url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-signs-rounds-wounded-knee-bill-into-law,President Trump Signs Rounds’ Wounded Knee Bill into Law,2025-12-20,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today issued the following statement after President Trump signed Rounds’ bill, the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act, into law. “President Trump has officially signed the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act into law,” said Rounds. “The land at this symbolic and sacred site will now be held in possession of both the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes to be preserved for future generations. I’m pleased that our work on this legislation over the past three years has paid off. We will continue to tell the story of Wounded Knee and the events that occurred at this location 135 years ago this month.” The Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act would place 40 acres of land at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre into restricted fee status, making certain that the land is held by both the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes for generations to come. BACKGROUND: Rounds first introduced the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act in June 2023. Ryman LeBeau, Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and Frank Star Comes Out, President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, testified on the legislation in a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing. The committee later unanimously passed legislation, but was blocked from passing the full Senate. Rounds later reintroduced the bill to the 119th Congress in January 2025. The Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in March 2025, and unanimously passed the full Senate on December 11, 2025. This legislation is cosponsored by Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced companion legislation in the House. Click HERE to read full bill text. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-leads-legislation-to-increase-transparency-and-accountability-for-financial-regulators,Rounds Leads Legislation to Increase Transparency and Accountability for Financial Regulators,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) introduced legislation to increase transparency and accountability within the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). The FSOC Improvement Act would enhance transparency and procedural fairness of the systemically important financial institutions (SIFI) designation process. Specifically, this legislation would codify 2019 guidance that requires FSOC to determine whether systemic risks could be better addressed through means other than designating a financial institution as a SIFI. It would also require them to consult with the primary regulator and the company on other means to address potential threats to financial stability. “I believe the FSOC Improvement Act is a crucial step towards enhancing the effectiveness and transparency of our financial regulatory system,” said Rounds. “SIFI designation is a blunt tool that comes with a significant increase in regulatory burden for individual companies. By allowing an affected institution to modify its business, structure or operations prior to the SIFI designation, we are creating a more resilient financial environment for the American people, fostering economic growth and stability.” “I fought tooth-and-nail to pass Dodd Frank to hold financial institutions accountable and prevent another economic catastrophe that devastated countless Michiganders,” said Peters. “This commonsense bill would build on that landmark law nearly two decades later by granting the Financial Stability Oversight Council the authority to better tailor regulatory oversight of certain financial institutions without compromising its core mission of maintaining the stability of the U.S. financial system. Doing so will ensure that our nation’s financial institutions can continue to meet the needs of all communities.” Rounds first introduced the FSOC Improvement Act in 2018 during the 115th Congress. Representatives Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) lead the House companion, which passed out of the Financial Services Committee on September 16, 2025 by a vote of 47-4. The FSOC Improvement Act is supported by the American Council of Life Insurers, APCIA, the Investment Company Institute, Managed Funds Association (MFA), Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), Reinsurance Association of America, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. ""The Chamber commends Senator Mike Rounds and Senator Gary Peters for sponsoring the FSOC Improvement Act, which will bring much needed stability and predictability to the Financial Stability Oversight Council’s authority regarding nonbank financial companies. This legislation ensures that the designation of a nonbank financial company as a Systemically Important Financial Institution by FSOC would be a tool of last resort, instilling a commonsense reform that will protect American financial stability and support a competitive system that benefits the entire economy,"" said Mike Flood, Senior Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness. “The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies commends Senator Rounds for his continued leadership to protect the state-based system of insurance regulation. This legislation makes a needed change to the Financial Stability Oversight Council’s (FSOC) guidance by incorporating state insurance regulators as part of the process. By making this change, it affirms the primacy of state insurance regulation, which is a tried-and-true system that focuses on what is best for consumers. State regulators know their states, communities, laws, and markets best,” said Jimi Grande, Senior Vice President – Federal & Political Affairs, NAMIC “The Mortgage Bankers Association and its members support this important bill because it brings needed stability to FSOC’s approach to systemic risk and would ensure predictability and transparency governing the designation of nonbanks without the risk of reducing consumers’ access to mortgage credit.,” said Bill Killmer, Senior Vice President, Legislative & Political Affairs, MBA. “MFA supports the Senate’s introduction of commonsense, bipartisan legislation to bring transparency and accountability to the FSOC designation process. The bill will require FSOC to first consider targeted regulatory alternatives to address activities creating potential stability risk before turning to misguided and potentially damaging designations. This much-needed clarity will strengthen market stability and reduce uncertainty for investors, including pensions, foundations, and endowments.” said Bryan Corbett, MFA President and CEO “The FSOC Improvement Act brings meaningful changes for consumers by strengthening financial stability with transparency and predictability, while also preserving healthy competition,” said American Council of Life Insurers President and CEO David Chavern. “It does this with clear guardrails around the designation process—establishing an activities-based approach, requiring real consultation with primary regulators, and making SIFI designation a tool of last resort.” “ICI applauds Senators Rounds and Peters for introducing this significant legislation to bring more accountability and transparency to FSOC. The Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act will allow American businesses to operate free from the fear of draconian governmental overreach. As ICI has previously demonstrated, SIFI designation for fund managers would entail sweeping negative consequences and should only ever be used where proven necessary by robust data and cost-benefit analysis. ICI encourages the Senate to pass this legislation and bring more transparency to government, as well as greater certainty to investment funds and the millions of investors they serve,” said Tom Quaadman, ICI Chief Government Affairs and Public Policy Officer. Click HERE for full bill text. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A737023B-FC5E-4574-B8C6-5608B7AA3474,Thune Joins Bret Baier on Fox News,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the interview. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Bret Baier on Fox News. On Senate Republicans’ accomplishments: “The things that we did in the … [Working] Family Tax Cuts Act that was passed earlier this year are … really unprecedented and historic. You think about no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, reducing taxes for seniors on Social Security, locking in lower rates, the doubling of the child tax credit, near doubling of the standard deduction … “I think you’re going to see a remarkable 2026. I mean, we’re excited about the prospects for the economy, and you look at the things we did and the other things in the One Big Beautiful Bill … the school choice, child care tax credits, the newborn tax credits, or these accounts that are going to be created for people in this country. These are all pro-family initiatives that we think are going to start to yield big dividends.” On Republicans’ pro-growth policies: “[T]he president … he inherited this mess – [from] the Biden administration with … all the spending that they did, trillions and trillions of dollars of spending, which flooded our economy with more dollars, which drove inflation up.” […] “[T]hose steps that we took last summer, you’re going to start to see that, and the American people are going to start to feel that. When you start seeing the impact of what we did on taxes and regulations and energy, and you’re already seeing the cost of gasoline going down. You’re going to see that in other areas … “Inflation, which … in the month of October was … down to 2.7 percent … down from what was expected. You’re starting to see that already. But I also think you’re going to see more growth in the economy because of the policy changes that we made. “And when economy is growing and expanding, it’s throwing off better-paying jobs, people are doing better … I think what you’re going to see in 2026 is safer streets, you’re going to see more money in people’s pockets, and you’re going to see new opportunities to get ahead for the American people.” On Republicans’ plan to lower health care costs: “The Democrats are going to have to come to the table and realize that a straight extension of Obamacare subsidies is not a sustainable future for the American people … Democrats talk about affordability. The least affordable thing that the American people have … in front of them today is the cost of health care … “[Republicans are] open to fixing and addressing this, but you’ve got to do it in a way … that actually solves the problem and lowers costs. If you stay on this path right now, with all the waste, fraud, and abuse, the same thing is true today that I said last September – and that is that there are no income caps, there are zero-dollar premiums, there are literally millions of people in the exchange who don’t even know they’re covered because the payments go directly from the federal government to the insurance companies, and so people are automatically, they’re auto-enrolled by the insurance companies, and there’s no accountability in this program. “The Government Accountability Office just did an audit of this program, and of the 20 fake claims they submitted, 19 of them got approved. That’s a 95 percent failure rate. So it’s got to be reformed, and we’re open to that, and if the Democrats want to work with us, we won’t get it done before the Christmas holiday, but when we come back in January, there are discussions that are going on right now. We have folks who are interested in fixing it.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D91B9F94-ABFD-4E88-90C0-C1E97CE5F98F,Thune on Senate Republicans’ Record-Breaking Year,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, as … we’re about to wrap up … our legislative work for 2025, I would say it’s been quite a busy year here in the United States Senate. “The longest session period in 15 years to kick off the year. “An historic number of votes – the most, literally, in half a century. “In fact, Mr. President, if you can see on this chart, the number of votes, you go back, the first date on there is [1983]. “Obviously, this is pretty small, difficult to see, perhaps, unless you’re standing right over it. “But if you look at the red line here, that’s this year – so, 653 votes cast so far this year. “Which dwarfs any year going back to 1989, which is what we had data going back to. “We have since researched farther back; turns out there was one year, 1976 – we went back eight decades – there was one year, 1976, where the Senate cast more votes than we did this year. “But if you go back to [1983], the closest one is right here, 1995, which for those of us who were actually following it back then, that was the Contract with America year, and so that was a record number of votes cast in both, I think, the House and the Senate. “But we have eclipsed that. “There were 613 votes cast in 1995; this year in the United States Senate, we have already cast 653 – and we are not quite done yet. “So, historic just in terms of the number of votes cast, the number of hours in session, and the number of days in session – also historic just in terms of the amount of time that we’ve been around here, Mr. President. “So we’ve put in a lot of time here this year. “Now, I have always said that you can’t equate volume of activity or busyness with productivity – I think you have to, those are sometimes separate metrics. “But I would argue, Mr. President, that what really matters is not the number of votes or the number of hours that we’ve worked – it is what we accomplished with those hours. “And this has been an incredibly productive Senate, and I’m proud to say that we’ve accomplished a lot this year in the United States Senate. “Our flagship bill … for the year, of course, was the One Big Beautiful Bill – the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. “And the largest part of that was, in fact, the tax cuts that were enacted that are going to benefit American families, Mr. President. “Back in 2017, the Republicans delivered substantial tax relief for hardworking Americans. “But that tax relief was scheduled to expire at the end of this month. “And so one of our main priorities for this year was extending that tax relief. “And extend it we did. “But we didn’t just extend it – we made it permanent, and we added to it additional tax relief on top. “So now hardworking Americans can enjoy permanently lower rates, plus an increased standard deduction, a further increase in the child tax credit, a new bonus deduction for seniors, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and Mr. President, that list goes on and on. “In addition to new and permanent tax relief for individuals and families, we also made permanent important tax relief for businesses of all sizes, to help our growth and expand jobs and opportunities for American workers. “So, I would just say again, Mr. President, if you look at that map, this measures – and again, it’s too far away for people to see – but the color coding represents the amount of tax relief that people in these individual states or even within a state will receive based upon the filings and what we expect they’ll be filing for next year. “But if you can see at the top of that, the U.S. average is $3,752 in savings as a result of what we did to prevent what would have been the largest tax increase in American history. “And so American families this next year, American businesses, are going to have more money in their pockets as a result of what we did. “Had we not taken those actions, the average [filer] across this country would’ve seen a $3,752 increase in their taxes. “And so that’s sort of representative of the chart across the country, and the darker ones means you’re probably getting more tax relief relative to the lighter colors,. “But nevertheless everyone in this country who files a tax return is going to see a much lower tax bill, tax liability, this next year as a result of what we did. “So, that’s a lot right there, Mr. President, in and of itself. “But the One Big Beautiful Bill didn’t end with the Working Families Tax Cuts. “We also invested in a more secure border and safer streets. “We made a historic investment in our national security. “And we repealed the Democrats’ natural gas tax and took steps to unleash American energy production, to ensure that Americans have stable, plentiful, and affordable supply of energy. “We took measures to modernize the farm safety net, something very important in my state of South Dakota. “To address housing costs. “To repair and upgrade our air traffic control system. “Now, Mr. President, I could keep going. “The Working Families Tax Cuts and the rest of the One Big Beautiful Bill accomplished a lot for hardworking Americans. “But that’s not all that we’ve done in the Senate this year. “The American people elected President Trump last November. “And one of our priorities this year has been ensuring that the president has his team in place so that he can do the job the American people elected him to do. “And I’m proud to report that by the end of this week, we will have confirmed 417 nominees – far more than were confirmed by this point in either President Trump’s first term or in President Biden’s term. “And it’s even more remarkable, Mr. President – and again, you can see this in real form here. “This was President Trump’s first term in office – at the end of his first year, which would be the end of 2017, there were 323 of his nominees that had been confirmed. “Under President Biden, at the end of the first year, 2021, there were 365 of his nominees who had been confirmed by the United States Senate. “And as of today, that number here in 2025, in President Trump’s second term, will be 417 nominees. “And that is important, Mr. President, because every president needs to have his team in place to do the job that the American people elected him to do. “So, as we think about, and [I] discussed on the floor yesterday, you look at the president’s [second] term, what makes this even more remarkable was the fact that there was a historic level of obstruction by the Democrats to getting the president’s nominees in place. “I’m talking about something unlike we’ve ever seen in American history for any president of any political party. “And if you look at his [second] term, Mr. President, President Trump remains the only president on record not to have had a single civilian nomination confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. “The only president on record. “Democrats have dragged out the process on almost every single one of the president’s nominations. “Not out of principle, but out of petty partisanship. “Any president going back in history, Mr. President, when they get elected, get a mandate from the American people, generally both political parties – and I’ve been here through multiple administrations, both Republican and Democrat, and I’ve been here in multiple Congresses and Senates, both Republican and Democrat, and in every case, a lot of, particularly when you get past the Cabinet, which we all take very seriously, obviously, and there is a process in place and some of the changes that we made to expedite nominations didn’t affect Cabinet-level nominees – but when you get to the sub-Cabinet level, in many cases, particularly noncontroversial nominees have been approved by unanimous consent or voice vote. “It is a way of recognizing that a president needs to get his team in place in order to accomplish the work and the agenda that the American people elected, in this case President Trump, to do. “And so what happened this year was historic and unprecedented. “Because most of those lower-level Cabinet nominees are done by unanimous consent – that’s just been the practice, that has been the precedent, that has been the tradition, that has been the history of the United States Senate. “And for President Trump, the first president in American history. “But as I said, Mr. President, we as Republicans haven’t let that stop us, and so when we close out this year with a total of 417 nominees [confirmed], we will have the backlog of nominees essentially cleared. “Mr. President, considering nominations is one responsibility of the government. “Funding the government – together with the House of Representatives – is another. “And one thing that I was determined on when I became leader was to make sure that the Senate went about considering the yearly appropriations bills through regular order – a process that gives senators from both parties the greatest chance to make their voices (and the voices of their constituents, I might add) heard. “And we’ve done a lot to return the Senate to a regular order process this year. “Appropriations work was unnecessarily delayed by Democrats’ decision to shut down the government for six weeks. “But despite that, we’ve had multiple individual appropriations bills signed into law, and the Senate is well on its way to passing five additional bills. “Now, Mr. President, there’s a lot more I could talk about when it comes to Senate accomplishments in 2025. “We’ve taken action to repeal a number of burdensome rules and regulations, including the Biden electric vehicle mandate, appliance rules that would have driven up prices for hardworking Americans and businesses, and energy mandates that would have driven up energy prices for American families. “We passed the HALT Fentanyl Act to permanently schedule fentanyl analogues as the most deadly type of drugs. “We passed the Laken Riley Act to keep criminal illegal aliens off our streets. “We passed the GENIUS Act – a landmark bill to create the first U.S. federal framework for stablecoins and ensure … U.S. leadership in financial innovation. “We passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act to combat nonconsensual explicit images being shared online. “And Mr. President, so much more that I could talk about. “And we even tried to do things that ultimately were blocked by Democrats, like legislation that would prevent biological males from hijacking opportunities for women and girls in sports. “I guess my point, Mr. President: It’s been a long and a challenging year here in the United States Senate. “And I thank all of my colleagues – both Republican and Democrat – and all the staff, including the folks here on the floor, who put in long days and long hours in this last year. “And I think, Mr. President, there is a lot to show for it. “In fact, if I put up this last chart, you’ll have a hard time, nobody’s going to be able to read this, for sure. “But I do this only simply to illustrate, this is the list of things that we have accomplished in this last year. “And it runs the gamut from all the things, some of which I just mentioned – a lot of which I didn’t mention – that were included in the Working Families Tax Cuts, the One Big Beautiful Bill that passed last summer. […] “So, Mr. President, it is, I think, an example of what we all came here to do. “And thanks to our work this year, Americans are going to be looking at, one, safer streets; two, more money in their pockets; and three, new opportunities – new opportunities to get ahead and new opportunities on the way for American people and American families. “And so Mr. President, we’re going to keep advancing those priorities here in the United States Senate in 2026 – and build on the record of accomplishment and successes that we have had here in 2025.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E421C422-FADB-429D-86DC-C870AD92463D,Thune: Democrats Delay Bipartisan Appropriations Bills,2025-12-18,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, when I became majority leader, I made it very clear that I was committed to funding the government through the regular-order consideration of appropriations bills – not through an omnibus or long-term CR often times written behind closed doors. “The regular-order process gives senators from both parties the fullest chance to make their voices – and the voices of their constituents – heard. “Which is why I am disappointed that we will not be moving to our second package of appropriations bills tonight. “Republicans were ready to go. “But unfortunately my Democrat colleagues are not there yet. “Hopefully they will get there. “Mr. President, Republicans have worked hard all year to get us back to taking up appropriations bills through regular order. “We had a positive start, with the Senate passing three appropriations bills before the August state work period – something that hadn’t been done here since 2018. “But then we had a setback when Democrats decided to shut the government down for six weeks. “That, Mr. President, was disappointing. “But I want this body to know that I remain as committed as ever to funding the government through the regular-order process. “And when we come back after the holidays, we are going to redouble our efforts to get this government funded and prevent any repeat of the Democrats’ shutdown. “I hope, Mr. President, that my Democrat colleagues will join us. “Speaking to that effect, and I will take them at face value. “And I hope that we can work together to fund the government in the way it should be funded, through regular order and the appropriations process.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-secures-south-dakota-wins-in-final-ndaa,Rounds Secures South Dakota Wins in Final NDAA,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, released the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. This is the 11th NDAA that Rounds has helped author as a member of SASC and the 65th consecutive NDAA passed by the full Senate. “The NDAA is an important piece of legislation passed annually to authorize funding for national security programs, as well as support for our servicemembers and their families,” said Rounds. “This year’s NDAA authorizes funding for construction projects at Ellsworth Air Force Base and funding for a facility for the Watertown Army National Guard. It also authorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for troops and has a total topline of $900.6 billion in defense spending. This keeps our military ahead of the curve, making certain they never enter a fair fight and always have the advantage over our adversaries. “The NDAA is a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together. I’m grateful to have worked on this legislation from beginning to end for the 11th year in a row. I look forward to President Trump signing the NDAA into law.” In March, Rounds was named as the 6th most effective member of the United States Senate on defense and national security issues for the 118th Congress. Read a list of his provisions in this year’s NDAA below. Rounds’ South Dakota Victories: Fully authorizes the B-21 Raider program, including over $2.59 billion for procurement and $862 million in advanced procurement. Authorizes $378 million in military construction projects to support the B-21 Raider housed at Ellsworth. $63 million for B-21 Flight Simulator 2. $71 million for B-21 Alert Facility. $75 million for B-21 Environmental Protection Shelters. $88 million for B-21 South Environmental Protection Shelters. $81 million for B-21 West Alert Apron & Environmental Protection Shelters. Authorizes $28 million for Watertown Army National Guard Vehicle Maintenance Shop. Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to find ways to partner with communities, universities, and industry to establish Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIF). This has been a major priority for many South Dakota universities and defense companies seeking to establish or deepen their relationship with DOD. Updates the State Partnership Program so that the number of states a partner has is factored into decision-making for additional, new partners. This will directly benefit the South Dakota National Guard. Modifies the Defense Community Infrastructure Program in order to make South Dakota schools more competitive in receiving grants. Requires the DOD to give military families clear, timely information about relocation resources when they receive orders to relocate. Rounds’ Major National Defense Victories: Authorizes $10 million for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing for hypersonic weapons. Authorizes $5 million for Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. Requires Cyber Command to develop a roadmap and brief Congress on their industry collaboration for developing A.I.-enabled cyber capabilities. The roadmap will include: new collaborative R&D opportunities with industry, strategies for industry engagement, how to implement objectives and milestones, how to transition technology from development to operation, infrastructure requirements and assessment of organizational structures. Creates an Artificial Intelligence Futures Steering Committee. This establishes an Artificial General Intelligence Steering Committee in the DOD to analyze AI trajectories and develop DOD adoption strategies with Deputy Secretary of Defense and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as co-chairs. Protects the dual-hat leadership arrangement between U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Provides authority to the Department of Defense and military to conduct military operations in defense of critical infrastructure. Requires a bomber aircraft force structure and transition roadmap, to include training packages and other measures, to make sure our bomber crews are as well-trained and equipped as possible. As part of the major acquisition reforms, enables the military to acquire technology-supported consumption-based purchases and contracts (e.g. using Uber rather than buying a car; using cloud services, etc.). Modifies the reporting requirements of the Senior Military Advisor for Cyber Policy now that the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy had been established. Establishes a Chaplain Corps and Chief of Chaplains for the Central Intelligence Agency. Establishes criminal penalties for “gate-crashing” intelligence community (IC) facilities and establishes criminal penalties for individuals trying to unlawfully enter IC facilities. Requires the Department to provide a report and briefing to Congress on cyber and network security policies regarding full content inspection, to include A.I. capabilities to be included in the program. Requires budget coordination of the Cyber Mission Force to increase mutual support between U.S. Cyber Command and cyber elements of the reserve component. Implements significant DOD cyber personnel related reforms to include establishing a Cyber Excepted Workforce (CEW) Interchange Agreement and increased flexibility regarding the pay and benefits for cyber personnel. Rounds-Supported Victories: Authorizes funding to support a 3.8 percent pay raise for military members $1.5 billion for new construction of barracks and family housing $50 million in Impact Aid assistance $147.7 billion for tech innovation, including hypersonics, AI, quantum computing and new space-based capabilities. Prohibits men in women’s sports at all military academies. Requires all military promotions to be based entirely on merit and demonstrated performance rather than race, ethnicity or sex. Permanently repeals all existing DEI offices, programs, training, activities and authorities in the Department of Defense. Provides conservative wins by cutting programs that hamper/don’t increase lethality: $40.5 million from eliminating DEI activities $1.6 billion in cuts to climate change-related spending $6.8 billion from reductions in unnecessary Pentagon bureaucracy $5.5 billion in cuts to consulting and service contracts Supports President Trump’s Golden Dome for America initiative by updating our homeland missile defense policy and funding air and missile defense development and testing. Authorizes full funding of our modernization of the nuclear triad, which includes the B-21 Raider, and is the foundation of our deterrence. Requires the Navy to implement a strategy to address cost and schedule problems with our ship and submarine industrial base, to include the use of A.I. to optimize maintenance and supply chains. Requires the DOD to establish an AI Task Force to develop an A.I. sandbox environment to support A.I. experimentation, training and model development for users of all technical levels. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=2B4B7642-50D6-4C07-947F-2F0ED6F03989,"Thune, Smith Introduce Legislation to Support U.S. Honey Producers",2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today introduced the Trade Cheating Restitution Act of 2025, legislation that would support American honey producers and producers of other commodities, like crawfish, garlic, and mushrooms, who have been harmed by unfair trade practices, primarily by China. Specifically, the bill would direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to distribute interest realized on certain anti-dumping and countervailing duties since 2000 to qualifying U.S. producers harmed by decades of trade distortions that continue to undercut these domestic industries. The legislation is co-sponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.). “South Dakota is one of the top honey-producing states in the country,” said Thune. “The unfair practice of circumventing U.S. trade laws, which jeopardizes honey producers’ financial security, should be met with strict enforcement and increased protections. South Dakota honey producers deserve a level playing field. This bipartisan legislation helps ensure fair treatment for affected domestic producers and strengthens their ability to compete globally.” “Minnesota farmers produce some of the highest quality honey in the world, and they shouldn’t be unfairly harmed because China doesn’t play by the rules and engages in illegal dumping,” said Smith. “I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill to give Minnesota apiaries the relief they are owed so they can remain competitive and strong for years to come.” “South Dakotan beekeepers are fortunate to have a stalwart champion in Senator Thune, who has never faltered in his support of our industry,” said Kelvin Adee, of Adee Honey Farms, based in Bruce, South Dakota. “The much-needed funds that will be released to us through the bill he introduces today along with Senator Grassley and Senator Smith will help us compete with illegally traded honey and protect the health of our hives. Thank you, Senator Thune, for your leadership and standing up for us.” “U.S. beekeepers, as both honey producers and crop pollinators, are a critical component of American food security and the U.S. agriculture economy, supporting workers and communities around the country and right here in Minnesota,” said Ryan Lamb, a beekeeper from Minnesota. “On behalf of Minnesotan beekeepers, we want to thank Senator Smith for joining Senators Thune and Grassley in introducing the Trade Cheating Restitution Act of 2025 that will once and for all ensure we receive payments to which we are entitled that will help us compete in what has become a very challenging landscape for beekeepers.” “American honey producers were severely harmed by unfairly traded imports,” said Steven Coy, president of the American Honey Producers Association. “The Trade Cheating Restitution Act of 2025 finally provides producers the funds taken from duties related to interest on unfairly traded imports that they are entitled to in order to help our members reinvest and rebuild. We thank Senators Thune, Grassley, and Smith for introducing this important legislation that will finally get American honey producers what they deserve.” The Trade Cheating Restitution Act of 2025 builds on a Thune-Grassley provision that was signed into law in 2015 as part of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act that required CBP to distribute the interest realized on duties collected since 2014.",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9FB9CF90-106C-41E5-B60D-A72C72D35984,"Thune Applauds Passage of Annual Defense Policy Bill, Ellsworth Air Force Base Priorities",2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which includes significant provisions for Ellsworth Air Force Base, the forthcoming B-21 bomber mission, and the South Dakota Army National Guard in Watertown. The legislation also makes the most significant transformation of defense acquisition in decades to restock munitions, ensure warfighters have access to the best technology available, and advance the Golden Dome for America missile defense system to protect the United States. The bill now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law. “This year’s NDAA builds on the historic investments that Republicans delivered in the One Big Beautiful Bill to support our service members and ensure our country has the fighting force necessary to deter our adversaries and promote peace and stability,” said Thune. “In addition to authorizing a well-deserved pay raise for our service members, this bill strengthens the important role that South Dakota plays in keeping our nation safe by continuing to prepare Ellsworth Air Force Base for the arrival of the B-21 Raider and authorizing a new facility for the South Dakota Army National Guard in Watertown,” Thune continued. “I’m pleased the Senate gave this important legislation the time and attention it deserves this year, and I’m glad we were able to get it across the finish line.” The NDAA includes key priorities that will benefit South Dakota:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F0FCB4E8-8859-46D1-B0D5-CB2C9B746CD7,Thune: Senate Republicans Break Confirmation Records Amid Historic Obstruction,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, either today or tomorrow, we will confirm another nominations package, bringing the total number of the president’s nominees confirmed this year to more than 400. “That number far exceeds total confirmations in the first year of both President Trump’s previous term and President Biden’s. “So it’s an impressive number all on its own. “But it’s particularly impressive when you consider the obstacles Democrats have put up. “Mr. President, I’m not exaggerating when I say that President Trump’s nominees have faced a historic level of obstruction from Senate Democrats. “When you look at this term, President Trump remains the only president on record not to have had a single civilian nomination confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. “Let me repeat that, Mr. President. “President Trump remains the only president on record not to have had a single civilian nomination confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. “Democrats have required a roll call vote on every single one of the president’s nominations – an unprecedented level of obstruction in modern times. “Now, of course Democrats would like you to believe that they’ve engaged in this historic level of obstruction because the president has put up, in the words of the Democrat leader, ‘historically bad nominees.’ “The only problem, Mr. President, is that a lot of these nominees have gotten Democrat votes on final passage. “So either Democrats are voting for historically bad nominees, or else something else has been going on here. “Something else that looks a lot like petty partisanship. “It became abundantly clear a while ago that the real reason Democrats have been dragging out nominations for assistant administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is nothing more than petty politics. “Democrats cannot deal with the fact that the American people elected President Trump. “And so they’ve engaged in this pointless political obstruction in revenge. “Republicans, however, have not been daunted. “We’ve just kept plowing through confirmations, racking up an impressive number of hours in session – and a historic number of votes – in the process. “And in September we took steps to restore Senate precedent on largely noncontroversial presidential nominees to ensure that no other president has to face the kind of petty partisanship that President Trump has encountered. “When the American people elect a president, they expect that president to be able to get his or her team in place. “That doesn’t mean that senators should never oppose nominations, but it does mean that nominations should not be held up for purely partisan reasons. “Or in the words of the Democrat leader just a few short years ago, and I quote: ‘That doesn’t mean we don’t disagree. But it does mean when nominees are held up, opposed, or blocked—it’s for a legitimate purpose, not for leverage in partisan games, to score political points at the expense of public safety.’ “Democrats have engaged in a lot of partisan games this year, Mr. President. “But Republicans have just kept doing our jobs. “And I’m proud of just how much we’ve accomplished on nominations. “And I look forward to continuing to get the president’s team in place in the new year.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F7F786BB-5FEE-4E1D-8F44-FECB299CCECA,Thune Joins The Hugh Hewitt Show,2025-12-17,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto listen the interview. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined the Hugh Hewitt show. On confirming President Trump’s nominees: “Democrats took unprecedented steps to basically blow up the nominations process. President Trump is the first president in history who didn’t have one of his nominees to a position in his administration confirmed either by voice vote or unanimous consent in the Senate, which is a way of taking noncontroversial nominees and being able to move them to get them in their position. “The Democrats were so dug-in fighting President Trump that even the most noncontroversial positions in his administration, they forced us to do the long way. So we spent the first six months doing it the long way. And it just got to a point where … the president is sitting there, he’s got all these vacant positions, [and] he can’t … run the government because he doesn’t have his people in place. And I think when people vote for a president, that’s what they’re voting for. They want him to be able to assemble his team and get them in place. So we made some tweaks and changes in the rules that enable us to move them now in stacks, and we’ve got a big stack today.” On Senate Republicans’ accomplishments: “The president’s agenda, for the most part, was all accomplished in that One Big Beautiful Bill. Whether it’s national security or the border, energy, tax policy … school choice has been a priority for the movement for a long time. Newborn accounts, childcare … we basically threw the farm bill in the One Big Beautiful Bill too, so. “It actually included the biggest spending reduction, literally, in history, and something that if you’re a fiscal conservative like I am, we’re really proud to be able to point to … It packs so much into one big piece of legislation, and … getting that across the finish line was a Herculean task.” […] “We’ve processed the president’s noms, and we’ve done 24 … Congressional Review Act resolutions of disapproval, which undoes a lot of the Biden damage by repealing a lot of the burdensome Biden regulations, and frees up energy production in this country and a whole range of other things. “We’ve had some bipartisan accomplishments too. So it’s been busy … in terms of volume of votes and time in session, all that too. But [it’s been] very productive … doing it all in one big … package …” On the Working Families Tax Cuts: “I always tell people, if you don’t get national security right, the rest is conversation. So we really made up for the Biden years, when they weren’t funding the military. We put money in there to build a wall at the border and to close the border, which the president has effectively and successfully done … We needed to make sure that we had not only border wall money, but we had personnel for Border Patrol agents, detention facilities, all the things that we needed to do that were backed up … “And then it’s about making the country more prosperous, and I think the tax policy will be really key to that. I would argue that not only extending the policies from 2017, which included lower rates for families and doubling the child tax credit, and near doubling the standard deduction, and there’s a 199A deduction for small businesses in there … We also did no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, reduced taxes, you know, for seniors on Social Security. “I think the tax policy in and of itself is going to be enormously stimulative to the economy. You look at … bonus depreciation, interest deductibility … R&D expensing, those are all things that, on the business side, I think it’s going to lead to growth in the economy and better-paying jobs. So I think that people are going to see a better future as a result of the economic pieces of it. “And then there’s a whole … bunch of other things … in there … having to do with … policies that we think are consistent with a conservative view of how this country ought to be run … The school choice policies have been something that’ve been a part of our agenda for a long time. You look at these newborn accounts and what a difference that will make in the lives of families and young people who are being born today, to be able to put money aside for their futures. Those are all incentives in this bill that I think are just going to lead to a better quality of life for a lot of the American people.” On cutting waste, fraud, and abuse: “We did do some of this in the One Big Beautiful Bill … rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse. We did that in the Medicaid program, we put work requirements in … And then there were states [that] figured out how to game the program and so we clamped down on some of that. We achieved a significant amount of savings there. And then we put in this Rural Hospital Transformation Fund, which if you … represent rural hospitals like I do, I think the states are going to take full advantage of that in trying to ensure that we’ve got health care that’s accessible to people all across the country, including in rural areas.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=64131D05-E904-4A61-A9C9-90989478B440,"Thune on a Year of Results: Safer Streets, More Money in Americans’ Pockets, New Opportunities",2025-12-16,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “We are, as you all know, wrapping up what I think has been an incredibly historic and consequential legislative session. “And if you look at just in terms – we talk a lot about the number of votes cast, which is historic, largest number going back to 1976, and then also just the number of days we’ve been in – all those things add up. “But I would argue that it’s not just that, because I think volume doesn’t necessarily equate with productivity. “But I think we’ve had an incredibly productive session of this Congress as well, in terms of the things that we’ve accomplished to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. “Of course, as you all know, the One Big Beautiful Bill had a number of things in it on the tax side, things that [the] American people are going to benefit from, whether it’s no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, reduced taxes for seniors on Social Security. “Whether it deals with the taxes on the expanded child tax credit, standard deduction, making permanent the rate structure on the business side, all the business tax provisions that are going to incentivize investment in this country and create those good-paying jobs that keep our economy growing and expanding. “So, we’re very pleased with things that were accomplished as a result of that, and I would also say when it comes to keeping the country safer. “We haven’t had, in this last year, a single illegal immigrant admitted into the country, and we made a big investment in the border wall, fully funding the border wall. “We made a big investment in national security at a time when we live in a very dangerous world. “Energy independence was a priority, as you know, in the One Big Beautiful Bill. “And obviously newborn accounts, you can go right down the list of what I think are very consequential accomplishments and things that are going to benefit the American people for years and years to come. “So, we are very pleased about how things have gone. “You add on top of that, we’re going to have over 400 nominees confirmed by the end of the year, which is way ahead of the previous two administrations. “And if you look at the number of Congressional Review Act resolutions of disapproval, repealing burdensome … Biden regulations. “We have, I think now, passed 24 of those and 22 have been signed into law. “So a lot accomplished, but we aren’t going to rest on our laurels around here, we’re going to keep our foot on the gas. “And as we think about next year already, we’re working to put together an agenda that we think will continue to build on the success of this last year, but also set us up for success in 2026 and make sure … that we are doing everything we can to deliver on our promise to make this country safer, stronger, and more prosperous. “And it’s all about safer streets; it’s all about more money in your pocket, the pockets of the American people; and it’s all about new opportunities for the American people to get ahead.