune system destroys cells that release insulin.\u00a0 Without insulin, we can\u2019t absorb sugar, which is needed to produce energy.\u00a0 With Type 2 diabetes, people aren\u2019t able to use the insulin that is produced right away and over time, the pancreas may begin making less and less insulin.\u00a0 The majority of people with diabetes have Type 2.\r\nType 1 diabetes can\u2019t be prevented and children with a family history of Type 1 diabetes or certain genetic factors can be at increased risk.\u00a0 Type 2 diabetes can be delayed, if not prevented altogether, by maintaining a healthy weight, eating right, and exercising.\r\nThere are different ways to treat diabetes.\u00a0 Both Lauren and Hunter, for instance, wear an insulin pump.\u00a0 This essentially gives them short-acting insulin 24 hours a day so their sugar levels are kept in check.\u00a0 Other people may take shots, oral medication or adjust their eating habits to help control blood-sugar levels.\u00a0\r\nSome with Type 2 diabetes may be able to make lifestyle adjustments that allow them to reverse the diagnoses.\u00a0 But for those with Type 1 diabetes, there is currently no cure.\u00a0 Scientists are working very hard, however, to identify one for kids like Lauren and Hunter and advancements have been made.\r\nDuring our visit, I asked Lauren if there was anything else she wanted people to know about diabetes.\u00a0 She said, \u201cDiabetes is not contagious, so don\u2019t be scared to be around someone with it.\u201d\u00a0 To me, that comment was another reminder that we can all do more to debunk myths and increase awareness about diabetes.\u00a0 In South Dakota, Governor Daugaard has declared October as \u201cDiabetes Awareness Month\u201d after learning about Lauren\u2019s brave efforts to take on diabetes.\u00a0\r\nI can\u2019t begin to tell you how much it means to have folks focusing on diabetes \u2013 especially childhood diabetes \u2013 this month.\u00a0 I still remember when our family found out Hunter had diabetes.\u00a0 We all had so many questions and those first few months after he was diagnosed were a crash course for all of us.\u00a0 To be honest, it\u2019s something our family continues to learn about as he grows and as new technologies and treatments become available to him.\u00a0 But he\u2019s been such a great kid through it all and he\u2019s turning out to be an incredible young man.\r\nHunter has been an inspiration to our family and I\u2019m thankful we have young people like him and Lauren out there, encouraging other kids who have been diagnosed, moving researchers and lawmakers to tackle this disease, and inspiring each of us.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141017003114/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=F8964DBA-CB18-4B0B-8587-A73E3C9F9E8F", "Noem in Fort Thompson for Wiconi Wawokiya Prayer Walk October 17", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem will be in Fort Thompson for the Wiconi Wawokiya Prayer Walk on Friday, October 17.\u00a0 If you plan to cover the event, please contact Brittany Comins at brittany.comins@mail.house.gov.\nFriday, October 17, 2014\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Participate in Wiconi Wawokiya Prayer Walk\nWHEN:\u00a0 Friday, October 17 \u2013 12:30PM (CT)\nWHERE:\u00a0 Wiconi Wawokiya Shelter (101 Red Horse Road, Fort Thompson)\nADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be participating in the walk, which draws attention to healing against child abuse, drugs, alcohol, domestic violence, human trafficking, and broken relationships.\u00a0 Rep. Noem will also offer a prayer for healing and comfort at the conclusion of the walk.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=182ea457-445d-4f8d-96a2-dc1be1037bc4", "Travel Ban Will Better Protect Americans From the Spread of Ebola", "2014-10-17", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tAs the old English proverb says, \u201cHope for the best, but prepare for the worst.\u201d Responsiveness and preparedness are critical to containing and eliminating dangerous threats and epidemics across our country. The recent outbreak and spread of the Ebola virus, including cases in the U.S., are raising serious concerns among government officials and the American people about our country\u2019s ability to protect the public from the transmission of the Ebola virus and other infectious diseases.\r\nAmericans have been asked to believe that the administration has the Ebola outbreak under control, but the latest revelation that a healthcare worker in Dallas boarded an aircraft to Cleveland after treating an Ebola patient who later died only underscores the need for the U.S. government to reevaluate our response and preparedness strategy for combatting this deadly virus.\r\nTo better protect the public from additional cases of Ebola in the U.S., which has proven difficult to manage even in a hospital setting, I believe the U.S. should institute a ban on travelers who either live in or have recently traveled to Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia from entering the country. A temporary travel ban for individuals traveling from these most affected countries in West Africa would give the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more time to get its arms around the problem, and understand how to reliably contain the virus domestically as efforts to contain and treat the outbreak continue overseas. I believe a temporary freeze on Visa holders traveling from Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia will also help contain the spread of the virus. Like the travel ban, the visa freeze should be re-evaluated every 30 days with a consideration to extend or expand it.\r\nWhile some in the international community have expressed concern about how a travel ban could impact aid workers traveling to and from certain Africa countries, I believe there are other measures that can be taken to transport aid workers and supplies into affected countries. Of course, a travel ban is only part of the solution. Once such restrictions are imposed, we must continue to vigorously combat the disease at its source and strengthen screening of international travelers seeking to enter the U.S. from high-risk regions.\r\nOn October 14th, I sent a letter with House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson requesting detailed information about their plans and protocols to prevent further transmission of Ebola and other infectious diseases within the U.S., especially given our interconnected transportation network.\r\nAs the top Republican on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over our nation\u2019s transportation network, I am committed to pressing for common-sense measures to better prevent the spread of Ebola here in the U.S. and to containing and treating the outbreak overseas.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=3D6488A5-1B13-4790-96B1-6E4C3F679885", "Legislators highlight impact of listing northern long-earned bat as endangered", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Ripon Advance \r\n\tRep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) said on Tuesday that the Interior Department and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) should withdraw a proposed endangered species listing for the northern long-eared bat.\r\nNoem and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said in letters to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Fish and Wildlife Services Director Dan Ashe that there was insufficient supporting data to list the long-eared bat as endangered, and that its listing could threaten forest health and jobs.\r\n\u201cThe proposed listing of the long-eared bat as endangered and corresponding guidance provides a significant and unnecessary distraction from the real issues at hand,\u201d Noem said. \u201cWhile white nose syndrome is a species-threatening disease that has jeopardized northern long-eared bat populations in many states, the proposal focuses primarily on habitat \u2013 a non-factor according to many researchers. The misguided proposal not only avoids the primary cause of the problem, but also restricts active forest management, endangering more than 1,500 jobs in the Black Hills area.\u00a0Any effort to preserve the species should focus on the disease.\u201d\r\nThune said he was \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d with the decision to list the long-eared bat as endangered alongside proposed forest management guidance that could harm the economy in Black Hills, S.D.\r\n\u201cThese proposed regulations don\u2019t address the real problem \u2014 eradicating white nose syndrome,\u201d Thune said. \u201cThe long-eared bat\u2019s population decline is due to the white-nose syndrome and is not related to current forest management practices. If FWS and the Interior Department are serious about protecting both the northern long-eared bat and the Black Hills National Forest \u2014 it will repeal its proposed listing, focus on addressing white-nose syndrome and continue active forest management, including timber sales.\u201d\r\nBlack Hills Forest Resource Association Programs Manager Ben Wudtke said the restrictions are an \u201ceminent threat\u201d to forest product companies and sustainable forest management in the Black Hills.\r\n\u201cThese restrictions on forest management are proposed despite acknowledgement by the FWS that timber harvest activities have not posed any threat to this species and may actually improve habitat used by the long-eared bat,\u201d Wudtke said. \u201cIt is imperative the FWS change their interim guidance to reflect the benefits of active forest management for long-eared bat habitat in western forests.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=7CE536C6-FDE0-4F32-872F-6A9D7042B6FE", "SD Republicans don't want bat listed as endangered", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Associated Press \r\n\tTwo top South Dakota lawmakers are calling on federal authorities to withdraw a proposed listing of northern long-eared bats as endangered.\r\nU.S. Senator John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem sent a letter to U.S. Interior Department and Fish and Wildlife Service leaders on Tuesday saying there is insufficient supporting data to warrant the listing.\r\nThe Republican lawmakers say the proposal would restrict forest management and threaten more than 1,500 jobs in the area of Black Hills National Forest. They say regulations could harm the timber industry.\r\nThune and Noem say the proposed regulations wouldn't address white nose syndrome, which officials say has killed more than 5.5 million bats across the Northeast and Canada. The lawmakers say the agencies should focus on combating the syndrome rather than increasing forest regulations.