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7DD27A96-86ED-4CEB-A60B-4C34C368CBCE,"Thune: NDAA Prioritizes Readiness, Deterrence, and Safety",2025-12-16,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Click hereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, this week the Senate will be taking up the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026. “For the 65th consecutive year, the NDAA is the product of a bipartisan process in both chambers. “This bill reflects the input, expertise, and tireless efforts of many of our colleagues. “And I’m especially grateful for the work of our colleagues on the Armed Services Committee and for the leadership of Chairman Wicker on this year’s bill. “Mr. President, this annual defense bill is critical to ensuring the United States military is prepared for any threat that we face. “And not just the threats that may come in the next year. “It’s about putting us on a path that will ensure our military can deter – and if necessary, defeat – any threat that may arise in the future. “Unfortunately, this long view has not always prevailed, and we continue to see the consequences of underinvestment in our military. “In the last few years, we’ve had repeated reminders that the world remains a dangerous place. “That there are evil people in the world bent on aggression. “And that there are those who wish Americans and our allies harm. “Sadly, that was clear this weekend. “And my prayers today are with the families of the three Americans – two soldiers and an interpreter – who were killed in Syria on Saturday in an apparent ISIS attack. “Mr. President, the surest way of securing peace and keeping it is through strength. “And it’s a long-held tenet of American national security. “And it’s a view that the American people widely share. “Republicans have made it a priority to restore peace through strength. “And we know we have no time to waste. “And that’s why we made a generational investment in our armed forces in the One Big Beautiful Bill this summer. “And the NDAA before us this week builds upon that important work. “It aims to grow our Navy fleet to deliver more ships capable of deploying American power anywhere in the world – and help narrow the gap between China’s shipbuilding and our own. “It supports the construction of the Golden Dome missile defense system to keep our country safe from missile, drone, or other airborne attacks. “It proposes to ramp up munitions production, to ensure that we have sufficient munitions for whatever may come our way – with the added benefit of helping to revitalize the industrial base and support industries in South Dakota and across the country. “And then there’s our air power. “The National Defense Authorization Act supports delivery of next-generation aircraft. “That includes the B-21 Raider, the sixth-generation stealth bomber that will soon be making its home at South Dakota’s Ellsworth Air Force Base. “I’m proud that this bill fully authorizes the B-21 program and procurement of these aircraft, which will be the backbone of our future bomber force – as well as the military construction efforts underway at Ellsworth to support the new mission. “Mr. President, investing in weapons and technology is important, but strengthening our military also means supporting the men and women who wear the uniform. “And this bill has their back. “For one, it authorizes the first increase in active-duty end strength in several years. “And it will help ensure that we can sustain the record recruitment levels that we’ve seen this year. “It also supports critical investments in service-member quality of life. “That includes a 3.8 percent pay raise for our troops. “And it includes investments in on-base housing, education opportunities, child care, and other support for military members and their families. “Mr. President, this bill will help rebuild our military. “But what makes this year’s National Defense Authorization Act exceptional is not how it rebuilds, but how it reforms. “Thanks to Chairman Wicker’s leadership, this NDAA will make the most significant reforms to the way the Pentagon does business in a generation. “It takes dozens of burdensome rules and laws off the books. “Streamlines the buying and innovation processes. “And ensures more American businesses will be able to contribute to America’s arsenal, including small businesses and start-ups. “This bill will harness the full strength of American innovation to get America’s men and women in uniform the very best capabilities that our country has to offer. “And not just get it to them, but get it to them faster and at a lower cost to the taxpayer. “Mr. President, these reforms will make our military stronger, more agile, and more ready for whatever the mission may be. “And that needs to be our mission here – to do whatever it takes to support American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and guardians. “We ask a lot of the brave Americans serving in uniform. “And they give a lot. “And I’m proud that this year’s National Defense Authorization Act will help ensure that they have what they need to keep America safe in a dangerous world.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C5DBA023-7A8C-4166-8E75-534E5A16EFFC,Thune: Republicans Are Delivering for South Dakota,2025-12-15,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, it’s been a busy year here in the United States Senate. “The new Republican majority has been working hard to deliver on our promises to the American people. “And while there is still more to accomplish, we’ve gotten a lot done in just one year. “We’re putting more money in Americans’ pockets. “Supporting farmers, ranchers, and small businesses, and helping them grow. “And we’re making America safer and stronger. “Investing in law and order here at home and a strong military to safeguard our national security. “And we’re creating a brighter future with new opportunities for Americans wherever they live and whatever their American Dream may be. “Mr. President, I want to take some time today to talk about how Republicans’ agenda is at work in my home state of South Dakota. “And I want to begin with the tax relief Republicans have delivered. “Whether I’m visiting a small business in Isabel, South Dakota, or talking to farmers at Dakotafest, higher prices are a concern for South Dakotans, as they are for many Americans. “And affordability begins with more money in your pocket, which is exactly what Republicans have delivered with the Working Families Tax Cuts. “Mr. President, if Congress failed to act this year, a typical family in South Dakota would have had less money in their budget. “They would have been looking at a $2,500 tax hike next year. “A typical farm would have seen a $5,000 tax hike. “And tens of thousands of small businesses would have seen their taxes go up as well. “Republicans were determined not to let that happen. “And thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts, which we passed in July as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, South Dakotans won’t see a tax hike next year. “Instead they’ll start seeing tax relief in the new year when the new tax law takes effect. “They’ll be able to take advantage of a larger child tax credit, a bigger standard deduction, and a bonus deduction for seniors this tax season. “They’ll see larger tax refunds come April. “And they can expect that to be the new normal – because the Working Families Tax Cuts deliver permanent, Mr. President – permanent – tax relief. “That’s right. “No tax hike next year. No tax hike ever. “And working families aren’t the only ones who will be benefiting from tax permanence. “Thanks to Republicans’ tax cuts, farmers, ranchers, and small business owners can also look forward to having more breathing room in their budgets next year. “They will benefit from permanently lower tax rates. “The 199A deduction – now also made permanent. “The full expensing provision, also now permanent, which makes it easier to replace a piece of equipment and upgrade your operations. “And the now-permanent research and development expensing provision, which is already helping South Dakota businesses innovate. “And then there’s the death tax relief. “Mr. President, South Dakotans have long believed that the death tax is fundamentally flawed. “It threatens too many family farms and ranches and family businesses. “Republicans agree. “And so in the Working Families Tax Cuts, Republicans permanently raised the death tax exemption threshold and protected a lot more family farms, ranches, and businesses from this unfair tax. “Mr. President, South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers are always at the top of my priority list. “And these hardworking South Dakotans are seeing more than just tax relief. “The One Big Beautiful Bill also made significant updates to the farm safety net to support farmers and ranchers through the economic headwinds that they continue to face. “Our bill increases reference prices for every covered commodity and makes these prices more responsive to market conditions in the coming years. “It increases crop insurance coverage and affordability. “It supports livestock producers by making existing programs more responsive to drought and by funding prevention of animal diseases that can devastate livestock. “And it invests in critical conservation programs, including programs that support South Dakota’s wild bird populations – something that matters a lot this time of year as hunters flock to our state for pheasant season. “Mr. President, Republicans also made the agriculture appropriations bill a priority. “This year’s bill, which was signed into law in November, supports agricultural research programs and facilitates marketing U.S. ag products both domestically and internationally. “And it also provides robust funding for the Farm Service Agency, which producers depend on to access the programs that keep their operations running smoothly. “Mr. President, we’re not just strengthening farms and ranches; we’re also working to support rural communities in South Dakota and across the country. “The needs of rural areas look a little different from other places’ needs. “And they’ve received due attention from the new Republican majority this year. “As I said, we prioritized the ag appropriations bill, which delivered significant funding for rural broadband. “And I’ve worked with the Trump administration to deliver internet access to unserved areas. “And then there’s health care. “Mr. President, folks whose home [is] in a rural area know simply accessing a doctor or emergency room can be challenging. “And that’s all the more true with the troubling trend of rural hospital closures over the last several years. “And with the One Big Beautiful Bill, Republicans have taken action to support rural hospitals. “All 50 states have now applied for funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill’s Rural Health Transformation Program, including South Dakota. “And South Dakota intends to address some key priorities with this funding. “The state is looking to recruit health care professionals to rural areas and to train professionals for rural needs. “Incentivize regional hubs for emergency services and maternal health. “And bolster health care facilities that serve rural parts of our state. “This fund will truly be transformative for health care providers in South Dakota, and in other rural areas across the country. “We also used the One Big Beautiful Bill to repeal a burdensome staffing regulation that would have threatened the viability of a number of South Dakota nursing homes. “The Biden staffing mandate for nursing homes was unworkable in my state – and in many others. “And the One Big Beautiful Bill rescinded it, ensuring South Dakota nursing homes can continue serving our residents. “Mr. President, there’s a lot more I could talk about that we’ve accomplished for South Dakota this year. “There are the investments in Ellsworth Air Force Base – including full funding for the B-21 mission and supporting infrastructure. “There’s the support for local law enforcement in the One Big Beautiful Bill, and new border security resources to help stop illegal immigration and the flow of drugs across our southern border. “And Ron Parsons is confirmed and back on the job as South Dakota’s U.S. attorney. “We’ve repealed electric vehicle mandates that were simply not realistic for a state like ours, where long distances and cold weather are a fact of life. “The Biden administration’s WOTUS rule has been repealed as well, saving farmers and ranchers from massive compliance costs. “And we’re even doing our part, Mr. President, to keep the pheasant population in our state strong. “Mr. President, I come here every day to work for South Dakota. “And we’ve done a lot this year that South Dakotans can be happy about. “But it’s not just my state, Mr. President. “Republicans’ agenda is supporting Americans in all 50 states. “We’re working to make America safer and more secure. “Put more money in Americans’ pockets. “And create new opportunities for a brighter future. “And Mr. President, we’re keeping our foot on the gas.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-bill-to-preserve-wounded-knee-massacre-grounds-unanimously-passes-senate,Rounds’ Bill to Preserve Wounded Knee Massacre Grounds Unanimously Passes Senate,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, today issued a statement following unanimous Senate passage of his legislation, the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act. The bill passed the House in January 2025 and now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law. Rounds’ bill would place 40 acres of land at the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre into restricted fee status, making certain that the land is held by both the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes for generations to come. “I am pleased that the Senate has passed the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act,” said Rounds. “We’ve been working to pass this legislation for almost three years. Our persistence has paid off. The Wounded Knee Massacre represents a devastating low point in U.S.-Lakota relations. The land at this symbolic and sacred site will now be held in possession of both the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes to be preserved for future generations. We will continue to tell the story of this dark day in our nation’s history.” BACKGROUND: Rounds first introduced the Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act in June 2023. Ryman LeBeau, Chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, and Frank Star Comes Out, President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, testified on the legislation in a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing. The committee later unanimously passed legislation, but was blocked from passing the full Senate. Rounds later reintroduced the bill to the 119th Congress in January 2025. The Wounded Knee Massacre Memorial and Sacred Site Act unanimously passed the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in March 2025. This legislation is cosponsored by Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced companion legislation in the House. Click HERE to read full bill text. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-nominates-krause-family-of-brandt-for-angels-in-adoption-award,Rounds Nominates Krause Family of Brandt for Angels in Adoption Award,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he has nominated Riley and Emily Krause of Brandt for the 2025 Angels in Adoption award, presented by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption (CCAI). The Krauses live on a farm near Brandt, with Riley running the farm and Emily working as an elementary school teacher. The Krauses fostered eight children before receiving a call on November 4, 2020, asking them to take in a baby girl who had just been born with hip dysplasia and was very premature, in Huron. Livia Catherine was officially adopted into the Krause family at just over one year old. She is now a happy, healthy five-year-old. Livia’s hip dysplasia has healed completely and she is now keeping up with her peers. Emily and Riley continue to foster children and are currently working toward their second adoption. “I’m pleased to nominate Riley and Emily for this year’s Angels in Adoption Award,” said Rounds. “Foster parents and adoptive parents are a gift from God. The Krause family has opened their home to fourteen foster children, with some staying for a few days and others for months. Emily and Riley have welcomed all of these children with open arms, showing them love and care when they need it most.” “We are so grateful to have been nominated for this award in South Dakota,” said the Krause family. “We are incredibly glad we carried out God's plan to place Livy in her forever home and eagerly await an opportunity to add more children.” BACKGROUND: Rounds is a member of the CCAI. Each year, members of Congress are invited to nominate an outstanding family or organization from their state to receive an Angels in Adoption award. CCAI is a 501(c)3 nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of orphans and foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe and loving homes through adoption. For more information, visit CCAI’s website. Rounds’ office is currently accepting applications for the 2026 Angels in Adoption Award. For more information, please visit rounds.senate.gov/adoption. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=119DF495-7856-4A9D-9FFB-B36DDE4A408D,Thune: Democrats’ Messaging Bill Won’t Fix Skyrocketing Health Care Costs,2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, later today we will vote on the Democrats’ partisan messaging bill – which is a clean, three-year extension of the Biden COVID bonuses. “And when I say ‘clean,’ all I mean by that is no reforms. Straight-up extension. “Three years of a program without any reforms, any revisions, any changes that would actually help drive down health care costs instead of increasing health care costs and get rid of the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse in this program. “The Democrats’ ‘plan,’ that the Democrat leader called it on the floor the other day, it’s their ‘plan.’ “Apparently they think that a three-year extension with no reforms, to try and disguise the real impact of Obamacare’s spiraling costs, is actually a ‘plan.’ “I don’t know how you can call it a plan. “I came down here yesterday, Mr. President, to talk at length about some of the many problems with Obamacare and the perverse incentives it provides to move employees off of employer-provided insurance and into taxpayer-subsidized plans that have rampant year-over-year increases in premiums. “The perverse incentives that it provides to insurance companies to enroll Americans – some of whom don’t even know that they’ve been enrolled – so that the insurance companies can rake in even more subsidies. “And then, this so-called plan is rampant – and I say rampant – with fraud and abuse. “Mr. President, a Government Accountability Office report released just last week found a whole host of problems, including the successful enrollment of fake individuals, Social Security number fraud, failure to verify or sometimes even request documentation, improper payment of subsidies, and the list goes on. “And I want you to just take a look at this. “This is the finding that came out of that study that was done by the Government Accountability Office, Mr. President. “And here was the conclusion: Obamacare subsidies granted without documentation to 90 percent of fake accounts set up by a government watchdog. “90 percent. “Not 10 percent. Not 5 percent. “I mean, if you had a program that had 10 percent fraud in it, I think that would be a huge red flag, right? “Wouldn’t you be alarmed by that? “I think most people would. “I think most people would go, ‘Wow, that’s a huge number. We need to do something to fix that.’ […] “Think about that. My aching back, Mr. President. “You can’t make this stuff up. “We’re talking about tens of billions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse on a yearly basis. “They don’t want to do anything about it. […] “Well, Mr. President, that’s obviously a huge problem, but I haven’t even gotten to the central problem, and that is that Obamacare has utterly failed to control health care costs. “Since 2013, Obamacare enrollees have seen a 221 percent increase in premiums. “Now, let me just repeat that, Mr. President. “Since 2013, Obamacare enrollees have seen a 221 percent increase in premiums. “221 percent. “That means Obamacare premiums have grown at approximately five times the rate of inflation. “So, so much for making health care more affordable. “Now, Mr. President, this graph, I think, illustrates that. “And actually this understates the problem, because this shows since 2014, in the first year of its inception, when the Obama exchanges went live, there was a huge increase that the insurance companies built in in their premium cost to cover all the things that they had to cover in the new program. “So since 2013, that number is 221 percent, but even since 2014 when the exchanges were fully up and operating, it’s had 129 percent increase in premiums at the same time that the group market – in other words, the large and small group market, where a lot of people get their insurance coverage through their employer – was going up at about half that rate. “68 percent in the small and large group market, which is where about 150 million people get their insurance. “And frankly, the more people we could push into that market, it will not only lower their costs, but it also spreads the risk among a bigger pool, and that ultimately is the way in the long term you want to spread your costs. “But what Obamacare does, because it uses taxpayer dollars to subsidize and pay insurance companies directly, premiums go directly to insurance companies, so insurance companies are making bank. They’re getting rich by this. “But what it does at the same time is there’s no incentive to control costs, and it’s pushing people into that market. “Because if you’re an employer – or an employee, for that matter, because most people respond to incentives – and you are told that you can get into a market where the taxpayers are going to cover it, the employer is going to say, ‘Well, why should I continue to pay for the health insurance coverage for my employees if I can have the taxpayers pay for it?’ “And so it’s pushing more and more people out of the group market, this market right here, where there’s a 68 percent increase, still way too much, over the last decade. “They’re pushing more and more people out of that market, into this market, which is double the rate of increase in premiums – and that doesn’t include, as I said, the first year in its inception. “If you … add that first year back in there, that number is 221 percent. “So you’ve got this system that is pushing more and more people into insurance coverage where the rates are skyrocketing, where the payments are going directly to the insurance companies, and where lower-income taxpayers are subsidizing higher-income taxpayers because there are no income limits. “So now you can have people making $500,000, $600,000 a year are getting subsidized by the federal taxpayer, people making $40,000 or $50,000 a year, at a cost to the federal taxpayer, in their bill alone, which is just a three-year extension, of $83 billion. “You tell me in what universe that makes sense. “That’s astonishing. “To have a program where 90 percent of the people who were fraudulently enrolled got approved, a program where the rate of increase is twice the rate in the group market and three times the rate of inflation, the Consumer Price Index, over the same time period. “And the insurance companies are getting rich. “Lower-income taxpayers are footing the bill so more affluent Americans can have coverage. “And the American taxpayer is paying $83 billion just for the three-year extension. “Waste, fraud, and abuse, higher rates, fiscally irresponsible, and the list goes on. “Well, Mr. President, even Democrats have to be well aware of the fact that Obamacare has utterly failed to do what it promised. “As I mentioned yesterday, we had one Democrat senator come down to the floor during the shutdown, and, to his credit, he admitted the truth, and this is what he said. “He said, ‘We did fail to bring down the cost of healthcare.’ “That’s a direct quote. “‘We did fail to bring down the cost of healthcare.’ “So what are Democrats proposing to do about that failure? “As I said, exactly nothing! “Democrats’ so-called ‘plan’ is a three-year extension of the status quo. “No reforms. No revisions. No rethinking of the way that Obamacare works. “Just a three-year extension of the status quo – which, I might add, was put in place in response to the pandemic! “When they extended these subsidies back in 2022 – it was in August – the pandemic was long over, long over. “You can’t, as I said, you can’t make this stuff up. “So, [Democrats’ bill is] not going to do anything to address the perverse incentives that push Americans out of the employer-sponsored health care system and onto taxpayer-subsidized plans. “It’s not going to do anything to address the perverse incentives that encourage insurance companies to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense. “It will do nothing to address the rampant waste, fraud, and abuse in Obamacare. “And most of all, Mr. President, it will do nothing to bring down health care costs. “Nothing. “Zero. “Now, under Democrats’ plan, insurance premiums will continue to spiral, American taxpayers will find themselves on the hook for ever-increasing subsidy payments – and don’t think that all those payments are going to be going to vulnerable Americans. “As I said, the Democrats’ decision to remove any income cap on the Biden COVID bonuses has Americans making as much as half a million dollars, or more, qualifying for taxpayer subsidies. “Half a million dollars. “Do Democrats really think middle-class families should be subsidizing health care premiums for those making half a million dollars? “Mr. President, Democrats don’t have a health care plan. “They want to extend the status quo – a failed, flawed fraud program that is increasing costs at three times the rate of inflation. “Now, on the other hand, Mr. President, Republicans today will offer something that does – does – actually lower costs. “Earlier this week we introduced legislation – drafted by the chairmen of the relevant committees, Senators Crapo and Cassidy – to make structural reforms to the individual health insurance market. “In contrast to the Democrat bill, our bill would actually lower, as I said, Obamacare premium costs. “And it would redirect government savings from the bill into health savings accounts for eligible Obamacare enrollees earning less than 700 percent of the federal poverty level, paired with some affordable insurance plans. “These accounts would help individuals to meet their out-of-pocket costs, and – for many individuals who don’t use their insurance, or who barely use it – it would allow them to save for health care expenses down the road. “So we have two paths here, Mr. President. “One, a plan to start addressing the spiraling health care costs in Obamacare and make structural reforms that would drive down premium prices. “And two, a proposal for a three-year extension of the status quo. “So you tell me who’s serious about actually addressing the affordability of health care. “Democrats may talk about helping Americans. “But their bill is nothing more than a political messaging exercise that they hope they can use against Republicans next November. “And so I hope that after today, they’ll feel like they’ve checked the messaging box and will get serious about actually doing something about the spiraling health care costs under Obamacare. “Republicans are ready to get to work, Mr. President. “I’m not sure yet that Democrats are interested.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=19B67675-5E46-4B83-804B-607BCCB599C8,"Thune Joins Hannity, America’s Newsroom",2025-12-11,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch Hannity andhere to watch America’s Newsroom. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Hannity and America’s Newsroom on Fox News. On Democrats’ health care crisis: “People [who] make $500,000, $600,000 a year are having their health insurance subsidized by people who are making $40,000 or $50,000 a year – that’s what the Democrat proposal does. And there are zero-dollar premiums; a lot of people have no idea they’re even covered, so the insurance companies auto-enroll them because they’re incentivized to do that. And so the costs keep going up, insurance premiums keep going up in the individual marketplace on the Obama exchanges – that’s got to stop.” […] “There are lots of flaws in Obamacare, but all the promises, none of them came to fruition. It was all a big lie, and I think the American people are onto it … [Democrats] made these promises [that] it was going to drive health care costs down … In the exchanges, from the inception of Obamacare to today, 221 percent increase in premiums. The CPI over that same time period was about 39 percent and in the individual market it was about … 68 percent … It’s a failure.” On Republicans’ plan to lower health care costs: “[Republicans] are for putting more money in the pockets of the American people so they can make their decisions about their health care coverage, instead of giving it to the insurance companies paid for by the taxpayers with no income limits.” […] “What [Republicans are] going to do today, Dana, is put a proposal on the floor that the Congressional Budget Office actually has determined reduces, by double digits, insurance premiums. That’s what this ought to be about. If it’s really about affordability, let’s focus on affordability and driving down insurance premiums. What the Democrats are doing is continuing to drive them up and giving the money to the insurance companies.” On confirming President Trump’s nominees at a record pace: “[T]his is something that applies just to district court judges and U.S. attorneys, and it allows individuals, the senators from those states, to be able to sign off on the people who are nominated to those positions. That doesn’t apply to circuit court judges, obviously doesn’t apply to Supreme Court judges, and we have moved his nominees through the process at a record rate. “We will, by the end of this year, have a record number of [President Trump’s] nominees approved to the executive branch. Got his cabinet confirmed at the fastest rate possible. We’ll continue to work on the judiciary, Dana, but this is a procedure that’s been in place for a long time, that both Republicans and Democrats support, because it gives them some input, and particularly in those judges, the judicial appointments that are made in their individual states, some input into that decision-making process.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-requests-investigation-into-postal-service-issues-in-south-dakota,Rounds Requests Investigation into Postal Service Issues in South Dakota,2025-12-10,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has formally requested an investigation into the persistent issues with United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery in South Dakota. In a letter to Tammy Hull, Inspector General of USPS, Rounds asked for Hull to determine the root cause of mail issues impacting South Dakota, as well as consider the need for a regional processing facility in South Dakota. In September, Rounds sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging him to restore reliable mail service and requesting a meeting. Rounds and Steiner met in October. Steiner followed up on the meeting with a letter dismissing the issues raised by Rounds, claiming that the mail delays were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City despite none of these facilities handling South Dakota’s intrastate mail. “In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with USPS service in my state,” wrote Rounds. “I believe these issues are caused by the flawed design of the USPS network, which all but guarantees that mail traveling across or to South Dakota must travel in a circuitous manner through locations around and outside of the state.” “The people of South Dakota depend on the Postal Service for critical communication, medicine and care,” continued Rounds. “I request that you act swiftly to identify and resolve the causes of these failures and help return South Dakota’s mail service to the standards Americans deserve.” BACKGROUND: Rounds has been a leader on USPS issues in South Dakota, leading the push to keep local processing facilities in South Dakota. In April 2024, Rounds sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging USPS to avoid downsizing or significantly reorganizing mail processing operations in South Dakota. As a result, in February 2025, USPS committed to keeping the Dakota Central processing facility in Huron open, as well as investing $3 million in improvements to the facility. Rounds also secured a commitment from former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to keep mail that originates within South Dakota from leaving the state for processing. In addition, Rounds first introduced the Postal Processing Protection Act in June 2024, legislation that would require USPS to consider consequences for rural areas during their closure or downsizing review process in order to protect rural mail processing facilities. Rounds recently reintroduced this legislation in the 119th Congress. Earlier this year, Rounds introduced the Deliver for Democracy Act, which would protect rural newspapers and consumers from unjustified price hikes by making certain the Postal Service is held to a standard for on-time deliveries. Rounds is also the Senate lead on the Instituting Notification Formalities on Reorganizing Mail (INFORM) Act of 2025, legislation to require the USPS to post a physical notice within impacted storefronts explaining any proposed changes in service. Read the full text of the letter HERE or below. +++ Dear Inspector General Hull: In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with United States Postal Service (USPS) service in my state. This includes intrastate mail, package and periodicals as well poorer service compared to the district average on all classes of inbound and outbound mail. I believe these issues are caused by the flawed design of the USPS network, which all but guarantees that mail traveling across or to South Dakota must travel in a circuitous manner through locations around and outside of the state. As a result, mail delivered in South Dakota is arriving outside of acceptable service standards. Unfortunately, these systemic inefficiencies are not just inconveniences, they’re directly affecting the health and well-being of South Dakotans. Delays have resulted in veterans missing Community Care Network appointments because the letter arrived after the scheduled appointment date. Furthermore, a leading private sector regional health care system has reported that by the time some delayed medications arrived, they could no longer be used. These issues have become persistent and at times reached the “point of jeopardizing patient care.” I believe USPS service performance on intrastate mail and periodicals in South Dakota has in some cases deteriorated to critical levels that impacts the lives of everyday South Dakotans and degrades my ability to communicate with constituents. I expressed my concerns about this to the Postmaster General (PMG) Steiner who downplayed such issue existed in South Dakota. PMG Steiner also noted that he believed that delays in mail sent across South Dakota were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. However, none of these facilities handle South Dakota’s intrastate mail. Despite clear evidence of poor performance of USPS mail products especially intrastate mail, USPS senior leadership denies a problem exists. Therefore, I request the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of USPS investigate these concerns and make the necessary recommendations to USPS to restore reliable mail service to South Dakota. As part of this investigation, I request that USPS OIG work to determine root causes of mail delays impacting South Dakotans; assess processes regarding handling of mail and packages, transportation schedules, facility constraints, staffing and current design of mail flows though the USPS processing network; and evaluate claims made by USPS during the Mail Processing Facility Review process that 3454 Origin/Destinating Pairs in South Dakota would “receive service performance upgrades and no service performance downgrades”. As you formulate recommendations for reform, I would also ask that you evaluate the need for the construction of a regional processing facility in South Dakota. The people of South Dakota depend on the Postal Service for critical communication, medicine and care. I request that you act swiftly to identify and resolve the causes of these failures and help return South Dakota’s mail service to the standards Americans deserve. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E2DD59A1-BFAB-439D-9476-BA96A35DC307,Thune: Health Care 101: How Democrats’ Policies Fail Patients and Families,2025-12-10,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"“[A] three-year extension without reforms, and furthermore, a three-year extension that actually backtracks on some of the reforms that have been made earlier – and that also is in Democrats’ bill – creates more fraud, more waste, more abuse, higher prices, and a higher cost for the American taxpayer.” Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, tomorrow we’re going to be voting on the Democrats’ partisan messaging exercise, which is their three-year extension of the Biden COVID bonuses. “Now, the Democrat leader came down here yesterday, and has a number of times now, and taken anybody who is listening here in the chamber or elsewhere around the country on a tour of fantasy land. “A tour of fantasy land, narrated by the Democrat leader. “Because, Mr. President, what he is saying about a Democrat plan that will lower health care costs is a fantasy. “It just is – it’s a fantasy. “I’m going to explain to you why in just a moment. “And it’s not any less a fantasy today than it was yesterday, than it was the day before that. “It’s that – it’s a fantasy. “Now, Mr. President, interestingly enough, the Democrat proposal, which is a three-year extension of the status quo, is an attempt to disguise the real impact of Obamacare’s spiraling health care costs. “So if we do this, if we extend this for three years – at a cost of $83 billion, taxpayers, $83 billion to the taxpayers – what happens after three years? “Another three-year extension or patch as Obamacare costs continue to spiral? “Mr. President, during the Democrats’ shutdown, one Democrat senator came to the floor, and to his credit, he admitted the truth, and this is what he said. “He said, ‘We did fail to bring down the cost of healthcare.’ “That was his quote, Mr. President. “‘We did fail to bring down the cost of healthcare.’ “And so what is the Democrat answer to that failure, Mr. President? “An extension of the status quo, while health care costs continue to spiral for the American people. “Now, Mr. President, I’m going to show you here, first off, where most people get their health insurance coverage in this country. “So you’ve got, in the individual marketplace, which is the blue here, almost 50 percent of Americans – that’s about 150 million Americans – who get their health care coverage through their employer. “So they’re in the small group plan, the large group plan, but it’s something that when they get their job, they get health care coverage. “You’ve got another almost 40 percent of the population – about 140 million Americans – who get it through Medicaid, 21 percent, as you can see; Medicare, about 15 percent. “And then the balance here, some are uninsured, and then there are some who get it in the non-group market. There’s a sliver there for the military. “But in this non-group individual market, Mr. President, that’s what we’re talking about here, we’re talking about that sliver right there. “So remember again, 150 million Americans, almost 50 percent, get their coverage through their employer. “Another almost 40 percent – 140 million Americans – get theirs through Medicare or Medicaid. “And then this little sliver right here, which represents about 23 to 24 million Americans are in the Obamacare exchanges. “Now I, just as a point of fact, want to show you, next slide, what’s actually happened in those various markets. “Of course, Medicare and Medicaid is something that the federal government, those are programs that have been in place for a really long time. “But if you look at what’s happened in the Consumer Price Index since 2014, so let’s take this stretch right here, that’s the blue line. “The blue line is how much costs have gone up in our economy overall. “That’s about 39 percent over the past 10, 11, 12 years. “And then if you look at what’s happened in the employer-provided market – remember I just said that about 50 percent, almost, 150 million Americans, get their health insurance coverage in the employer-provided marketplace. “In other words, they’re in a small group plan or a large group plan, and that rate of insurance increase – although way too high, I would argue – over that same 10- or 11-year period is 68 percent. “So, Consumer Price Index is 39 percent, the large group market, employer market, went up at 69 percent – so what do you think the premium cost increase was in the individual marketplace, in the Obamacare exchange? “Mr. President, it went up 129 percent, and that’s since 2014. “If you go back to 2013, it’s gone up 221 percent, because insurance companies, when this program was introduced, automatically significantly increased and boosted their rates. “So today, if you’re in the individual marketplace, this is how much your insurance rates have gone up since Obamacare, since its inception a little over a decade ago. “That, Mr. President, is double – double – the rate of increase in the employer-provided marketplace, and triple – triple – the CPI, which is the cost we pay for everything else out there. “So the idea that this has made health care less costly and more affordable for people in the Obama exchanges is just a fantasy. “It’s a fantasy. “Let’s go to the next chart here. “So, what has happened as a result of that? “You have this dramatic increase in the individual marketplace, in the Obamacare exchange – which is, like I said, double what you would get if you were getting your insurance from your employer in the marketplace. “So, what’s happened? “A lot of employers, particularly small employers – let’s take the 25- to 49-employee small business – what is happening in that marketplace? “So, a lot of those companies used to offer their employees insurance. “And that insurance, as I pointed out, is about half of the cost of increase over this time period that you would get in the individual marketplace, in the Obamacare exchanges. “So, what’s happened is people in this market – and this is, again, 25 to 49 employees, who, up until a few years ago, actually did, in many cases, try and provide some sort of health care coverage for their employees – what they are now doing is they are dropping coverage. “Look what’s happened. “From 2010 it went from 92 percent, in 2020 down to 70 percent, and then in 2025 down to 64 percent. “So the employer marketplace is shrinking. “Why is that? That’s a good question, right? “So, why would people be dropping out of the employee marketplace and going into the individual exchanges? “Well, I think the answer is pretty obvious. “If you are an employer or you’re an employee, and you can get into a marketplace where the government is subsidizing your premiums – if you’re an employer, they’re just responding to, obviously, what most employers do, and that’s a way to reduce their cost and to transfer that cost to the federal government. “So the employer market, particularly the small business market, is shrinking. “At the same time, the Obamacare market is expanding, and expanding pretty dramatically, and premium costs about double of what you would see in the employer marketplace. “So let’s go to the next chart. “And the thing that you’ve got to remember here, Mr. President, is, if you look at – this was promised at the time when Obamacare was being debated, and I happened to be here at the time, that this was actually going to reduce costs. “This was going to score as an overall savings to the federal government. “Here is what, in the exchanges now, what Obamacare actually costs. “You can see [it] dramatically increased right about here when the enhanced subsidies, the Biden COVID bonuses passed by the Democrats, not a single Republican vote in 2021, and then extended in 2022, set to expire this year – this, all of their own making. “I mean, somehow they have tried to shift the narrative here, that this is somehow a problem of Republicans’ making. “They set the expiration date, and they passed the legislation in 2021 and 2022 that led to this explosion in costs. “And so now, the 10-year score on this program, the 10-year score on this program is now $1.3 trillion. “$1.3 trillion [cost] to the taxpayers, to subsidize, in the individual marketplace, the 23 or 24 million Americans who receive their coverage there. “That is, that’s just flat staggering. Look at that. “So we’re looking at ‘24, ‘25 now, 150 billion a year over a 10-year period, as I said, it ends up being, it’s been scored by the CBO at about $1.3 trillion. “But here’s what happened: The spending went up dramatically when the very issue that we’re talking about here today, which is these Biden COVID bonuses. “They were designed to be in response to the pandemic when they were enacted in 2021. “Now, in 2021 as most people remember, we were kind of past the pandemic, and that particular legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act – so-called Inflation Reduction Act, obviously not the case – passed in August of 2021. “We were well past the pandemic, but it gave the Democrats an excuse to put more federal money into a failing program that is driving up costs and increasing, dramatically, costs to the federal taxpayer. “And then in 2022, … they still had the majority, and so they said, ‘Well, let’s extend this thing.’ “So they extend it. “I should say, 2021 was, I think, American Rescue Plan; 2022 was the Inflation Reduction Act. “But they decided to extend this program and these Biden COVID bonuses – which, in 2022, as I recall, the pandemic was pretty well past us, right? “So they decided, ‘Well, let’s keep this thing going. This is such a great deal. You know, we’re passing all these costs on the American taxpayer. And we can go to people in the marketplace and tell them, “We’re reducing your premiums.”’ “So that’s what’s happened. “Now, go to the next chart here. “Now, interestingly enough, this is another, I think, effect of all this, and this is what has happened in this marketplace, again, just an example. “Because, the way this thing is structured, now – and this is ironic to me, because I’ve always thought of Democrats as, you know … at least their narrative is they stand up to big business, they stand up for the little guy, you know, the person out there that’s struggling to make ends meet – and yet, the way this program is structured, the payments go directly to the insurance companies. “So the insurance companies are incentivized to get more people into these programs, because when they do, they get paid by the federal government. “And there are a couple other features about this plan today, Mr. President, that make this thing even more, I think, staggering to the American people, and [one] is that there are no income caps. “Now, another feature of the Democrats’ narrative is that … ‘We want to be for the little guy, for the guy who’s trying to make it out there, you know, the person that’s really struggling to get by, lower-income category.’ “But what this does is this forces hard-working taxpayers, people who are out there trying to get by, to subsidize the insurance costs of affluent, wealthy people. “Why? “Because in 2021, they took off the income caps. “There are no income caps on this program! “It used to be 400 percent of poverty, which for a family of four, is about 128,000 a year. “They took the caps completely off, blew the caps up! “So now, you’ve got people making five, 600,000 a year, who are getting subsidies from people who are making $25,000 a year in this marketplace. “That, Mr. President, is pretty remarkable. “Pretty stunning, really. “And so you have insurance companies, big insurance companies, being the beneficiaries, and affluent people with no income caps in this program. “But the other feature of the program is this: There are zero-dollar premiums. “And so what does that mean? “There are a lot of people who are getting covered by insurance companies because they meet the eligibility requirements, who aren’t paying anything for coverage. “There’s no premium whatsoever. “These are, we call them zero-dollar premiums, and those have exploded. “And one of the reasons they’ve exploded is because an insurance company can say, ‘I found somebody in this particular population group who meets these criteria, these eligibility; we’re signing them up.’ “And since they don’t have to pay a premium, they don’t even know they’re covered. “So what’s happened in the past few years? “The number of people who haven’t filed claims, literally, since 2021 has tripled. “Now, as I’ve said before, there are lots of reasons why people don’t file claims. “You might have a good, healthy year. “You may be a younger person who doesn’t have health issues. “But the fact of the matter that you would see from 2021 when they made this change to take the lid off of income, to create zero-dollar premiums, and then to see this explode, the number of people who didn’t file a claim tripled – tripled – in the last four years. “Now, what does that suggest? “I would argue, Mr. President, it suggests that there are a lot of people out there who have no idea that they’re even covered. “They have no idea they have coverage because they’re not paying anything for it, and the insurance company is incentivized to auto-enroll because they are getting the payment directly from the American taxpayer. “That, Mr. President, is how this program is structured. “And that, Mr. President, is why it is never going to reduce costs. “Insurance companies are incentivized to increase premiums. “Businesses are incentivized to, you know, push people out of their marketplace into the individual marketplace where the taxpayers will subsidize the premiums, the cost of health care. “And then what you get is a dramatic run-up in health care costs, an explosion in health care costs. “And again, I just want to put that … second chart … which shows the difference in these different marketplaces. “So this number right here, Mr. President, the orange number, that is the individual marketplace. That’s the Obamacare exchanges. “This is the employer market – half – half the cost. “Well, again, if the taxpayers are paying the premiums, the incentives are all there to continue to run up the costs. “Mr. President, this is nothing more than a failed program, partly because it is a failed structure with no incentives to reduce costs. “And where insurance companies decide to cover you, you may not even know you have coverage. “In which high-income people, people making $500,000, $600,000 a year, can go into this marketplace and get subsidies from the federal taxpayers, from people who are making $25,000 to $30,000, $35,000 a year. “That’s what we are talking about. “That is the fantasy land that the Democrats are trying to take the American people for a tour of. “So, Mr. President, we will vote on that, the extension, the three-year extension, with no reforms. “And by the way, and I don’t have the chart here, but the Government Accountability Office … did a study of this marketplace, and … they submitted fraudulent claims. “In other words, they got people to submit to try and get into the program. “They tried to get into the program, and what the Government Accountability Office found was that 95 percent of these got enrolled by the insurance companies. “That audit was not done two years ago, five years ago – that audit was just released last week. “The Government Accountability Office said that, in their survey population – they looked at a group of people, a population – and found that 95 percent of these people that the insurance company signed up were fraudulent. “So you have a program that is rife with waste, fraud, and abuse. “So what would you think you would want to do? “Here’s, I would think, what I would want to do if I were them and I actually wanted to fix this thing, I would be interested in reforming it. “I’d be looking at some income caps. “I’d do away with zero-dollar premiums. “I’d figure out a way to structure this so the money isn’t going to the insurance companies. “But that’s not what they did. “They just said, ‘We’re going to extend this for three years’ – at a cost, I might add, of $83 billion, scored by the CBO. “No changes. Just continue to run up the cost, run up the cost in the individual marketplace like that, but have the American taxpayers pay for it and then go tell people that you’re trying to keep their premiums down. “This does nothing – nothing – to lower the cost of health insurance, Mr. President. “And so Republicans will offer up something as an alternative. “And just as a point of fact, it has some, contains some provisions in it, which tries to move us away from a couple of the features of the Obamacare exchanges. “One is it tries to get the money in the hands of the American people. “And by doing that, creating health savings accounts where money flows into the health savings accounts that individuals control, rather than having it controlled by the insurance companies. “Now, you’d still get your insurance in the marketplace, but now you would have more dollars at your discretion to decide how you are going to use them. “Instead of taking a silver plan in the Obamacare exchange, you might take a bronze plan. “A bronze plan would mean you’re paying less for it – sometimes might have a higher deductible, but with the proposal that we’re going to put forward, there would be money coming in to these HSAs that the individual would control. “So it’s about individual control versus government control, first and foremost. “It’s also about actually lowering costs. “Now, interestingly enough, if you put the next chart up there, and this will be too small for most people who are trying to watch this – although there’re probably not many on television. “But it also has the advantage of scoring a savings. “So the proposal we’re going to put on the floor will actually reduce premiums, according to Congressional Budget Office, by about 10 to 11 percent. “So, double-digit reduction in premiums, double-digit reduction in premiums under this proposal, and save some taxpayers’ money. “It scores as a $30 billion savings. “Now, instead of taking that $30 billion and giving it to the insurance companies, what we would suggest here is that you actually do let the American people – the consumer, the patient, if you will – manage this and have these dollars available to them at their discretion. “That, Mr. President, is a very different business model than what is being offered up by the Democrats. “It also has the added advantage of actually, as a matter of scoring by the Congressional Budget Office, reducing premiums. “Reducing premiums, something that their plan will never, ever be able to say. “And this is the average reduction in premiums across the country, state by state. “And like I said, it’s going to be too far away for you to see, but in my state of South Dakota, it’s going to reduce them by $900, and that’s pretty much going to be true everywhere. “Now, we can do a lot better, if we can continue to make some of these reforms and changes in these programs and get those premium rates even lower. “But I would argue that, actually, a reduction, a double-digit reduction in premiums – relative to what they’re offering up, which is a dramatic, dramatic increase in spending, increase in premiums, increase in costs, which goes on indefinitely. “This is a three-year extension with no reforms. “Doesn’t adjust income limits. You can still get unlimited income, still qualify in the exchanges. “Doesn’t do anything about zero-dollar premiums, and continues to incentivize insurance companies to auto-enroll people, many of whom will never know they’re enrolled. “The insurance company is getting paid and this program continues to drive up costs in the individual marketplace – which, as I said, is about double what it is in the employer marketplace. “So, you tell me: Is that the bet you want to make? “Now, the Democrats seem hard over on doing this, and I understand, there’s a lot of pressure – ‘Just do it, just do it, just extend it.’ “But a three-year extension without reforms, and furthermore, a three-year extension that actually backtracks on some of the reforms that have been made earlier – and that also is in their bill – creates more fraud, more waste, more abuse, higher prices, and a higher cost for the American taxpayer. “It’s a pretty bad bet, Mr. President. “That’s what this is all about for them. “The question is, you want the government deciding this? “[Or do] you want to put this power and these resources into the hands of the American people, American taxpayers, patients? “That’s what we’re about, Mr. President, and so when we have that vote tomorrow, that’s what’s at stake. “Like I said, I don’t have any expectation, probably, that we’re going to get Democrat votes for our proposal, but we are offering something that actually does reduce health care costs and premiums, puts power back in the hands of individuals. “And that really is what this ought to be about. “It ought to be about the American people being able to buy the insurance that they want, the coverage they want, at a price that they can afford. “So, Mr. President, that’ll be the vote tomorrow. “And thank you all for indulging me in walking through a little bit about the history of this, because sometimes it’s been very color-coded by our colleagues on the other side. “But this is real. “This isn’t a fantasy. “What they’ve described for you the past few days here is a fantasy.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=695CEEA2-DC87-428B-A091-955A8A99F4DF,Thune on Republicans’ Historic Investments to Secure the Border,2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Click here to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, it wasn’t long ago that the southern border was in a state of chaos. “During the Biden administration, we routinely saw hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants arriving at the border in a single month. “It was a situation that the Democrat senator from Pennsylvania likened to the population of the city of Pittsburgh showing up at the border. “And that’s to say nothing of the 1.9 million known gotaways who slipped into the country during the Biden years. “Or the suspected terrorists, gang members, and other criminals who were among those coming across our open border. “And then there was the Biden administration’s catch and release approach to illegal immigration. “And the way the Biden administration abused asylum and parole to allow individuals to take up residence in our country. “Mr. President, it’s hard to believe that the Biden administration and Democrats allowed their border crisis to rage quite literally for years. “But they did. “Even the New York Times now admits that President Biden chose not to secure the border when given the chance. “The Times reported this weekend, and I quote, ‘[An] examination of Mr. Biden’s record found that he and his closest advisers repeatedly rebuffed recommendations that could have addressed the border crisis faster.’ “Let me repeat that, Mr. President. “They repeatedly rebuffed recommendations to ease the border crisis. “Well, Mr. President, I’m glad the New York Times is finally reporting what we’ve known for a long time, and that is that the Biden administration was completely uninterested in solving the border crisis. “Fortunately, those days are over. “When President Trump and Republicans took control this year, we moved to quickly restore order at the southern border. “And the numbers speak for themselves. “Customs and Border Protection reported a record-low number of encounters in November. “Fewer than 250 people per day are being apprehended. “Compare that to the Biden administration, where law enforcement was catching more than 5,000 per day on average. “And in November – for the seventh month in a row – zero illegal immigrants have been released into the United States. “So under the Trump administration we have a 95 percent drop in apprehensions at the southern border. “And not a single one of the individuals apprehended is being released into the country. “Mr. President, this is remarkable – remarkable – progress. “This is what the American people expect when it comes to securing our borders. “And Republicans are doing everything we can to ensure that this will be the new standard for border security for a long time to come. “Our One Big Beautiful Bill, which we passed in July, makes a generational investment in the resources that law enforcement needs to secure the border and deter illegal immigration. “We funded completion of the border wall. “New technology and equipment for law enforcement. “Additional Border Patrol agents. “Expanded detention capacity. “And expanded partnerships with local law enforcement to enforce immigration law. “Mr. President, these investments are beginning to be implemented across the immigration system. “Hiring efforts are underway to bring on additional agents. “More than 1,000 state and local law enforcement agencies have partnered with the federal government to enforce immigration laws through the 287(g) program. “And the Department of Homeland Security is awarding contracts for new technologies and wall construction at the southern border – investments that will improve law enforcement’s ability to apprehend the illegal immigrants and smugglers who attempt to cross our southern border. “Mr. President, Republicans promised to secure the border. “We wasted no time in delivering on that promise. “And thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill, the American people can be certain that border security is here to stay. “I’m grateful to the men and women on the front lines who come to work every day committed to a safer and a more secure America. “And Republicans will continue to work to ensure that they have everything they need to get the job done.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E072B929-CA82-4A7D-ADE3-B98882DBBDD9,"Thune: Republicans Offer Better, More Affordable Health Care Solutions for Americans",2025-12-09,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “As you all know, we’re going to have a vote this week, on Thursday, on a Democrat proposal to deal with the Biden COVID bonuses. “And this is a vote, as you all know, we could have had weeks ago. “It’s been on offer now before we had to go through a 43-day government shutdown. “But that’s what the Democrats opted to do, and so at the end of the 43 days now, we are going to have a vote on their proposal – which, as it turns out, is really a proposal that just extends the status quo, doesn’t do anything to reform these Biden COVID bonuses in a way that would get rid of the waste, fraud, and abuse. “And I think the one thing that’s clear about this, and I think you all who follow this subject know this, that the way that the program is structured, the money goes straight to the insurance companies. “And the way that we think this ought to work is … you ought to come up with a way in which you can deliver the benefit to the patients and not to the insurance companies, and that you shouldn’t have hardworking Americans subsidizing affluent people, people who make a lot of money, and that’s what their proposal continues to do. “There is no income limit. “There are zero-dollar premiums. “There are millions of Americans who don’t even know they have coverage. “And they have decided not to do anything – zero, zero reforms to this program – and so the bill that they’re going to put on the floor will fail. “But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a path forward here. “We also will have a vote. “Our members have decided that we’re going to vote on a Crapo-Cassidy proposal, which does the things that I mentioned. “It actually does make health insurance premiums more affordable. “It drives down, according to the Congressional Budget Office, premiums by double-digit levels. “It delivers the benefit directly to the patient, not to the insurance company. “And it does it in a way that actually saves money … to the taxpayer. “That is a win-win proposal. “So that is an alternative that we will put forward and that we will have a vote on … Thursday, and we’ll see where the Democrats come down on that. “But the fact of the matter is that as long as we have been talking about this subject – and again, they drug us through a 43-day government shutdown in order to do this – just in the last week, the Government Accountability Office came out with a finding and an audit that they did.” […] “When I say waste, fraud, and abuse, I am not kidding. “That is the finding as recently as this last week by the Government Accountability Office. “This program desperately needs to be reformed. “The Democrats have decided [they’re] not going to do anything to reform it, and so we’ll see where the votes are on Thursday.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A11BF60B-6FAF-4559-B1AD-6E92ED4ABC05,Thune: Even Democrats Admit Obamacare Has Failed,2025-12-08,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, I would like to read a few quotes from some of my Democrat colleagues from the past couple of months. “This is from November 6, and I quote: ‘We did fail to bring down the cost of healthcare.’ “This is from September 30, and I quote: ‘Now, right now, we have a broken health care system. Nobody can afford health care.’ “This one, Mr. President, is from December 3, and I quote again: ‘I think we all agree there’s brokenness to the whole system.’ “Again, from December 3, and I quote: ‘As much as we disagree on things, I just want to note the underlying agreement that this system needs a lot of reform.’ “Now, all, as I said, Mr. President, of these are quotes from my Democrat colleagues in just the past couple of months. “Every quote is an implicit [admission] that Obamacare has failed. “Back in 2009, of course, Democrats were arguing that Obamacare was going to fix health care. “This was a quote from that time: ‘[A]n historic bill that will finally reform our broken health care system and help millions of our families and small businesses get the coverage they need at a price they can afford. It is about time.’ “That, again, a senior senator, Democrat senator, from back in 2009, Mr. President. “Or in the words of the Democrat leader, and I quote again, ‘Who would have thought that we could finally get a handle on the thing that is driving our budget deficit to great heights, which is health care costs, and at the same time do so much good by covering so many people?’ “Now, contrast that with the words of the Democrat leader today, Mr. President, and I quote again: ‘[T]he healthcare crisis is so deep and so real.’ “‘[T]he healthcare crisis is so deep and so real.’ “In other words, Mr. President, Democrats’ great scheme to fix health care, Obamacare, has failed. “So what are Democrats proposing to do this week, Mr. President? “Introduce reforms? “Perhaps try a different approach? “Well, no, that would be wrong, Mr. President, if you assumed that. “They have announced plans to throw good money after bad. “They’ve proposed a clean, three-year extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies. “Clean, Mr. President. “No reforms. “No revisions. “Just billions of additional taxpayer dollars to prop up part of a program that has utterly failed to reduce health care costs. “Mr. President, since 2013, premiums for Obamacare enrollees have risen 221 percent. “Two hundred and twenty-one percent. “In other words, this program is doing the very opposite of lowering health care costs. “And as if soaring premiums weren’t a big enough problem, the exchanges are rife with potential for waste, fraud, and abuse. “A damning report from the Government Accountability Office released last week found that the exchanges continue to enroll fake individuals, are improperly paying out subsidies, and are failing to ensure payment accuracy, potentially putting taxpayers on the hook for millions or billions in improper payments. “And so I might just show you, this is what the GAO found – the Government Accountability Office, Mr. President – and this just came out literally just this last week. This was a finding … on their part. “That ‘Obamacare subsidies granted without documentation to 90% of fake accounts.’ “So in other words, what the Government Accountability Office did is they ran an audit of the exchanges in which these insurance policies change hands, and found that 90 percent – 90 percent – of these fake accounts, Mr. President, were granted subsidies without documentation. “Think about that. “90 percent of this investigation, these accounts they checked – they created fake accounts to see if, in fact, they would get a government subsidy – and they did. “90 percent failure rate in this program. “And so we have spiraling health care costs, a program incredibly vulnerable – as this has evidenced – vulnerable to fraud and abuse, and, again, Democrats are proposing that we do absolutely nothing. “No reforms, no revisions, no safeguards – just billions more in taxpayer dollars. “Mr. President, Republicans have made it very clear that we would like to work with Democrats to address the affordability of health care and find solutions that actually reduce costs. “But as Democrats have made clear with this ‘clean’ bill, they’re not really after health care solutions. “They seem to be okay with a 90 percent fraud rate. “They’re after a political issue to attempt to batter Republicans with during this next election year. “And if that means a proposal to throw more money at a program they know very well, very well, is failing – it’s documented – then that’s what they’re going to go with. “I’ll quote again, Mr. President: ‘As much as we disagree on things, I just want to note the underlying agreement that this system needs a lot of reform.’ “Again, the words, Mr. President, of a Democrat senator. “And she’s right. “This system does need reform – and a lot of it. “It’s too bad Democrats aren’t interested in making any.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-announces-nominations-to-us-service-academies-for-2026-2027-school-year,Rounds Announces Nominations to U.S. Service Academies for 2026-2027 School Year,2025-12-05,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he has nominated South Dakota students for appointments to the nation’s service academies. Rounds nominated Emma Kinyon of Rapid City as his principal nominee to the U.S. Naval Academy, Esten Foss of Aberdeen as his principal nominee to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Malia Kranz of Watertown as his principal nominee to the U.S. Air Force Academy. “Each fall, I have the honor of nominating South Dakota students to attend our military service academies. These students are some of the best and the brightest our state has to offer,” said Rounds. “The U.S. service academies are among the most elite educational institutions in the world. After receiving a top-notch education, these South Dakotans will serve our country as active-duty military officers. They’ve worked hard to earn these nominations. We’re proud of these students and their desire to serve our nation.” Emma Kinyon of Rapid City – Principal Nominee, U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) Emma is the daughter of Jason Kinyon and Megan Byrd. Emma is currently a senior at Rapid City Stevens High School, where she participates in FIRST Robotics, National Science Bowl and the Rapid City Youth Council. She also plays the viola in the school orchestra and plays on the varsity girls soccer team. Emma has also spent two summers conducting research with the Army Educational Outreach Program through the South Dakota School of Mines. Emma is a National Honor Society member and currently holds a 3.9 GPA. “I’m deeply grateful to have received the principal nomination to the United States Naval Academy from Senator Mike Rounds,” said Kinyon. “The academy has been a goal of mine for the past 3 years and I’m incredibly thankful for the peers, mentors, and teachers that have inspired me along the way. I’m also deeply grateful for my friends, family, and Senator Mike Rounds for their confidence in me. I’m excited, not only for the opportunity to improve myself mentally, morally, and physically, but to be a part of the U.S. Navy’s obligation to protect and ensure democracy around the world, and to offer my skills and abilities in defense of freedom and peace.” Esten Foss of Aberdeen – Principal Nominee, U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Esten is the son of Kevin and Kerri Foss of Aberdeen, South Dakota. He is captain of the cross country and wrestling teams and participates in track and field. Esten is a member of the National Honor Society and currently holds a 3.96 GPA. Esten volunteers at Bethlehem Lutheran Church and he planned a car wash fundraiser that raised $4,000 for Aberdeen area veterans. “I am extremely honored to represent my school, state, and country at the US Military Academy, and I look forward to upholding their motto of Duty, Honor, and Country for the next four years and beyond,” said Foss. “This has been a dream and a primary goal of mine since middle school, and the entire process has taught me about myself and the importance of leadership and integrity. I would like to thank my friends, family, teachers, and all those who helped and supported me throughout this application and my time in high school. Go Army!"" Malia Kranz of Watertown – Principal Nominee, U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) Malia is the daughter of Raymond and Julianne Kranz. She is a 2-time state champion track and field athlete and plays on the varsity basketball team. Malia also serves as an Arrow Ambassador and on the Watertown High School student council. She also volunteers as a mentor at Watertown Intermediate School, as a Kindness Lesson Leader for elementary students and as a recess monitor at Mellette Elementary. Malia is a member of National Honor Society and currently holds a 4.0 GPA. “I am deeply grateful to Senator Mike Rounds for the principal nomination to the United States Air Force Academy,” said Kranz. “Without the relentless encouragement from my family, friends, and community, this opportunity would not have been possible. I am eager to take on the challenges ahead and honored to serve our nation with integrity, discipline and dedication.” In addition to principal nominees, Rounds may send up to 14 competitive nominees per academy for consideration by that academy. Each service academy admission board gives full and fair consideration to these nominees and will determine final appointments. Rounds has selected the students listed below to receive a competitive nomination. U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis) Emma Kinyon of Rapid City - Principal Weston Baker of Brookings - Competitive Miles Bender of Sioux Falls - Competitive Camden Bjergaard of Hartford - Competitive Kiersten Blacker of Spearfish - Competitive Jacob DeYoung of Tea - Competitive William Hanzlik of Chamberlain - Competitive Bennett Jensen of Dakota Dunes - Competitive Lincoln Mansfield of Hurley - Competitive Jaxson Muck of Stickney - Competitive Abigail Nichols of Pierre - Competitive Grace Olson of Sioux Falls - Competitive Grant Roth of Sioux Falls - Competitive Trinidy Sorenson of Sioux Falls - Competitive Anders Van Olson of Yankton - Competitive U.S. Military Academy (West Point) Esten Foss of Aberdeen - Principal Weston Baker of Brookings - Competitive Miles Bender of Sioux Falls - Competitive Camden Bjergaard of Hartford - Competitive Kanin Booth of Summerset - Competitive Jacob DeYoung of Tea - Competitive Bennett Jensen of Dakota Dunes - Competitive Emma Kinyon of Rapid City - Competitive Abigail Nichols of Pierre - Competitive Grace Olson of Sioux Falls - Competitive Grant Roth of Sioux Falls - Competitive Trinidy Sorenson of Sioux Falls - Competitive Anders Van Olson of Yankton - Competitive U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) Malia Kranz of Watertown - Principal Weston Baker of Brookings - Competitive Miles Bender of Sioux Falls - Competitive Camden Bjergaard of Hartford - Competitive Kanin Booth of Summerset - Competitive Levi Brechtel of Rapid City - Competitive Max Cook of Gregory - Competitive Esten Foss of Aberdeen - Competitive Bennett Jensen of Dakota Dunes - Competitive Jaxson Muck of Stickney - Competitive Tyler Mueller of Rapid City - Competitive Abigail Nichols of Pierre - Competitive Grant Roth of Sioux Falls - Competitive Jaxson Sodini of Madison - Competitive Anders Van Olson of Yankton - Competitive U.S. Merchant Marines Academy (Kings Point) Abigail Nichols of Pierre - Competitive Grace Olson of Sioux Falls - Competitive Anders Van Olson of Yankton - Competitive BACKGROUND: Students interested in attending a service academy go through a rigorous application process. Because the academies are highly competitive, students must meet eligibility requirements in leadership, physical fitness, character and academics. The young people joining the military directly from the academies are among the highest caliber our country has to offer, which is a result of the challenging training and education they received at service academies. Students applying for service academies are required to receive a Congressional nomination as part of the application process. Those appointed receive a scholarship and military appointment and are required to serve in the military for at least five years upon graduation. Individuals interested in applying for a service academy nomination for academic year 2027-2028 (Class of 2031) should apply by October 10, 2026. Questions about the academy nomination application process can be directed to Rounds’ Rapid City office by calling (605) 343-5035 or by emailing Academy_Nominations@rounds.senate.gov. An informational packet and the application packet can be found on Rounds’ website at https://www.rounds.senate.gov/constituents/academy-nominations. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-introduces-bill-to-increase-access-to-capital-for-start-ups,Rounds Introduces Bill to Increase Access to Capital for Start-Ups,2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the Developing and Empowering Our Aspiring Leader (DEAL) Act to increase access to capital for America’s innovators by modernizing the definition of venture capital fund for purposes of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration. The DEAL Act passed the House of Representatives this week on the suspension calendar. Representative Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) is the lead sponsor. Specifically, this legislation amends the venture capital fund definition to permit venture capital funds to invest in other venture capital funds as a qualifying investment without triggering the 20% non-qualifying investment limitation. “The DEAL Act is a straightforward, commonsense step to help American innovators succeed,” said Rounds. “By allowing venture capital to include secondaries and fund-of-fund investments, we give young businesses more ways to access the capital they need to grow and stay competitive. This practical update supports early-stage companies, strengthens liquidity and helps keep the United States the best place in the world to build and scale a business.” “This bipartisan legislation will help more investment reach the small businesses and entrepreneurs in Georgia who are too often overlooked. By making it easier to support new businesses and ideas, we can create more opportunity for job growth, economic prosperity, and innovation,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. This legislation is supported by the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The DEAL Act is an important step towards ensuring that the next generation of high-growth American companies can start and scale in every corner of the country—not just in traditional tech hubs,” said NVCA President and CEO Bobby Franklin. “By modernizing an outdated regulatory definition, this bill makes it easier for capital to reach entrepreneurs in South Dakota, Georgia, and other regions that have the talent and drive but too often lack early investment. After an overwhelming bipartisan vote in the House, we’re grateful to see Senators Rounds and Warnock carry this momentum into the Senate. Their leadership reflects a clear understanding that unlocking more early-stage capital means more local jobs, stronger regional economies, and a more competitive America.” Rounds first introduced this legislation in the 115th Congress. Click HERE for full bill text. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=31EB17CE-71CA-4E2B-8E9A-AC80F0B0B83C,Thune Joins the Ruthless Podcast,2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined the Ruthless podcast. On Republicans’ message heading into 2026: “It’s safer streets, more money in your pocket, and … new opportunities for a better life. And those are all things that I think that we’re focusing on, it’s those bread and butter issues that the American people … care the most about. “Most elections, in my view, tend to be kind of economic elections. And I think … is my … neighborhood safe? Is my community safe? Is my country safe? … I think that safety and security are major issues. And I think the work that we’ve done to close the border, the work we’ve done on national security, to get more funding into the areas that make sure that the country is secure and safe and ready to deal with what is the … threat matrix that is out there in a very dangerous world. “And … on the economic front … the things we’re doing in the area of tax and regulatory policy, energy policy, will create better-paying jobs, better opportunities, and an expanding economy … The tax stuff that we’ve done is more money in the pockets of the American people … The average family in this country, at least in my state’s, about $2,500 less in taxes that they’re going to pay next year because we extended the tax relief from 2017. If that expired, everybody was going to be looking at a new huge tax increase … “People are … looking for new and better opportunities to get ahead, and we want to do everything we can to make that possible for them. Part of it is creating those better-paying jobs, better benefits, and obviously having … a kind of economic activity out there that allows companies to invest and grow and expand. And I think the types of policies that we’ve put in place on the regulatory front, the energy front, the tax front, provide those types of incentives.” On securing permanent tax relief for Americans: “I think most Americans … trust this president and his team to handle [the issue of affordability] and to handle it effectively. I do think that … the challenge going forward is demonstrating to the American people that [Republicans’ tax provisions] … avoided a catastrophe. You don’t get a lot of credit for avoiding a catastrophe, but there were things in [the Working Families Tax Cuts], like no tax on tips … no tax on overtime … reduced taxes on Social Security, on recipients or seniors … [increasing] the child tax credit, indexed it for inflation, made it permanent. “There are areas out there in which people are actually going to see lower tax bills overall. Yes, we did extend the 2017 [tax] law, made it permanent, which had lower rates, doubling the child tax credit, near doubling of the standard deduction – all important features to protect them from that tax increase … “The other things we did on the business side to create those incentives for business … the bonus depreciation, interest deductibility, R&D expensing, 199A for small business deduction – those are all things that I think are going to unleash a lot of investment in this country. You’re starting to see evidence of that … If you talk to business leaders, CEOs, both small and large businesses, everybody … sees that … [and] this country’s being well-positioned … We want to make sure we do everything we can to create conditions that are favorable for growth.” On Democrats’ historic obstruction: “One of the reasons we’ve been in so many days, so many hours, cast more votes than any Senate in history, is because the Democrats are forcing us to do everything the long way and the hard way and dragging it out. And it’s unfortunate, because some of these things, they’re basic functions of government – and funding the government is one of them – that you ought to be able to figure out and agree on. But [Democrats] really dug in on that and … unfortunately drug the country through the longest government shutdown in history.” […] “Unanimous consent is a key feature of the Senate. It takes consent to almost do anything, and [Democrats], instead of doing it that way on these routine nominees – and I wouldn’t call them low-level nominees, but they’re not your Cabinet-level folks – and they … forced us to use the time, burn the clock, cast the votes, and so we’ve racked up a lot of votes. And it’s … a sign of the times. It’s unfortunate in a lot of ways, because I think it gets harder and harder to do the big things in a bipartisan way. But even when routine things are hard to get bipartisan support for, we’re in a whole different place than we’ve been before.” On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “It’s kind of mind-blowing … That [far-left] wing is where the energy, the money, the activism … in the party is right now, it’s the progressive wing … They’re very unforgiving, and they want nothing more than confrontation with Trump on every issue. “It doesn’t matter how basic the issue is or how fundamental it is to actually governing the country, [Democrats] just want to fight on everything. And it’s unfortunate because … these relationships that you work to carve out and to build through the years to be able to do bipartisan things, it’s getting increasingly difficult to accomplish that. I’m still hopeful. And there are a few things I think that can actually be candidates for bipartisanship, but we’ll see.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B299F71B-C198-44E0-94D7-513C68400AD3,Thune: Senate Overcomes Historic Democrat Blockade to Confirm President Trump’s Nominees,2025-12-04,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, I am very pleased to report that as of yesterday, the Senate has confirmed a total of 314 of President Trump’s civilian nominees. “And earlier this week I filed on another nominations package, which, when passed, will bring our total confirmations to more than 400. “That far outstrips total confirmations by this point in President Biden’s term, and in President Trump’s first term as well. “And it’s particularly notable that we’ve managed to beat those first-term numbers when you consider the obstacles the Democrats have put up. “I’ve talked more than once here on the floor about Democrats’ unprecedented obstruction of the president’s nominees this year. “And I really do mean unprecedented. “For decades upon decades, the Senate has expedited the consideration of large numbers of presidential nominees, confirming them by unanimous consent or voice vote. “Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, for example, each had 98 percent of their civilian nominees confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote in the first term of their presidencies. “98 percent. “George W. Bush and Barack Obama each had 90 percent. “Now, it’s true that Democrats substantially eroded this tradition of bipartisanship during President Trump’s first term. “All of a sudden, positions that had traditionally gone by unanimous consent or voice vote were now requiring roll call votes. “But even so, both President Biden and President Trump in his first term had more than half of their nominees confirmed by voice vote. “And then there was this year. “This year, not one single presidential nominee has been confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. “Not one. “Democrats have dragged out the process on every single one of the president’s nominations. “The Democrat leader tried to justify Democrats’ historic blockade by claiming that the president’s nominees have been, quote, ‘historically bad.’ “The only problem with that, Mr. President, is the Democrats have supported a number of the president’s nominees in committee and have even voted for some of them on the Senate floor. “So either members of the Democrat Party are supporting historically bad nominees, or something else is going on here. “And I think we know what that is, Mr. President. “That something else that’s going on here looks a lot like petty partisanship. “Maybe you want to call it Trump Derangement Syndrome. “Democrats – and their base – still can’t deal with the fact that President Trump won last November. “And so they have held up every single one – every single one – of his nominations in revenge. “But Republicans have not been daunted. “We’ve just continued ploughing ahead on nominations – helping us rack up a historic number of votes this year in the process. “And in September we took steps to restore Senate precedent and codify in Senate rules what was once understood to be standard practice – and that is the Senate’s acting expeditiously on largely noncontroversial presidential nominees to allow a president to get his team in place. “Now both Democrat and Republican presidents will be protected from some of the partisan excesses that we’ve seen from Democrats this year. “2025 has been a long road, Mr. President – but I’m very proud to be able to say that, at the end of it, that we are well on our way to confirming more than 400 of the president’s civilian nominees. “And that we have virtually cleared the nominations backlog by the end of his first year – in contrast to the situation at this point in President Trump’s first term and in President Biden’s. “And when the Senate returns in January, I look forward to continuing to confirm additional members of the president’s team, so that he can continue to do the job to which he was elected by the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=EEEB598F-698D-4975-91B3-666E42FCF73D,Thune: Republicans Delivered Tax Relief for Working Families,2025-12-03,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, we are four weeks away from the new year – and from the date that the 2017 tax relief for Americans was set to expire. “Back in 2017, of course, Republicans passed a huge tax relief package. “We lowered tax rates for every income group. “We doubled the child tax credit. “And we nearly doubled the standard deduction. “But all of that was scheduled to expire at the end of this year. “And without action, Americans would have seen their tax rates increase and the child tax credit shrink by 50 percent. “A typical family would have seen its taxes go up by about $1,700 a year. “In my state of South Dakota, a typical family would have seen a $2,500 tax increase. “Republicans were determined not to let that happen. “And so a priority for 2025 became extending the 2017 tax relief. “But not just extending it – making it permanent. “We didn’t want hardworking Americans to have to worry every few years that their tax bills were suddenly going to soar. “And so in July we passed the Working Families Tax Cut to make permanent the 2017 tax relief. “We made those lower tax rates permanent. “We made the increased standard deduction permanent. “And we made the increased child tax credit permanent. “But, Mr. President, we didn’t stop there. “We expanded the child tax credit even further – and indexed it to inflation so that its value will never go down. “We also further increased the standard deduction, exempting additional money from Americans’ taxable income. “And we added a new $6,000 bonus deduction for seniors, allowing Americans on Social Security to keep more of their money. “And that’s still not all, Mr. President. “We eliminated taxes on tips for millions of tipped workers. “Uber and Lyft drivers. Hairstylists. Delivery drivers. Servers at restaurants. “We also eliminated taxes on overtime pay for millions of hourly workers. “Thanks to this provision, everyone from nurses and police officers to firefighters and paramedics will be able to keep more of their hard-earned money. “And we did still more. “Because one aspect of prosperity is being able to keep more of what you earn. “Another aspect is being able to earn more. “And so in addition to the individual tax relief, we also made permanent some of the 2017 tax law’s business tax relief, to help businesses grow and create new jobs and opportunities for workers. “That included the lower tax rates for small and medium-sized businesses. “The job-creating 199A small business deduction. “And full expensing for new equipment and for domestic research and development. “And again, we went beyond the 2017 tax relief and added full expensing for new factories and factory improvements – so we can expect to see more goods made in America, and, again, more jobs and opportunities for American workers. “We also acted to protect countless family farms, ranches, and small businesses from the punitive death tax – and all of the headaches and expense that come with planning for it. “Mr. President, I’m incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish for hardworking Americans. “We not only averted a massive tax hike on American families, but were able to further lessen Americans’ tax burden. “And hardworking Americans can be assured that Republicans will continue to work to enhance affordability, expand opportunity, and increase prosperity.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0616C348-3F5F-4452-8ADD-A3D48C20B41A,Thune: Republicans Restore Common Sense to Federal Regulation,2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Last month the incoming mayor of New York City – who is a leading voice in today’s Democratic Party – promised New Yorkers, and I quote, ‘We will prove that there is no problem too large for government to solve, and no concern too small for it to care about.’ “No problem too large, no concern too small for government to get involved. “That was the quote, Mr. President. “Well, Mr. President, that’s a dangerous way of thinking. “It’s a license for government growing unbounded. “And it’s a recipe for expanded bureaucracy and greater frustration for Americans who are just trying to live their lives. “But growing government is the driving philosophy of the Democrat Party. “And you can just look at the Biden years. “We had the federal government mandating masks for two-year-olds – outside. “Not in a building, outside – for two-year-olds! “The EPA regulating puddles and saddling farmers and ranchers with massive compliance costs – something that we experienced in my state of South Dakota. “Electric vehicle mandates. “If they had had their way, by next year, Mr. President, 35 percent of the vehicles on the highway would be EVs – 35 percent. “You know what that number is today? It’s about 10, 11, maybe 12. “There’s no way – no way – that could’ve been complied with. “And a reckless tax and spending spree that caused a years-long inflation crisis. “Inflation got up to the double-digit range, Mr. President – something that we haven’t seen in several decades. “Mr. President, Republicans have spent the last year cleaning up from the consequences of Democrats’ big-government philosophy. “President Trump has repealed a number of burdensome regulations and rules. “And here in Congress, we’ve used the Congressional Review Act to repeal rules, regulations, and mandates that were creeping into seemingly every facet of Americans’ lives. “That includes four separate rules on appliances. “That’s right. “Last year, appliances became the latest focus of Democrats’ radical environmental agenda. “One rule applied expensive, unnecessary new standards to commercial fridges and freezers – the kind used in restaurants and grocery stores. “The Energy Department estimated that it would take 90 years for a business to see savings from these more expensive appliances. “Another rule sought to take gas water heaters off the market, raising costs for homeowners and imperiling American manufacturing jobs. “And then there were the Biden administration’s proposed reporting and certification requirements for everything from lightbulbs and dishwashers to dehumidifiers and air conditioners. “Reporting and certification requirements may not sound like much, Mr. President. “But those requirements mean a lot of front-end work that has to be done – work that costs time and money, and can place a huge burden on businesses and drive up prices for consumers. “In its public comments on the Biden administration’s appliance standards, Carrier, an appliance manufacturer, said the Department of Energy failed to adequately account for, and I quote, ‘the cost and burden … to comply with updated requirements.’ “A manufacturers’ association said that the proposed reporting standards had, and I quote, ‘no practical utility.’ “And another objected to what they called ‘burden without benefit.’ “Mr. President, thanks to Republicans’ efforts, hardworking Americans and small businesses have been spared these costly regulations. “We’ve also been able to dismantle Democrats’ regulatory assault on Americans’ cars. “President Trump repealed the Biden administration’s electric vehicle mandate. “And here in Congress, we approved legislation to repeal waivers that would have allowed California to impose a de facto electric vehicle mandate on the whole country. “We also passed a CRA resolution repealing the Biden rubber tire manufacturing rule – a gross example of unnecessary regulation. “The Biden administration proposed new emissions standards for tire manufacturers – an industry that’s already subject to strict emissions rules. “And the Biden rule – while it would have reduced the emission of certain pollutants – would have actually increased – increased – emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. “That’s right, Mr. President. You can’t make that up. “It would have increased emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. “And it would have cost tire manufacturers $13 million per year – and possibly more than that. “Mr. President, unfortunately, these are not the only examples of the overreach of the Biden administration’s Green New Deal-style regulations. “No, the Biden administration also went after energy production, heaping additional costs and restrictions on energy producers that would have driven energy costs higher and higher. “Earlier this year, Republicans repealed the Biden administration’s marine archeology rule. “Energy producers are already required to submit an archeological report before drilling in areas that are thought to include things like shipwrecks, settlements, and other archeological sites. “But the Biden administration wanted energy producers to submit reports even when there’s no reason to suspect a project will be near an archeological site. “It was just another way to slow down production and heap more costs on energy producers – costs that would eventually have been paid by American consumers. “Well, Mr. President, Republicans repealed that rule. “Then there was Democrats’ natural gas tax. “In 2022, Democrats enacted a tax on methane emissions from natural gas producers – a tax that would have driven up energy prices and destroyed jobs in the energy sector. “Republicans repealed its regulatory implementation through the CRA – the Congressional Review Act – process. “And then blocked this misguided tax in the One Big, Beautiful Bill this summer. “And Mr. President, our efforts continue. “A few weeks ago, the Senate passed a resolution blocking the Biden administration’s restrictions on energy development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska – an area established specifically – specifically – for the purpose of providing the United States with energy resources. “The Biden administration tried to close a significant portion of it. “But when President Trump signs this resolution and repeals these restrictions, we will once again be able to leverage these abundant natural resources for the benefit of the American people. “Mr. President, regulations have consequences. “Democrats may believe there’s nothing that couldn’t be improved by a little government intervention. “But Republicans – and I think the American people – know what too often happens when government decides to get involved. “As President Reagan said 40 years ago, and I quote, ‘the nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.’ “When I’m talking to business owners in South Dakota, I often tell them to let me know how we can help – even if that means getting out of the way. “And Mr. President, that’s often the right answer. “While some regulations are necessary, too often regulations do more harm than good. “And regulations mean costs – costs that are almost always passed on to the consumer. “Republicans are continuing our efforts to get government out of the way and to bring down costs for the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=AE617CE0-0013-41DD-8A4D-8EC43B376D66,Thune: Republicans Continue to Deliver for Working Families,2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Good afternoon, everybody. Welcome back. “Get ready to buckle up for what should be a very busy last couple of weeks here this year, as we wrap up what has been a historic and very consequential legislative year. “Obviously, as we look at what we have to finish before the end of the year, it starts with a stack of nominees which we will be processing. “I filed on those last night, and it will be a significant number of people to fill out the president’s administration. “As you know, the Democrats have fought and blocked and obstructed and delayed along the way to try and prevent him from getting his team in place. “In spite of all that, we will be ahead in terms of the pace of the last two administrations when it comes to the president filling out his administration. “Secondly, obviously, is the defense authorization bill. “Senator Wicker, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has been working aggressively with the team on his members of the committee, the full Senate, and the House of Representatives in trying to get to the finish line there. “And they’ve got a lot of good work that’s been done, a few issues outstanding, but I hope we’ll be able to process that in the next couple of weeks as well. “And I will tell you that [is], as you all know, one of the most important pieces of legislation that we do every year, and it fits in very consistently with the president’s peace-through-strength agenda. “And then we’ve got appropriations, and we’re trying to get another appropriations package up on the floor. “We processed three bills earlier this year, as you all know. “We have another minibus, if you will, of appropriations bills that we’re trying to get consent. “And I’m hoping that we will get to that here soon and be able to proceed forward on the appropriations process. “But it has been a very busy and consequential year. “Passage of the Working Families Tax Cut Act has avoided what would be, at the start of next year for a lot of families in this country, a huge tax increase – $4.4 trillion overall, 2.6 trillion of which would fall on … working families in this country. “And that was done as part of the Working Families Tax Cut Act, as were a number of other things that are going to be important to working families, and we’ll get an opportunity to talk about that this next year. “And I guess I would just say finally that, as we proceed, we are going to continue to keep our foot on the gas. “This Republican majority is committed to working on an agenda, in partnership with President Trump and the administration and his team, that will make America stronger, safer, and more prosperous. “And so we’re going to continue pushing forward.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B4FFF598-44B8-4456-83FE-5C475A29856B,Thune Sets the Record Straight on Democrats’ Health Care Spin,2025-12-02,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, the Democrat leader was just talking about health care, and obviously there’s been a lot of conversation around that here these past few weeks and months. “In fact, the Democrats shut down the government for 43 days, the longest shutdown in history, allegedly over health care – although I think we all know that it was Trump Derangement Syndrome, more than anything else, that led to the government shutdown. “But I would just say … sometimes you have to kind of take a walk down memory lane to remind people that facts are stubborn things. “And facts are stubborn things. “The Democrat leader implied that Republicans are not interested in lowering health care costs, and that somehow [Democrats] are. “The contrary is actually the truth. “If you look at what has happened since the Obamacare exchanges went live over 10 years ago, health care premiums on the exchanges have gone up, on average, 221 percent. “221 percent increase, Mr. President, in health care premiums in the individual marketplace on the Obamacare exchanges. “Now, you might ask, why is that? “There are a lot of reasons behind it. “When they put the law into place in the first place, it was flawed structurally. “But then he referred to these so-called Biden COVID bonuses, which were the enhancements that the Democrats now want to lock into place. “Now remember, this was done in 2021 with a Democrat majority, Democrat in the White House, under reconciliation – so there wasn’t a single Republican who voted for these enhancements in the first place. “But remember, they were enhancements designed to be responsive to the pandemic. “They were COVID bonuses, only supposed to be temporary. “And then in 2022 they extended them again and set them up to expire at the end of this year. “This is a problem of Democrats’ making, Mr. President, pure and simple. “And so to suggest for a moment that Republicans somehow aren’t interested in lowering health care costs when, in fact, it’s Democrat policies that have led to the run-up, the rampant increase, 221 percent increase in premiums since the exchanges went live over 10 years ago? “You find me anything else in our economy that’s seen that kind of an increase over that same time period, Mr. President. “That’s a staggering increase. “And the Biden COVID bonuses that were enacted with all Democrat votes in 2021, and then extended again in 2022, and are set to expire at the end of this year, were, again, designed to be a response to a COVID emergency which no longer exists. “So what has happened? “They locked in the Biden COVID bonuses that are set to expire at the end of this year, and they expect Republicans now to bail them out. “Well, frankly, Mr. President, Republicans are interested in things that will drive down and lower health care costs. “The other thing they did in 2022, which is sort of interesting, is that the base Obamacare policies covered people up to 400 percent of the poverty level. “Well, today that’s about, for a family of four, $128,000. “So in the exchanges, you could get coverage, and if your health care insurance premiums, you had a certain percentage of your income, anything above and beyond that was covered by a government subsidy. “And that is, in fact, the way that it worked prior to 2021. “The Biden COVID bonuses took that cap off, Mr. President. “There is no cap. “No cap! “And so now you have people making $500,000, $600,000 a year who are getting subsidies from the federal government to buy insurance. “The other thing they did, Mr. President … there’s what’s called zero-dollar policies, or zero-dollar premiums. “In other words, there are people out there who pay nothing for coverage. “Their coverage is entirely covered by the federal government through the subsidy. “Well, what that’s done, and because the way the program’s structured – they structured it – is to provide the subsidies directly to insurance companies. “This is called, falsely, a premium tax credit. “It is not a tax credit. “A tax credit would be something that would lower tax liability, dollar for dollar, when you file your income taxes. “This is a subsidy, a direct subsidy. “And so you have literally millions of people – millions of people, Mr. President – who have no idea they’re covered, because they aren’t paying anything for it. “And the insurance companies are getting the payment. “So the insurance companies are incentivized to go out and auto-enroll all these people across the country. “And so what you have today are literally millions of people, of the 23 to 24 million people who get their coverage in the exchanges, millions of those have no idea that they are even covered. “Because the insurance company is getting the subsidy, auto-enrolling them, which might explain why, last year, 40 percent of the people who get their insurance coverage through the exchanges didn’t file a claim. “Now, you could say maybe they’re healthy, maybe they’re younger – that’s all partially true. “But do you think 40 percent of the people in the exchanges didn’t file a claim? “I mean, think about that. “That means there are literally millions of people out there, millions of people who don’t know they have coverage, and the insurance companies are getting the payments and making bank at the expense of everybody else in this country. “And those who are paying premiums [are] seeing those premiums go up, as I said, 221 percent since these exchanges went live 10 years ago. “So Mr. President, this is not something the Republicans – they say, they blame the Republicans for the health care crisis. “The health care crisis was created by Democrats with all Democrat votes in 2021, and then again in 2022! “Setting them up to expire at the end of this year, and with no income limits and zero-dollar premiums and the subsidies going directly to the insurance companies instead of into the pockets of the American people. “Now, there is a way better way to do this, but it’s going to take cooperation from both sides to do that. “And it seems to me, at least, Mr. President, what the Democrats would rather have than a solution is an issue. “They want a political issue, and they want to blame Republicans. “But you have to come back to the basic premise that facts are stubborn things. “These are the facts. “2021, these Biden COVID bonuses went into effect, lifted the cap, so no longer, there’s no cap. “So you can get, you know, unlimited amounts of income and still get coverage in the exchanges. “Zero-dollar premiums, so some people are … paying nothing, they’re paying nothing for their health insurance premiums. “And insurance companies who are incentivized to auto-enroll those very people; in many cases, those people have no idea they’re covered. “That’s a … pretty amazing contraption, if you will – and, some would argue, scam – on behalf of the insurance companies in this country, but certainly to the detriment of the American people, who do need more affordable coverage. “They need to be able to afford health care along with the other things that they buy on a daily basis. “And people need access to health care in this country, Mr. President, and they need affordability when it comes to health care in this country. “And so I would say, Mr. President, that there is a path forward here. “It can’t happen unless there are significant reforms, because you can’t have people who are making unlimited amounts of money being able to qualify for government subsidies in these exchanges. “Nor should you have, in my view, people who pay absolutely nothing, not one dollar – not one dollar – for coverage, getting coverage, and insurance companies being incentivized, because they get a subsidy for doing it, to cover these very people who don’t even know they’re covered. “That is a really, really bizarre business model. “I mean, you couldn’t make this stuff up. “And now Democrats are saying, ‘Oh, we created this, but it’s your problem. Please, please fix it. Or, if you don’t – if you don’t do something that will extend this program that has costs, premiums that continue to go up like this for the American people – we will use it against you in a political campaign, as a political issue.’ “That is the state of play right now, Mr. President, which is why we need a solution – and a solution that brings us back to where the American people have options. “Where there are some sort of income limits. “Where there are people at least paying something for their coverage. “Where the insurance companies aren’t being enriched at the expense of the American people. “Where the American people have choices and options to get the plan that they want that works for them and for their families. “That’s a business model that works – competition, optionality, market forces, driving down prices, giving the American people more choices to buy the insurance they want at a price that they can afford. “That, Mr. President, is a business model. “The business model that we’re operating under today was created by the Democrats, and now there’s some expectation that somehow the Republicans are supposed to come here and fix the problem that they created.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=490D3215-A968-4D71-9BC4-D531D259A0D8,"Thune: After Shutdown Turbulence, Air Travel Modernization Is Ready for Takeoff",2025-12-01,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year. “More than 80 million Americans traveled for the holiday last week. “And while most of them packed up the car and hit the road, about 6 million Americans boarded planes to spend the holiday with relatives and friends across the country. “And I’m sure all of them were breathing a sigh of relief that the government shutdown was over and that air traffic control had resumed normal operations before their trips. “Mr. President, the impact on air travel was one of the most visible aspects of the chaos that ensued during the Democrats’ 43-day government shutdown. “Flights were snarled throughout the shutdown, but it got progressively worse as the shutdown drug on. “By the time Democrats’ shutdown entered its second month, the FAA was forced to order … cutbacks in air traffic as a matter of safety. “And more would have been required if we hadn’t been able to finally reopen the government when we did. “So Mr. President, I’m relieved that air traffic was able to get back to normal levels before the holiday travel surge. “And I’m grateful to the thousands of air traffic controllers who were on duty during the shutdown without pay, and who work hard every day to keep planes moving quickly and safely. “They have an important job, and I know that every controller shares a commitment to putting safety first – whether it’s a normal day, the middle of a snowstorm, or a government shutdown. “Mr. President, even before the shutdown, our air traffic control system was facing challenges. “And modernization efforts have been a priority for both the Trump administration and for Congress this year. “Before the holiday, the Commerce Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee held a hearing that examined air traffic operations during the shutdown as well as the challenges that existed prior to the shutdown and that still exist today. “And I appreciate Chairman Moran’s attention to these important issues. “And I’m grateful that my colleagues are taking the time to delve into the challenges facing air traffic control. “At least our Republican colleagues, Mr. President, are taking the time. “The lead Democrat on that panel called the hearing ‘political theater,’ and Democrats’ witness for the Aviation Subcommittee talked only about – get this – Obamacare. “That’s right, Mr. President. “Obamacare. “A hearing to examine air traffic safety and air traffic control – and that was the only witness the Democrats asked to come and testify. “So I’m hoping this was a one-time political [stunt] and not an indication of the attitude the Democrats are going to take going forward. “Because we have a lot more work to do on this issue. “Republicans remain focused on improving air travel and safety, and that hearing was just one part of our continued efforts. “Earlier this year, Republicans took a major step forward in air traffic modernization with the One Big Beautiful Bill, which made a significant investment in technology improvements for the air traffic system. “Mr. President, the systems being used in air traffic control towers today are in desperate need of an update. “This funding will help to deploy state-of-the-art technology to towers across America. “One example of the need for modernization is what happened at the Newark airport – one of the busiest airports in the country – earlier this year. “In April and May, Newark experienced equipment outages that led to major flight delays and significant disruptions in air travel. “The Trump administration moved quickly to address these issues and bring Newark back to full strength, but the underlying issue is aging technology across the air traffic control system. “Issues that are only exacerbated when adverse conditions strike, such as severe weather or the recent government shutdown. “The investment from the One Big Beautiful Bill will go a long way toward solving the underlying technology problems and will strengthen the entire system. “Mr. President, another challenge is the shortage of air traffic controllers. “We’re almost 4,000 controllers short of full strength, which means that controllers at a number of airports need to work longer hours and more shifts to keep the system going. “Addressing this shortfall has been a priority for the Trump administration, which has devoted attention to hiring and training additional controllers. “I appreciate that the administration managed to keep hiring and training operations going throughout the shutdown, which lessened the potential long-term consequences for America’s skies. “Republicans and Democrats here in Congress are focused, too, on supporting hiring and training efforts. “And this year’s transportation funding bill – which I hope to take up in the near future – supports sustained hiring and training to add 2,500 new controllers next year. “Mr. President, upgrading outdated technology and adding new air traffic controllers will make a big difference for the traveling public and for supply chains that rely on air cargo. “And it will help deliver a more modern air traffic system capable of providing more efficient and safer skies for all Americans. “Things won’t be fixed overnight, but thanks to the Trump administration and our continued efforts in Congress, we are making progress toward a state-of-the-art air traffic control system for America. “Mr. President, I’m glad that the system is back at full strength after the shutdown. “And we’re working to make it stronger every day.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E89AC80D-8730-493F-8FB7-51B16BCF2D6F,Thune on the Horrific Attack on National Guard Members,2025-12-01,2025,2025-12,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “I want to express my profound sorrow over the death of West Virginia National Guard member Specialist Sarah Beckstrom. “Sarah was one of two National Guard members shot in a targeted attack here in Washington, D.C., on the day before Thanksgiving. “The other Guard member, Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, is hospitalized in grave condition, and my prayers are with him and his family, as well as with the family of Specialist Beckstrom. “Mr. President, Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old. “Andrew Wolfe is just 24. “They’re both at an age when many are, quite naturally, figuring out their path in life. “But Sarah and Andrew chose early. “And they chose service. “Service, up to and including the sacrifice of their lives for their country and their fellow citizens. “It’s a remarkable thing, Mr. President. “And may we never forget how much we owe men and women like Andrew Wolfe and Sarah Beckstrom. “Again, my prayers are with the family of Specialist Beckstrom. “And I’m praying for Staff Sergeant Wolfe’s full and swift recovery.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T20:09:11Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-issues-statement-on-russia/ukraine-peace-negotiations,Rounds Issues Statement on Russia/Ukraine Peace Negotiations,2025-11-22,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on peace negotiations with Russia and Ukraine: “I appreciate Secretary Rubio briefing us earlier today on their efforts to bring about peace by relying on input from both Russia and Ukraine to arrive at a final deal.” ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-king-seek-maximum-h-2b-work-visas-to-support-small-businesses-in-2026,"Rounds, King Seek Maximum H-2B Work Visas to Support Small Businesses in 2026",2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Angus King (I-Maine) recently sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) requesting that they release the maximum allowable number of additional H-2B visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, consistent with the previous three years. Rounds and King are joined by 31 of their colleagues in the Senate. H-2B visas fill needs for American small businesses when there are not enough American workers to fill the temporary, seasonal positions. As required by law, employers must first make a concerted effort to hire American workers to fill open positions. When the local workforce is insufficient, H-2B visas are used to employ workers to support local businesses and economies. “Chronic labor shortages—faced by seasonal U.S. employers throughout the nation’s history—have been exacerbated by the post-pandemic evolution of the American workforce,” wrote the senators. “As this need grows, so does the pressure on U.S. workers, whose employers’ workforce needs cannot be met with American workers alone. The H-2B program places requirements on employers to recruit U.S. workers, who are intentionally prioritized by the program and receive demonstrated, positive impacts from their seasonal colleagues.” “An efficient analysis, issuance of a rule, and release of these visas allows the supplemental tranche of H-2B visas to meet the seasonal market demand during the market cycles when they are most needed,” continued the senators. “We thank you for your continued support—in recognizing the vital benefit to the economy of these seasonal, temporary work visas—and we are hopeful the maximum allowable FY26 supplemental visas will promptly be released pursuant to Congressional authority and in the same manner as in the three previous years.” The letter was also signed by Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Chris Van Hollen (D- Md.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). The full text of the letter can be found HERE or below. +++ Dear Secretary Noem and Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, We write on behalf of the seasonal businesses in our states who lack sufficient employees to support their operations and sustain their businesses. In light of these labor shortages, we respectfully urge that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), utilize the authority provided by Congress in the current Continuing Resolution to release the maximum allowable number of additional H-2B for Fiscal Year 2026. These visas will allow employers to supplement their U.S. workforce to keep their businesses open, as well as provide additional certainty regarding their workforce planning decisions in the coming months. Chronic labor shortages—faced by seasonal U.S. employers throughout the nation’s history—have been exacerbated by the post-pandemic evolution of the American workforce. As this need grows, so does the pressure on U.S. workers, whose employers’ workforce needs cannot be met with American workers alone. The H-2B program places requirements on employers to recruit U.S. workers, who are intentionally prioritized by the program and receive demonstrated, positive impacts from their seasonal colleagues. In fact, a 2020 Government Accountability Office report concluded that “counties with H-2B employers generally had lower unemployment rates and higher average weekly wages than counties that do not have any H-2B employers.” Issuing the extra discretionary H-2B visas in a timely manner will help alleviate these workforce shortages and, in doing so, will help create and sustain the jobs of American workers who rely on the H-2B workers to support their duties during their peak seasons. It is important to note that supplemental visas are set aside specifically for either returning workers or workers from Northern Central American (NCA) countries. Many returning workers are those who return to their qualified employer each year and are core members of their respective organizations, supplementing and supporting U.S. workers. NCA workers are carved out with a special tranche of visas to help foster regional stability in these impoverished nations. In addition, H-2B workers return to their home country at the end of the season and then use the legal process to return to the qualified U.S. employer for the next season. This exemption for NCA countries was initially introduced during President Trump’s first term, allowing many seasonal businesses to invest in these workers, even as they continue to work with the returning workers eligible under the parameters of the supplemental tranche of H-2B visas. An efficient analysis, issuance of a rule, and release of these visas allows the supplemental tranche of H-2B visas to meet the seasonal market demand during the market cycles when they are most needed. We thank you for your continued support—in recognizing the vital benefit to the economy of these seasonal, temporary work visas—and we are hopeful the maximum allowable FY26 supplemental visas will promptly be released pursuant to Congressional authority and in the same manner as in the three previous years. ###",1,2026-04-04T05:28:40Z,2026-04-04T05:30:10Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C17B7453-A649-4B09-A6CD-461908E82EA7,Thune: Back to Regular Order,2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, I’ve spoken a lot over the years about the need for a strong military. “I believe that keeping America at the cutting edge of military capabilities is one of the most important responsibilities we have in Congress. “And I often say that, if we don’t get national security right, the rest is conversation. “Mr. President, the need for a strong national defense has been put into stark relief over the last few years as the world has grown more dangerous – and as we’ve seen serious gaps in our own preparedness. “And after four years of underinvestment during the Biden administration, Republicans made it clear that we would work to put our military back on the right track by investing in modernization to ensure our military is ready for today’s threats – and tomorrow’s. “And we’ve followed through on that promise since taking office at the beginning of this year. “That began with a major investment in our military capabilities in the One Big Beautiful Bill. “We also prioritized passing the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act, which includes significant reforms to weapons-buying as well as more than 100 amendments adopted through regular order on the Senate floor. “And this week, we continue those efforts with the defense appropriations bill, which will provide the resources to continue our mission of rebuilding our military capabilities. “Mr. President, that starts with the men and women serving in uniform. “This bill funds a 3.8 percent pay raise for our troops, and it supports military members and their families with investments in housing, child care, and education for military families. “It also funds bonuses that will hopefully help to ensure that we can sustain the record-setting recruitment success we’ve had this year – a complete turnaround, I might add, from the recruitment challenges of the not-so-distant past. “Mr. President, the defense funding bill makes critical investments that will help ensure our service members have the military capabilities that they need to meet the challenges of the 21st century. “And that includes funding shipbuilding efforts and expanding our Air Force fleet. “Accelerating delivery of the Golden Dome for America. “And investing in munitions, drones, and emerging technologies. “I do want to emphasize though that while this bill – and the One Big Beautiful Bill – make important investments in rebuilding our military, this can’t be a one-time exercise. “These are the types of investments that we will need to sustain in the coming years if we want our enemies to think twice before attacking us. “Mr. President, I appreciate the work that our colleagues have done to produce a robust funding bill. “This bill reflects the priorities and input of a lot of senators, and it’s garnered significant bipartisan support – coming out of the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 26 to 3. “And, Mr. President, it’s not the only one. “The Appropriations Committee – under the leadership of Chair Collins – has advanced a number of bipartisan full-year funding bills. “We’ve already brought three of those bills to the floor under an open process. “We passed them in August – the earliest the Senate has passed appropriations bills since 2018. “And that package was signed into law last week. “That’s how, Mr. President, the appropriations process is supposed to work. “Unfortunately, that’s not how it was working the last few years under the Democrat majority. “So, when I became majority leader, I made it clear that I wanted to get back to regular order. “And, as I said, we were making progress on that this year. “That is, until Democrats needlessly chose to shut down the government. “Before the shutdown, we were getting ready to bring the defense funding bill to the floor. “We just needed a few more weeks under a continuing resolution so we could finish our work. “But Democrats took advantage of the situation for leverage, and they kept the government shut down – and appropriations work halted – for 43 days. “Mr. President, despite their recent actions, I know that a number of my Democrat colleagues do share Republicans’ interest in seeing regular order restored. “Well, now it’s time to act like it. “As I said before, during, and now after the shutdown, this is our chance for regular order. “We don’t have time to waste. “We’ve already wasted a lot of time on a completely avoidable government shutdown. “So, Mr. President, let’s get to work.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C25D1159-406D-4CED-85CF-6922E54A2578,"Thune: Regular Order Is the Path to a Stronger, Safer America",2025-11-19,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Although it was totally unnecessary, the shutdown is over. “And thankfully, after 43 days, we had enough Democrats who concluded that continuing to punish the American people wasn’t the right way to deal with the challenges that face our country. “And so we’re all very pleased that we are out of the shutdown. “And of course, the question now is, what comes next? “And I think, at least here in the Senate, we have a lot of things, as you know, we have to get done. “The defense authorization bill, which has passed the Senate, is now being conferenced with the House, and when that conference is complete, we want to get that across the floor of the Senate. “We have another nominations package we need to clear before the end of the year. “And of course, we want to get the appropriations process moving again. “It got slowed down during the shutdown, unfortunately, and as a consequence of that, we’ve got a lot of ground to make up. “But as you all know, we did pass the three appropriations bills … MilCon-VA, Ag, and Leg Branch. “So three of the 12 are now law, and those three we got across the floor of the Senate before August, which is the first time that’s happened since 2018. “So, as you all know, we are very committed to regular order on appropriations. “We think that’s the best way to fund the government – rather than having an omnibus bill written in the leader’s office or a year-long CR. “Going through a normal appropriations process where the committee marks up bills, has input from all the members on the committee, reports them to the floor, and there’s an open process, transparent process on the floor, we think is the best way to fund the government. “And so, the challenge now is to get the next package ready to go – starting, we’ve got the defense appropriations bill ready. “We tried to move to that during the shutdown, the Democrats blocked it, we want to get on that. “We’re also trying to clear four other appropriations bills to put together a minibus that we could act on here in the Senate, so we’re working through those holds. “But I would just urge everybody who is interested in actually having the government funded through the traditional appropriations process to try and work constructively to get these bills up on the floor. “To let us get on them and have an amendment process, and try and process them in a way that enables us to fund the government through the appropriations process – as opposed to, as I said, either a continuing resolution or an omnibus or something like that. “Those are not solutions that are good for the country, and they’re certainly not good for this institution or for the House of Representatives. “We want to do it the old-fashioned way. “So, that’s what we intend to be working on over the course of the next several weeks, and I’m hopeful we’ll have more progress to report.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=69AA1603-F36C-4271-80BD-5936F5E2C3BA,Thune: Americans Deserve Better Than Democrats’ Shutdown Dysfunction,2025-11-18,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, after 43 days, the longest government shutdown in history is over. “Shellshocked government employees are getting paid again. “The air travel situation is improving. “Nutrition programs are back on a secure footing. “But the damage remains. “How many of those government employees now getting paid again are staring at credit card debt taken on to cover necessities during the month and a half they worked without pay? “Their newly restored salaries don’t contain extra to cover the interest on that debt. “How many small businesses are struggling thanks to the hit that their business took during the shutdown? “How long is it going to take to catch up on the 43-day backlog in government services that the shutdown created? “The pain this shutdown caused was immense. “And all of it, Mr. President … all of it could have been so easily avoided. “Republicans offered Democrats a clean, nonpartisan funding extension. “We did not make a single demand. “We didn’t ask for a single partisan policy. “We didn’t add a single partisan policy rider. “We simply asked Democrats to extend current funding levels for a few weeks so that we could continue bipartisan work on appropriations. “Instead, Democrats chose to plunge the country into chaos because the far left of their party demanded a showdown with President Trump. “That’s right, Mr. President. “All of this pain? All of this profound financial stress? All of this economic damage? “It’s because the far left demanded a showdown with President Trump. “And Democrats fell in line. “Mr. President, it’s disturbing enough that the Democrat Party was willing to shut down the government for 43 days – by far the longest government shutdown in history. “But what is even more disturbing is the fact that a number of Democrats were prepared to let this shutdown continue even longer. “Even as lines stretched around the block at food banks and air travel grew ever more precarious, progressive Democrats pushed to embrace the shutdown … forever, as far as I can tell. “The senior senator from Vermont published an op-ed calling for a continued shutdown and continued opposition to President Trump – even though the president had exactly nothing to do with the clean funding extension that Republicans were proposing. “And the junior senator from Connecticut spent the last week of the shutdown advocating for continuing it and fretting that ending it would damage Democrats’ ‘brand.’ “That’s right. “Democrats’ brand. “Neither senator seemed to spend a minute seriously considering the incredible damage their shutdown was doing to hardworking Americans and to our country. “Indeed, as we know from their own words, a lot of Democrats saw the pain of working people as leverage for Democrats in this shutdown – a useful tool to be deployed to advance the Democrats’ political goals. “Mr. President, I am grateful that we finally got eight Democrats to join Republicans to reopen the government – and to spare the American people from further pain. “But the fact that a month and a half into this shutdown, 39 Democrats still voted to keep the government closed remains deeply disturbing. “Are Democrats going to continue hamstringing the necessary work of government at the behest of the far left? “Are their partisan politics going to continue to obstruct the government’s functioning? “We have a lot of work left to do – starting with the need to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year beyond January 30. “And there’s a lot more we could accomplish too – from improving our health care system to passing a farm bill. “But not if the vast majority of the Democrat Party continues to put partisan politics above the wellbeing of the American people. “I hope Democrats will be content with their record-breaking 43-day shutdown and will now be able to turn back to the business of the American people. “The American people deserve better than the past month and more … of Democrat-imposed misery.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-issues-statement-following-senates-passage-of-continuing-resolution-appropriations-package,"Rounds Issues Statement Following Senate’s Passage of Continuing Resolution, Appropriations Package",2025-11-11,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued a statement following the Senate’s passage of a continuing resolution (CR) combined with three of the Senate’s appropriations bills for FY2026: “After 41 long days in a government shutdown, the Senate finally passed a CR to reopen the government. This CR continues current levels of government funding until January 30, 2026 and includes three of our appropriations bills in a package known as a ‘minibus.’ It now heads to the House of Representatives for final passage before being signed into law by the President. “I’m pleased that the final deal to end the shutdown included three of our twelve regular order appropriations bills: Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA); Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Agriculture); and Legislative Branch. These bills have been conferenced with the House of Representatives and are ready to be signed into law as soon as they pass the House. These bipartisan, regular order appropriations bills represent exactly how the Senate should work. I’m particularly pleased to have secured $21.9 million in projects for South Dakota in these bills, $17.7 million of which is for construction to support the bed down of the B-21 at Ellsworth. We now have until January 30 to work through the remaining nine bills. Five of these have already been passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. “It’s now time to move forward and continue working on our regular order appropriations process, but we can’t ignore the devastating effect that six weeks of a government shutdown has had on our nation. This purely political shutdown was disastrous for the American people and should not have happened in the first place. Thousands of federal workers have gone without pay, millions of families have had the federal benefits they use to feed their children put at risk and our air travel system has been thrown into complete chaos. It’s my hope that these families who have suffered real damaging effects can move forward with their lives. We must work hard in the Senate to prevent a shutdown like this from happening again.” Rounds has served on the Senate Committee on Appropriations since January 2025. He serves on the Subcommittees for all three of the bills that passed the Senate on Monday night. Read a list of Rounds’ wins in the MilCon-VA and Agriculture appropriations bills below: MilCon-VA: Includes five of Rounds’ Congressionally Designated Spending (CDS) requests totaling $19.4 million: $4.8 million for planning and design for the Weapons Generation Facility Dormitory on Ellsworth Air Force Base (B-21 infrastructure). $3.5 million for planning and design of the Communications Center on Ellsworth Air Force Base (B-21 infrastructure). $4 million for (11) new munitions storage magazines on Ellsworth Air Force Base (supports Global Strike Command mission requirements and B-21 infrastructure). $5.4 million for (2) munitions storage magazines on Ellsworth Air Force Base (supports Global Strike Command mission requirements and B-21 infrastructure). $1.7 million for aircraft maintenance hangar on Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls. Fully funds South Dakota military projects at Ellsworth and in Watertown authorized by the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act: $63 million for B-21 ADD Flight Simulator 2 $71 million for B-21 Alert Facility $88 million for B-21 Environmental Protection Shelters 80 Row $75 million for B-21 South Environmental Protection Shelters 60 Row $81 million for B-21 West Alert Apron Environmental Protection Shelters $28 million for Watertown Army National Guard Vehicle Maintenance Shop Includes language from Rounds’ Honest Operations for National Cemetery Reporting (HONOR) Act to create a more transparent process for veterans’ burial ceremonies. Agriculture: Includes two of Rounds’ CDS requests totaling $2.5 million: $2 million for SDSU’s Cottonwood Field Station Renovation and Expansion. $500,000 for SDSU’s Transient Animal Research Support Facility. Includes language from Rounds’ Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act to add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States (CFIUS) for ag related cases and requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to refer potential purchases of ag land that could be a national security risk to CFIUS. Includes report language to address issues with Paraguayan beef imports. Includes language from Rounds’ Rural Housing Service Reform Act which provides USDA with the same authorities as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Multifamily Foreclosure Act of 1981. Supports efforts by USDA to prevent and control New World Screwworm infestations – including to construct a new facility in the US to provide the sterile insects necessary to prevent and control New World Screwworm. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=BCF3315E-5453-4D5E-9578-C04607A24D48,Thune: The Schumer Shutdown Is Almost Over,2025-11-10,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, I’m glad to be able to say that eight Democrats joined Republicans last night to take the first step to reopen the government. “And in the very near future we will be voting on a final package – a clean continuing resolution until January 30 and three bipartisan, full-year appropriations bills. “Those bills are military construction-VA, agriculture, and legislative branch appropriations – three of the 12 bills that Congress needs to pass on an annual basis. “And what that means, Mr. President, is that year-long funding for SNAP, for WIC, for veterans, for essential farm programs, and for a number of other critical priorities will be met. “Mr. President, I said that we will be voting on the final package in the very near future. “And I’m hoping that will be hours and not days. “We’re on the 41st day of this shutdown. “Nutrition benefits are in jeopardy. Air travel is an extremely precarious situation. Our staffs and many, many other government workers have been working for nearly six weeks without pay. “I could spend an hour talking about all the problems we’ve seen, which have snowballed the longer this shutdown has gone on. “But all of us, Democrat and Republican, who voted for last night’s bill are well aware of the facts. “And I am grateful that the end is in sight. “But I would encourage every member of this body, Democrat or Republican, pro-bill or anti-bill, not to stand in the way of our being able to deliver the coming relief quickly. “The American people have suffered for long enough. “Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out. “Let’s get it done, and get it over to the House, so that we can get this government open. “Mr. President, as I have emphasized since being elected majority leader last November, I remain deeply committed to advancing full-year appropriations bills through regular order. “And we’ve drafted this continuing resolution to extend to January 30 specifically to give us more time to get this bipartisan work done. “I look forward to taking up additional appropriations bills on the floor in the near future. “Mr. President, after 41 days, I’m grateful to be able to say that we are close to getting the government reopened. “And again, I ask all of my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle, of both parties – to make it possible for us to quickly pass this bill.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=896EEF33-E7AB-4303-8B21-EFBB2B271DCA,Thune: An End to the Schumer Shutdown Is Finally in Sight,2025-11-09,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, after 40 long days, I’m hopeful that we can finally bring this shutdown to an end. “I don’t need to go over all the reasons why it’s imperative that we get the government open as soon as possible. “From the truly precarious situation we are in with regard to air travel to the fact that our staffs have been working without pay for a full 40 days now, all of us, Republicans and Democrats, who support this bill know that the time to act is now. “And so in just a few minutes I will call up the vehicle for a clean continuing resolution packaged with three bipartisan, year-long appropriations bills: agriculture appropriations, military construction-VA appropriations, and legislative branch appropriations. “These bills will fund SNAP for the entire fiscal year. They will fund WIC for the entire fiscal year. And they will fund our veterans for the entire fiscal year. “After 40 days of uncertainty, I’m profoundly glad to be able to announce that nutrition programs, our veterans, and other critical priorities will have their full-year funding. “And my goal is to quickly move to other full-year appropriations bills. “As I’ve said many times, I firmly believe that the way to fund the government is by passing appropriations bills through regular order – a process that gives senators from both parties the fullest chance to make their voices heard. “Mr. President, I also want to mention health care – “There’s been a lot of talk over the last several weeks – on both sides of the aisle – about the health care crisis in this country. “And I’m thankful to be able to say that we have senators, both Democrat and Republican, who are eager to get to work to address that crisis in a bipartisan way. “These senators are not interested in political games – they’re interested in finding real ways to address health care costs for American families. “We also have a president who is willing to sit down and get to work on this issue. “And so I’m looking forward to seeing what solutions might be brought forward. “Regardless, as I have said for weeks to my Democrat friends, I will schedule a vote on their proposal, and I have committed to having that vote no later than the second week in December. “Mr. President, again, I am optimistic that after almost six weeks of this shutdown, we’ll finally be able to end it. “I will call up the bill in a matter of minutes. “And I look forward to passing the clean continuing resolution and appropriations bill package in the very near future.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B4755D48-0548-4E61-BF95-9FA3303A64B8,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 39,2025-11-08,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, yesterday we finally heard Democrats entertain the notion of reopening the government. “It only took them 38 days. “Why, in the days before, progressives were urging Democrats to prolong the shutdown in perpetuity. “One House Democrat said, and I quote, ‘There would be hell to pay if Senate Democrats don’t let events play out.’ “And so while I’m glad to see Democrats – after 38 days – back down from the maximalist and, frankly, insane position they’ve held since September, the Democrat leader’s proposal is a nonstarter for the Republican majority. “The Democrat leader wants [us] to believe that this is a ‘simple’ proposal. “That it is some sort of ‘compromise.’ “But it is not. “He’s talking about throwing tens of billions more taxpayer dollars at a program that even Democrats admit has failed to lower health care costs. “The American people are tired of Washington taking their hard-earned money and spending it on costly government programs that fail to follow through on their promises. “Of course, that’s what Democrats have been doing for years with Obamacare. “They passed Obamacare 15 years ago without a single Republican vote. “And in that time, Democrats’ signature health care law has failed to do what Democrats promised. “If you like your health insurance you can keep it. “Not true. “If you like your doctor you can keep him or her. “Not true. “Premium costs will go down. “Not true – and actually the opposite is true. “They keep going up. “Obamacare drove premium prices higher. “So in 2021, in Democrats’ American Rescue Plan Act – a bill best known for setting off a years-long inflation crisis – Democrats created these Biden bonuses, further papering over the higher premium costs under Obamacare with bigger taxpayer subsidies. “Again, they did that without a single Republican vote. “And then in another partisan bill in 2022, they extended the subsidies through the end of this year. “Democrats chose the expiration date. “They created this cliff. “And now they want to blame Republican for their mess. “Give me a break, Mr. President. “Republicans are not about to further burden taxpayers by blindly extending a flawed program. “The Democrats’ proposal is just more of the same, masking rising premiums and padding insurance companies’ profits with more taxpayer dollars. “The Democrat leader’s proposal is a nonstarter. “There’s still only one path out. “It’s a clean funding extension. “The House has already passed a clean funding extension. “The president supports one and would sign it into law immediately. “We’re only a handful of votes away from passing one right here in the Senate, Mr. President – a bill that has been sitting at the desk now for 38 days. “We reopen, and then we can start talking about addressing the health care mess that Democrats created. “Mr. President, I know that Democrats know this. “Just yesterday, the Democrat whip came to the floor to say something that I’ve been waiting for a Democrat to say for a long time. “He said that the first thing we need to do is reopen the government, then address the cost of health care and advance appropriations bills. “I’ve been saying that for about six weeks now. “And I think that’s exactly what we need to do. “Today. “So I hope the Democrat whip and others in his caucus will join the three Democrats who have been supporting a clean continuing resolution – the only bill that can actually end the shutdown. “Mr. President, I’m glad to see that after 38 days, Democrats are finally warming up to the idea that their shutdown can’t go on forever. “And I urge my colleagues to support a clean continuing resolution so we can start a real discussion to address their health care mess, get back to the regular appropriations process, and, above all, finally provide relief to the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=215C98B2-D5E7-4AA7-B8E0-FECDA6A7D58A,Thune Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox News,2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News. On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “The Democrats just have to take yes for an answer. We’ve given them everything, essentially, that they were asking for … Yesterday, at their Democratic caucus meeting in the Senate, [they] had a pep rally … they are celebrating this. It’s insane. “And what’s happening is the far left, which is the tail wagging the dog, is bullying the reasonable Democrats out of coming to the table. We have a proposal that they have been reviewing and looking at now for several days, mostly with things that they asked for, including a normal appropriations process: We open up the government, they get a vote on their Obamacare fix. “They want to sit down, meet with the president on a path forward, [and] he’s more than willing to do that. All those things are in play, but they can’t take yes for an answer, for fear. I mean, these people are scared spitless of their base, and that’s what’s happening. Yesterday was a bullying session. The far left in the Democrat caucus bullied the reasonable ones out of coming to the table and settling this. I’m still hoping that these people are going to come to the table, and we’ll find out soon enough.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “All [Democrats] have to do is take yes for an answer. We’ve offered them a solution. The president’s willing to meet with them. I’m willing to give them the vote. All the things that they said they wanted. … This is Trump Derangement Syndrome – nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. And these folks in their caucus right now, they don’t care what the issue is, if President Trump is involved with it, they just want to fight.” […] “President Trump is more than willing to weigh in and to talk to the Democrats about [the] path forward on how to fix the unaffordability and unsustainability problems of Obamacare, a problem the Democrats created. The president’s more than willing to help them fix that, but not while the government is being held hostage.” On the consequences of Democrats’ government shutdown: “All the president’s saying is … open up the government, then let’s sit down and talk on a path forward. That’s been offered up … I don’t know how you can be more reasonable … [Democrats] are being bullied by their leadership, by the far left in this country – and as a consequence of that, you’ve got troops, men and women in uniform are going without pay. You’ve got women and children who are going to be going without WIC and food stamps. You’ve got people who are working in airlines and airports, as you heard Secretary Duffy say earlier, and flight delays and everything that goes with that. “The pain is multiplying for the American people, and the Democrats yesterday at their caucus meeting … were celebrating it. It was a big pep rally, and I just don’t know how you defend that to the American people, who are the ones that are suffering.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3DDD1E44-7F67-48C2-809F-EE8382F7F894,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 38,2025-11-07,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, Mr. President, the junior senator from Connecticut certainly believes in saying the quiet part out loud. “This is what he said, and I quote: “‘I think there will be some pretty substantial damage done to a Democratic brand that has been rehabilitated, if on the heels of an election in which the people told us to keep fighting, we immediately stop fighting.’ “He said on a podcast yesterday. “He went on to say that, ‘The 2026 election is just 12 months away. And if we surrender without having gotten anything, and we cause a lot of folks in this country who had started to believe in the Democratic Party to retreat again, I worry that it will be hard to sort of get them back up off the mat in time for next fall’s election cycle.’ “Let me repeat that, Mr. President. “This is what he said: ‘I worry that it will be hard to sort of get them back up off the mat in time for next fall’s election cycle.’ “Let that sink in for a minute, Mr. President. “I don’t think it’s a secret to anybody that the Democrats shut down the government for political reasons. “There’s been plenty of news coverage of the incredible pressure that their far-left base has been exerting. “But in case anyone was still under the impression that Democrats were driving this shutdown toward its 40th day out of concern for the American people – well, the junior Democrat from Connecticut pretty handily dispelled that notion. “Again, this is what he said: ‘I worry that it will be hard to sort of get them back up off the mat in time for next fall’s election cycle.’ “And just in case anyone needed any additional testimony, Axios reported on Wednesday, and I quote, ‘A set of post-election talking points circulated among Democratic congressional offices warned: “Caving without concessions would sap Democrats’ momentum and undercut the party’s support from its base.” … “Democrats throwing [Republicans] a rope in exchange for nothing would be political self-sabotage,” it added.’ “‘Political self-sabotage,’ Mr. President. “Now, there are two very striking things about these quotes. “One, of course, is the focus not on the American people, but on how to ensure Democrats win the next election. “And two is the fact that progressive Democrats apparently want to keep this shutdown going forever. “We are on day 38 of Democrats’ shutdown – day 38. “Federal workers have gone more than a month, now, without pay. “They don’t know how they’re going to pay their mortgage or buy food thanks to Democrats. “A lot of them are supposed to get another paycheck today – instead, they’ll see a deposit of exactly zero dollars in their bank account. “And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. “Head Start preschools have closed. Veterans help programs have shuttered. Many Medicare recipients can’t get access to telehealth. National Guard troops aren’t training. SNAP benefits are in profound jeopardy. “There are people going hungry right now because Democrats refuse to agree to a clean, nonpartisan funding extension. “And, of course, then there’s air travel. “Because of staffing shortages caused by Democrats’ shutdown, the Department of Transportation had to issue a mandatory reduction in air travel beginning today. “Hundreds of thousands of people will be affected every day, to say nothing of disruptions to the movement of packages and goods. “But nothing seems to move Democrats. “Nothing. “Not hungry Americans. Not massive disruptions to our economy. “Nothing. “Mr. President, if I were a Democrat I would be embarrassed – I mean, flat-out embarrassed – to walk into this building every day. “To walk past the men and women of the Capitol Police, who are not getting paid thanks to Democrats. “To walk past junior staffers, many of whom are undoubtedly frantic by this point as they wonder how they’re going to pay their rent and continue to buy food. “How can Democrats look any of these people in the eyes? “Please don’t tell me they’re fighting for some greater good for the American people. “If Democrats can be said to be fighting for anyone at all besides themselves, they are fighting for a fraction of a fraction – for a tiny percentage of the small percentage of Americans who are on Obamacare. “The number of people they’re supposedly fighting for is dwarfed – and I say dwarfed, Mr. President – by the number of people whose lives and livelihoods they are damaging. “And as for the claim that Democrats got some kind of mandate from the American people on Tuesday to continue jeopardizing food stamps for 40 million Americans in need – give me a break. “Democrats performed well in three states where Democrats … often perform well. “Congratulations. “I really don’t think that means that the American people have all signed up to be democratic socialists. “And it sure as heck doesn’t provide a good reason for making 40 million Americans go hungry. “Mr. President, I would like to think that the junior senator from Connecticut doesn’t represent all Senate Democrats. “But if there are Senate Democrats out there who do still care about hardworking Americans and not just Democrats’ election prospects, the time to act is now. “Not when the far left decides this exercise can be over. “Not when federal workers are lining up at food banks for their Thanksgiving meal. “Now. “Today. “I hope – I hope, Mr. President, – there are at least five more Democrats out there with a backbone who will vote with us to reopen the government and end these weeks of misery for the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-scott-urge-federal-reserve-to-issue-final-rulemaking-on-basel-iii-endgame,"Rounds, Scott Urge Federal Reserve to Issue Final Rulemaking on Basel III Endgame",2025-11-06,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) today sent a letter to Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and Michelle Bowman, Vice Chair for Supervision, urging the Board to issue a final rule on Basel III Endgame. Joining Rounds and Scott on the letter are Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.). “In assessing the final rule, we urge the Board to view capital requirements holistically,” wrote the senators. “As part of this effort, the Board should endeavor to make sure that any proposal uses the baseline that existed before the post-pandemic capital ramp-up, not relative to today’s elevated capital levels.” “Since 2020, aggregate common equity tier 1 ratios for large U.S. banks have increased by more than 20 percent. This rise was driven in part by the growth in the Board’s balance sheet and the economy, not increased risk. Using current capital levels as the reference point would institutionalize excessive requirements, leading to higher costs and less access to capital for U.S. consumers and small businesses,” continued the senators. Read the full text of the letter HERE or below. +++ Dear Chairman Powell and Vice Chair Bowman: We write to express our support for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System’s (the Board’s) continued work to finalize a Basel III Endgame rulemaking that strengthens the resiliency of the U.S. financial system while preserving the efficiency and competitiveness of U.S. capital markets. We agree that a clear and durable final rule is in the public interest, and we appreciate the work that you are undertaking to ensure that is the case. As you work toward finalizing a reproposal, we want to highlight concerns from the original proposal, such as the structural overcapitalization of risks arising from the application of certain Basel Committee standards already accounted for, that the reproposal should address. In assessing the final rule, we urge the Board to view capital requirements holistically. As part of this effort, the Board should endeavor to make sure that any proposal uses the baseline that existed before the post-pandemic capital ramp-up, not relative to today’s elevated capital levels. Since 2020, aggregate common equity tier 1 ratios for large U.S. banks have increased by more than 20 percent. This rise was driven in part by the growth in the Board’s balance sheet and the economy, not increased risk. Using current capital levels as the reference point would institutionalize excessive requirements, leading to higher costs and less access to capital for U.S. consumers and small businesses. Additionally, as part of reviewing capital requirements holistically, the Board should avoid structural duplication in the reproposal. The originally proposed Basel III Endgame rule was impracticable and would have increased aggregate bank capital requirements by roughly 25 percent. The dual-stack construct, which under the proposal would have applied both Basel’s Expanded Risk-Based Approach and the legacy U.S. Standardized Approach while applying all buffer requirements to both, creates unnecessary redundancy. Because the Expanded Risk-Based Approach would almost always serve as the binding constraint, inflating risk-weighted assets (RWAs) and then layering the Stress Capital Buffer (SCB) on top would compound capital requirements well beyond what Basel intended. This inflation of RWAs would also magnify Global Systemically Important Bank (GSIB) surcharge calculations, further amplifying overall requirements. Likewise, we request that any reproposal avoid imposing redundant operational risk RWAs that would elevate aggregate capital requirements well above losses observed even in severe historical scenarios. U.S. banks hold capital for operational risk through the Board’s stress test and resulting SCB. Adding a separate standardized operational risk charge and then applying the SCB on top would result in overcapitalizing the same underlying loss exposure. Historical stress test data shows that operational risk losses are already capitalized in stress losses via the SCB. We also request the Board to reassess the punitive weighting of the p-factor within the securitization framework and instead keep it at or below the status quo of 0.5. The existing calibration, adopted in 2013, appropriately differentiates between on-balance-sheet lending and securitized exposures by making sure that banks hold additional capital to account for the structural features of securitizations. Doubling the p-factor to 1.0 would reduce risk sensitivity by treating the securitization of higher-quality assets as if they carried similar risk as less-stable pools. The change would increase funding costs for consumers and small businesses and constrain market liquidity. As the Board’s April 2025 Financial Stability Report observed, “the banking sector remained sound and resilient overall, and most banks continued to report capital levels well above regulatory requirements.” This assessment underscores that the existing framework already supports a resilient banking sector. A further across-the-board increase in capital through the p-factor or other duplicative mechanisms would not materially enhance stability but would impair credit intermediation. We support timely finalization of the Basel III Endgame rulemaking and urge the Board to address the areas identified above and modernize bank capital requirements to optimize access to capital, retirement savings and economic growth, while maintaining financial stability. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=410681F7-AD6D-49FC-80A0-89AD4EC00618,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 37,2025-11-06,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, we are 37 days into an entirely avoidable government shutdown. “And I say avoidable, Mr. President, because it was. “Democrats instigated this shutdown by rejecting a clean, nonpartisan funding resolution. “Republicans weren’t asking them to swallow a bunch of new conservative policies. “There isn’t a single partisan policy in the bill. “And yet Democrats couldn’t bring themselves to take yes for an answer. “Democrats, of course, have claimed their decision to shut down the government is about health care. “They want Republicans to bail out their Obamacare mess. “And as I’ve said probably a thousand times now, Mr. President, Republicans are one-hundred-percent willing to sit down and talk about the mess that Democrats have created. “We’re just not going to have that conversation while Democrats are holding the federal government hostage. “That was our position in September. “That was our position in October. “And, yes, it’s still our position in November. “We’re just waiting for Democrats to take yes for an answer. “Mr. President, I do know that Democrats have been under a lot of pressure from the far left. “The far left pushed them to shut down the government. “And the far left has pushed them to keep it shut down. “As one House Democrat told Axios yesterday, and I quote, ‘There would be hell to pay if Senate Democrats don’t let events play out.’ “‘There would be hell to pay if Senate Democrats don’t let events play out.’ “That quote, from a House Democrat just yesterday. “Well, Mr. President, what events need to play out? “What more needs to happen for the far left to be satisfied? “The pain this shutdown has caused is only getting worse. “Forty million Americans who rely on food assistance programs are now at risk of going hungry without a resolution to the shutdown. “I’m sure these Americans are doing everything in their power to feed their families, but they can’t do that forever. “Federal workers have now gone without pay for more than a month, including the people in this building. “Will the far left not be satisfied until federal workers and military families are getting their Thanksgiving dinner from a food bank? “Because that’s where we’re headed. “And then, Mr. President, there’s air travel. “Yesterday the transportation secretary announced that – as a matter of safety – the Department of Transportation is requiring a mandatory reduction in air traffic starting tomorrow because of shutdown staffing issues. “That means widespread flight cancellations. “Supply chain issues. “Hundreds of thousands of passengers dealing with disruptions to travel every day. “The impact this will have will be immense. “And all of it because Democrats cannot bring themselves to accept a clean, nonpartisan funding resolution – something that happened 13 times when they had the majority and President Biden was in the White House. “So, I ask the question again, Mr. President: What more do Democrats need? “They got their cheers at the left-wing No Kings rally. “They kept their base satisfied through the fall campaigns and Election Day. “And, as of Tuesday, they have the extremely dubious honor of instigating the longest and most severe government shutdown in history. “How much more do Americans have to endure before Democrats are satisfied? “Mr. President, the Democrat leader said … that every day gets better for Democrats. “The number-two Democrat in the House has said that the American people’s suffering takes a back seat to Democrats’ precious leverage. “And the senior senator from Vermont – a leading voice on the left – wrote an op-ed over the weekend calling for Democrats to keep the government shut down forever, as far as I can tell. “Mr. President, I hope that’s not where most Democrats are. “I hope at least a few Democrats can see that this can’t go on any longer. “People are suffering, and it’s getting worse every day. “A furloughed federal employee – a mother of five in Maryland – told the New York Times last week, and I quote, ‘I don’t know how to get the mortgage paid.’ “Federal workers are taking on second jobs to make ends meet. “Food banks across the country are overwhelmed. “And American families are looking to the holiday season with apprehension. “Mr. President, Democrats have a choice to make. “Are they going to continue to bow to pressure from voices on the far left telling them to keep up their opposition? “Or are they going to stop the American people’s suffering and end this shutdown? “I hope enough of them are willing to do the right thing. “And I hope they do it soon. “The American people can’t wait for events to play out.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=27A9A89A-AE80-4054-B55A-87060B6C1AE8,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 36,2025-11-05,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, can this be over now? “Have the American people suffered enough? “Or do Democrats need more? “Democrats have snarled air traffic. They’ve damaged small businesses. They’ve left federal workers in line at food banks. They’ve jeopardized food assistance – food assistance, Mr. President – for 40 million Americans. “Are they satisfied now? “Or does the far left want more? “Surely Democrats have hit enough milestones. “The election is over. “Democrats now have the extremely dubious honor of being responsible for the longest government shutdown in American history. “So, the question is, Mr. President: Can the American people get a break now? “Democrats should be embarrassed – embarrassed – that federal workers are lining up at food banks and missing bills and in danger of losing homes or cars because Democrats can’t summon enough members to support a clean, nonpartisan funding resolution. “That’s right, Mr. President. “A clean, nonpartisan funding bill, sitting right here at the Senate desk. “We’ve not asked Democrats to support a single new Republican policy. “We haven’t asked them to support a single partisan policy rider. “We simply asked them to extend current funding levels for a few weeks so that we could have time to do bipartisan work on appropriations bills. “But Democrats couldn’t take yes for an answer. “And on the subject of appropriations, Mr. President. “If any Democrats cherish the faintest hope of still funding the government through a full-year appropriations process – a process that they’ve … delayed for five weeks and counting – they should vote for the clean, nonpartisan CR today. “Mr. President, I realize that Democrats have been under a lot of pressure from their far-left base to keep the shutdown going. “And I assume that it was pressure from Democrats’ far-left base that saw the Democrat leader flip his position on shutdowns 180 degrees in the space of just six months. “And I realize that there are a number of Democrats in the Senate who are not just yielding to pressure from the far left, but are themselves members of the far left, and are happy to continue this shutdown forever if it means somehow sticking it – they think – to President Trump. “But I’m hoping there are still Democrats out there who can see beyond the political extremism of their leftist base. “And I hope there are some Democrats who can take an honest look at the widespread damage their shutdown is doing, and say ‘Enough is enough.’ “Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching. “Parents are starting to think about what they’re going to put under the tree. “Do Democrats still want federal employees lining up at food banks at Thanksgiving? “At Christmas? “And on the topic of the holidays, it’s an open question whether people will be able to spend it with their families this year if the shutdown continues. “Air traffic has been snarled for weeks as a result of Democrats’ shutdown, and things are getting worse. “The transportation secretary just announced yesterday that the government may be forced to close parts of our airspace if the shutdown continues into next week. “Close airspace, Mr. President. “Think about that. “And I could go on. “I could talk about the unions asking Democrats to end this shutdown and support a clean continuing resolution. “I could talk about the business organizations making the same request. “I could read the headlines about Head Start preschools closing and SNAP recipients who are worried about their benefits and National Guard units who aren’t training, and on and on – every single thing as a result of Democrats’ decision to shut down the government more than five weeks ago. “But surely, Mr. President, surely there are at least … some Democrat senators who can see this for themselves. “See this for themselves, and realize it is past time to end this, before the damage gets even worse. “Mr. President, it’s day 36 of Democrats’ shutdown. “Day 36. “How much longer are Democrats going to make the American people suffer?”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4091FB3C-62F6-494B-B932-3C83EA491575,Thune: Will Democrats Finally Take Yes for an Answer?,2025-11-04,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “We are now in the 35th day of the shutdown. “The longest shutdown on record and the most severe shutdown on record – something that was totally unnecessary in the first place, obviously. “But we’re hoping this will be the week when the Democrats come to their senses and decide to reopen the government. “Of course, if you look at why we are here in the first place, it’s hard to explain … I still don’t know exactly what it is they want. “We have accommodated a lot of their questions and concerns. “They want to have a discussion about health care, we offered that up a long time ago. “And, you know, clearly, we’ve talked, I’ve talked repeatedly about having a normal appropriations process where we put bills on the floor, open it up to the amendment process, and allow people to have their voices heard in how we fund the government the old-fashioned way. “But so I’m still at a loss as to what it is exactly they’re trying to get out of this. “The one thing I do know is, as the days roll by, the consequences and pain of this shutdown grow more severe for the American people, and especially if you are a government employee or the family of a government employee who’s no longer getting paid. “There are more and more stories of people out there who are trying to live paycheck to paycheck, and now you’ve got the food assistance going away, the SNAP program. “You have Head Start and young kids who need to be able to have access to education, that’s increasingly at risk. “You’ll see more and more, probably next week, with Veterans Day rolling around, Democrats out there posting nice videos and photos with veterans, which most of us probably should and will do – but the better thing they could do is actually support our veterans by opening up the government. “And allowing these regional offices to get … open again, and allow the GI Bill hotline to start functioning and operating again. “There are so many ways in which Americans are impacted by this, and certainly our veterans and our troops come to mind immediately. “So I’m hopeful, again, that this is the week in which the Democrats will conclude that this is not a good thing. “And while they may believe politically that it’s in their best interest – and obviously we’ve seen lots of statements that suggest that – it’s certainly not in the best interest of the American people. “The American people are those who are caught up in the political games being played here in the Senate by the Senate Democrats. “All it takes is five of them. “We have a bill sitting at the desk, which we’ve voted on repeatedly, that came over from the House of Representatives, meaning that as soon as the Senate passes it, it goes directly to the president. “He will sign it into law, the government will reopen, and all these adverse consequences that are being experienced by people across this country will go away. “That’s all it takes – five more Democrats, five Democrat senators with the courage to take on their political base and their leaders and to do what’s in the best interest the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9242221E-650C-4791-AD20-D67A657DB7C5,Thune on the Passing of Vice President Dick Cheney,2025-11-04,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, like many Americans, I was saddened to learn this morning of the death of former Vice President Dick Cheney. “Dick was a lifelong public servant who believed very deeply in our country, and brought his considerable knowledge and intelligence to its service. “As secretary of defense and later as vice president, he played a key role in shaping policy on many of the most consequential issues of his day. “He was also an avid outdoorsman and fly fisherman, who loved spending time in the mountains of his home state. “I enjoyed having him in South Dakota and showing off some of what our state has to offer. “Mr. President, my thoughts and prayers today are with his wife Lynne, with his two beloved daughters, and with his seven grandchildren.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=CECC17C5-3377-4E27-8985-C7A945774D88,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 35,2025-11-04,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, ‘Every day gets better for us.’ “Those were the words of the Democrat leader a week into this shutdown, reflecting on the supposed benefits – political benefits – for Senate Democrats. “Well, Mr. President, I guess it’s nice that every day is getting better for Senate Democrats. “Because it sure isn’t getting better for anyone else. “We’re in the sixth week of the Democrats’ shutdown, Mr. President. “That’s right, the sixth week. “And Democrats’ victims are everywhere. “Let’s just go through a few headlines. “These are some headlines from newspapers and news outlets around the country: “‘Some Head Start preschools shutter as government shutdown continues’ “‘Shutdown crushes small business owners as losses hit billions — industry leaders beg Congress for “clean CR”’ “‘“Everyone is worried”: Dallas SNAP recipients navigate uncertainty, dwindling funds’ – that’s the Democrats’ shutdown at work, Mr. President. “Here’s another headline: ‘After a month of the shutdown, workers face mounting bills, car repossessions’ “And the subhead to that article said this: ‘Finances are becoming dire for the more than 750,000 government workers who have been going without pay for a full month.’ “Here’s some more headlines, Mr. President: ‘Flight delays pile up as government shutdown enters second month’ “‘Worst weekend for air traffic controller staffing since start of shutdown’ “‘Flight delays could worsen as government shutdown drags on’ “‘Could worsen,’ Mr. President. “And we’re entering one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, with people making holiday plans with their families. “Mr. President, there are a lot more headlines where those came from. “People are suffering. “All because Democrats can’t bring themselves to accept a clean, nonpartisan funding bill. “Mr. President, the list of people begging Democrats to pass a clean government funding extension is long and it’s growing longer. “The Teamsters union. “The New York City Steamfitters union. “The American Federation of Government Employees. “Multiple airline pilot unions. “The National Air Traffic Controllers Association. “Business organizations, like the National Restaurant Association. “And Mr. President, I could go on. “All of these organizations are begging Democrats to take yes for an answer and support a clean, nonpartisan bill – the one sitting right there at the desk that is available to be picked up and passed today, sent to the president, signed into law, and the government opens. “But Democrats are recalcitrant. “Mr. President, for a party that claims to represent working people, it is striking to me how very little Democrats seem to care about working people during this shutdown. “The senior Democrat from Vermont published an op-ed this weekend in which he calls for this shutdown to keep going – forever, as far as I can tell. “Of course he attempts to claim that Democrats are doing this for working people. “To which I say, Mr. President, give me a break. “Democrats are injuring working people with their shutdown. “Maybe Democrats have no idea what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck, like so many Americans – including many government employees. “But let me just tell them, there are a whole lot of working people out there who can’t afford to miss a single paycheck – much less the multiple paychecks that they’ve now missed thanks to the Senate Democrats. “And beyond the people Democrats have directly deprived of paychecks, there are a lot of other people whose livelihood is being affected by this shutdown. “Like small business owners and employees whose income has declined because the federal workers who usually patronize their businesses are out of work. “There is really nothing Democrats can do to make that right. “But they can at least make sure that they don’t extend the pain that people are experiencing. “Later today, we’re going to vote once again on a clean, nonpartisan funding extension. “The one we’ve voted on [13] times already, the one sitting right at the desk, Mr. President, that would open up this government today and make sure that all of those Americans will get paid. “We need just five Democrats to join the three who are already voting with us, and we could end all this pain and reopen the government. “That’s all it takes, Mr. President. “Five Democrats. “Everybody knows who follows our government and this process that, in the Senate, it takes a supermajority – it takes 60 votes – to do virtually anything. “So we need help. We need help from some Democrats with a backbone who are courageous enough to take on their left-wing base and do the right thing for the American people. “And I do realize, Mr. President, that Democrats are facing tremendous pressure from the far-left wing of their party, which is apparently content to see working people suffer as long as Democrats make a good show of opposing President Trump. “But I hope – I hope – that there are at least those five Democrats out there who will look at the pain that people are experiencing, and will say enough is enough. “We’re in the sixth week, now, Mr. President, of this shutdown. “The sixth week. “And while every day may be getting better for Senate Democrats, thanks to Senate Democrats every day is getting worse for the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4624CFC1-0C1D-404E-A75F-8B8CD0688B1E,Thune Joins Guy Benson on Fox News Radio,2025-11-03,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to listen to the interview. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Guy Benson on Fox News Radio. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrats] are blaming Trump at the same time they’re taking credit, and almost in the same breath … Republicans want our troops paid. We want the men and women of the Border Patrol to get paid. We want TSA agents, every federal employee to get their paychecks. “And right now, the Democrats are the ones standing in the way of that, but they’re trying to shift the blame and have it both ways.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “I really hope … that this is the week that Democrats decide to end their shutdown, and they are owning it … I think people realize that [Democrats] have consistently now, 14 times … voted to block reopening the government. “I do think that the consequences are really starting to compound across the country. You’ve got now 40 million Americans whose food assistance is uncertain. You’ve got air travel delays that are skyrocketing. It’s having an economic impact on the country, and I think that only gets worse with each passing day. “We need five more Democrats to stand up and do the right thing and reopen the government, and we’ll see if this is the week.” On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “[Democrats are] trying to pull this thing off where they blame somebody else, and yet they get credit with their political base, and that’s what’s driving this. I mean, they’re so afraid – Schumer and their leaders are just absolutely running scared. “They are scared spitless of what their base will do to them if they vote to open up the government, which is why, in the end, I don’t think it’s going to be their leaders that do this. I think it’s going to be rank-and-file Democrats.” On preserving the legislative filibuster: “There just simply aren’t the votes to get rid of the Senate’s 60-vote threshold … It was an important tool for us when we were in the minority. You only have to look back to last year, we blocked a whole host of terrible Democrat policies because of the 60-vote threshold. And if you look at all the damage that Biden and Harris did to our country … I shudder to think how much worse it would have been without the legislative filibuster. “And here’s the thing: The Democrats, as you point out – although they’re hypocrites, because they would all vote to block it today, they would all vote when they have the majority in favor of it – but the truth is that if we were to do their dirty work for them, and that’s what essentially we’d be doing, then we would own all the crap they’re going to do if and when they get the chance to do it.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=71F8BA9E-89E4-4A44-95CA-6EA5C9ED035F,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 34,2025-11-03,2025,2025-11,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, it’s November. “November. “It’s been five weeks since Democrats shut down the government. “And once again, we start this week by asking: Is this the week that Democrats end their shutdown? “Mr. President, I’ve said it before, that there are no winners in a government shutdown. “There are no winners, but there are plenty of losers. “Chief among them is the American people. “As the senior Democrat from Virginia said just last year, and I quote, ‘Shutdowns aren’t victimless crimes.’ “And after five weeks, Mr. President, the victims of the Democrats’ shutdown are starting to pile up. “Military families have turned to food banks in significant numbers. “And they’re not the only ones. “Food banks in this area and around the country have seen an influx of federal workers who are missing paychecks due to the shutdown. “And things are set to get much worse, with SNAP running on limited emergency funds and its future uncertain. “Thanks to Democrats, millions more Americans – millions, Mr. President – are now at risk of going hungry. “And yet Democrats’ shutdown marches on. “And of course, letting Americans go hungry is just the beginning. “Thanks to Democrats, Head Start programs are beginning to close. “Housing assistance programs are at risk. “Seniors and people in rural areas can’t access telehealth services. “National Guard training is on hold. “Veterans programs are on pause. “I’m sorry to say I could go on. “Actually, I could go on for a while. “Shutdowns have consequences, and the pain is being felt around the country. “Mr. President, last week, it seemed that Democrats were beginning to acknowledge that their shutdown is having consequences. “We even heard Democrats express concern that Americans were suffering. “But when they were given the chance to end all of that suffering, the vast majority of Democrats in this body were perfectly willing to prolong the shutdown and the American people’s pain. “The vast majority of Democrats voted, once again, against a clean continuing resolution – the only bill on offer that could end all this suffering, literally, in a matter of hours. “It is the only bill in the Senate that would fix every single issue I just mentioned. “It would pay our troops. “Fund SNAP. “Head Start. “Veterans programs. “Pay our staffers. “Three Democrat senators already support that clean continuing resolution, Mr. President. “And the Democrat from Maine who supported the clean CR in the House said, and I quote, ‘There’s a lot of important work to be done in Congress, none of which will be any easier if Mainers are suffering the harms of a government shutdown.’ “The Teamsters Union and the American Federation of Government Employees – more traditionally allies of Democrats, to be frank – have called for Congress to spare the American people further pain and to pass the clean continuing resolution. “And they’re far from the only ones. “Mr. President, it should not be this hard for a handful of Democrats to support a clean bill that simply reopens the government. “It’s a very straightforward proposition. “It’s a 24-page bill, sitting right here at the Senate desk. “Not a single new Republican policy. “No partisan policy riders. “Nothing that Democrats haven’t supported before on numerous occasions. “It just reopens the government. “And it’s just five Democrat votes away from being sent to the president, who would sign it, literally, in a matter of hours. “This bill is also the quickest way to get to discussions about health care – that is, if Democrats are serious about solving the Obamacare problem and not just interested in using it as a political issue. “As I’ve said more times than I can count, Republicans are more than willing to have a health care discussion with Democrats. “In fact, had Democrats voted to reopen the government last week, President Trump would be meeting with them this week. “Unlike Democrats, who want to continue papering over the unaffordability of Obamacare forevermore, Republicans have ideas for actually lowering health care costs. “And lowering costs not just for Americans on Obamacare, but also for seniors, vulnerable Americans, and the majority of Americans who get their health care through their employers. “And so we’re ready and willing to have that discussion. “But first Democrats need to stop playing politics with people’s lives and reopen the government. “Mr. President, airline travel is snarled. Small businesses are suffering. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are working without pay. And now 40 million Americans in need are at risk of losing their food stamps. “So, the question, Mr. President, is: How long – how long – are Democrats going to continue this? “Another month? Two? Three? “How much suffering is enough for Democrats? “Mr. President, the bill’s sitting right there. “We voted on it [13] times already. “We’ll get that opportunity to vote on it a [14th] time tomorrow. “And for the sake of the American people, let’s hope that at least some Democrats can see their way to ending this, and ending it soon.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:52:45Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0C5466F8-C83C-4CBD-B7A2-09FC1CCEF2C5,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 30,2025-10-30,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, Democrats are grasping at straws these days. “The other day the Democrat leader came to the floor and tried to reboot the notion that the clean CR sitting before us here in the Senate is a partisan CR. “Yep. “Apparently a bill with no partisan add-ons, strictly a bill to fund the government, is a partisan bill. “Only in Democrat land, Mr. President. “The Democrat leader, of course, continues to try to push this ludicrous narrative that Republicans – or President Trump – shut down the government. “That’s right. “The party that demanded nothing – and put forward a clean, nonpartisan bill – is the party that shut down the government. “And the party that demanded $1.5 trillion to keep the government open until Friday, until Halloween? “That’s what their bill would do – $1.5 trillion in new spending to keep the federal government open until Friday. “I wonder if Democrats have seen some of the recent headlines like this one, and I quote: ‘Benefits cliff amps up pressure on Senate Democrats’ and ‘Largest federal workers union calls for an end to the shutdown, putting pressure on Democrats.’ “Putting pressure on Democrats, Mr. President. Not Republicans. “Why? “Because Republicans are ready to reopen the government today. “And we’re not demanding a single thing in exchange. “It’s the Democrats who are refusing. “In fact, the Democrats’ latest ploy is – get this – moral outrage that the president isn’t stepping in to save Democrats from the consequences of their actions. “That’s right. “Democrats are outraged – outraged – that they are coming face-to-face with the consequences of their decision to shut down the government. “And so they’re flailing around, blaming President Trump for not stepping in to somehow save the SNAP program from running out of money to pay benefits. “Yeah, that’s right, Mr. President. “The very same people who were content to let the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – more commonly known as WIC – run dry are now positioning themselves as crusaders for nutrition benefits. “President Trump did step in to save Democrats from themselves on WIC. “He somehow managed to find money to cover the program for the time being. “But there is a limit to what he can do. “That’s kind of the reason we like to, you know, have the government open. “But apparently Democrats are still not willing to contemplate allowing the government to function. “Because the SNAP bill that they tried to UC yesterday was not just a cynical political ploy to insulate themselves from the consequences of their own actions, it was also a disturbing signal that Democrats are ready to continue this shutdown – I guess forever. “Do Democrats have any – any – end date in sight? “Are there any consequences bad enough to get Democrats to reopen the government again? “Because things are getting pretty serious here, Mr. President. “This shutdown had consequences from day one. “But now, 30 days in, the consequences are really snowballing. “Here are some headlines, I think, that describe the situation. “‘Government shutdown could lead to $14B in lost GDP, CBO reports’ “‘Shutdown could close Head Start programs this week, jeopardizing child care’ “‘Shutdown crushes small business owners as losses hit billions — industry leaders beg Congress for “clean CR”’ “‘Ongoing government shutdown threatens holiday travel …’ “‘National Guard Training Grinds To Halt Amid Shutdown — With No Pay In Sight’ “‘US government shutdown: 60,000 aviation safety staff face financial strain as crisis deepens’ “‘Largest federal workers union calls for “clean” bill to end shutdown’ “Those, Mr. President, are just a sampling of the headlines out there, and they represent the consequences as the Democrats’ shutdown accelerates. “So when will Democrats put an end to this, Mr. President? “When the economy is in ruins? “When federal workers have lost their homes? “When housing assistance and small business loans and Head Start and National Guard training are distant memories? “I hope the pain of the American people is worth the plaudits the Democrats are getting from their liberal base. “Mr. President, I don’t know if listing out the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown moves any Democrats anymore, I really don’t. “In fact, more than one member of their party – way more than one member of their party – has described using the pain of the American people as ‘leverage.’ “I’ll give you an example of some of the things that they’ve been saying. “Starting with the Democrat leader: ‘Every day gets better for us.’ “The whip, the number two position among House Democrats, says ‘there will be families that are going to suffer … but it was one of the … few leverage times that we have.’ “The senator from New Mexico: paying our troops ‘gives the president more leverage.’ “That’s a really good reason not to pay the troops, right? “The senator from Arizona, asked about it, said, ‘Hey, I’d just go back and shut it down again.’ “The senator from Delaware: ‘Frankly, this is our only moment of leverage. And although a very … unpleasant tool to use.’ “Yeah, it’s unpleasant, alright, if you’re a worker who’s lost their job, that’s not getting paid. “And of course, the senator from Vermont: ‘you reopen the government, we lose our leverage.’ “It’s all about leverage. “That’s what they’re making it all about: leverage. “So the question is, When are the American people going to matter more than their leverage, Mr. President? “If there are any Democrats out there who can still see beyond the demands of their far-left base – if there are any Democrats who care about the damage that this shutdown is doing – then I have a bill right there at the desk: “A clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution to fund WIC, SNAP, troop pay, air traffic controller pay, farm programs, housing assistance, our national defense, and every single other government priority. “We just need five Democrats to show some courage and join the three Democrats who are already with us, and we can get this government open. “That’s all it takes, Mr. President. “Everybody knows that, in the Senate, it takes 60 votes to do anything. “Democrats come down here and consistently say, ‘Well, Republicans have control of the Senate, the House, the White House.’ “And the Republicans in the Senate, the House, and the White House are all agreed: Open up the government. “But you can’t do that in the Senate unless you have 60 votes – meaning we have to have a few Democrats. “We have a few already. “We need five Democrats with a backbone. “Five Democrats with the courage to take on that far-left base and say, ‘We care more about the lives of the American people than about gaining some political leverage.’ “Just takes five, Mr. President. “Enough is enough. “I urge my Democrat colleagues to agree to reopen the federal government – and to do it today.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=4EA93C0A-1B3F-4F4F-BCF5-ECD97C5F2AAD,Thune Joins Squawk Box on CNBC,2025-10-30,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin on CNBC’s Squawk Box. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “I’ve lived through several government shutdowns in my time here. Nobody wins. And if there’s anything about it, it’s just the stupidity of it. This is something we ought to be able to work out. It’s simply funding the government so that we can fund the rest of the government through the normal appropriations process.” On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “I think [Democrat] leadership is in a box. You’ve got the New York mayoral election coming up, you’ve got all these left-wing groups that are … clamoring for attention and to fight with Trump … I just think the Democrat leaders are scared and threatened by all this outside noise and afraid to open up the government. “So if this happens, I think it happens through the rank-and-file Democrats who come to the conclusion that this isn’t anybody’s best interest, and I think that’s going to happen, Becky … I’ve been through a few of these, and there isn’t anything instructive about it. Nobody wins … It needs to end, and the sooner, the better.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “If you take away a little bit of the … pain here, and a little bit of the pain here, but still, you’ve got … millions of federal employees who aren’t being paid, and many of whom are furloughed, but you have people who are working … I just think that you need to open it up. And the simplest way to do that is just to fund the entire government, not pick … winners and losers, or do these sort of one-off bills … “This government needs to be open on behalf of the American people … [I]t’s costing the economy … This is not a good thing for our country, and the longer it continues, the worse it’s going to get.” On President Trump’s trade agenda: “I’m obviously concerned about [China’s] role in the world and the things that they’re doing in other places, in Russia and Taiwan, etc. I do think, however, when it comes to the economy, that our economies are sort of inextricably linked together. We’re the two largest economies in the world. There’s a symbiotic relationship that exists there. “The good news … for a state like mine coming out of the announcement yesterday is that China is going to start buying soybeans again. [The] soybean market had been shut down. We had a big harvest this year. Nowhere to go with it. So … there’s an economic relationship that I think we need to continue. Obviously there’s going to be a give-and-take in relationships like this, but … I believe that the administration will do what’s in the best interest, not only of America’s economic security, but our national security as well.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=422F4129-9E7C-4D15-BA5D-2A617139ECBD,"Thune to Schumer’s Shutdown Senators: This Isn’t a Political Game, It’s People’s Livelihoods",2025-10-29,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, thank you. “Reserving the right to object. “Let me just point out, if I might, that we are 29 days into a Democrat shutdown. “And the senator from New Mexico is absolutely right; SNAP recipients shouldn’t go without food. “People should be getting paid in this country. “And we’ve tried to do that 13 times! “And you voted no 13 times! “This isn’t a political game. “These are real people’s lives that we’re talking about. “And you all just figured out – 29 days in – that, oh, there might be some consequences! “There are people running out of money. “Yeah, we’re 29 days in, and [the Trump administration has] done their best to make sure that a lot of these programs are funded. “But at some point the government runs out of money. “Thirteen times, people over here voted to fund SNAP. “Thirteen times they voted to fund WIC. […] “Finally realized this thing has consequences. “Well, you know what? “What Democrats are doing here, they’re making plans to keep the shutdown going, and they realize all of a sudden, 29 days in, that this is a real consequence, real-life pain for American families. “Something that results from their shutdown. “So, are they making plans to end the shutdown and reopen the government? “Nope. “They’re going to propose a bill to fund food stamps during their shutdown. “Mr. President, this request is a transparent admission that Democrats want to keep the shutdown – for what, another month? “Longer? “This bill is a cynical attempt to provide political cover for Democrats to allow them to carry on their government shutdown for the long term! “Now, I’ll point out: We did 13 short-term, clean CRs when they had the majority and President Biden was in the White House. “Thirteen. “They’ve now voted 13 times against a clean CR. […] “I have no idea where you’re coming from. “The Democrat leader said that President Trump could end this with a stroke of his pen – and he’s right! “We pass that bill, with a stroke of his pen, he’ll sign it into law, and the government opens up. “And SNAP beneficiaries, SNAP recipients, get food assistance. “But you know what else? “TSA workers get paid. “Air traffic controllers get paid. “Border Patrol agents get paid. “Troops get paid. “These people here get paid, who are working without pay. “You want to extend that and keep that going? “Give me a break. “So the people who aren’t going to get the benefit of what they’re trying to do today, Mr. President, are all the other programs that are affected. “Head Start. “Grants to law enforcement to fight fentanyl and hire more cops to protect communities. “Rural Development programs that are important in my state – senator from New Mexico’s state, I assume as well – that support housing, utilities, infrastructure projects in rural communities. “Small business loans. “Certain direct loan and emergency programs that farmers rely on. “National Guard training, critical to our nation’s military readiness. “Veterans transition assistance as they come out of service. “Veterans cemetery services. “Right now there are no headstones, memorial certificates, cemetery maintenance. “Programs that are at risk: Rental and housing assistance, delays in processing FHA-insured loans, delays in aircraft inspections and maintenance for air traffic control equipment. “People that are currently not getting paid: I mentioned some of them, but air traffic controllers; TSA officers; Capitol Police, the people who protect us in this building; NOAA employees, who are tracking hurricanes and other potential weather disruptions, disasters; food inspectors; other food and drug safety officials; mine safety inspectors. “People who don’t have pay certainty right now: troops, Coast Guard, ICE, Border Patrol, federal law enforcement, … federal wildland … firefighters. “Extenders that have lapsed: telehealth and at-home care, community health centers, teaching health centers, special diabetes programs, payments for ambulances, hospital-at-home services. “Other lapsed authorizations: CISA, to prevent against cyber attacks; National Flood Insurance Program to prevent … closure … on homes in flood zones. “That’s what you’re leaving on the table. “The bill at the desk takes care of all of it – funds SNAP, funds WIC, and yes, with the stroke of the president’s pen, he can sign it into law and everybody starts getting paid again. “This has got to stop – hostage-taking, now you want some political cover. “How long is this going to go on? “How much longer do you want to see it go on, just out of curiosity? “So you think this buys some time. “You want the shutdown to go on for another month, or? “And then we’re going to have another people come down here and, ‘Well, let’s carve this out, or carve this out.’ “Why don’t we just open the government? “I’ve never seen anything like this. “I’ve been here a good amount of time. “I’ve seen continuing resolutions and appropriations problems and funding fights and government shutdowns. “I’ve been through a few. “I’ve never seen anything like this. “This just isn’t done. “You want to have a discussion about health care? “Absolutely. Let’s do it. “Open the government, let’s do it. “The president will sit down with Democrats next week if you want to talk about health care. “That’s not what this is about. “So Mr. President, we’re not going to pick winners and losers. “It’s time to fund everybody who’s experiencing the pain from this shutdown. “The Democrats really want to fund SNAP and WIC? “I have a bill for them sitting right there at the desk – clean, nonpartisan CR to fund SNAP, WIC, and the entire government, and all the many programs and people that the Democrats’ SNAP bill completely ignores. “Mr. President, Democrats have spent a month – a month, now – playing with people’s livelihoods because the far-left wing of their party won’t let them accept a clean, nonpartisan CR. “If they want to prevent damage from their shutdown, they can end the shutdown. “The bill is right here at the desk. “So Mr. President, I ask that the senator from New Mexico modify his request so that the Senate can proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar number 168, H.R. 5371, that the bill be considered read a third time and passed, and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=ECCFC609-ABF6-4AC3-9521-6F9803F587A6,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 29,2025-10-29,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, we’re now in day 29 of the Democrat government shutdown. “And I say that because it is a Democrat shutdown. “Now, the Democrats are out there publicly saying, ‘Well, this is the Republicans who are responsible for shutting down the government,’ notwithstanding the fact that the House of Representatives has passed a bill, sitting right here, that with five more Democrats, we could pick up and pass, put on the president’s desk, he would sign it into law, and the government would reopen. “Those are the simple facts. “Those are indisputable facts. “Now, what it suggests to me, however, when they say that it’s the Republicans’ fault, or you know, somehow the Republicans are responsible for shutting the government down, it really defies facts. “It defies history. “It defies reality. “Because, as everybody who’s been around here knows, we have now voted 13 times – 13 times on that bill sitting at the desk that would open up the government, put everybody back to work, and all the pain that is being caused [for] the American people would go away. “Thirteen times, we’ve had that vote. “Now, interestingly enough, that matches the number of times the Democrats passed a clean CR when they had the majority. “The last four years under President Biden, 13 different occasions – 13 different occasions – they voted for a clean continuing resolution to fund the government. “And at the time, they talked about how terrible it is that, you know, the government should be taken hostage when you have a dispute over other issues. “You have tons of statements. “I mean, I could spend all day just repeating the statements that Democrats made over and over and over again about the importance of funding the government and not taking it hostage to discuss other issues. “The record is replete with statements like that coming out of the Democrats. “So, 13 times they have voted against funding the government right here. “Thirteen times while they were in the majority, they voted for a clean continuing resolution. “Now explain that logic to the American people, who are the ones that are experiencing the pain and the consequence of their shutdown. “I think the American people understand what’s going on here. “We consistently see that, and so much so that you even have the organizations, the unions around the country, have come out now. “You’ve got the American Federation of Government Employees, you’ve got the Teamsters, you’ve got at least part of the air traffic controllers union – all have endorsed a clean funding resolution. “That, to me, suggests that the American people, it is resonating with them about who’s responsible for this government shutdown. “But don’t take my word for who it is. “Take the Democrats’ own words. “If you look at what’s been said by some of the Democrat leadership here, just in the last few days since the government actually shut down. “That, of course, is the Democrat leader, Senator Schumer, who said ‘every day gets better for us,’ commenting about the government shutdown. “And my simple observation is: better for who? “For you, because you think you’re winning politically? “What about the air traffic controllers? “What about the TSA agents? “What about the American troops? “What about our Border Patrol agents? “What about the people who work in this building? “What about the 40 million Americans that are going to not get SNAP benefits starting on Saturday if the government doesn’t open up? “But every day gets better, according to Senator Schumer. “Then, of course, this last week, there was the House Democrat whip, who said, ‘Of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. … But it is one of the few leverage times we have.’ “‘Of course there are families that are going to suffer.’ “Yeah, true, but doesn’t matter, because we’ve got leverage! “Then, of course, we have a third one here, one of our colleagues here in the Senate, the senator from Delaware, who said this in an interview, ‘Frankly, this is our only moment of leverage. And although a very unpleasant tool to use…’ “Yeah, yeah, it’s unpleasant. “It’s unpleasant, unless you’re a Democrat who thinks that this gives you a moment of leverage. “So lest there be any question about who is responsible for shutting the government down – make no mistake about it, these guys are the ones who are out there bragging about it ‘getting better for us every single day.’ Or, ‘we have more leverage now.’ “Mr. President, this has gone on long enough. “We’ve made it abundantly clear that this is not about what the Democrats say it’s about. “It’s about the president in the White House. “This is TDS. “This is Trump Derangement Syndrome on steroids, and they are asking the American people to pay the price for that. “Thirteen times when Biden was president, they had no issues with funding the federal government with a clean CR. “Now we bring a clean, nonpartisan CR, no partisan riders, no policies, Republican policies attached, just funds the government. “Comes over from the House a month ago now, we put it here, just asking a handful of Democrats to join us. “Because, as we know, it takes 60 in the Senate, and I think most people understand that. “I mean, they’re trying to ignore the fact now, that ‘the Republicans have control of Washington. They have the House, the Senate, and the White House.’ “Anybody who follows this knows that in the United States Senate, the rules, the procedures in the Senate by which we operate and are governed, require a 60-vote threshold. “So it takes more than 51 – meaning, since we have 53 Republicans, it’s going to take a handful of Democrats. “Well, we’ve been able to generate 55 votes consistently now, 13 different times, for funding the government, opening up the government, but we need five more. “So the question is: Are there five people over there with a backbone, five courageous Democrats, five Democrats who don’t buy this? “Who don’t believe that they ought to be using the American people as leverage – as leverage – to try and win a political battle? “Are there five Democrats over there who believe that we ought to do what’s in the best interest of the American people? “The best interests of the air traffic controllers and the TSA agents? “And the men and women in uniform? “And the SNAP recipients that, starting on Saturday, are going to go without food assistance? “This is not a game. “You’re playing with real people’s lives. “Now, in the Washington world, in the political world, they may think that they are winning this debate because it gives them leverage. “But in the real world, where real people live, people are hurting. “People here aren’t getting paid. “Federal workers aren’t getting paid, as of Friday, last paycheck. “Air traffic controllers, paychecks started going away yesterday. “So, I’m still hopeful. “I remain hopeful that there are enough sane Democrats who are not so afflicted with Trump Derangement Syndrome – because that is what this is about, fundamentally. “Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. “This is about Trump Derangement Syndrome. “And … it has broken out over here in a way unlike anything I’ve seen in my time here. “Disagree with the president, that’s fine. “Come down here, make statements, cast votes. “Don’t take the American people hostage and make them pay the price, because you think that ‘every day this is getting better for us.’ “Mr. President, the Democrat leader was on the floor yesterday morning, claiming that, once again, Republicans don’t want to talk about fixing health care. “And let me just say, Mr. President – for the 1,282nd time – that Republicans are more than happy to have a discussion about health care. “We should have a discussion about health care. “Because Democrats’ signature health care law has done exactly nothing to address the problem of rising health care costs. “We were promised, of course, that it would. “We were, in fact, promised that Democrats’ signature law would fix our entire health care system. “This is a quote: ‘[A]n historic bill that will finally reform our broken health care system and help millions of our families and small businesses get the coverage they need at a price they can afford.’ “That, from the senior Democrat senator from Washington speaking of Obamacare back in 2009. “Or, to quote President Obama himself, ‘This law will cut costs and make coverage more affordable for families and small businesses.’ “‘… cut costs and make coverage more affordable for families and small businesses.’ “Except, of course, it didn’t. “And what has been very striking about the last few weeks is that Democrats are at least now admitting that. “Oh yeah, they’re not saying it straight out. “But every time they talk about Americans facing a health care crisis, they are admitting that their signature health care law failed. “That it did not address the problem of high health care costs. “That it did not make health care more affordable for hardworking Americans. “Now, Mr. President, I could go down the list of Obamacare’s broken promises. “If you like your health insurance you can keep it. “Not true. “If you like your doctor you can keep him or her. “Not true. “Premium costs will go down. “Not true – exactly the opposite. “You look at, since 2013 to today, what premium costs have done on the individual marketplace on the exchanges, it is a line like this. “Suffice it to say – as Democrats are now implicitly admitting – that Obamacare massively failed in its aims. “Democrats, of course, now want to put a band-aid on a gaping wound by extending the Biden COVID bonuses. “But, of course, extending those credits will do nothing to fix the underlying problem – which is that health care costs will continue to spiral under Obamacare. “Throwing $350 billion in taxpayer dollars at the problem in the form of enhanced tax credits will do nothing to stop Obamacare premiums from going up by double digits – because that is what they have been doing. “And it will do nothing to improve health care for the majority of Americans who are not on Obamacare health plans – like our seniors, our most vulnerable citizens, and those who get their coverage through their employer. “Mr. President, while Democrats are, shall we say, shaky on the facts when it comes to their dramatic health care speeches – while Obamacare premiums are increasing, the median plan premium is not in fact going to double next year – it is absolutely true that Democrats have created real health care problems. “And as I’ve said more times than I can count, Republicans are ready and willing to have a discussion about those problems, and about how we lower costs for hardworking Americans. “We are, in fact, eager to have that discussion. “The president is willing to have Democrats over to discuss it next week – if they vote to reopen the government. “Because in the words of the Democrat leader back in 2013, we are not going to negotiate with a gun to our heads. “That’s what he said. “This is a serious matter. “And I know Democrats think you can solve any problem simply by throwing billions of taxpayer dollars at it – the record’s pretty clear on that. “But you can’t. “Genuine remedies for the problem of soaring health care costs are not going to be arrived at with a brief late-night session behind closed doors in the Democrat leader’s office. “We need extended, serious bipartisan work – with input from all senators. “And we need Democrats to reopen the government so that work can start. “Republicans are brimming over with health care ideas – from cost-sharing reductions to actually lower health plan costs, to association health plans, to ways to stop Obamacare’s spiral of enriching insurers at the expense of everyday Americans. “In fact, we already took steps to make health care more affordable and accessible when we passed the One Big Beautiful Bill this summer, which expanded health savings accounts and telehealth for Americans – to say nothing of investing heavily in rural health care and ensuring that our health care entitlement programs are focused on those most in need. “So, I say, we are looking forward to having a real discussion with Democrats. “But to quote another Democrat senator – the junior Democrat from Connecticut – ‘There is a time and a place to debate health care, just like there is a time and place to debate energy policy and immigration and education – but not when the funding of the federal government, and all the lives that are impacted by it, hang in the balance.’ “Mr. President, there are a lot of Americans suffering right now because of Democrats’ month-long shutdown. “And the suffering increases every day. “It’s time – it’s past time – for Democrats to reopen the government. “And once they do, Republicans look forward to having some serious discussions about how to address rising health care costs and the failures of the Democrats’ signature health care law. “Mr. President, before I close I’d like to mention a bill that Democrats are reportedly going to attempt to move by unanimous consent today. “And I would just say that, after a month of steadily increasing pain thanks to the Democrats’ shutdown, Democrats have apparently woken up to the fact that in three days – in three days – they’re going to be responsible for SNAP recipients starting to go without food stamps. “So what are Democrats doing? “Are they making plans to end their shutdown and reopen the government? “Nope. “They are going to propose a bill to fund food stamps during their shutdown. “That’s right. “Democrats don’t want the bad press of hungry Americans. “But they’re also apparently unwilling to even contemplate ending their month-long shutdown. “So they’re trying to insulate themselves with this bill. “Mr. President, do you know what’s not in this bill? “Paychecks for our troops. “Paychecks for law enforcement officers and federal firefighters. “Paychecks for air traffic controllers. “Paychecks for other government workers. “Funding for rental and housing assistance. “Funding for small business loan programs. “Funding for farm loan programs. “Funding for tribal programs. “Funding for Head Start. “Funding for rural development programs. “Funding for National Guard training. “Funding for telehealth services. “Shall I go on? “Because I’m happy to. “Every one of those programs I’ve mentioned has either run out of money, is running out of money, or is otherwise in jeopardy because of the Democrats’ government shutdown. “And the Democrats’ bill would do nothing to support even one of those programs. “Thanks to Democrats, federal workers are lining up at food banks. “And Democrats’ bill is certainly not going to help them as they struggle to pay the rent. Or the electric bill. Or make their car payment. “Mr. President, enough is enough. “This bill is a cynical attempt to provide political cover for Democrats to allow them to carry on their government shutdown even longer. “And we’re not going to let them pick winners and losers. “It’s time to fund everybody. “And the bill sitting right there at the desk does that. “We just need five brave Democrats. “If Democrats really want to fund SNAP and WIC, we have a bill for them. “A clean, nonpartisan CR to fund SNAP, WIC, and the entire federal government. “Or we could pass the agriculture appropriations bill that Democrats have been resisting behind closed doors. “That would fund SNAP, WIC, and our farm and conservation programs. “Not to mention ensuring salaries for the people who inspect our food and support our farmers. “I’m happy to bring that up right now. “Mr. President, Democrats have spent a month – a month, now – playing with people’s livelihoods because the far-left wing of their party won’t let them accept a clean, nonpartisan CR. “Enough is enough. “We’re not giving Democrats political cover. “If they want to prevent damage from their shutdown, then they can end their shutdown. “The bill is right there at the desk. “And I will call a vote the minute Democrats tell me they have enough votes to fund the government. “The ball’s really in their court, Mr. President. “Is this what you want the American people to think? “That you’re willing to give them enormous amounts of pain and adverse consequence so that you can gain leverage – political leverage? “It’s time to end it, Mr. President.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5A48E0A3-4DF9-4B11-911C-F00C4BFD0475,Thune: Democrats Admit They’re Allowing Families to Suffer for Political Leverage,2025-10-28,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Good afternoon, everyone. “It’s not very often that I get a chance to say this, but I agree with the AFGE – American Federation of Government Employees, largest government employees union – who said earlier this week that the Democrats need to reopen the government and start getting federal employees paid again. “And on that point, they are absolutely right. “This is going to get worse as the week goes on, as time goes on. “You’ve already seen the impacts. “Federal workers missed their first paycheck last Friday. “ATC employees are going to miss their paycheck today. “If by the end of the week this isn’t over, there’re going to be 40 million Americans who are not going to have food assistance. “And you add on top of that Head Start and telehealth, there are people who are getting their medical appointments canceled because of the shutdown. “And it just, it needs to end. It just needs to end. “And we have made it abundantly clear – every elected official here has made it abundantly clear that we are more than happy to sit down with the Democrats and talk about other issues, whether it’s the unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare, we’re happy to have that conversation, but we can’t do it with, as Chuck Schumer has said in the past, a gun to our heads. “That’s just, it’s just that simple. “So they’re going to have several opportunities, again, to vote to reopen the government. “And I sincerely hope, in the best interest of every American who is impacted by this shutdown, and particularly those who are going to be really adversely impacted come this weekend, that enough Democrats will come to their senses and deliver the five votes that are necessary to get this bill on the president’s desk. “I’ll remind everybody, everybody knows it: This bill passed the House a month ago. “It is sitting at the desk in the Senate. “We can pick it up today, pass it, put it on the president’s desk, it will be signed into law, the government reopens today. “That’s all it takes. And that’s really what this is all about. “They’re trying to make it about other issues, and like I said, we’re perfectly happy to have that conversation. “I spoke with the president last night. “He’s happy to sit down with the Democrats next week to talk about Obamacare, but you can’t do that when the government is shut down. “That would be subject, again, to them voting to reopen the government. “So let’s hope that this week is the week in which enough sane Democrats come to the conclusion that it’s not in their interest, and certainly not in the interest of the American people, to keep the government shut down.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=7A505692-19E4-4883-8A32-1D0E08153535,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 28,2025-10-28,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, this is a quote: ‘The path forward for Congress is clear: Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.’ “Mr. President, that is from the president of the American Federation of Government Employees – a labor union, I would add, most often aligned with Democrats. “But this is what AFGE’s president says, and I quote, ‘It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today.’ “Mr. President, I couldn’t have said it better myself. “And actually, I’ve been saying that for about a month now. “But far-left activists wanted a showdown with President Trump. “And so Democrats shut down the government and have forced hardworking Americans to live in uncertainty for four weeks – four weeks and counting. “And even as nutrition programs are running out of money and federal workers are lining up at food banks, Democrats continue to reject every opportunity to end the shutdown or mitigate its pain. “They’ve now blocked a clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution 12 times. “Twelve times, Mr. President. “A clean resolution, sitting right there, to open up the government. “Get everybody paid. “Get federal employees back to work. “That thing sitting at the desk that funds the government doesn’t have a single new Republican policy in it. “It doesn’t have a single partisan policy rider. “It simply extends current government funding. “But Democrats have said no to that, now, 12 times. “We offered them a chance to continue the bipartisan appropriations process starting with the defense appropriations bill – a bill that passed out of the committee by a big bipartisan vote of 26-3. “But Democrats said no to that, too – they didn’t want to lose leverage in the shutdown. “Then, last week, we offered up a bill to pay any federal employee who is working during the shutdown – including everybody here. “And, once again, Democrats said no. “Mr. President, I don’t know what Democrats are holding out for. “Do Democrats think that we’re suddenly going to vote for their partisan CR – which, by the way, would spend an additional $1.5 trillion to keep the government open until the end of this week? “That’s their alternative. “$1.5 trillion to keep the government open until Friday – that’s their alternative. “It wouldn’t pass here, it can’t pass in the House, and it wouldn’t be signed into law by the president. “Our bill, on the other hand, as I said, has passed the House a month ago, has been sitting here for an entire month, and would be signed by the president immediately, to reopen the government. “I have to say, Mr. President, this wasn’t my plan for the month of October. “A government shutdown may have been what Democrats had in mind – to show the far left that they’re fighting President Trump and to get some cheers at the No Kings rally. “But that wasn’t my plan. “My plan was to get the government funded with as little drama as possible. “That’s why Republicans put forward a clean continuing resolution – no partisan policies, nothing new. “Who could possibly have a problem with that? “It would give us more time to continue progress on full-year appropriations bills – the way we’re supposed to fund the government. “I realize that would be out of the ordinary given the past few years under the Democrat majority and Leader Schumer. “But I was clear from the day I took office that I wanted to do things differently around here. “My goal was to have an open process conducted through regular order – something that I think is in the best interest of this institution and of all senators, both sides of the aisle. “And I know I was not alone in wanting an open process. “And until Democrats derailed everything, we had actually made a lot of progress on restoring regular order this year. “We passed three bipartisan appropriations bills before the August recess – the first time the Senate had done that since 2018. “Now we’re trying to go to conference on those three bills to reach a final agreement with the House. “And the Democrats are blocking that. “That includes the agriculture bill that funds farm programs and nutrition assistance. “The military construction and VA bill that funds programs that veterans rely on. “As I said, we tried to bring up the defense appropriations bill this month – in hopes that if Democrats wouldn’t agree to fund the entire government, we could at least make some progress on this critical aspect of it. “And I told my Democrat colleagues that if we got on that bill, we would work to add other bipartisan bills. “The same way we did it just a few months ago. “But, once again, Democrats said no. “No to funding programs that they claim they support. “No to an open process. “No to bipartisanship. “Mr. President, time and again, we’ve heard the Democrat leader lecture about bipartisanship. “So why is his caucus blocking progress on bipartisan appropriations bills? “Why are Democrats blocking bills that they helped write? “In the Appropriations Committee, where these bills are passing with overwhelming bipartisan margins – as I said, 26-3. “Why are they upending a bipartisan process that benefits all senators, on both sides of the aisle? “The senior senator from Hawaii said recently, and I quote, ‘We still have hope for the appropriations process. There’s a bipartisan desire to get something done and avoid a full-year [CR].’ “Well, all I can say in response is that if Democrats still have hope for the appropriations process, they need to start acting like it. “We’re running out of time. “And every day Democrats say no to reopening the government is another day lost. “Mr. President, we’ve given Democrats a lot of opportunities to work in the best interest of the American people. “But Democrats seem more interested in getting the upper hand in their partisan games. “The number-two Democrat in the House said last week, and I quote, ‘I mean, shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer. … But it is one of the few leverage times we have.’ “‘Of course there will be families that are going to suffer. … But it is one of the few leverage times we have.’ “That, from the second-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives. “I think it describes where we’re at, Mr. President. “Sure, people are suffering, but Democrats need their leverage. “Are they serious? “Mr. President, I end as I began, quoting the president of a major labor union and a Democrat ally: “This is the quote: ‘The path forward for Congress is clear: Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.’”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A77C5139-3CDF-4834-9AD2-EC9A567B82F8,Thune Joins Martha MacCallum on Fox News,2025-10-28,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Martha MacCallum on Fox News. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “I talked to [President Trump] last night, and he’s willing to sit down next week with the Democrats in his office to talk about a path forward on dealing with the unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare, but not while they hold the government hostage. So, they vote to open up the government, the president sits down with them … “What more do they want? That seems to me to be giving [Democrats] exactly what they’re asking for … a chance to negotiate on these things.” […] “[Democrats are] looking at this like it’s some sort of political game … where there are winners and losers of the political game … [Republicans] look at this as real impacts on real families and people in the country.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “[M]y staff isn’t getting paid, nor is anybody here who works in the Capitol, and I sent a letter to Disbursing, I’m not getting paid either, Martha, just to set the record straight … “On Friday, federal employees missed a check. Monday, yesterday, you had air traffic controllers missing their check. You’ve got these SNAP recipients out there, the 40 million or so families that are going to be impacted by this by the weekend. “This is just insanity, and the Democrats have got to come to their senses and realize that, while they may view this as leverage … look at a ledger of who’s winning [and] who’s losing in the political world, this is the real world we’re talking about here. And in the real world, people are hurting, and … this is going to be a painful, painful time … “It can be simply remedied today, getting five courageous Democrats with a backbone to join us and vote in the Senate today to open up the government, and the president would sign that bill into law.” On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “[Democrats] are afraid of their far-left base, the people who marched here during the No Kings rally – groups like MoveOn.org and Indivisible, who are calling the shots, they are the tail wagging the dog. “The Democrat leadership is petrified of these groups, and so they are not moving at all right now. But we have made it very clear that we, the speaker and I and others, are willing to have discussions about health care and other issues, as is the president of the United States. Open up the government and we can have that conversation.”",1,2026-04-07T15:46:19Z,2026-04-07T20:18:37Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=FE579045-846C-4D3D-93A4-55CF2FDB5CF4,Thune Joins Sean Hannity on Fox News,2025-10-28,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Sean Hannity on Fox News. On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “This is a big political game [to the Democrats]. This is to make a bunch of people on their far left – the people who were probably at the rally last weekend for Mamdani in New York – that’s the kind of constituency that the Democrats are appealing to right now.” […] “At some point, Schumer is probably going to have to do what Jeffries did over the weekend, and that is endorse Mamdani … [The far-left base is] now defining what the Democrat Party is about. This is a party without an identity … they’re floundering around, flailing around, keeping the government shut down so they can demand all these extraneous policies … “I think New York is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to where the Democrats are headed. And that’s the reason I think most Americans are going to say: enough of that; I don’t need that; I don’t need a socialist, left-wing ideology … running … New York, but also infecting … the Democrat Party all across the country.” On the consequences of Democrats’ government shutdown: “Unfortunately … millions of Americans are going to get impacted by [the government shutdown] … millions of Americans who aren’t getting paychecks, who work for the federal government … “[Forty]-some million people … depend upon food assistance [and] that runs out at the end of the week … These consequences are becoming real. Flight delays, ATC problems, air traffic controllers, in addition to TSA, Border Patrol, [and] Capitol Police [aren’t] getting paid. The troops aren’t going to be getting paid … “This is a real crisis for a lot of American families and the Democrats, as [House Democrat Whip Katherine Clark said], ‘this is [Democrats’] leverage,’ and they view it as a big political game.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “The Federal Employees Union … has come out in support of the clean continuing resolution sent over here to the Senate by the House, which is awaiting action … All we have to do is pick it up, [get] … five more Democrats [to] vote for it. We pass it. Send it to the White House. President signs it into law. Government reopens. All these questions go away.” […] “Last week, we had a vote on a Ron Johnson bill on the floor of the Senate that simply would have paid … all federal employees who are currently working … So think military and Capitol Police and … Border Patrol, all these different folks who are actually doing the job right now, not getting paid. Democrats blocked it. “I’m hoping enough [Democrats] come to their senses to give us the five votes that we need to actually get the government reopened again. But they are playing a game, and these demands that they have … [are] not serious. It’s not realistic, and they know it. And all we’re simply trying to do is fund the government at last year’s levels and keep it open until we can get the appropriations process going. “It’s a … very straightforward … uncomplicated position that we put out there. I think the American people are starting to get it, and I think the employers, the Government Employees Union, is … a big indication of that.