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141010000724/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=70069701-C227-43D0-BB4D-DC747CDAEA6F", "Noem Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Onida on October 16", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Kristi Noem today announced that Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, will hold Mobile Office Hours in Onida on Thursday, October 16. \u00a0Vallery will be available that day between 1:30PM and 2:30PM at the Phoenix Community Center (110 S. Main Street, Onida) to meet with residents who need help with a federal agency or have concerns or comments they would like passed along to the Congresswoman.\nIf area residents are unable to meet during the Mobile Office Hours from 1:30PM to 2:30PM, please contact Rep. Noem\u2019s Watertown office at 878-2868 or visit her website at www.noem.house.gov to schedule a separate appointment or get immediate assistance.\u00a0\n- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16 -\nWHAT: Noem Staff Hold Mobile Office Hours in Onida \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   WHEN: Thursday, October 16, 2014 \u2013 1:30PM to 2:30PM (CT)   WHERE: Phoenix Community Center (110 S. Main Street, Onida)    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Onida residents may meet with Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, to get help with a federal agency or pass on any concerns or comments they have for the Congresswoman.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141024001256/http://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/videos?ID=050ba3d8-55d7-4f9e-94e3-728ffcc35b82", "Thune Discusses Ebola Threat with Laura Ingraham", "2014-10-16", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, joins the Laura Ingraham Show to discuss his call for a temporary travel ban from key parts of West Africa to prevent the spread of Ebola in the U.S.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=6c6ac94b-bb1e-4c2c-b7f0-2a9c6e379f79", "Thune & Shuster Call for Travel Ban in Response to Ebola Outbreak", "2014-10-15", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tTo help contain the current outbreak of the Ebola virus, Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Ranking Member John Thune (R-South Dakota) and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) today called for a temporary travel ban from affected West African countries.\u00a0Additionally, Thune and Shuster have asked the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security to provide an accounting of their plans to help protect the public from the transmission of the Ebola virus or any other infectious disease via the nation\u2019s transportation network.\u00a0In their October 14th letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Thune and Shuster point out that our national and international transportation networks are vital to the function of our economy and the American way of life, but that the recent events in Texas have tragically shown that these same networks can also serve as conduits for dangerous pathogens such as the Ebola virus.\u00a0\r\n\u201cWith Ebola spreading even within the hospital setting, we should not delay in taking additional measures to prevent individuals carrying the virus from traveling to the U.S. We believe a temporary travel ban for such individuals who live in or have traveled from certain Western African countries is reasonable and timely,\u201d said Ranking Member Thune and Chairman Shuster. \u201cAdditionally, we sent a letter yesterday to Secretaries Foxx and Johnson requesting detailed information about their plans and protocols to prevent further transmission of Ebola and other infectious diseases within the U.S., especially given our interconnected transportation network. It is the job of the Congressional oversight committees to ensure that the administration is doing everything it can to address such threats.\u201d \u00a0\r\nThune and Shuster\u2019s request to the departments yesterday states, \u201cWhile the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains that the risk of an Ebola outbreak in the United States is remote, we are concerned that even a relatively limited number of cases within the United States could result in harmful disruptions to our economy and society.\u00a0As such, we believe it is important that we thoroughly and dispassionately assess the federal government\u2019s readiness to prevent or mitigate the harms associated with pandemics.\u201d The letter requests the following information:\r\n1. A full accounting of your Departments\u2019 efforts to date to prevent the further introduction of the Ebola virus into the United States from West African \u201chot spots\u201d and any other regions from which the virus might enter the United States.\u00a0 \u00a0\r\n2. A description of your Departments\u2019 efforts to coordinate Ebola screening processes at key international transit points between the United States and West Africa with counterpart agencies in other nations.\u00a0\u00a0\r\n3. A description of contingency plans your respective Departments have developed to prevent transmission of the Ebola virus or other infectious pathogens within the United States.\u00a0\r\n4. A description of your efforts with transportation companies and their employees to detect and prevent the spread of infectious diseases including the Ebola virus.\u00a0 \u00a0\r\n5. A description of contingency plans developed to combat infectious diseases more easily transmissible than Ebola virus, such as airborne pathogens.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=23E8BF7A-FA3F-41FC-A607-BC88E632653F", "Family Heritage Alliance holds 4th Annual STAND Banquet", "2014-10-14", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Black Hills Fox (KEVN) \r\n\tThe Family Heritage Alliance held its 4th Annual STAND Banquet Tuesday night to share its members' values of faith, family and freedom.\r\nThe keynote speaker was former presidential candidate Senator Rick Santorum.  More than 600 people were in attendance, four of them being honored, including Sen. John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem.  The executive director says it is a night to stand for the values they triumph across the state of South Dakota.\r\nExecutive Director Dale Bartscher says, \"We are here to enthuse, excite, to inspire the men and women in the house to hold fast to our family values that are under great attack in society today. So these are champions in the house here today, and we're honored to have them here.\"\r\nThe event is the only fundraiser for the Family Heritage Alliance.  Their goal was to raise $200,000.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=4F40C0FF-D3FA-4651-9278-91CE441FEB3A", "Thune, Noem to FWS: Listing Bat as Endangered Threatens Forest Health, Jobs", "2014-10-14", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Representative Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Dan Ashe calling on the FWS to withdraw its proposed listing of the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) as endangered due to insufficient supporting data to warrant the listing.\r\n\u201cI am deeply concerned by the FWS\u2019s pending decision to list the northern long-eared bat as endangered while simultaneously proposing flawed forest management guidance that could significantly harm the Black Hills economy,\u201d said Thune. \u201cThese proposed regulations don\u2019t address the real problem\u2014eradicating white nose syndrome. The long-eared bat\u2019s population decline is due to the white-nose syndrome and is not related to current forest management practices. If FWS and the Interior Department are serious about protecting both the northern long-eared bat and the Black Hills National Forest\u2014it will repeal its proposed listing, focus on addressing white-nose syndrome, and continue active forest management, including timber sales.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe proposed listing of the long-eared bat as endangered and corresponding guidance provides a significant and unnecessary distraction from the real issues at hand,\u201d said Rep. Noem. \u201cWhile White Nose Syndrome is a species-threatening disease that has jeopardized northern long-eared bat populations in many states, the proposal focuses primarily on habitat \u2013 a non-factor according to many researchers. The misguided proposal not only avoids the primary cause of the problem, but also restricts active forest management, endangering more than 1,500 jobs in the Black Hills area.\u00a0Any effort to preserve the species should focus on the disease.\u201d\r\n\"The restrictions proposed by the FWS are an eminent threat to forest products companies and sustainable forest management in the Black Hills, and will do nothing to address the disease that is the sole cause for concern with this species,\u201d said Ben Wudtke, Forest Programs Manager of the Black Hills Forest Resource Association. \"These restrictions on forest management are proposed despite acknowledgement by the FWS that timber harvest activities have not posed any threat to this species and may actually improve habitat used by the long-eared bat. It is imperative the FWS change their interim guidance to reflect the benefits of active forest management for long-eared bat habitat in western forests.\"\r\nListing the long-eared bat as endangered and the ensuing regulatory restrictions on forest management could effectively end active management in the Black Hills National Forest, which will cause declining forest health, increase the likelihood of large scale wildfires, and severely impact the timber industry in the Black Hills. Thune and Noem\u2019s letter cites the more than 1,500 jobs that contribute over $119 million to local economies in the Black Hills that will be jeopardized if these regulations are put into place.\r\nText of Thune and Noem\u2019s letter is below:\r\n__\r\nOctober 14, 2014\r\nSecretary Sally Jewell  U.S. Department of the Interior  1849 C Street, NW  Washington, D.C. 20240\r\nDirector Dan Ashe  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  1849 C Street, NW  Washington, D.C. 20240\r\nDear Secretary Jewell and Director Ashe:\r\nWe are writing regarding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposal, published in the Federal Register (FR Volume 78, Issue 191, October 2, 2013), to list the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) as endangered due to the effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS).\u00a0\r\nIt is our\u00a0concern that the FWS has insufficient supporting data to warrant listing the NLEB as an endangered species, particularly given the absence of WNS in so much of its range.\u00a0 In addition, we believe the FWS failed to adequately gather and consider credible information available from state government entities and other non-federal sources before proposing to list the NLEB.\r\nAccording to the proposed listing, WNS was recognized by the FWS as the single overriding factor in the listing decision: \u201cWNS alone\u00a0has led to dramatic and rapid population level effects on the northern long-eared bat\u201d and \u201cthe species likely\u00a0would not be imperiled were it not for this disease.\u201d\u00a0 At the same time, the Service recognizes that the distribution of WNS covers only portions of the NLEB\u2019s range in the U.S. and abroad. \u00a0In fact, as of this past August, WNS has never been documented in 17 of the 39 states within the NLEB\u2019s U.S. range, and the idea of WNS expanding across the entirety of the NLEB range is only speculation.\u00a0\r\nThe South Dakota Department of Agriculture joined the FWS in identifying WNS as the primary threat to the NLEB, stating in its comments on the listing that \u201cresearch indicates that northern long-eared bat population reductions appear to be disease driven rather than habitat loss driven.\u201d\u00a0 However, the majority of the restrictive conservation measures recommended in the Interim Conference and Planning Guidance (ICPG) apply not to disease but to habitat-related activities, including forest management.\u00a0 These recommendations are especially troubling since the FWS findings show that forest management does not have a significant negative impact on the species.\u00a0\r\nAlthough appropriate measures should be taken to stem the spread of WNS, the proposed restrictions on forest management in the ICPG are overly burdensome and may actually lead to deterioration of NLEB habitat.\u00a0 The South Dakota Department of Agriculture shares our concerns and explains in its comments: \u201cWe are concerned that the ICPG is overly restrictive \u2026 The measures would severely limit our ability to manage forests for insect and disease outbreaks, fuel reduction, and habitat for other species.\u201d\u00a0 Extensive buffers and seasonal and other management restrictions identified in the ICPG will have significant negative impacts on forest management activities throughout the Black Hills region.\r\nContrary to what the ICPG recommendations imply, forest management activities can significantly improve NLEB habitat, which was also highlighted in the proposed listing (FR Volume 78, Issue 191, October 2, 2013). Additionally, accumulation of fuel load in the absence of adequate forest management will result in wildfires burning much hotter, potentially destroying larger areas of suitable NLEB foraging and summer roosting habitat.\u00a0\r\nIf the FWS determines that the NLEB is an endangered species, we request that any listing focus on addressing WNS and not forest management activities that are unrelated to the spread of WNS. Prior to any listing decision, the ICPG should be revised to recognize the many benefits of responsible forest management throughout the western range of the NLEB, and the overly burdensome restrictions on forest management activities should be removed.\u00a0\r\nMore than 1,500 jobs, which contribute more than $119 million to local economies in the Black Hills region, are at stake.\u00a0 If the restrictions outlined in the ICPG are adopted, those communities would suffer devastating losses with no real benefit to the NLEB.\u00a0 The most constructive step the FWS could take to benefit the NLEB would be to focus on addressing WNS, which is the primary threat to the species.\r\nSincerely,\r\nCc: Tom Tidwell, Chief, U.S. Forest Service", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=047b47b0-2975-401e-8183-e0e83928f58a", "Thune, Noem to FWS: Listing Bat as Endangered Threatens Forest Health, Jobs", "2014-10-14", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Representative Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota) today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Dan Ashe calling on the FWS to withdraw its proposed listing of the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) as endangered due to insufficient supporting data to warrant the listing.\r\n\u201cI am deeply concerned by the FWS\u2019s pending decision to list the northern long-eared bat as endangered while simultaneously proposing flawed forest management guidance that could significantly harm the Black Hills economy,\u201d said Thune. \u201cThese proposed regulations don\u2019t address the real problem\u2014eradicating white nose syndrome. The long-eared bat\u2019s population decline is due to the white-nose syndrome and is not related to current forest management practices. If FWS and the Interior Department are serious about protecting both the northern long-eared bat and the Black Hills National Forest\u2014it will repeal its proposed listing, focus on addressing white-nose syndrome, and continue active forest management, including timber sales.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe proposed listing of the long-eared bat as endangered and corresponding guidance provides a significant and unnecessary distraction from the real issues at hand,\u201d said Rep. Noem. \u201cWhile White Nose Syndrome is a species-threatening disease that has jeopardized northern long-eared bat populations in many states, the proposal focuses primarily on habitat \u2013 a non-factor according to many researchers. The misguided proposal not only avoids the primary cause of the problem, but also restricts active forest management, endangering more than 1,500 jobs in the Black Hills area.\u00a0Any effort to preserve the species should focus on the disease.\u201d\r\n\"The restrictions proposed by the FWS are an eminent threat to forest products companies and sustainable forest management in the Black Hills, and will do nothing to address the disease that is the sole cause for concern with this species,\u201d said Ben Wudtke, Forest Programs Manager of the Black Hills Forest Resource Association. \"These restrictions on forest management are proposed despite acknowledgement by the FWS that timber harvest activities have not posed any threat to this species and may actually improve habitat used by the long-eared bat. It is imperative the FWS change their interim guidance to reflect the benefits of active forest management for long-eared bat habitat in western forests.\"\r\nListing the long-eared bat as endangered and the ensuing regulatory restrictions on forest management could effectively end active management in the Black Hills National Forest, which will cause declining forest health, increase the likelihood of large scale wildfires, and severely impact the timber industry in the Black Hills. Thune and Noem\u2019s letter cites the more than 1,500 jobs that contribute over $119 million to local economies in the Black Hills that will be jeopardized if these regulations are put into place.\r\n\u00a0\r\nText of Thune and Noem\u2019s letter is below:  __\r\nOctober 14, 2014\r\nSecretary Sally Jewell  U.S. Department of the Interior  1849 C Street, NW  Washington, D.C. 20240\r\nDirector Dan Ashe  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  1849 C Street, NW  Washington, D.C. 20240\r\nDear Secretary Jewell and Director Ashe:\r\nWe are writing regarding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposal, published in the Federal Register (FR Volume 78, Issue 191, October 2, 2013), to list the northern long-eared bat (NLEB) as endangered due to the effects of white-nose syndrome (WNS).\u00a0\r\nIt is our\u00a0concern that the FWS has insufficient supporting data to warrant listing the NLEB as an endangered species, particularly given the absence of WNS in so much of its range.\u00a0 In addition, we believe the FWS failed to adequately gather and consider credible information available from state government entities and other non-federal sources before proposing to list the NLEB.\r\nAccording to the proposed listing, WNS was recognized by the FWS as the single overriding factor in the listing decision: \u201cWNS alone\u00a0has led to dramatic and rapid population level effects on the northern long-eared bat\u201d and \u201cthe species likely\u00a0would not be imperiled were it not for this disease.\u201d\u00a0 At the same time, the Service recognizes that the distribution of WNS covers only portions of the NLEB\u2019s range in the U.S. and abroad. \u00a0In fact, as of this past August, WNS has never been documented in 17 of the 39 states within the NLEB\u2019s U.S. range, and the idea of WNS expanding across the entirety of the NLEB range is only speculation.\u00a0\r\nThe South Dakota Department of Agriculture joined the FWS in identifying WNS as the primary threat to the NLEB, stating in its comments on the listing that \u201cresearch indicates that northern long-eared bat population reductions appear to be disease driven rather than habitat loss driven.\u201d\u00a0 However, the majority of the restrictive conservation measures recommended in the Interim Conference and Planning Guidance (ICPG) apply not to disease but to habitat-related activities, including forest management.\u00a0 These recommendations are especially troubling since the FWS findings show that forest management does not have a significant negative impact on the species.\u00a0\r\nAlthough appropriate measures should be taken to stem the spread of WNS, the proposed restrictions on forest management in the ICPG are overly burdensome and may actually lead to deterioration of NLEB habitat.\u00a0 The South Dakota Department of Agriculture shares our concerns and explains in its comments: \u201cWe are concerned that the ICPG is overly restrictive \u2026 The measures would severely limit our ability to manage forests for insect and disease outbreaks, fuel reduction, and habitat for other species.\u201d\u00a0 Extensive buffers and seasonal and other management restrictions identified in the ICPG will have significant negative impacts on forest management activities throughout the Black Hills region.\r\nContrary to what the ICPG recommendations imply, forest management activities can significantly improve NLEB habitat, which was also highlighted in the proposed listing (FR Volume 78, Issue 191, October 2, 2013). Additionally, accumulation of fuel load in the absence of adequate forest management will result in wildfires burning much hotter, potentially destroying larger areas of suitable NLEB foraging and summer roosting habitat.