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-accepting-spring-2026-internship-applications,Rounds Accepting Spring 2026 Internship Applications,2025-10-27,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"PIERRE – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) is currently accepting applications from college students to serve as interns during the spring 2026 semester. Positions are available in the Washington, D.C. office and the state offices in Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls. Students will work closely with constituents and staff, polish their research and writing skills and gain an in-depth understanding of a Senate office. Duties in Rounds’ Washington, D.C. office include tracking legislation, researching bills, attending committee hearings and briefings, leading tours of the U.S. Capitol, answering constituent phone calls, sorting mail and providing legislative support. Duties in the South Dakota offices include researching constituent inquiries and requests, attending outreach activities, assisting staff on special projects, sorting mail and answering phone calls. Internships can also be tailored to an intern’s specific interest areas when possible. Spring internships typically run from January to May, but dates can be tailored to specific schedules. Interns will receive a stipend, and the office works closely with all universities to meet the criteria necessary for interns to receive college credit. “Our internship program is an incredible opportunity for students to experience a deeper understanding of the political process,” said Rounds. “Interns are crucial to our office operations both in South Dakota and in D.C. The program is open to students from all areas of discipline, not just political science. I encourage college students interested in serving the state of South Dakota to apply for the upcoming spring internship.” “I learned many valuable things during my time interning in Senator Rounds' office,” said Kaelyn Somsen, a summer 2022 intern in Rounds’ D.C. office who is now attending law school at the University of South Dakota. “I continue to use many of those lessons during my time in law school and while working in a law firm. Communication is a big part of interning in the Senate, whether it be communicating with constituents, those who are coming in to meet with the Senator, or other staff members. Learning how to address different people and situations has helped me in school and work as I am able to communicate efficiently and effectively with clients, professors, attorneys, and other staff members.” Interested students can apply at https://www.rounds.senate.gov/internships. The application deadline is November 15, 2025. For more information, please contact Rounds’ Pierre office at 605-224-1450. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=871A699F-9CE2-4517-93F6-A6157246C28D,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 27,2025-10-27,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, ‘There is a time and a place to debate health care, just like there is a time and place to debate energy policy and immigration and education – but not, not, when the funding of the federal government, and all the lives that are impacted by it, hang in the balance.’ “‘There is a time and a place to debate health care … but not when the funding of the federal government, and all the lives that are impacted by it, hang in the balance.’ “Those are not my words, Mr. President. “Those are the words of the junior Democrat senator from Connecticut, back in 2013. “‘There is a time and a place to debate health care … but not when the funding of the federal government, and all the lives that are impacted by it, hang in the balance.’ “These words were once emblematic of the Democrat position here in the Senate. “Democrats once passionately opposed shutdowns – or so they said – in large part because of the impact they would have on American citizens and American workers. “Now? Well, now government workers – and every other American affected by this shutdown – have become nothing more than pawns in the Democrats’ political games. “On Friday federal workers missed their entire paychecks. “The next paycheck for our troops – for our troops – Mr. President, is in jeopardy. “And more than 40 million Americans could lose access to food stamps if the shutdown continues. “Forty million. “And yet none of it seems to matter to Senate Democrats. “The party that once decried the impact of shutdowns on Americans in need is now apparently content to see 40 million Americans go without food. “The senior Democrat senator from Vermont was on TV the other day, and one of the hosts suggested that members of Congress should refuse to take their paychecks during a shutdown. “And what did the senior Democrat senator from Vermont say? “He said that some members of Congress couldn’t afford to go without pay. “That’s right. “That some members of Congress couldn’t afford to go without pay. “Does he think that other Americans can? “The junior Democrat senator from Arizona told NBC News near the beginning of the shutdown that he couldn’t afford to miss his paycheck. “This was his quote: ‘I’m not wealthy, and I have three kids. I would basically be missing, you know, mortgage payments, rent payments, child support. So it’s not feasible, not gonna happen.’ “What ON EARTH does he think is happening to federal workers – and other Americans out of work because of the Democrats’ shutdown? “Does he think they don’t have mortgage payments? Rent payments? School expenses? Electric bills? “If some members of Congress can’t afford to miss a paycheck, how much more is that true for the many workers making a lot less than members of Congress pull down? “The junior Democrat senator from Minnesota stated that she would not be forgoing her pay because she is continuing to work. “Because she is continuing to work. “Do Democrats even hear themselves? “She does realize, right, that a lot of other people are continuing to work? “And have been working without pay now for four weeks now, thanks to her actions and those of her Democrat colleagues? “How many of those workers are going to miss their rent payments or mortgage payments before Democrats are satisfied? “‘Shutdowns aren’t victimless crimes,’ the senior Democrat from Virginia said – less than a year ago, I might add. “Well, Mr. President, Democrats’ victims are piling up. “And Democrats don’t look likely to spare anyone any time soon. “In fact, they’re freely admitting it. “The second-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives said recently, and I quote – I’ve got it right here, Mr. President – ‘Of course there will be families that are going to suffer. … But it is one of the few leverage times we have.’ “‘But it is one of the few leverage times we have.’ “I guess the Americans currently lining up at food banks can comfort themselves with the knowledge that they’re being sacrificed to advance Democrats’ political goals. “Mr. President, if you asked Democrats the reason for the 180-degree flip in their views on shutdowns – if you challenged them to explain their hypocrisy – I suspect you wouldn’t get much of an answer. “I suspect that at best Democrats would bleat something about how this shutdown is a special case. “Right? “A special case. “It’s always a special case with Democrats. “A historic blockade of presidential nominees? “Well, that was a special case. “Ignore anything that you’ve ever said about shutdowns, right here on the floor of the Senate. “Well, that was a special case. “I’ll tell you what’s actually special about this case. “What’s special about this case is that Democrats’ far-left base demanded a showdown with President Trump. “And Democrats have abandoned every principle that they possessed related to shutdowns to give it to them. “And while some Democrats may be privately uncomfortable about all the damage a four-week shutdown is doing, so far they’re too scared of their base to do anything about it. “Mr. President, Democrats claim that this shutdown is about addressing the expiring Obamacare COVID subsidies. “But that’s not really what this is about. “If this were really what this is about, then Democrats would be voting to reopen the government so that we could actually engage in a serious discussion about rising health care costs – and how Obamacare has failed to address them. “But they’re not. “Because at the end of the day, Democrats don’t want a solution: they want a political issue. “And if countless hardworking Americans are sacrificed in the process? “‘Of course there will be families that are going to suffer. … But it is one of the few leverage times we have.’ “Apparently that’s just fine with the Democrats here in the Senate. “Mr. President, we’ll be voting once again this week to reopen the government – to reopen the government, restore hardworking Americans’ paychecks, protect nutrition programs, support critical services like air traffic control … and that list goes on and on and on. “And Democrats will have a 13th chance to vote on a clean, nonpartisan funding bill that will reopen the government. “All we need are five Democrats to join the three who are with us already, and we could have the government open again in a matter of hours. “It’s that simple, Mr. President. “The solution is sitting right at that desk. “The bill that passed the House a month ago is sitting at this desk and has been now for a month. “And we have repeatedly called it up asked us to vote on it. “Every time – every time – we get 55 senators voting for it. “Everyone knows the rules in Senate require 60. “But that bill, with five courageous Democrats stepping forward to help us pass it, could be on the president’s desk, signed into law, and this government reopens. “It could happen today. It could happen this afternoon. “Let’s just hope that somewhere, those courageous Democrats exist. “‘Shutdowns — even partial ones — are as devastating as they are stupid,’ that was what the senior Democrat from Virginia said just last year. “So how do you justify what you’re doing now? “It’s up to them, Mr. President. “We can do it, and we can do it today.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=2D3E1146-AFA5-4A6D-87E9-C1E36FAC93EC,Thune Joins The Ben Shapiro Show,2025-10-23,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Ben Shapiro Show. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[T]his is a real losing hand for [Democrats] to play. It’s certainly costing people all over the country, big time, particularly federal employees. And the longer this thing drags on, the worse it gets … “[Democrats] don’t seem prepared to want to come to their senses and actually do the right thing for the American people, which is to keep the government open.” […] “We ought to be able to … open up the government by just having five more Democrats vote with us … that’s all it’s going to take … Everything is harder than it should be right now because of Trump Derangement Syndrome, but I still think at some point there are going to be some rank-and-file Democrats who break with their leadership and do the right thing for the country, and that is open up the government.” On Democrats’ health care crisis: “[Democrats] created … this COVID cliff … [T]hese enhanced subsidies, which did go into effect … during the pandemic … was supposed to be a response to that, [and] the pandemic’s long over. [Democrats] created the expiration date. So this is really a problem of their own making.” […] “[E]verything that Obamacare has done, including these enhanced subsidies, has added to the cost of insurance policies. In fact, if you look from 2013 to 2025 to where we are today, insurance rates on … the Obamacare exchanges, have gone up about 221 percent … so it’s done nothing but inflate the cost that people are paying for health insurance across this country … “[T]he fundamental program is flawed. And then the enhanced subsidies were flawed, too … Insurance companies are incentivized to auto-enroll people, and so it’s become a money maker … just a factory for insurance companies to make money …” […] “Now [Democrats are] expecting Republicans to try and solve it for them. And that’s their price for opening up the federal government. And it’s a price that is a very stiff one, because … to do it the way they want to do it, it’s about $400 billion.” On preserving the legislative filibuster: “[The filibuster has] prevented a lot of bad things from happening … The Democrats tried to get rid of the filibuster for what they called their elections reform bill, which basically was consolidating all of elections in Washington, D.C. It would have … taken power to regulate elections away from the states, would have done away with voter ID …” […] “Democrats have made it … clear they would love to get rid of the filibuster to enact their agenda, which includes … statehood for Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., and expand the Supreme Court up to 15 seats there, abortion on demand, [and] … federalizing our election system. Those are just a few of the list of horribles that they’ve put out there, and they all campaigned on that …” […] “[Preserving the filibuster is] situational for [Democrats]. It’s all about political power. And … now that they are on the outside, they’re going to use this to their advantage.” On confirming President Trump’s nominees: “We cleared the backlog [of nominees]… We’ve been here more days, more hours, cast more votes than any Senate in history, at least the last 40 years, as a result of the Democrats’ obstruction. And so we did make a change in the rules that enables us to start processing some of the executive branch nominations in batches, and that’s enabled us to catch up …” […] “It’s going to be really important for us to continue to fill the judiciary and the executive branch with President Trump’s nominees … to be able to implement the agenda that he ran on and that the American people voted for.” On the Gaza Peace Deal: “[I]t is remarkable what the president has accomplished here … [I]t builds on the success … of the Abraham Accords. Obviously, we’re far from being in a state where we can declare total victory, because Hamas is still active, and … they need to be completely obliterated, or at least disarmed, so that they are not a factor in governing the Gaza Strip …” […] “[The peach deal] wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for President Trump and his leadership … [W]e still have a lot of work to do, and Prime Minister Netanyahu and our president, working together with our allies in the region, hopefully will continue to stabilize that area and make it a place that’s attractive for people to live and work and invest.” On Senate Republicans’ priorities: “[F]unding the government the old-fashioned way through the appropriations process … There are things like permitting reform … [and] AI, which has become a very, very big issue in our lives … [W]e’ve got to do a farm bill [and] a highway transportation bill. There’s a lot of work for Congress to do that has been put on … the back burner while the government’s been shut down … “[T]he most important thing that we do is … take care and make sure that we protect the country. I always tell people, if you don’t get national security right, the rest is conversation. So we did get the defense authorization bill across the finish line in the Senate. “We tried … to put the defense appropriations bill on the floor, which … funds all those priorities, and the Democrats blocked it. But taking care of America’s national security interest in what is a very dangerous world is going to continue to be a big priority for us …” […] “We’ve got to get past this government shutdown and the Democrats holding federal employees hostage … to try and get a bunch of unrelated policy things that they want to get done. “I’ve said I’m perfectly happy to have the conversation [and] talk with them about some of those things, but … we can’t do that while the government’s being held hostage.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5F1DDE58-C030-447E-A486-06778B7B172F,Thune Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox News,2025-10-23,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined America’s Newsroom on Fox News. On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “The Democrats continue to play political games. They are afraid, just absolutely desperately afraid, of their base and that’s why we’re in the situation we’re in. So it’s going to take five Democrats, probably not going to come out of their leadership … they’re a lost cause. I think it’s going to have to be rank-and-file Democrats who end this.” […] “[Democrats] don’t care if people suffer … this is a political game to them.” On the consequences of Democrats’ government shutdown: “[Y]ou’ve got a whole lot of other programs out there, including the SNAP program that’s available to people who really need food assistance in this country, is going to go away here soon, too. So we’re getting to where the consequences of this are very real. “ On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “This is a routine thing, to continue to fund the government until we get the other appropriations bills done. This is a clean CR. It is nonpartisan, it is short-term, and it’s passed the House. It’s sitting at the desk at the Senate. We could pick it up, pass it today if we get five Democrats, put it on the president’s desk, he signs it into law, and the government opens up again …” […] “We need to open up the government. The other things that they want to talk about, I've told them we’re willing to do that, but [it] can’t be done while the federal employees are being held hostage … “[The] night before last, the Democrats had this drone-a-thon that went on all night. We had one Democrat senator who read the same poem four times, [while] 335 federal employees in the Capitol had to sit there all night and not get paid … and listen to these Democrats drone on endlessly. “[The government shutdown] … has to end … [I]t’s in [the Democrats’] hands right now. It’s up to them to end it.” On Senator Johnson’s Shutdown Fairness Act: “I think this vote today is a really challenging one for the Democrats. It’s very hard to defend voting against. Ron Johnson is offering a counter proposal … that … would pay everybody who’s working … “The Democrats are going to try and counter it with a political gimmick which would pay federal employees once, but then continue the shutdown. They’re trying to have it both ways … this is all about politics for them. “If [Democrats] … open up the government, their left-wing base goes nuts. If they don’t vote for Ron Johnson’s [bill] or something else, then a lot of the federal employees are going to be without pay.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=B6DCE19C-3301-4168-BE93-3D9D61A5B4EC,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 23,2025-10-23,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, there was a time when Democrats opposed government shutdowns. “And not just opposed. “Democrats were critical of holding government funding hostage to political demands. “Our Democrat colleague from Michigan said that funding the government is ‘Congress’ most basic responsibility.’ “The senior senator from Massachusetts – a leading Democrat – said, and I quote, ‘The least we can do – the bare minimum that we can do – would be to pass a “continuing resolution” to keep the doors open and the lights on.’ “And the Democrat leader – just last year – decried the ‘chaos and pain and needless heartache’ that a shutdown brings to American families. “So, what’s changed? “Why are Democrats in 2025 suddenly comfortable shutting down the government and subjecting Americans to all that chaos, pain, and heartache that the Democrat leader described? “Why did Democrats instigate the longest full government shutdown in history? “Well, they’d like you to believe that it’s about health care. “It’s not. “Republicans have been perfectly clear that we’re willing to have a discussion about health care – just not while government funding is being held hostage, and all the federal employees that come with that. “So if this were really about health care, Democrats would be voting in favor of the clean CR as the quickest way to reopen the government and start the discussions. “But that’s not where we are. “And that’s because what’s really driving Democrats isn’t health care. “It’s not a desire for negotiations. “It’s politics and far-left activists who demanded a showdown with President Trump. “The real reason we’re now in the longest full government shutdown in history is because Democrats are afraid of backlash from the far left if they stand down. “One Democrat senator was quoted this week saying, and I quote, ‘“People are going to get hammered” if they vote for the House-passed bill to reopen the government and keep it funded through Nov. 21.’ “‘People are going to get hammered’ if they vote for the clean continuing resolution. “That’s from a Democrat senator, Mr. President. “Hammered by outside groups. “Hammered by left-wing political activists. “Or take it from one of the organizers of Saturday’s No Kings rally who said, and I quote, ‘I’m telling every elected I talk to:’ – that is, every elected official that I talk to – ‘millions will be out cheering you on, or they’ll be calling for new leadership.’ “Democrats, Mr. President, are keeping the government shut down because they’re scared. “Scared of a primary from the left. “Scared of losing fundraising dollars. “Scared that the far left will punish them if they don’t appear to be fighting President Trump hard enough. “Unfortunately, Mr. President, Democrats’ political games are having real consequences. “Airport tower staffing shortages have caused thousands – thousands – of flight delays nationwide. “Medicare patients and people in rural areas are dealing with the elimination of telehealth services. “Military families have turned to food banks in ‘unprecedented’ numbers. “And things are about to get worse. “The nutrition assistance programs that millions of Americans depend on to feed their families are in jeopardy. “And tomorrow, federal workers will miss a full paycheck because of the Democrat shutdown. “That’s right. “Tomorrow, federal employees will miss a full paycheck thanks to Senate Democrats. “Mr. President, Republicans want to do something about this. “We’d love to pass the clean, continuing, nonpartisan resolution, which would pay everyone. “Passed the House a long time ago, we’ve voted on it 12 times here now. “They continue to, with three exceptions, to block vote against it. “Twelve times now, Democrats have blocked just paying our federal employees. “And Mr. President, it’s federal employees all throughout the federal workforce, which literally is millions of Americans. “But it’s people right here. “People in this chamber, people in this building, had to stay here night before last, all night – all night – to listen to some Democrats drone on. “One Democrat senator read the same poem four times. “They were here all night, not getting paid – 335, exactly, federal employees – in this building, had to stay here all night, work through the night and into the next day so [the Democrats] could make some campaign political speech or point in the middle of the night. “That nobody’s listening to, obviously, which is why I guess you read the same poem four times, four different times, reading from books while the people sitting here doing the work aren’t getting paid. “And so today, Mr. President, we’re going to have a vote on Senator Ron Johnson’s bill that would guarantee pay for federal employees who are working through the shutdown. “The 335 people who had to be here night before last to listen to that, they would finally get paid. “It’s also people like air traffic controllers, TSA agents, park rangers. “Federal law enforcement, ICE, Border Patrol – people putting their lives at risk to keep Americans safe. “So we’ll see what Democrats do. “Do they think that people that are working ought to get paid? “Well, to date Democrats have rejected every opportunity they’ve been given to put the American people ahead of their far-left base. “As I said, they’ve rejected a clean CR, now, 12 times. “A CR, a continuing resolution that would fund the government until November the 21st to give us time to finish the appropriations process. “A clean CR, a nonpartisan CR, a CR that has no partisan riders, no policy gimmicks. “That came over from the House, just clean, just fund the government straight-up, sitting right here at the desk of the United States Senate. “Five Democrats could help us pass it today. “We could send it to the president. “He would sign it into law. “The government opens up. “And all the people here and across our federal government would get paid. “Last week, the Democrats blocked the bipartisan defense appropriations bill that would have paid our troops. “It came out of the Senate Appropriations Committee by a vote of 26-3. “Very bipartisan on the floor – should have been, usually is, usually gets 80-plus votes on the floor of the Senate. “But they blocked it. “Would have paid our troops, defense appropriations bill. “So today [they’re] going to have another opportunity to show whether they stand on the side of hardworking Americans or remain beholden to their far-left base. “Now, Mr. President, we’ve heard Democrats this week criticize Senator Johnson’s bill because it would provide pay only to workers who continue to work through the shutdown. “They say they want everybody to get paid. “I’ve got great news for them: “The clean continuing resolution sitting at the desk would pay everybody! “Everybody! “We just need five more Democrats to support it. “Five more gets us to 60. Takes a supermajority in the Senate. “Democrats are the only thing standing in the way of the outcome that they say they want – which is for everybody to get paid. “So Mr. President, the clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution sits right there at the desk. “The president, President Trump, is ready to sign it. “The shutdown could be over in a matter of hours if just five Democrats would agree. “But unfortunately, the shadow of Democrats’ far-left base continues to stand in the way. “And you don’t have to take it from me. “As one source familiar with Democrats’ thinking told The Hill this week, and I quote, ‘“We would have enough votes” to reopen the government “if people were not terrified of getting the guillotine.”’ “We would have enough votes to reopen the government if Democrats were not terrified of getting the guillotine. “Mr. President, we just need five Democrats to show some courage. “This was a statement made yesterday by a Democrat House member. “And sometimes people around here say the quiet part out loud, sometimes they just, it’s just kind of subconsciously. “And this is what she said – she’s a member of the Democrat leadership in the House of Representatives – ‘Of course there will be families that are going to suffer … but it is one of the few leverage times we have.’ “Boy, just take that in. “Take that in. “‘Of course there will be families that are going to suffer,’ but we don’t want to give up our leverage! “Leverage for what? Leverage for what? “Mr. President, we need five Democrats to show a little courage. “Reopen the government, and let’s get to work.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-discusses-argentinian-beef-imports-with-president-trump-secretary-rollins,"Rounds Discusses Argentinian Beef Imports with President Trump, Secretary Rollins",2025-10-21,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued a statement following his discussions with President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins regarding Argentinian beef imports: “I spoke with President Trump and Secretary Rollins today about the concerns I’ve heard from hundreds of South Dakota ranchers over the last two days regarding importing additional Argentinian beef. We agree that we need an America First game plan that prioritizes American ranchers. After today’s meeting, I am encouraged by the desire of President Trump and Secretary Rollins to do right by the American producer. I encourage patience as we await final details to be released, and in the meantime, continue to share your opinions with the administration. “At a White House meeting today, I had the opportunity to share with the President our concern specifically on this issue. I suggested that energy prices across the country are down not because we imported additional energy from other countries, but because we started producing more energy right here in the United States. The same rule should apply for American beef. We must place an emphasis on creating better conditions for American farmers and ranchers to drive prices down by increasing their ability to supply more product. “American cattle producers have been at a disadvantage for far too long. Opening the market to even more foreign beef, which American consumers cannot differentiate because of current labeling rules, would only exacerbate the problem and hurt domestic producers. Our producers will compete all day long, but only if there is a level playing field. “As I have said repeatedly, consumers should drive demand and the market should be able to work on its own. Unfortunately, the policy of Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (MCOOL), a commonsense policy that empowers consumers to choose, continues to sit on the shelf. The Packers and Stockyards Act continues to be ignored, as four companies, two of which are Brazilian-owned, monopolize the beef processing market. This issue cannot be resolved by displacing American beef with foreign beef. It will only be resolved when consumers are able to differentiate where their product is coming from. “I might sound like a broken record, but there are only nine states where cattle outnumber people. We make up only 18 of the 100 U.S. Senators. The government shutdown has clearly illustrated the need for support from 60 members to pass any meaningful reforms in the U.S. Senate. That means if we want to accomplish any long-term solutions for the cattle market, we need to broaden our base and shift our message to focus on the benefits that policies like MCOOL would have on American consumers. We can do this with strong support from the Trump administration.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-works-with-white-house-and-usda-secretary-to-reopen-fsa-offices-during-shutdown,Rounds Works with White House and USDA Secretary to Reopen FSA Offices During Shutdown,2025-10-21,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued a statement following U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be reopening Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices for a few days a week during the government shutdown: “After our meeting with Secretary Rollins this morning and multiple discussions with the White House, I’m pleased that the Department of Ag will be reopening Farm Service Agency offices for a few days each week during the shutdown. We’ve heard from producers who are selling their livestock and their grain who can’t get their checks endorsed while the government has been shut down, resulting in missed loan payments. Many producers use the FSA as a lender and they need to be able to release these funds as their loans are paid off. “This is another real example of the harmful effects the Schumer shutdown is having on the American people. Time for Democrats to get serious and reopen the government.” ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=108CC075-263E-42F8-AE71-FA6EE549E509,Thune Joins The Hugh Hewitt Show,2025-10-21,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Hugh Hewitt Show. On Democrats prioritizing their far-left base: “Republicans want our troops to get paid. We want the men and women of the Border Patrol getting paid. We want TSA agents, ATC, air traffic control, every federal employee to get their paychecks … “They want – the Democrats, that is – far-left progressive activists to be less mad at them. I mean, that’s really what we’re talking about here. So I just think in the end, Hugh, that it’s a simple choice for them, and they can get the government back open, or they can choose to keep letting the far left call the shots. I think the majority of the country is starting to see through this, and is going to continue to move against them, but it doesn’t seem like they care. “I think they are so fearful, so afraid, so running scared, from that far-left base, which is where, you know, the money in Democrat politics is, you know, the small donor stuff, it’s where the activists, it’s where the energy is, and frankly, that’s where a lot of people end up getting primaried. And I think these Democrats here in the Senate are afraid of that.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “I’ve been very clear. I’ve been willing to sit down with Democrats. They want to discuss the growing unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare, and I’ve said I’m willing to give them a vote. But it’s under one condition: They’ve got to end the Schumer shutdown, open up the government … “We can’t negotiate under hostage conditions, and that’s where we are right now. As you know, we have a bill to fund the government passed the House, sitting on the desk at the Senate, the president’s ready to sign it. “The government could open up today. We just need a handful of Democrats to join us, because … it takes a supermajority, 60 votes in the Senate, to pass anything consequential. And Democrats continue to resist. “They just voted for the 11th time to keep the government shut down. [The shutdown] has a lot of impacts on a lot of people, including federal employees who aren’t getting paid.” […] “They want – the Democrats, that is – far-left progressive activists to be less mad at them. I mean, that’s really what we’re talking about here … It’s a simple choice for them … they can get the government back open, or they can choose to keep letting the far left call the shots. “I think the majority of the country is starting to see through this, and is going to continue to move against them, but it doesn’t seem like [Democrats] care. I think they are so fearful, so afraid, so running scared, from that far-left base, which is where … the money in Democrat politics is … the small donor stuff, it’s where the activists, it’s where the energy is, and frankly, that’s where a lot of people end up getting primaried … I think these Democrats here in the Senate are afraid of that.” On Senator Johnson’s Shutdown Fairness Act: “Ron Johnson has a proposal … it pays everybody who is, ‘excepted,’ in other words, everybody who is an essential employee that’s still working. So if you’re working – it doesn’t cover furloughed employees, they’ll get back pay – but if you’re working, you should get paid … We’re gonna see what the Democrats do with that one.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=22D5257A-48ED-420C-8228-6CEA38C9E96D,Thune to Senate Democrats: Time to Stop the Political Theater and Reopen the Government,2025-10-21,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference at the White House with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “We just had a great opportunity to meet with the president and talk about something that unifies all Republicans. “Senate Republicans, House Republicans, and the president of the United States are all in favor of reopening the federal government – in fact, so much so that we’ve now all voted 11 times to reopen the federal government. “But the longer the federal government stays closed, the more the impacts are being felt: travel delays, benefit delays, you know, farmers are being impacted, millions of people going without paychecks. “That’s what this government shutdown, Democrat government shutdown, is bringing to the American people. “So we’re hopeful that this will be the week when we break out of this and the Democrats come to their senses and decide to open up the government. “We’re going to give them several opportunities, as you know, to do that. “We’ll have another vote on the continuing resolution tomorrow – which is sitting at the desk of the Senate, can be sent down here to the White House, signed into law, the government would open up immediately. “We’re also going to vote on a Ron Johnson resolution that essentially would pay anybody who’s currently working. “So we’ll see how the Democrats react to that. “But the truth of the matter is, you have a bunch of people here, a united team that believes profoundly that we need to get our government open. “And if the Democrats want to talk about subjects unrelated to … getting the government open again, we’re happy to have those conversations, but we’ve repeatedly now gone through this, and at some point the Democrats are going to have to [take] yes for an answer. “We want a normal appropriations process. “We want to give them an opportunity to sit down and litigate some of the issues they want to talk about, but that can’t happen until the government gets opened up again.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5E5470DF-355B-492E-ADBA-AB20E37E9492,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 21,2025-10-21,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, three weeks. “It’s been three weeks since Democrats shut down the government. “Since Democrats chose to put the demands of far-left activists ahead of serving the American people. “And over the last three weeks, Mr. President, it’s the American people who have borne the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown. “Thousands of flights have been delayed. “Nutrition assistance for millions of needy families is in jeopardy. “Military families are turning to food banks in ‘unprecedented’ numbers. “But Democrats are apparently willing to prolong the suffering until their far-left base is satisfied. “Mr. President, we’ve given Democrats here in the Senate numerous opportunities to end the shutdown. “We’ve held, now, 11 votes on a clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution to end the shutdown and the pain that comes with it. “And they said no every time. “We gave Democrats an opportunity to consider the bipartisan defense appropriations bill – something that, I might add, passed the Senate Appropriations Committee 26-3, in an overwhelming bipartisan vote. “We gave them an opportunity to consider that here on the floor, so we can at least protect our national security and pay our troops. “Democrats called it ‘unacceptable’ and a distraction to pay the troops. “We even offered to give them a vote on a health care proposal of their own design if they vote to reopen the government. “The answer again was no. “Mr. President, I don’t know what Democrats are looking for. “But if they’re looking for Republicans to give in to their hostage-taking, they should think again. “I’ve been very clear since the beginning. “On the first day of this shutdown, I said Republicans would be perfectly willing to discuss the issues Democrats are raising – but only after we reopen the government. “I said, and I quote – quoting myself here – ‘we’re not going to engage in bipartisan discussions while Democrats are holding the federal government hostage to their partisan demands.’ “And interestingly enough, Mr. President, that’s the exact same position the Democrat leader espoused during the 2013 shutdown. “He said then, and I quote, ‘As we said a thousand times, we are happy to discuss how to fund the government [but] not with a gun to our head. Open up all of the government, and then we can have a fruitful discussion … Then we will discuss things, but – as has been said over and over – not with a gun to our heads.’ “That, from the Democrat leader back in 2013. “He espoused the same position, interestingly enough, again in 2019, noting, and I quote again: ‘We cannot – cannot – ever hold American workers hostage again.’ “And yet here he is, in 2025, holding American workers and government funding hostage. “I guess he’s forgotten his own words. “Or maybe it’s just situational, like a lot of things. “They’ve just adopted a political position, not a real one. “Mr. President, Republicans are ready to sit down with Democrats just as soon as they stop holding the government hostage to their partisan demands. “As I said, we’ve actually offered to guarantee them a vote on the Obamacare issue that they are raising. “But Democrats continue to dig in. “They say we have to agree to their demands before they’ll agree to pay our troops. “Before federal workers can have certainty about putting food on the table and paying their bills. “Before needy families can be sure that nutrition assistance will be there for them. “They say all of this has to wait until after we fix a problem Democrats created. “Because let’s be clear, Mr. President. “The Obamacare cliff that Democrats are so worked up about is the result of their own choices. “Democrats wrote Obamacare. “They passed Obamacare without a single Republican vote. “They created the Obamacare COVID credits without a single Republican vote. “And then they extended the COVID credits, and they chose the expiration date – without a single Republican vote. “That’s right, Mr. President. “They chose the expiration date. “And then they chose not to address that expiration date when they had the majority here in the Senate for the last four years! “But now they want you to believe that this is somehow a ‘Republican health care crisis.’ “Give me a break. “Give me a break. “Mr. President, if Democrats truly want a discussion on how to fix the health care mess they created, then they should be voting to reopen the government. “And we have a bill right there at the desk that will do just that. “It’s clean. “It’s nonpartisan. “It has no Republican policies. “It has no partisan policy riders. “It just extends current funding levels for a few short weeks, until we get an opportunity to finish the rest of the appropriations process. “And right now, Mr. President, we are just five Democrat votes away from passing that here in the Senate and sending it to the White House for President Trump to sign. “And if just a handful – a handful – of Democrats would step forward, we could reopen the government literally in a matter of hours. Today. “As I said, Mr. President, from the very beginning of this shutdown I have made it clear that if Democrats reopen the government, we can immediately sit down and talk about the Obamacare cliff they’ve created. “Instead, Democrats have wasted now one, two, three weeks when we could have been having those discussions. “And while the American people have suffered, Democrats have been courting praise from the far left. “They’ve spent their time looking to be praised for fighting against President Trump when they could have been working with him and with Republicans on solving a problem that they claim to be concerned about. “Mr. President, I’ll say it again: Republicans are ready to go to work. “We’ve been ready. “We’re just waiting for Democrats to take ‘yes’ for an answer.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C5D4C4B1-6642-4F58-A34F-DB05BED56C75,"Thune: Republicans Want to Reopen the Government, Get Back to Work for the American People",2025-10-21,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at the White House with President Trump: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Thank you, sir. “Well, Mr. President, thank you for having us. “This is the fourth week of the Democrat shutdown, but we are all here today because your Republican team in the Senate is unified. “This is now the longest full shutdown in history. “But everybody here has voted now 11 different times to open up the government. “And we are going to keep voting to open up the government. “And eventually, the Democrats – hopefully, sooner or later – are going to come around. “But Mr. President, your agenda is the right one for this country. “This is your team. “We are your partners in achieving and implementing the agenda that you campaigned on and the American people voted for. “And you just mentioned, it has been a series of promises made and promises kept. “Whether it’s national security, whether it’s the border, whether it’s the economy, taxes, regulations, energy, Trump newborn accounts, school choice. “You look at what we’ve accomplished so far, it is a remarkable, remarkable team and a record of accomplishment that can’t be matched – and I would argue, at least in my time here, but perhaps in all of history. “So thank you for your leadership, and we will continue to be good partners and work with you to get the work done for the American people. “And let’s hope that the Democrats get wise, and starting perhaps even today, vote to reopen the government so we can get back to work for the American people. “Mr. President, thank you for having us at your home. You have beautiful homes. “And thank you for everything you’re doing to make this such a beautiful place. “This is America’s house. We’re delighted to be here. Thank you.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=779F809B-1A25-4676-9CF6-49D56B19E37B,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 20,2025-10-20,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, you have to give the Democrats credit for one thing, and that’s a healthy dose of gall. “Both the House and the Senate Democrat leaders were out last week claiming that they can’t fund the government until – get this – we solve the ‘Republican health care crisis.’ “That’s right. “The Republican health care crisis. “It is truly amazing how a program Democrats created and tax credits that they chose to sunset have now become the Republicans’ crisis. “Republicans, in fact, never had anything to do with it. “Democrats created Obamacare – alone. “They implemented the enhanced tax credits – alone. “And they chose a sunset date for those tax credits – alone. “Democrats are solely – solely – responsible for the Obamacare tax credit cliff. “And yet they’re trying to pin this disaster on Republicans while at the very same time they’re asking Republicans to bail them out. “It’s really kind of ironic, Mr. President. “Now, Democrats may not win a lot of points for truthfulness, but you have to give them credit for gall. “Mr. President, while Democrats may have created this health care situation, I have made it clear from the beginning that Republicans are willing to have a discussion about how to address it. “In fact, I’m perfectly willing to guarantee Democrats a vote. “But none of that is going to happen until Democrats reopen the government. “We’re not going to negotiate on anything until Democrats stop holding government funding hostage. “And if they really want to address their Obamacare mess, they should stop running out the clock on a deal. “All they’re doing by that action, Mr. President, is keeping the government shut down and enhancing – enhancing, believe it or not – the chances this situation doesn’t get fixed. “Because the clock is running. “Mr. President, before I leave the subject of health care, I do have to mention the irony that while Democrats claim they’re defending Americans’ health care, their shutdown has actually suspended valuable health care services for a lot of Americans. “Medicare and rural patients are currently dealing with the elimination of telehealth services thanks to the government shutdown. “Telehealth, of course, increases the accessibility of care, and lets those who live far from medical treatment – or who otherwise struggle to travel – to conduct prescription refill appointments or other visits from the comfort of their home. “But that assistance is currently being denied to them thanks to the Democrats’ shutdown. “But I’m not sure why I’m talking about shutdown costs. “Democrats have made it very clear that they don’t care about the costs of the shutdown – to anyone. “Democrats used to care, of course – or so they claimed. “In fact, I could fill a book with Democrat quotes on how shutdowns harm hardworking Americans. “But over the past three weeks, it’s become clear that Democrats’ previous concerns had more to do with politics than with principle. “Democrats were against shutdowns when it served their purposes, and now that it serves their purposes – or so they think – to keep the government closed, they’re all for shutdowns. “No matter how many Americans have to suffer in the process. “Mr. President, I’ve talked about health care today. “And Democrats would definitely like Americans to think that that’s what this shutdown is about. “But of course the biggest driver of this shutdown is not health care or any other issue, it’s the Democrats’ far-left base. “Left-wing activists demanded a showdown with President Trump, and Democrats fell in line. “That’s why you see the Democrat leader, who actually voted to fund the government in the spring, leading the shutdown brigade this time around. “Far-left groups were rallying this weekend, and the Democrat leader and other Democrat senators were out paying homage. “And if these same left-wing groups have their way, Democrats will be keeping up the shutdown for a long time to come. “They don’t really care about a solution, Mr. President. “This is about politics. “For the sake of the American people, let’s hope that there are some Democrat senators who will eventually put the needs of their constituents over the demands of their far-left base, and work with Republicans to pass the clean, nonpartisan funding measure that is sitting right here in front of us today. “And when passed, will be sent to the president and signed into law, and this government will open up again.