\u00a0\r\nIf the FWS determines that the NLEB is an endangered species, we request that any listing focus on addressing WNS and not forest management activities that are unrelated to the spread of WNS. Prior to any listing decision, the ICPG should be revised to recognize the many benefits of responsible forest management throughout the western range of the NLEB, and the overly burdensome restrictions on forest management activities should be removed.\u00a0\r\nMore than 1,500 jobs, which contribute more than $119 million to local economies in the Black Hills region, are at stake.\u00a0 If the restrictions outlined in the ICPG are adopted, those communities would suffer devastating losses with no real benefit to the NLEB.\u00a0 The most constructive step the FWS could take to benefit the NLEB would be to focus on addressing WNS, which is the primary threat to the species.\r\nSincerely,\r\nCc: Tom Tidwell, Chief, U.S. Forest Service", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=52261DF4-6B12-44CE-BCDA-FD4116E5C610", "Weekly Column: Think Pink", "2014-10-10", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "We dread the idea of hearing \u00a0the word \u201ccancer.\u201d \u00a0How could we not?\u00a0 It indicates a battle, a life-threatening illness, an uncertainty about the future.\u00a0 It is difficult to watch a loved one go through it; I can\u2019t imagine what it would be like to take on that battle myself.\r\nMost families in South Dakota have been impacted in one way or another by cancer.\u00a0 This month, we turn our attention specifically to breast cancer, which more than 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with each year.\u00a0 Except for skin cancers, this is the most common cancer among American women, although it\u2019s important to note that men can be diagnosed with it as well.\u00a0 In 2013, there were 600 reported cases of breast cancer and more than 100 breast cancer-related deaths in South Dakota.\r\nThrough the increased awareness each October and the dedication of advocacy groups and medical researchers, we are gaining more and more information about how this disease works.\u00a0 This information gives us better tools to detect breast cancer early and moves us closer to finding a cure.\r\nBreast cancer knows no boundaries.\u00a0 It is not constrained by age, gender, or geographic location.\u00a0 Nonetheless, there are factors that put you at greater risk.\u00a0 Being a woman and getting older are the most common risk factors.\u00a0 A woman\u2019s risk of breast cancer also increases if she has a mother, sister or daughter who has been diagnosed with it.\u00a0 On the other side of the coin, getting regular physical activity, eating healthy, and limiting alcohol intake can help lower your risk.\r\nOther than changing your lifestyle, the most important thing you can do is detect it early.\u00a0 The National Breast Cancer foundation has created one tool to help you make an early detection plan.\u00a0 Just visit www.earlydetectionplan.org.\u00a0 98 percent of people who detect breast cancer early survive past the critical five-year milestone.\r\nToday, there are more than 3 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.\u00a0 South Dakotan Debbie Reeves is one of these survivors.\u00a0 Despite the challenges, Debbie has seemed to stay incredibly positive. \u00a0Earlier this year, she told news outlets, \u201cCancer is no fun, but you learn from it\u2026. There were so many gifts that came out of breast cancer.\u00a0 My children\u2019s faith grew and my husband and I are just great.\u00a0 And although I would never, ever want to do it again, I would do it again in a heartbeat to get gifts like that.\u201d\r\nFor many survivors, the battle does not end after a clean scan.\u00a0 The physical, emotional, and even spiritual healing may continue for years to come.\u00a0 If you are a survivor, there are resources for you throughout South Dakota.\u00a0 Sanford Health has a Cancer Survivorship Program, which includes Embracing Life retreats for survivors of breast cancer.\u00a0 Avera has programs as well, including their \u201cA Time to Heal\u201d series.\u00a0\r\nThis month, please join me in thinking pink.\u00a0 Use this as motivation to put together an early detection plan.\u00a0 Urge your friends and family to do the same.\u00a0 Learn more about breast cancer and how it could be impacting your mom, your neighbor, or you through resources like www.beyondtheshock.com.\u00a0 Find out how you can be a support system for those impacted. Get involved in one of the many breast cancer awareness activities throughout South Dakota this month.\u00a0 Together, we can beat this.\r\nI\u2019ll close this column with this message for women facing the battle.\u00a0 It is a line from a tribute written by Olivia Newton-John, herself a survivor of breast cancer:\u00a0 \u201cFight each round.\u00a0 Take it on the chin.\u00a0 And never, never, never ever give in.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=b9726647-a0b4-484a-a27c-4681784a262b", "South Dakotas Pheasant Hunting Future", "2014-10-10", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tLike many who enjoy the outdoors, I always look forward to the third Saturday in October, which has become an unofficial state holiday and time-honored tradition in South Dakota, our annual pheasant hunting season opener. This year, the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks forecast a 76 percent increase in the pheasant population over last year\u2019s dismal numbers. This is great news for hunters looking to shout \u201crooster\u201d as they walk through the fields with family and friends on opening day.\r\nAlthough the Chinese Ringneck Pheasant is a resilient and hardy bird, shrinking nesting habitat and lack of cover from South Dakota\u2019s harsh winter weather directly impact the number of pheasants we have to hunt each year. The most significant loss of pheasant habitat has occurred due to the decrease in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres enrolled in South Dakota.\r\nIn 2007, South Dakota had approximately 1.5 million acres enrolled in CRP. As of October 1, 2014, South Dakota enrolled 883,000 acres in the program. Although new land has been enrolled and some expiring CRP land reenrolled, South Dakota has experienced a decline of more than 600,000 acres in CRP from its peak of 1.5 million acres.\u00a0\r\nWithout a doubt, the habitat decline is responsible for the decrease in pheasant numbers over the past several years. Fewer pheasants also mean lost revenue for many small rural communities across the state that depend on business from the pheasant hunting boom.\r\nWhile it is important to take the habitat decline seriously, I believe we have several reasons to be optimistic about the future of South Dakota pheasant hunting. I worked to make the 2014 Farm Bill Conservation Title more flexible to provide an attractive alternative to growing crops on less productive land. My Farm Bill sodsaver provision closes a crop insurance loophole, which will help preserve our remaining native grassland acres important to nesting pheasants, ducks, grouse, prairie chickens, and nongame bird species.\r\nI also believe the Governor\u2019s Pheasant Habitat Work Group, established earlier this year, has prepared several thoughtful proposals to encourage much-needed habitat increases. Pheasants Forever also launched a field office in Brookings to team up with South Dakota State University to enhance wildlife habitat and restore South Dakota\u2019s pheasant numbers.\u00a0\r\nWhile my favorite pheasant hunts have come from the memories made with family and friends, and not how many birds we killed that day, I have to admit that a sore shoulder from firing at multiple roosters always makes the hunt more enjoyable. I wish all hunters across South Dakota a safe and successful hunting season.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=673054CD-820F-4672-A086-EFB2BDEEA529", "SD Representative Kristi Noem stops in Siouxland", "2014-10-09", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KTIV \r\n\tSouth Dakota's lone Congresswoman made a stop in Siouxland Thursday to talk with some of the state's future voters.\r\nRepresentative Kristi Noem stopped at Dakota Valley High School to talk with students about her career in politics.\r\nShe also answered the student's questions about hot button issues, like the terrorist group ISIS and the ebola outbreak that's found its way into the United States.\r\nNoem is currently campaigning, and says stops like this are one of her favorite parts of the campaign trail.\r\n\"I want them to be involved in their government. I want them to be able to be interested in how these policies are made in Washington, D.C. and at the state level impact them and their families every single day. I think when they get the chance to have this kind of dialogue, it becomes real to them,\" Noem said.\r\nNoem is running against Karina Robinson for South Dakota's only seat in the House.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141010000727/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=D797E413-BED9-44AA-A239-D619CFC59ECE", "Noem in North Sioux City October 9", "2014-10-09", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem will be in North Sioux City on Thursday, October 9, to speak to the junior and senior government classes at Dakota Valley High School.\u00a0 If you plan to cover the event, please contact Brittany Comins at brittany.comins@mail.house.gov.\nThursday, October 9, 2014\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Speak at Dakota Valley High School  WHEN:\u00a0 Thursday, October 9 \u2013 10:45AM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Dakota Valley High School, Auditorium (1150 Northshore Drive, North Sioux City)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be speaking to junior and senior government students about the legislative process and her role in Congress.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d953eec9-28c3-441b-867d-302f07202d67", "Heitkamp, Thune Lead Bipartisan Group of Senators in Calling for Administration to Consider Rural Impact Before Finalizing Health Care Policies", "2014-10-09", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-North Dakota) and John Thune (R-South Dakota) today led a bipartisan group of 33 senators in sending a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Director Marilyn Tavenner expressing concern that federal regulations for health care facilities do not adequately consider the impact on rural health care providers and rural patients.\r\nThe senators\u2019 letter calls on CMS Director Tavenner to share details about how the agency is incorporating rural health care experts earlier in rule-drafting, and called for comprehensive information on the rulemaking process. Noting that recent policy decisions have not adequately reflected the reality of health delivery in rural areas, the senators called on CMS to work toward practices and standards that take rural health facilities into account during its initial rulemaking process. Such efforts would help ensure seniors, families, veterans, and others can access services they need in their communities, rather than forcing them to travel long distances for care.\r\n\u201cWe remain concerned these policy decisions do not reflect the reality of providing care in rural communities, and we request additional details on these consultation efforts in advance of future rulemaking,\u201d said the senators. \u201cThe proportion of elderly rural Americans continues to grow, and even small policy changes or incremental payment adjustments have a significant impact on access to care in rural areas. Medicare beneficiaries should be able to obtain care within their own communities when possible, and we are committed to ensuring federal policies recognize and incorporate the unique challenges rural providers face.\u201d\r\nSenators Heitkamp, Thune and others have supported legislation to address specific CMS rules that are harmful to rural health facilities.\r\nClick here to view the letter Heitkamp, Thune and 33 other senators sent on October 8, 2014, to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and the American Hospital Association (AHA) both support the senators\u2019 letter.\r\nHeitkamp and Thune were joined in their letter by Senators Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), John Tester (D-Montana), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Mark Kirk (R-Illinois), Susan Collins (R-Maine), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming), Dan Coats (R-Indiana), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Mike Johanns (R-Nebraska), Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas), Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri), Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Mark Udall (D-Colorado), and Al Franken (D-Minnesota).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=514d3030-d30c-4d19-9601-ed01ba5af521", "Thune Applauds New STB Transparency Reporting Requirements For Railroads", "2014-10-08", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, made the following statement today regarding the Surface Transportation Board\u2019s (STB) new data reporting requirements:\r\n\u201cI welcome the additional transparency the STB is seeking from the nation\u2019s largest freight railroads as service delays continue to cause challenges for agriculture producers and other shippers across the country.\r\n\u201cThe reporting requirements that the board instituted earlier this year for grain shippers in South Dakota and other states have helped to refocus efforts to address shipper delays \u2013 understanding that various industries have particular shipping needs that can be cyclical. While the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the STB continue efforts to address the short and long-term challenges that face shippers and freight railroads regarding high shipping demand and backlogs, there are no magic solutions. That said, the additional information sought by the board should help to ensure that railroads, shippers, and Congress all work from the same facts toward possible solutions.\u201d\r\nClick here for more information on the new STB transparency reporting requirements.\r\nThune is the Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, which has jurisdiction over freight railroads and the STB. Just last month, the Commerce Committee held a hearing on the rail service challenges facing shippers across the country, including agriculture producers in South Dakota as they prepare for a record harvest. In addition, on September 17, 2014, the Commerce Committee passed the bipartisan STB reform bill that Senator Thune and Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) introduced that would streamline the board\u2019s ability to work together and address rate disputes and service complaints. For a complete outline of Thune\u2019s work to reduce the rail service backlog, visit his website.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=d34a48e1-26c6-4a35-9484-639a88787ccd", "Thune Calls on Interior and Commerce Departments to Withdraw Endangered Species Act Rules", "2014-10-08", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tToday, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, along with a number of committee and subcommittee leaders, sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker requesting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) withdraw proposed rules and a draft policy relating to critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). \u00a0\r\n\u201cThese latest proposals follow a troubling trend, at both services, of expanding the ESA beyond its lawful scope,\u201d wrote the senators. \u201cIn 2011, the FWS reached a secret sue-and-settle agreement with two radical environmental groups to require listing determinations on more than 250 species across the entire United States.\u201d\r\n\u201cI am deeply concerned that these latest proposals relating to the Endangered Species Act are further examples of the ongoing land grab by the Obama administration, without regard to extreme economic consequences,\u201d said Thune. \u201cThe ESA is designed to protect endangered species, not serve as a tool for agencies to intrude on millions of acres of private land. These rules would allow both the FWS and NMFS unprecedented federal authority and would place strict limitations on the land preventing productive and beneficial use.\u201d\r\nBoth proposals could have a significant impact on the potential listing of the long-eared bat and greater sage grouse, which inhabit South Dakota and are included on the list of 250 species referenced in the letter. The listing of the long-eared bat as an endangered species, which is expected early next year, could have a catastrophic impact on South Dakota\u2019s timber industry, and would ultimately lead to greatly diminished forest management in the Black Hills. This could result in lost jobs, reduced pine beetle control, and increased fire danger. The sage grouse listing would impact ranching, energy development, and other land uses in parts of western South Dakota.\u00a0\r\nThe proposals would expand the ESA to allow the services to list virtually any area as critical habitat, whether occupied or unoccupied by an endangered species.\u00a0Additionally, the proposal would allow the services to list areas that are not currently suitable habitat for species as critical habitat under the guise that the habitat may one day be suitable.\u00a0Critical habitat designations make it more difficult to have any appropriate, productive use of lands, making it concerning that the services would expand their authority in an effort to ensure more critical habitat is designated.\r\nSigning today\u2019s letter include Senators David Vitter (R-Louisiana),\u00a0 John Boozman (R-Arkansas), and Marco Rubio (R-Florida).\u00a0Vitter is the top republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.\u00a0Boozman is the top republican on the EPW Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife.\u00a0Rubio is the top republican on Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=75B88928-3BF4-4AE6-93B6-34674B090CD9", "National Guard troops welcomed back as rock stars", "2014-10-07", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Argus Leader \r\n\tFor the rest of her life, Maddie Foss might never get a more memorable surprise than she will experience today.\r\nDuring her English class at North Dakota State University, she will be told she has a special guest. In will walk her sister, Mackenzie. That would be Spc. Mackenzie Foss, of the 1742nd Transportation Company of the South Dakota Army National Guard, back from deployment to Afghanistan.\r\nThe 1742nd was officially welcomed home Tuesday in a ceremony at a crowded Heritage Court at the Sanford Sports Complex Pentagon. Mackenzie Foss, though, has managed to preserve a fiction that the homecoming has yet to take place.\r\n\"I have it all set up,\" she said.\r\nOn her first full day back in South Dakota, journeying from Brookings to Fargo to surprise her sister might be one of the more ambitious ways to mark the conclusion of the 1742nd's 10 months of active service. But all the soldiers have means to convince themselves they are truly home.\r\nFor Kyle Groenwold, also of Brookings, \"It won't seem real until I'm in my recliner.\" But with 6-year-old daughter Kyleigh slung on his hip and wearing his cap at the conclusion of the welcome home ceremony, he already was certain he wasn't back in Afghanistan.\r\n\r\n\r\nA welcome home ceremony was held Tuesday for 162 soldiers of the South Dakota Army National Guard's 1742nd Transportation Company. The event for Sioux Falls and Flandreau soldiers was held following their nine-month deployment to Afghanistan.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSheila Diercks, a first-grade teacher at St. Michael's School, will be accompanied to class today by her husband, David. They were married only a couple of weeks before he left for Afghanistan.\r\n\"It was tough, but we got through it,\" she said.\r\nNow, \"my students are excited to meet him.\"\r\nAll the soldiers returned safely, which ensured a celebratory air to the ceremony at the Pentagon.\r\nSwinging into the Heritage Court two-by-two with loose, confident strides while Thin Lizzy's \"The Boys Are Back in Town\" and cheers from the audience reverberated through the building, the members of the 1742nd looked like they had just won a championship.\r\n\"What a great way to welcome home the soldiers of the 1742nd,\" Gov. Dennis Daugaard said. As the music echoed, \"I almost thought to myself 'They're rock stars.' That's the way it should be. Well, the 1742nd is better than rock stars,\" the governor said.\r\nThe company members marched down the center aisle of chairs filling the court. Some joined family members there while the rest peeled off left and right to climb into grandstands also crowded with family members that, impossibly, managed to absorb them.\r\nDaugaard, Rep. Kristi Noem, Flandreau city council member Dan Sutton and National Guard Adjutant General Timothy Reisch all took an opportunity to salute the unit for successfully accomplishing its mission. In large measure, this involved dismantling forward military bases as part of the U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan.\r\n\"You figured out how to get that last load out with drivers who spoke a different language and who were from a different culture,\" the 1742nd's commanding officer Capt. Tyler Gerlach said of his soldiers.\r\nNoem said the unit's safe return \"is true testimony to the fact God answers prayers.\" She told the soldiers, \"You make us proud to be from the state you come from.\"\r\nReisch noted the sacrifices made by family members while the 1742nd was deployed. He said the unit's safe return was \"a huge burden lifted from families.\" He also urged the soldiers to carefully manage their return to their families and civilian life.\r\n\"Don't automatically think things are going to snap back to the way they were before you left,\" he cautioned.\r\n\"You may have a new new car or a new house,\" he continued as chuckles rolled through the audience. \"Relax, take it all in.\"\r\nDaugaard pointed out seven babies had been born to the wives of soldiers while the 1742nd was deployed. \"That's better than a new house or a new car,\" he said to a resounding cheer.\r\nThe governor also cited the National Guard's service in South Dakota during natural disasters.\r\n\"You are a rescue army that comes into town at the times people need the moral reassurance and inspiration you provide.\"\r\nGerlach picked up of Reisch's theme of managing the transition back to civilian life.\r\n\"It's going to take sometime longer for some of you. For some, it will click this afternoon,\" he said. \"Be patient with each other.\"\r\nGerlach added that 10 months ago in a ceremony marking the company's departure from South Dakota, he stood in a receiving line and was told repeatedly, \"Bring them home.\"\r\n\"I will not tell you I accomplished this. We accomplished it,\" he said of the almost 150 soldiers who did all the right things to keep themselves safe.\r\nFor Foss, 20, spending almost a year away from home in a war zone sharpened her regard for the life she enjoys in South Dakota.\r\n\"You understand and appreciate little things,\" she said. \"Green grass. Not having sand build up in your room. Being able to hug your mom when you want to.\"\r\nWhen the buses carrying the soldiers arrived in Sioux Falls, Sheila Diercks said she anxiously watched for the husband she has spent precious little time with. \"He was one of the last ones off the first bus,\" she said.\r\nThere is some debate whether she saw him first or he saw her first. But as they stood together amid the milling soldiers and family members on the floor of the Pentagon at the conclusion of the welcome home ceremony, she looked up at him and grinned.\r\n\"We'll fight about that another time,\" she said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20141010000731/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=6852F660-FB5D-4A12-8B08-BEC9989D93B1", "Noem in Sioux Falls October 7", "2014-10-07", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem will be in Sioux Falls on Tuesday, October 7, to speak with the Sertoma Club and welcome home the South Dakota Army National Guard\u2019s 1742nd Transportation Company.\u00a0 If you plan to cover either event, please contact Brittany Comins at brittany.comins@mail.house.gov.\nTuesday, October 7, 2014\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Speak at Sertoma Club  WHEN:\u00a0 Tuesday, October 7 \u2013 11:30AM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 CJ Callaway\u2019s (500 E. 69th Street, Sioux Falls)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be speaking with the Sertoma Club about her recent work in Congress, including federal support for the Lewis & Clark Water System and the EPA\u2019s navigable waters proposal.\nWHAT:\u00a0 Noem to Speak at Welcome Home Ceremony for the South Dakota Army National Guard\u2019s 1742nd Transportation Company  WHEN:\u00a0 Tuesday, October 7 \u2013 2:30PM (CT)  WHERE:\u00a0 Sanford Pentagon (2210 W. Pentagon Place, Sioux Falls)  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Rep. Noem will be welcoming home the South Dakota Army National Guard\u2019s 1742nd Transportation Company, based out of Sioux Falls and Flandreau.\u00a0 The unit is returning from a tour in Afghanistan.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=8455bc22-b5b5-4f24-a394-fff8d7b55ca5", "Thune, Klobuchar Request Update on Implementation of Home Heating Fuel Bill", "2014-10-07", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tU.S. Senators John Thune (R-South Dakota), Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) sent a letter today to the acting administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Scott Darling, and the administrator of the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Adam Sieminski, calling for an update from both agencies on the implementation of their Reliable Home Heating Act, which was signed into law on June 30, 2014.\r\nThe senators write, \u201cWith another possible wet harvest, predictions of another record setting winter, and the current rail service challenges that are slowing the delivery of propane to some regions, we want to ensure that the tools provided in the Reliable Home Heating Act are available to governors and other local officials before they are potentially needed\u2026 With fall harvest and winter fast approaching, we write today to request an update on implementation of the Reliable Home Heating Act.\u201d\r\nThune and Klobuchar\u2019s Reliable Home Heating Act includes provisions to allow governors authority to provide relief from motor carrier rules in the event of a declared emergency. The legislation also requires the EIA to provide early warnings to governors if the inventory of residential heating fuel (propane, natural gas, and home heating oil) falls below the most recent five-year average for more than three consecutive weeks.\r\nPreviously, the governor of a state could declare a state of emergency due to shortages of home heating fuel, which would provide a 30-day exemption from certain federal regulations for operators of commercial motor vehicles. At the conclusion of these 30 days, the exemptions would expire unless extended by FMCSA or otherwise addressed by a presidential disaster declaration. Thune and Klobuchar\u2019s legislation gives the governor of a state the authority to extend the state of emergency for two additional 30-day periods, for a total of 90 days without FMCSA action.\r\nThe Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee has jurisdiction over the FMCSA, which is a component of the U.S. Department of Transportation.\r\nThe text of the senators\u2019 letter follows:  _\u00a0\r\nOctober 7, 2014\r\nMr. Scott Darling \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0  Acting Administrator \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0  Department of Transportation \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0  1200 New Jersey Avenue, Southeast \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0  Washington, DC 20590 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nMr. Adam Sieminski  Administrator  Energy Information Administration  Department of Energy  1000 Independence Avenue, Southwest  Washington, DC 20585\r\nDear Acting Administrator Darling and Administrator Sieminski:\r\nWith fall harvest and winter fast approaching, we write today to request an update on implementation of the Reliable Home Heating Act (P.L. 113-125), which was signed into law on June 30, 2014.\u00a0 As you may recall, a wet harvest, record low temperatures, and changes in propane distribution via pipeline resulted in propane and home heating fuel shortages for much of the country, including in our home states of South Dakota and Minnesota, last year.\u00a0 The situation was so severe that many governors declared states of emergency.\u00a0\r\nIn order to better prepare for propane and heating fuel shortages and regional supply disruptions in the future, we sponsored the Reliable Home Heating Act.\u00a0 The Act seeks to provide governors greater autonomy when they declare heating fuel emergencies.\u00a0 It also requires the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to provide early warnings to governors if the inventory of residential heating fuel (propane, natural gas, and home heating oil) falls below the most recent five-year average for more than three consecutive weeks.\r\nWith another possible wet harvest, predictions of another record setting winter, and the current rail service challenges that are slowing the delivery of propane to some regions, we want to ensure that the tools provided in the Reliable Home Heating Act are available to governors and other local officials before they are potentially needed.\u00a0 Specifically, has the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) alerted governors to their new ability to extend emergency orders past the initial 30 days?\u00a0 Also, has the EIA implemented the new early warning system and provided the necessary outreach to ensure that governors are aware of the system and can interpret the data when it is provided?\u00a0 Finally, during implementation of the Reliable Home Heating Act, has the FMCSA or the EIA identified any other regulatory barriers that could unnecessarily delay or disrupt propane and other home heating fuel deliveries this winter?\r\nThank you for your attention to this important request.\u00a0 We look forward to your prompt response.\u00a0\r\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=369380A0-07E6-4850-A871-8ED10FF55439", "Welcome home ceremony scheduled for 1742nd Soldiers", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Moody County Enterprise \r\n\tA welcome home ceremony for 162 Soldiers of the South Dakota Army National Guard's 1742nd Transportation Company is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 2:30 p.m. (CT) at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.\u00a0The Sioux Falls and Flandreau-based 1742nd is returning from a nine-month deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The public is encouraged to attend.\u00a0 Gov. Dennis Daugaard, Congresswoman Kristi Noem, Flandreau Mayor Mark Bonrud and Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, adjutant general of the SDNG, are planned speakers for the ceremony. The 1742nd's mission in Afghanistan was to provide medium transportation support and convoy security. They also provided retrograde support and augmented various supply and service functions.\u00a0 The unit returned to the United States on Sept. 27 and has been completing demobilization requirements at Fort Hood, Texas, before returning to South Dakota.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=B283C843-E5E0-4919-A9BF-3FE436BAAC6F", "Washington, Take Note of South Dakota", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "This last week was another incredible reminder of all that South Dakota is doing right to create a healthy, growing economy.\u00a0 Nationally, our economy continues to struggle.\u00a0 The unemployment rate remains around six percent, millions have left the workforce, and those who haven\u2019t left are finding it tough to get a job.\u00a0 Despite all national indications, South Dakota is thriving.\r\nEarly in the week, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced that South Dakota saw the fifth highest growth in personal income during the second quarter of 2014.\u00a0 This 2.3 percent growth shows in very real numbers that the state\u2019s healthy economy is directly impacting our families.\u00a0 Notably, the growth wasn\u2019t limited to just one sector.\u00a0 We saw increases for farmers, manufacturers, retailers and those in the construction industry.\r\nOn Thursday, I had the chance to sit down with a dozen or so retailers.\u00a0 These are the people from whom we buy our groceries, our farm supplies, our televisions, washers and dryers.\u00a0 They operate the restaurants in our hometown and the gift shops when we\u2019re on vacation.\u00a0 They employ about 127,000 people across the state and are directly or indirectly responsible for about 17 percent of South Dakota\u2019s GDP.\u00a0\r\nEvery retailer or small business starts with an idea.\u00a0 What I\u2019ve come to know \u2013 and what the folks I sat down with last week explained \u2013 is that South Dakota has created an environment where ideas are actively fostered. Our state tax policy makes it cheaper to run a business. The workforce is one of the most dedicated and talented in the country.\u00a0 We put our heart into everything we produce.\u00a0 And we are surrounded by communities that generously support each other during the good times and pull together like a family would during the hard times.\r\nIt\u2019s probably no wonder then that I joined Governor Daugaard on Friday to welcome a new manufacturer to Brookings.\u00a0 In addition to 3M and Daktronics, Brookings is now home to a new Babybel cheese manufacturing facility.\u00a0 It was an honor to welcome them to our state.\r\nI\u2019ve worked hard to replicate South Dakota policies on the federal level because they\u2019ve proven time and again to work.\u00a0 I\u2019ve focused on increasing support for job training, leveling the playing field for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and reducing the burden of taxes and regulations on all of us.\u00a0 At times, we\u2019ve been successful.\u00a0 The EPA\u2019s talks of further regulating dust and farm chores have been thwarted.\u00a0 Job training programs were put in place for veterans.\u00a0 We\u2019ve started to cut down on government spending by, among other things, enacting the strictest deficit control provisions since President Reagan.\r\nThere\u2019s still a lot more to be done.\u00a0 But I won\u2019t stop fighting for hardworking taxpayers until you get a government that you deserve \u2013 a government that does more with less, is accountable to taxpayers, and doesn\u2019t put regulations or taxes or poorly thought out policies between you and your American dream.\u00a0\r\nSouth Dakota\u2019s doing it right.\u00a0 Washington ought to take note.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ID=6d436694-892a-4aa9-9638-0032d56584fd", "ObamaCares Unhappy Anniversary", "2014-10-03", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "John Thune", "T000250", "www.thune.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator John Thune \r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\tThe beginning of October marked an \u201cunhappy anniversary\u201d for millions of Americans across the country. On October 1, 2013, the Obama administration launched the disastrous national health care exchange website, HealthCare.gov. Over one year later, the website not only remains plagued with glitches and technological errors, but also faces a host of security risks and privacy concerns.\r\nLast month, the non-partisan Government Accountability Office issued a report detailing the numerous security vulnerabilities that remain unaddressed with the HealthCare.gov website. Millions of Americans have entrusted their personal information with the federal government through this website, yet one year later, the Obama administration is still failing to ensure that this information is secure. I find this unacceptable, and have called on the administration to conduct comprehensive security testing on HealthCare.gov before the next enrollment period begins \u2013 testing which the administration has to date refused to conduct.\u00a0\r\nThe Obama administration\u2019s rollout of HealthCare.gov was symptomatic of everything we already know about ObamaCare, the law is not the solution to our health care problems. It has resulted in higher premiums and higher deductibles for thousands of South Dakota families.\u00a0And in order to offset the new spending included in the law, ObamaCare increased taxes by more than $1 trillion and cut over $700 billion from Medicare, including sizable cuts to the popular Medicare Advantage program.\u00a0Some of these new taxes hit small business owners, others hit life-saving medical devices, and even more hit middle-class families struggling under the weight of the Obama economy.\r\nThe problems with ObamaCare are about to get even worse. Over 12,000 South Dakotans are working part-time because they cannot find full-time employment.\u00a0Unfortunately, their hopes of finding full-time work will only fade as the employer mandate and the ObamaCare 30-hour work week rules are enforced this coming January.\u00a0Small businesses will be subject to expensive new tax penalties of up to $3,000 per full-time uninsured worker, which is defined as anyone working 30-hours per week or longer without government-approved health care.\u00a0Not only will this mandate discourage hiring full-time workers, but it will also ultimately take away financial resources that would normally be invested in main street businesses.\r\nThe current Senate leadership has stifled debate and votes on bills to repeal the job-destroying mandates and taxes included in ObamaCare.\u00a0However, when a new Congress convenes in January, I\u2019m hopeful that we will finally get the opportunity to repeal and replace ObamaCare with policies that lower health care costs, increase choice, and allow South Dakotans to keep the plans they like and the doctors they trust.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=50B0360B-8FD2-4305-8491-7A9495C53E46", "Rep Noem Named a Hero of Main Street", "2014-10-02", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Dakota Country 105.5 \r\n\tRep. Kristi Noem was today recognized as a \u201cHero of Main Street\u201d by the National Retail Federation.\u00a0 The award was given during a Sioux Falls roundtable Noem was holding with South Dakota retailers.\u00a0 During the event, Noem also helped unveil the new \u201cThis is Retail\u201d campaign, which features small businesses from across South Dakota.\u00a0 To view the introductory video that Noem contributed to, please\u00a0click here.\r\n\u201cEvery small business starts with an idea.\u00a0 The difference in South Dakota is that there\u2019s an environment where we actively foster those ideas,\u201d said Rep. Noem.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve worked hard to try to replicate South Dakota\u2019s successful policies on the federal level.\u00a0 At times, we\u2019ve been successful, but there\u2019s more work to do.\u00a0 I will not stop fighting for hardworking taxpayers until they get a government that they deserve \u2013 one that does more with less and doesn\u2019t put regulations, taxes, or poorly thought out policies between them and their American Dream.\u201d\r\nCreated in 2013, the \u201cHero of Main Street \u201c award annually recognizes Members of Congress for their support for Main Street priorities.\u00a0 Noem has been a recipient in both 2013 and 2014.\r\n\u201cAs someone who has owned her own business, Rep. Noem truly understands the challenges retailers face \u2013 especially in a rural state like South Dakota,\u201d said Shawn Lyons, Executive Director of the South Dakota Retailers Association.\u00a0 \u201cRep. Noem has consistently been a hero to Main Streets across South Dakota and for that, we are pleased to recognize her today.\u201d\r\n\u201cNRF salutes our retail advocates in Congress for their dedication and proven commitment to public policies that support prosperity on Main Street,\u201d National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said. \u201cRetailers are the heart and soul of our local communities, and we are pleased to acknowledge Representative Kristi Noem for consistently supporting pro-growth economic policies aimed at ensuring a healthy and vibrant retail sector in South Dakota.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=B80C37ED-96B4-4B6B-8185-0D6598A8D363", "Retailers Try To Reform Their Image", "2014-10-02", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "KELOLAND \r\n\tOne in four jobs in South Dakota is retail. Wednesday, those who run and support retail businesses are getting some recognition for their impact on the community, with a new campaign called \"This is Retail\".\r\n\r\nThe South Dakota Retailers Association is trying to change the way people view the retail industry.\r\n\"Too many people still think that retail is a low wage, low tech and low talent industry. If we don't start to dispel these types of myths, then we won't be able to compete for the high quality talent we need in the state that has the second lowest unemployment rate in the nation,\" Shawn Lyons, South Dakota Retailers Association Executive Director said.\u00a0\r\nAt a press conference Wednesday, state officials announced a partnership with the National Retail Federation to kick-off the \"This is Retail\" campaign, which will educate the public about what retail is through facts and data.\r\nOne way to get that message out will be with PSA videos.\r\n\"Retailing can be a wonderful career opportunity. We have many young people that are in our business and we've given them a good opportunity and it'll get better in the future,\" Chairman of Wall Drug, Rick Hustead said.\u00a0\r\nThe NRF also took time today to award Representative Kristi Noem with the \"Hero of Main Street\" award for her work in Congress.\r\n\"We look at voting records. We look at bill sponsorships. And we look at their strong support on key issues,\" Michael Cys, VP of State Relations and Political Affairs for the National Retail Federation said.\u00a0\r\nNoem says she's just doing her job, but appreciates the award and the work South Dakota retailers are doing.\r\n\"I wish you could be with me the many times that I talk about the things that we do right here in South Dakota and talk about you our business owners. And the people that you employ and take care of. And how we could replicate that at the federal level. If we did, we'd have a much stronger national economy,\" Noem said.\r\nHustead says some of the things he'd like to see from Washington, as a business owner, is more tax relief and pro-business legislation.\r\nWATCH the report here.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=E0166475-BD30-4FF8-BCF2-DECA88D33E49", "Noem Named a Hero of Main Street", "2014-10-02", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Rep. Kristi Noem was today recognized as a \u201cHero of Main Street\u201d by the National Retail Federation.\u00a0 The award was given during a Sioux Falls roundtable Noem was holding with South Dakota retailers.\u00a0 During the event, Noem also helped unveil the new \u201cThis is Retail\u201d campaign, which features small businesses from across South Dakota.\u00a0 To view the introductory video that Noem contributed to, please click here.\r\n\u201cEvery small business starts with an idea.\u00a0 The difference in South Dakota is that there\u2019s an environment where we actively foster those ideas,\u201d said Rep. Noem.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve worked hard to try to replicate South Dakota\u2019s successful policies on the federal level.\u00a0 At times, we\u2019ve been successful, but there\u2019s more work to do.\u00a0 I will not stop fighting for hardworking taxpayers until they get a government that they deserve \u2013 one that does more with less and doesn\u2019t put regulations, taxes, or poorly thought out policies between them and their American Dream.\u201d\r\nCreated in 2013, the \u201cHero of Main Street \u201c award annually recognizes Members of Congress for their support for Main Street priorities.\u00a0 Noem has been a recipient in both 2013 and 2014.\r\n\u201cAs someone who has owned her own business, Rep. Noem truly understands the challenges retailers face \u2013 especially in a rural state like South Dakota,\u201d said Shawn Lyons, Executive Director of the South Dakota Retailers Association.\u00a0 \u201cRep. Noem has consistently been a hero to Main Streets across South Dakota and for that, we are pleased to recognize her today.\u201d\r\n\u201cNRF salutes our retail advocates in Congress for their dedication and proven commitment to public policies that support prosperity on Main Street,\u201d National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay said. \u201cRetailers are the heart and soul of our local communities, and we are pleased to acknowledge Representative Kristi Noem for consistently supporting pro-growth economic policies aimed at ensuring a healthy and vibrant retail sector in South Dakota.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140926003700/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=3CD9833A-34BE-46A7-B0F6-C2434685B490", "Noem Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in McLaughlin, Timber Lake, and Eagle Butte on October 2", "2014-10-02", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Kristi Noem today announced that Brad Otten of her Rapid City office will hold Mobile Office Hours in McLaughlin, Timber Lake, and Eagle Butte on Thursday, October 2. \u00a0If any area resident needs help with a federal agency or has comments they would like passed along to the Congresswoman, they may schedule an appointment with Otten by calling 791-4673.\nWhile in the area, Otten will also be holding meetings with community organizations and local businesses.\u00a0 \u00a0To get immediate assistance, please contact Rep. Noem\u2019s Rapid City office at 791-4673 or visit her website at www.noem.house.gov.\n- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 -\nWHAT: Noem Staff Hold Mobile Office Hours in McLaughlin, Timber Lake, and Eagle Butte \u00a0   WHEN: Thursday, October 2, 2014   SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT:\u00a0 Please call Brad Otten at 791-4673 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Residents may meet with Brad Otten of Rep. Noem\u2019s Rapid City office to get help with a federal agency or pass on any concerns or comments they have for the Congresswoman.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140926003704/http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/events?ContentRecord_id=024B575F-32AC-4266-A8C8-B117CF7E056A", "Noem Staff to Hold Mobile Office Hours in Highmore on October 2", "2014-10-02", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Representative Kristi Noem today announced that Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, will hold Mobile Office Hours in Highmore on Thursday, October 2. \u00a0Vallery will be available that day between 11:00AM and 11:45AM at Backroads Grill (224 Iowa Avenue South, Highmore) to meet with residents who need help with a federal agency or have concerns or comments they would like passed along to the Congresswoman.\nIf area residents are unable to meet during the Mobile Office Hours from 11:00AM to 11:45AM, please contact Rep. Noem\u2019s Sioux Falls office at 275-2868 or visit her website at www.noem.house.gov to schedule a separate appointment or get immediate assistance.\u00a0\n- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2 -\nWHAT: Noem Staff Hold Mobile Office Hours in Highmore \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0   WHEN: Thursday, October 2, 2014 \u2013 11:00AM to 11:45AM (CT)   WHERE: Backroads Grill (224 Iowa Avenue South, Highmore)   ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:\u00a0 Highmore residents may meet with Rick Vallery, a staff member out of Pierre, to get help with a federal agency or pass on any concerns or comments they have for the Congresswoman.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=77C64130-420B-4C9D-B010-1D2617514671", "South Dakota politicians share info about military academies", "2014-10-01", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Associated Press \r\n\tSouth Dakota's Congressional delegation is looking for promising high school students to recommend to military academies.\r\nU.S. Sens. John Thune and Tim Johnson and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem say students interested in being nominated to one of four U.S. Service Academies for the Class of 2019 must apply by Nov. 1.\r\nThe academies are the Military Academy at West Point, New York; the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York.\r\nThune, Johnson, and Noem will each compile separate lists and make nominations to the academies of the most qualified candidates by Jan. 31. They're encouraging applicants to submit applications to all three Congressional offices in order to better their chances of receiving a nomination.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://noem.house.gov/index.cfm/in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=A6E8263D-41BB-45D3-A486-E88E885C71C8", "Noem highlights efforts to cut spending, preserve services", "2014-10-01", "2014", "2014-10", "Republican", "House", "SD", "Kristi Noem", "N000184", "noem.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Ripon Advance \r\n\tRep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) highlighted legislative efforts to cut federal spending and to preserve services for her constituents on Friday in her weekly column.\r\nNoem cited the Farm Bill, which \u201cheavily impacts\u201d South Dakota\u2019s largest industry, and said it benefits consumers and agricultural producers alike.\r\n\u201cThe 2014 Farm Bill,\u00a0which I helped negotiate, cut $20 billion by making programs more accountable and efficient,\u201d Noem said. \u201cMeanwhile, the bill includes a safety net for producers that I\u2019m hopeful will help stabilize prices at the grocery store long term.\u00a0It also reestablished a meaningful livestock disaster program, increased pine beetle mitigation efforts and\u00a0continued\u00a0support for ag research at places like (South Dakota State University).\r\nNoem also outlined efforts to finalize a new fund to support the Lewis & Clark Rural Water System program, which brings clean water to rural areas in South Dakota and elsewhere in the country.\r\n\u201cWhile local communities have paid their fair share for the project, the federal government has fallen through on its promises,\u201d Noem said. \u201cLast year, I helped establish\u00a0a new fund to get around the president\u2019s chronic underfunding of the program.\u00a0I made cuts elsewhere to ensure the numbers still worked and the new fund helped secure a total of $8.4 million for the project in (fiscal year) 2014.\u00a0This year, we were able to boost that new fund even more in the House.\u00a0Again, it was done without increasing overall spending.\u201d\r\nNoem also worked to combat human trafficking, to improve healthcare for veterans and to bring more accountability the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the last year.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 612, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "House", "p1": "SD", "p2": "2014"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=SD&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 612, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=SD&year=2014&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=SD&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 612, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=SD&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=SD&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "SD", "label": "SD", "count": 612, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&year=2014", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=SD&year=2014", "results": [{"value": "2014", "label": "2014", "count": 612, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=SD", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2014-10-01,http~3A~2F~2Fnoem~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fin-the-news~3FContentRecord_id~3DA6E8263D-41BB-45D3-A486-E88E885C71C8", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=House&state=SD&year=2014&_next=2014-10-01%2Chttp~3A~2F~2Fnoem~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Findex~2Ecfm~2Fin-the-news~3FContentRecord_id~3DA6E8263D-41BB-45D3-A486-E88E885C71C8&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 104.19078590348363, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}