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=DCDC2BEE-36EF-41F8-8D79-E5C8A320FD1B,Thune Joins Larry Kudlow on Fox Business,2025-10-20,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrats] had their big … protest this weekend, got all their left-wing groups satisfied all over the country, and it seems like at least now they ought to come back to their senses and realize that shutting down the government’s not good for anybody, and I think they’re starting to feel the heat on that. “It’s just not a defensible position in the long term … If they don’t vote to open up the government … they’re going to have to start explaining to the American people why they consistently vote to shut down the government at a time when there are important priorities that need to be funded – whether that’s air traffic control, or TSA, or Border Patrol, law enforcement, our troops, obviously, first and foremost. “Those are all things that very shortly here are not going to get paid if … the government doesn’t open up.” On Democrats’ health care crisis: “[Democrats are] trying to hijack the federal government in exchange for $1.5 trillion in new spending and to bail out a program that is failing and is driving insurance premiums up for people in the individual marketplace – I don’t know how you defend and explain that. “And I think that’s starting to sink in with the American people. The Democrats are … going to own this. And like I said, we’ll give them another vote this evening to open up the government; see what they do.” […] “I’m happy to have the conversation about the unaffordability of Obamacare and what we might be able to do to fix that, but you can’t do that while the government is being held hostage … They want a guaranteed outcome. That’s what they continue to insist upon … I’ve offered them a vote … “But so far, they seem dug in … I think this is a lot less about a solution to that problem that they say they are trying to fix, and a lot more about having a political issue and satisfying that far-left base that was … marching in places around the country last weekend.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=DA8D5066-5F77-4915-84D4-81A3E4425A73,Thune Joins The Briefing with Steve Scully,2025-10-17,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to listen to The Briefing with Steve Scully WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Briefing with Steve Scully on SiriusXM radio. On Democrats’ historic obstruction: “[T]he politics around it is … largely different.” [T]he Democrats are under an enormous amount of pressure from their hard left, and they’ve got this big rally in town this weekend, and, you know, they’re just demanding that they fight, no matter what the issue is, the president, on pretty much … whatever comes up in the Senate these days. “[N]othing is as it’s been in the past in terms of moving legislation, moving executive branch nominations, everything is much harder than it used to be. I think part of it is … it’s the politics of the moment … but regrettably, we’re in a situation right now where a lot of federal workers aren’t getting paid. And the way to change that is to open up the government.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Y]ou know … nobody wins. I’ve said that before, and that used to be a view that was held by our colleagues on the other side, by the Democrats. But it seems, at least now, that there is a … partly, I think, around this big event this weekend here in Washington, with all the left-wing activist groups coming to town, a real sense that they needed to not do anything until that rally was over. “And even then, I mean, they’re just under a tremendous amount of pressure just to resist and fight. And I think at this point, even the simple things that normally, like we just tried to get on the defense appropriations bill, which should be legislation that, most years, gets 80-plus votes in the Senate, and the Democrats blocked even proceeding to it.” “[A] handful of folks on the other side have to come to their senses. “We have a bill that’s sitting at the desk in the Senate. You’ve covered this place long enough to know that we could pick that up today, pass it, send it to the president, he would sign it into law, and the government would open up again. “So for now … we need five more Democrats. We’re at 55 votes in the Senate, and five more Democrats give us the requisite 60 to open up the government.” On rising health care costs: “[W]e want health care premiums to be lower, not higher, and health care to be more affordable, not less. And I think one of the challenges we have right now is the way some of these programs are designed. “[T]he specific question we’re dealing with right now are the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits, or what we call the covid subsidies, that were put in place by the Democrats just a few years ago. They set the expiration date. The reason we’re dealing with this expiration date at the end of the year is because they put that in place. But that program, for example, is so inflationary. I mean, there isn’t anything in there to contain costs. The payments are made directly from the government to the insurance companies. The insurance companies go out and automatically enroll people. There are zero-premium policies. People don’t even know they have coverage. And there’s no income cap … “So it’s a program in desperate need of reform and I think there’s a path forward to be able to do that, but you know, you can’t do it while the government is shut down. “And I think right now … the big question is going to be, will the Democrats open up the government so that we can actually address this health care issue before … the end of the year, which is when … the deadline … for this program, expire.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=43BFF203-09A2-4642-BECB-A8A0C4C5ECEB,Thune: Democrats Block Bipartisan Defense Bill to Pay Our Troops,2025-10-16,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, Mr. President, the Democrat Party is the party that will not take ‘yes’ for an answer. “We offer Democrats a clean, nonpartisan CR – no Republican policies for them to swallow, nothing for them to object to. “They said no. “We offer to accommodate their health care demands by guaranteeing them a vote on their proposal if they vote to reopen the government. “The answer is no. “Okay, fine. “So we thought, if they don’t want to fund the government via continuing resolution, we’ll give them the chance to fund the government a different way, by attempting to move forward with regular-order appropriations bills. “And once again, the answer was no. “Democrats just voted to block the fiscal year 2026 defense appropriations bill – a bill, I would add, that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee by a robust bipartisan margin. “Twenty-six to three, I think it was. “That’s right, Mr. President. “After voting last week for an authorization bill to increase troop pay, Democrats just voted against the bill that would actually pay the troops. “You have to ask the question, ‘Why?’ Mr. President. “Because, to quote a recent news story – this is a direct quote – ‘voting to proceed with the defense bill relinquishes some of the party’s leverage.’ “‘Relinquishes some of the party’s leverage.’ “I mean, who really cares, right, if the troops are paid as long as the Democrats are able to get what they want? “Now, Mr. President, I offered up – and I had conversations with Democrats here on the floor – that if we could get on the defense appropriations bill, the interest they have in adding other bills, I would certainly accommodate. “And I suggested that that was the business model that we adopted when we passed the first three-bill package. “We got on the MilCon-VA appropriations bill, and then we worked collectively, both sides, to try and clear adding the Ag appropriations bill, the Leg Branch appropriations bill. “We tried to add the CJS appropriations bill, which was objected to by one member on the Democrat side. “But that’s how we fashioned getting these appropriation bills on the floor and getting them voted on. “Now, if anything should be clear by now – if anything should be clear by now – it’s that I am interested in doing a normal appropriations process! “Unlike what happened when they had the majority, which was the Appropriations Committee would report bills out – 11 of the 12 last year. “Not a single one was brought to the floor of the Senate. “We’ve done three bills. “We’re trying to go to conference on them. “They’re blocking that! “So now we bring up the defense appropriations bill, something that should get 80 votes on the floor of the Senate, that, as I said, came out of the committee 26-3 – and they’re blocking it. “Now, there’s a path forward here to do appropriations: Get on the bill. “And then we’ll try and add other appropriations bills as we work with both sides to clear objections and concerns that people have. “The fact of the matter is, Mr. President, they didn’t have to block us even moving to the bill, because there are multiple opportunities – 60-vote threshold opportunities – for them to block it later on if they don’t like what happens. “This is politics! “If anything was needed to demonstrate just how fundamentally uninterested Democrats are in supporting our troops – and defending our country – just take a look at this vote! “Mere months ago, Mr. President – I say, mere months ago – Democrats were complaining about all the damage shutdowns do to hardworking Americans. “I literally could fill the rest of this hour with Democrat quotes from the past few years about the devastating impacts of shutdowns. “Now? “Democrats couldn’t care less. “They’re happy to sacrifice any American and evidently any principle to their political goals. “Mr. President, Democrats like to position themselves as the party of the little guy and the defender of hardworking Americans. “But, as this vote makes clear, who do Democrats really care about? “Democrats.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=86EA7FB0-59E7-4FBE-93A1-E97B2F01473B,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 16,2025-10-16,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, this morning we will offer my Democrat colleagues yet another opportunity to vote to reopen the government. “To vote to reopen the government with a clean, nonpartisan CR. “That’s right. “We’re not asking Democrats to swallow any new Republican policies. “We’re not asking them to swallow any partisan policy riders. “We’re simply asking them to extend current funding levels for a few weeks while we work on full-year appropriations. “And you don’t have to take my word for it. “Everyone from the president of the Teamsters union to mainstream media outlets has confirmed that the CR Republicans have put forward is a clean CR. “But Senate Democrats chose to shut down the government anyway. “Now, Mr. President, Democrats’ ostensible reason for their 16-day shutdown is because they want Republicans to agree to bail out the health care mess that Democrats created – first with Obamacare, and then by passing and then sunsetting enhanced Obamacare tax credits that were put in place for the covid emergency, which I think as we all know, is long behind us. “And despite the fact that we’re only in this position because of Democrats’ poor policy choices, Republicans are ready for that discussion. “I’m ready. “My colleagues are ready. “The speaker and the president are ready. “But, Mr. President, only once we’ve reopened the government. “We’re not conducting negotiations in a hostage situation. “And we’re not going to pay a $1.5 trillion ransom to get Democrats to reopen government operations. “That’s right, Mr. President – $1.5 trillion. “That’s what Democrats are demanding. “Between their Obamacare bailout and the other partisan policies that they’ve included, they want a $1.5 trillion ransom to reopen the government for a handful of weeks. “Now, to put that number in perspective, that’s equivalent to almost one-quarter of the 2024 federal budget. “Again, just to reopen the federal government for a handful of weeks. “Now, think about that, Mr. President. “Their proposal: $1.5 trillion in new spending, free health care benefits for noncitizens, to open the government until October 31. “That’s what their proposal is. “So literally, the American taxpayer is supposed to pay $1.5 trillion so that the Democrats can open the government until Halloween – two weeks from now. “$1.5 trillion for two weeks. That’s what we’re talking about here. “Now, just imagine this for a minute, Mr. President, what might happen if we pay that ransom and agree to the Democrats’ $1.5 trillion demand. “Well, what’s going to happen the next time we need a continuing resolution? “How much are Democrats going to demand then? “Will we have to add another $1.5 trillion every time we want to fund the government? “And they want to do it for two weeks! 1.5 trillion for two weeks. “I mean, where does this end? “When taxpayers and our economy have been totally destroyed by Democrats’ profligate spending? “Is that where it ends? “No, Mr. President, while I am more than happy to discuss ways to alleviate Democrats’ health care mess, we’re not paying … a $1.5 trillion ransom to reopen the federal government. “Now, Mr. President, as frustrated as I am with their continued refusal to reopen the government, I do have to say that I have some sympathy for Senate Democrats. “While they may claim health care is the driver of what they’re doing, we all know that the primary reason we’re in this mess is because Democrats’ far-left base demanded a showdown with President Trump. “Just seven months ago, the Democrat leader voted with Republicans to keep the government open because, he said, while he didn’t like the CR, a government shutdown would be, quote, … ‘far worse.’ “But he caught a whole lot of flak for that decision from the far left. “And so now he’s leading the shutdown charge. “And he’s not the only Democrat who voted to fund the government in March who’s now a member of the shutdown brigade. “But, Mr. President, no matter how much pressure their far-left base is exerting, we still need some Democrats to do the right thing. “It would take just a handful of Democrats to reopen the government. “Just a handful of Democrats to enable us to resume paying air traffic controllers, law enforcement officers, and all of the other federal workers. “Just a handful of Democrats to get the federal government working again for the American people. “Later today Democrats are going to have another opportunity to make the right decision. “Two opportunities in fact. “They’re going to have a chance to vote on the clean, nonpartisan CR – which, as I said in the past, sits right there at the desk, which has passed the House of Representatives. “We can pick this up, with five more Democrat votes pass it today, send it to the president, the president signs it into law, and the government reopens. “So, they’re going to have a chance to vote on that yet again. “And they’re going to have a chance to vote to advance full-year defense appropriations legislation – so that if we can’t reopen the entire government, we can at least make some progress toward securing paychecks for our troops and for defending our country. “Just last week the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act – which is essential legislation, something that we do every year – to authorize defense spending and to authorize a pay raise for our troops. “So this is Democrats’ chance to make good on that promise by funding the raise. “The authorization bill authorized it; the defense appropriations bill that we will vote on here later today will actually fund that raise so our troops can get paid. “Now, again, I realize that Democrats’ far-left base is rallying in D.C. this weekend, which puts extra pressure on Democrats. “But I hope they’ll do the right thing anyway and vote to reopen the government. “All we need is five. “The bill’s right there. “Goes to the president, he signs it into law, the government reopens. “Mr. President, the American people are depending on some, I’m hoping, Democrats who are willing to put the interests of the American people ahead of the interests of their far-left base.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D764C6AD-5F84-4C96-941F-2740673947A0,Thune Joins Ali Vitali on MSNBC,2025-10-16,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Ali Vitali on MSNBC’s Way Too Early. On Democrats’ health care crisis: “I don’t think you can do … a straight-up extension of the ACA tax credits, premium tax credits, they are enhanced subsidies, so they are over and above the base Obamacare program, which was available to people up to 400 percent of poverty. “What the Democrats did a couple years ago was they took the income cap off, so now you’ve got people [that] make five or $600,000 a year that are eligible for … subsidies under this program. You’ve also got insurance companies that are benefiting enormously because … they’re incentivized to sign people up, because the federal government is making direct payments to the insurance companies. “[Insurance companies] go out and auto-enroll people. There are tons of people out there who have these [subsidies] who don’t even know they’re covered. So this is a program that's desperately in need of reform.” […] “Democrats created the expiration date when they did this. They could have done this permanently and they didn’t.” “I don’t want to see anybody’s premiums go up … And that’s not going to be attributable exclusively to these enhanced credits. The insurance companies are raising rates everywhere every year anyway. Part of the reason for that is the basic program is flawed. “People ought to be able to buy the insurance that they want. And you know, they are in the exchanges and every year these premiums [are] going up … That’s not the way this ought to work.” […] “At some point, Democrats have to take yes for an answer … [Republicans] are all about getting health insurance down, making it affordable for more people. Premiums shouldn’t be going up … and one of the reasons they are is because there is waste, fraud, and abuse of this program. The incentive structure is skewed to the insurance companies, so insurance auto-enroll people, and they’re making bank doing it.” […] “These were covid subsidies … this was in response to covid. Covid is no longer with us … the people who were designed to take advantage of this program are people with 400 percent of poverty and under. Now you’ve got people making half a million, 600,000 a year, that are benefiting from the subsidy … “It’s a program that needs to be reformed … get the government open again and let's have a conversation about how to fix it.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “There is a bill sitting at the desk right now that opens up the government, and you all know that. The president would sign it today. It’s simply a function of five Democrats joining the three Democrats who are already voting to open up the government. And I think that’s the quickest way to end this … “At some point, reasonable Democrats are going to have to come to the conclusion that this doesn’t benefit anybody. I don’t believe government shutdowns benefit anybody, and that used to be a position that was held by the Democrat leadership. I think right now they’re very beholden to, and there’s this big rally this weekend with all these left-wingers that are in town, and I think it’s gonna be very hard for them to agree to something prior to that rally happening … “I’m hoping that once that’s … in the rear-view mirror, that we’ll be able to sit down … I’ve had this conversation with … Democrats in the Senate, that the solution isn’t going to come through the [Democrat] leadership, it’s going to come through the rank-and-file [senators]. I think it’s going to be a number of Democrats who are willing to … figure out a way to be comfortable with what the path forward is on some of these issues, to be able to vote to open up the government.” On restoring the appropriations process: “If we get back to doing the appropriations process, which we can do once we open the government up, and in the traditional way, which is having a transparent, open process where the committees function, Democrats and Republicans weigh in, and then we put it on the floor, we have an open amendment process [and] fund the government the old-fashioned way …” […] “I want a normal appropriations process. I’ve made that very clear to my colleagues on both sides the aisle. I think they both want that, and I think we can accomplish that. And I promised it. “And that is something, frankly, that we didn’t do last year when the Democrats had the majority. We didn’t put a single appropriations bill on the floor. We passed three [this year]. There’s a bunch more I want to do.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5F7718E7-8C19-4CA3-8E53-FB675749AF00,Thune Joins The Brian Kilmeade Show,2025-10-15,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto listen to The Brian Kilmeade Show. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox Radio. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrats have] got to vote to open up the government … this hostage-taking has to stop … They’re asking for … $1.5 trillion in new spending … [and] all kinds of … provisions in there that would allow illegals to have free health care. Those are all just non-starters, and that’s where their leadership is … “I think a real solution and the way out of this is going to come from rank-and-file Democrats who are tired of sort of following their leadership over the cliff and are ready to make a deal to get the government back open again and get us actually doing the work we need to be doing on behalf of the American people.” […] “What the Democrats are doing here is entirely wrong … nobody benefits from a shutdown … Chuck Schumer described it a few years ago as ‘political idiocy’ to shut down the government, to take it hostage to try and achieve other political objectives, and that’s essentially what they’ve done here.” On how the shutdown is impacting national security: “Getting the defense authorization bill … [is] something we have to do every year, and then the defense appropriation bill actually writes the check that enables all those priorities to be funded … “This is going to be an opportunity for the Democrats to show whether or not they’re serious about what they say about wanting to have a regular appropriations process where we fund the government through what we call regular order – which is … allowing the committees to work, putting bills on the floor, opening up the amendment process. “The Democrats are going to have a chance to vote to get on that bill. That vote will … happen tomorrow – but we’ll see where they go.” […] “The Democrats are reluctant to do much of anything until that group gets here [on Saturday] and has their day and they can all … celebrate that they’re fighting Trump, but at some point we have to govern the country, and that starts with national security. “I’ve always said that if you don’t get national security right, the rest is conversation. You’ve got to be able to defend the country. And so moving the defense authorization bill last week was really important. “The defense appropriations bill, which funds all those things, is what we’re trying to tee up this week. So we’ll see … where the Democrats are, but I think in the end … if they’re sincere about wanting to actually fund the government the old-fashioned way, this is a chance to do it.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “Nobody wants to see anybody lose a job, which is why it’s so important that we open up the government. But I also understand that the administration, in the case of a shutdown, has a job to do. They’ve got to try and figure out how to move money around. They’ve moved some money around to help pay the troops at least for another couple of weeks … “They have to make decisions about which departments and agencies get prioritized, which employees are essential, which aren’t – and that happens when you get into a shutdown posture. So the administration is acting in a way that former presidencies – and I’ve been through a number of these shutdowns and administrations – have acted, and that is, they’re going to take care as much as they can of their priorities and those might in some cases … be at odds with what the Democrats want to see happen … “[The administration is] being put into this position because of the shutdown, and that’s why … it’s so important that five Democrats cross the aisle, show a little backbone and some courage, and vote with us to get the government open.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D70EDFDB-C7E7-4D50-8BE9-EEC15625BE6A,Thune: Schumer Celebrates the Government Shutdown While Families Suffer,2025-10-15,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, good afternoon. “I think the American people are wondering when the Senate Democrats are going to end their temper tantrum and vote to reopen the government. “Every day that goes by, there are more and more Americans who are getting smaller and smaller paychecks, people who work for the federal government. “Now, fortunately, the Trump administration has been able to make sure that our troops, our military, gets paid for a while longer, but there are limits to what they can do. “And you’re already seeing, and I’m sure you’re going to see more. “There have been thousands of flight delays across the country, and the longer this drags on the more of that you’re going to see. “So what the Democrats need to do is to vote for a clean, short-term, nonpartisan funding resolution sitting at the desk right now in the Senate. “I’ve showed it to you before, 24 pages long. “All they have to do, we pick it up, we vote on it today, we send it to the president, the president signs it into law, the government reopens, and then we can be happy to have all the conversations the Democrats want to have about other issues. “But they will have a ninth opportunity today to vote to open the government. “They had an eighth opportunity yesterday. “And they will have, if necessary, a 10th opportunity to reopen the government tomorrow. “All we need – all we need – are five courageous Democrats with a backbone who aren’t afraid to buck their leadership, who are marching them right over a cliff. “So, we’re willing to have, as I said, conversations about all the other issues that they want to talk about, but … that can’t happen while they are holding the federal government, and all these federal employees, and our troops, and our air traffic controllers, and our TSA agents, and our Border Patrol officials hostage. “Open up the government. “Every day that this goes on, the problems are compounded for federal workers and for ordinary Americans. “Chuck Schumer may think that every day gets better for them politically, but I can tell you that is not the experience of the American people. “This needs to end. “We can end it today. “The bill is sitting at the desk. “We’re going to get a chance to pick it up and pass it, open up the government, and get to work for the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=DE91FEE3-3AB4-4FC9-B4A2-BD30F9BB1096,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 15,2025-10-15,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, Democrats are dug in. “Fifteen days into a government shutdown, and Democrats show no sign that they’re ready for it to end. “Not even the prospect of military families going without a paycheck was enough for Democrats to reopen the government. “Nor are Democrats concerned about needy families uncertain about the future of nutrition assistance. “Or Americans in flood zones, who are unable to update their insurance or close on a home in the midst of hurricane season. “No, Democrats are dug in. “And all those Americans living in uncertainty? “Well, they’re just going to have to wait until Democrats’ far-left base is satisfied. “Mr. President, Democrats attempt to defend their funding blockade by complaining that Republicans won’t negotiate. “But what exactly is there to negotiate? “Negotiation happens when you have two sides each with its own demands. “Republicans have no demands. “We’ve offered Democrats a clean, nonpartisan funding extension. “Democrats, on the other hand, are insisting on $1.5 trillion in new partisan spending in exchange for their votes. “Now, think about that, Mr. President. Let’s put that in perspective. “$1.5 trillion in new spending – in their proposal, to keep the government open for four weeks, until the end of October. “Well, we’re already at the middle of October. “So basically, they’re saying they want $1.5 trillion in taxpayer dollars to keep the government open for the next two weeks! “Think about that one. “As our colleague from Louisiana put it, you need a spreadsheet to keep track of everything they’re asking for. “The truth is that what Democrats really want is something Republicans can’t give them – and that’s the approval of their far-left base. “They’re looking for praise from the likes of MoveOn.org and Indivisible. “This weekend, Indivisible is holding rallies around the country. “And Democrats’ motivations are laid bare by what one of the leaders of that far-left group told CNN last week. “He said, and I quote, ‘I’m telling every elected I talk to: millions will be out cheering you on, or they’ll be calling for new leadership.’ “Cheering you on, or calling for new leadership. “Mr. President, that’s Democrats’ motivation. “Pleasing their far-left base and preserving their political careers. “Meanwhile, we’re reading stories about military families lining up at food banks. “Flight delays because of understaffed airport towers. “Needy families uncertain about the food assistance they depend upon. “But our Democrat colleague from Rhode Island says, and I quote, ‘[for] Democrats, it’s so far, so good.’ “‘[S]o far, so good.’ “I doubt military families and federal workers would agree. “If there was ever anything to make it clear that Democrats are in this for their own political advantage, it is callous comments like this one – or the Democrat leader’s statement that, and I quote, ‘Every day gets better’ for Senate Democrats. “Mr. President, while Democrats may be basking in praise from their far-left base, polls show that most Americans want this shutdown to end. “Two-thirds of voters think Democrats should reopen the government rather than hold out for their partisan demands. “And if just five more Democrats would show some courage, we could do just that. “We need five more Democrats to say enough is enough. “To put the American people ahead of the far left. “And to support this clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution sitting right there at the Senate desk. “Ready to be picked up and passed today, put on the president’s desk, signed into law, and the government reopens. “If just five more Democrats would show some courage, we could do just that. “So, Mr. President, five more votes, this bill could be on its way to the White House. “As I said, President Trump stands ready to sign it. “It is clean. “It is nonpartisan. “It has no policy riders. “No partisan gimmicks. “It simply funds the government for a foreseeable time, to November the 21st, to give us an opportunity to finish the appropriations process under regular order. “And to deal with the funding of the government in the way that it should be funded – in an open, transparent process that uses the committees under regular order, the Appropriations Committee, subcommittees, the floor, open to amendments. “Again, I know that’s a novel concept. “That’s a novel concept compared to the way the Democrats did it when they had the majority. “Even though the Appropriations Committee did its work last year – 11 of the 12 appropriations bills were reported out – not a single one was brought to the floor of the Senate. “Because they like to negotiate behind closed doors, with a handful of people deciding on behalf of everybody else. “That is not the way this place ought to work, Mr. President. “Troops need to get paid. “Families need to get the help they need. “All this uncertainty for the American people needs to go away. “And we can get back to work on the things that really matter. “But the question is, are Democrats interested in that? “Or are they more interested in being cheered by far-left groups at Saturday’s rally? “Well, I guess we’ll see soon enough. “Will today be day 15 of Democrats’ shutdown? “We’ll have another opportunity later today to vote on that bill sitting right at the desk. “Five more Democrats, it passes. “It goes to the White House, gets signed into law by the president, and the government opens up. “Will today be day 15 of Democrats’ shutdown? “Or will it be the day we reopen the government and get back to the business of serving the American people?”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=0D9CA1DA-935D-4E7C-8F14-5F06B17745CB,Thune Joins Harris Faulkner on Fox News,2025-10-14,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Harris Faulkner on Fox News. On the Gaza peace deal: “It’s historic … it is really an epic development, Harris. You think about thousands of years of history and the warring that’s been going on in that region and more recently … the terrible attacks from a couple of years ago … “What the president has been able to achieve here is nothing short of remarkable, and he builds on the success of the Abraham Accords from his first term in office. But this truly is historic. [President Trump]deserves a tremendous amount of credit, and his team, who worked diligently and successfully to broker this deal.” […] “[Democrats] don’t want to give [President Trump] credit for anything. This is historic – an achievement … that will mark his administration … It’s something that is achieved when you try to make sure that your policy is one of peace through strength, Harris. That’s the policy of this administration. It’s been on display. And one of the reasons this was possible is because of the action the president took in Iran, and that enabled a lot of this to happen … “The president, and his team, is intent on ensuring that they are trying to bring about peaceful outcomes in some of these war-torn areas of the world and to save lives. And this is going to save hundreds and thousands of lives in that area.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “There is nothing to negotiate. This is a straightforward proposition, something that [Democrats] did 13 times when Biden was in the White House and when they had the majority in the Senate, there was a continuing resolution to keep the government funded. That’s all this is. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else … “They should take this, get the government opened up again, and then we can talk about all these other issues they want to talk about. But this is an indefensible position … they are in a tough, tough spot. And I don’t know how you’re going to walk down to the floor tonight and know that there are five Democrats who can open up the government today, and vote against it again. They cannot defend that position.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “We’re only stuck as long as a handful of Democrats decide they want to follow the leader and play politics rather than do the right thing on behalf of the American people and open up the government … “We’re going to vote again today. We have 55 of 100 United States senators voting to reopen the government. We need five more Democrats. It takes 60 to do most things in the United States Senate, and all we need is five Democrats. But their leadership is intent on pacifying and trying to appease this far-left base. [Democrats have] got this big rally coming up next Saturday, which everybody thinks they want to get behind them before they do anything to open up the government … “It’s really straightforward … This is the legislation right here. It’s 24 pages long. It is clean, it is nonpartisan. It has no policy riders, no partisan gimmicks. This is a straightforward way to open up the government. It has passed the House. It is sitting at the desk in the Senate. We can pick it up and pass it today, the president will sign it into law today, the government opens up … “All these questions about who gets paid, who doesn’t get paid, which agencies and departments are going to be prioritized, those all go by the wayside. It is that straightforward. [Republicans] are trying to open up the government. The Democrats are not. They are playing politics. It needs to stop, and it needs to stop now.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=39007B93-9477-41D3-9FDF-408D031B4D14,Thune on the Gaza Peace Agreement,2025-10-14,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, I want to join my colleague, Senator Grassley from Iowa, and before I begin, mention the release of the hostages on Monday. “After more than two years in captivity, the final 20 living hostages were returned to Israel and reunited with their loved ones. “To see the peace process moving forward is an occasion for immense gratitude. “And I hope that both sides will adhere to the terms of the agreement so that this can mark the beginning of an end to the bloodshed. “That includes the prompt and respectful return by Hamas of the remains of the deceased hostages. “I know that President Trump – without whom this would not have happened –Secretary Rubio, and others continue to work to hammer out the remaining steps of the peace process. “That will have to include disarming Hamas, and ensuring that the organization plays no future role in governance in the Gaza strip. “My prayers are with the president, Secretary Rubio, and all of those on both sides who are working to make peace a reality.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A07D8BAC-B566-461E-8C72-5BF633365F1D,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 14,2025-10-14,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, ‘every day gets better for us.’ “So said the Democrat leader in an interview published on Thursday – hours before Democrats once again voted to keep the government closed and to deny service members a paycheck. “Federal workers – including law enforcement officers – missed part of their pay last Friday. “But hey, at least life is getting better for Senate Democrats. “Mr. President, a CNN article from Thursday said that Democrats are preparing to keep on with this shutdown for, and I quote, ‘several more weeks.’ “I guess Democrats are not going to be satisfied until military families and government workers are lining up at food banks or visiting payday lenders or simply charging necessary items like milk and bread on their credit cards, to be repaid later – if they can – along with the big interest charges that come with that. “But hey, while military families and government workers may be deeply stressed, at least life is getting better every day for Senate Democrats. “Mr. President, I could at least understand a little bit more where Democrats are coming from if Republicans were asking them to swallow a lot of new Republican policies to reopen the government. “But Republicans aren’t asking Democrats for anything. “We’re not asking them to support any new Republican policies. “We’re not asking them to swallow any partisan policy riders. “We have put forward – and the House has passed – a clean, nonpartisan CR. “That’s the bill Democrats are rejecting. “And by the way, you certainly don’t have to take my word for it that we put forward a clean bill. “Here’s what one mainstream news publication said last week, and I quote, ‘It’s important to note that Democrats instigated this shutdown. They rejected a “clean” funding proposal and demanded significant and expensive health care policy changes in exchange for their votes.’ “‘It’s important to note that Democrats instigated this shutdown. They rejected a “clean” funding proposal and demanded significant and expensive health care policy changes in exchange for their votes.’ “Yeah, that pretty much captures it right there in a nutshell, Mr. President. “Democrats like to whine that Republicans aren’t negotiating. “But negotiation, Mr. President, is what you do when each side has a list of demands and you need to meet in the middle. “Republicans, as I and a lot of other people have pointed out, haven’t put forward any demands. “Only Democrats have made demands – and, by the way, very expensive demands. “And they’ve taken government funding hostage in an attempt to force through their partisan measures. “Mr. President, I remember when Democrats used to care about the effects of a government shutdown. “In fact, I could fill a whole speech – many speeches, actually – with quotes from Democrats talking about how terrible shutdowns are. “I used to think they were sincere in those opinions. “But it’s become abundantly clear that their previous statements weren’t based on principle, but on political advantage. “Democrats were against shutdowns when it suited their political purposes, and now that it suits their political purposes – they think – to keep the government closed, now they support shutdowns. “I suspect their political calculations are flawed. “After all, 65 percent of voters think Democrats should reopen the government instead of holding out for their partisan demands. “But I guess, Mr. President, Democrats are more worried about gaining the approval of their far-left base than about getting the approval of everyday Americans. “Mr. President, it’s day 14 of Democrats’ shutdown. “Our economy is losing billions of dollars. “Federal workers – including law enforcement officers – are going without pay. “Critical government programs are in jeopardy. “But hey, at least life is getting better every day for Senate Democrats.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/rounds-secures-south-dakota-wins-in-senate-passed-fy26-ndaa,Rounds Secures South Dakota Wins in Senate-Passed FY26 NDAA,2025-10-10,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,Mike Rounds,R000605,www.rounds.senate.gov,rounds,https://www.rounds.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, released the following statement on the full Senate’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. This is the 11th NDAA that Rounds has helped author as a member of SASC, and the 65th consecutive NDAA passed by the full Senate. “The NDAA is a critical piece of legislation passed each year which authorizes funding for our national security, as well as our servicemembers and their families,” said Rounds. “Just like our committee version of the bill, we secured many wins for South Dakota, including $378 million for construction projects at Ellsworth to prepare for the B-21, $28 million for the Watertown Army National Guard vehicle maintenance facility and $3.4 billion for procurement of B-21 aircraft. The NDAA also authorizes funding to support a 3.8 percent raise for military members. This NDAA keeps the U.S. ahead of the curve and takes care of our men and women in uniform who fight every day to protect our freedoms. I’m hopeful that these provisions will remain as we conference this bill with the House of Representatives. “The full Senate’s version of the NDAA also includes my legislation to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near sensitive military sites. Our near-peer adversaries are looking for any possible opportunity to surveil our nation’s capabilities and resources. This is a preventative measure to keep these nations out of our business and away from our most critical resources. “Despite what my Democrat colleagues want the American people to think, we can still do bipartisan work in the Senate. Leader Thune has worked hard this year to get the Senate back to regular order, in which we pass appropriations bills on a bipartisan basis every year. The NDAA is a great example of that. As we remain in a government shutdown, I hope my Democrat colleagues decide to work with us to open the government up. After that happens, we can continue to work through the pressing issues that are facing the American people.” In March, Rounds was named as the 6th most effective member of the United States Senate on defense and national security issues for the 118th Congress. Read a list of his provisions in this year’s NDAA below. Rounds’ South Dakota Victories: Fully authorizes the B-21 Raider program, including over $2.59 billion for procurement and $862 million in advanced procurement. Authorizes $378 million in military construction projects to support the B-21 Raider housed at Ellsworth. $63 million for B-21 Flight Simulator 2. $71 million for B-21 Alert Facility. $75 million for B-21 Environmental Protection Shelters. $88 million for B-21 South Environmental Protection Shelters. $81 million for B-21 West Alert Apron & Environmental Protection Shelters. Authorizes $28 million for Watertown Army National Guard Vehicle Maintenance Shop. Establishes a pilot program within the Department of Defense (DOD) to partner with communities, universities, and industry to establish Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIF). This has been a major priority for many South Dakota universities and defense companies seeking to establish or deepen their relationship with the DOD. Updates the State Partnership Program so that states with only one partner are given priority when a new foreign partner is being considered for the program. This will directly benefit the South Dakota National Guard. Modifies the Defense Community Infrastructure Program in order to make South Dakota schools more competitive in receiving grants. Requires the Navy Personnel Command’s Records Analysis Branch to develop a plan to address their delays and backlogs to provide members of Congress and their constituents answers and corrections to casework, record requests, and record adjudication. This will help our South Dakotan veterans dealing with frustrating bureaucracy. Includes the ROAD to Housing Act, which contains four of Rounds’ bills to improve housing access and affordability in South Dakota. Includes language from Rounds’ Native American Rural Homeownership Improvement Act which would expand an existing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pilot program, in which the USDA has partnered with Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to leverage their deep ties in local communities and deploy loans to eligible Native borrowers. Rounds’ Major National Defense Victories: Includes Rounds’ Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites. Protects national security spectrum from interference from commercial interests so that critical defense and intelligence capabilities are not degraded. Authorizes $5 million for Wing-level additive manufacturing capability. Authorizes $10 million for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing for hypersonic weapons. Authorizes $5 million for Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory. Authorizes $20 million for University Consortium for Cybersecurity. Creates a Cyber Command A.I. industry collaboration roadmap. This requires the Commander of U.S. Cyber Command, in coordination with senior DOD A.I. and research officials, to develop a roadmap for industry and academic collaboration on AI-enabled cyber capabilities for cyberspace operations. Creates an Artificial General Intelligence Steering Committee. This establishes an Artificial General Intelligence Steering Committee in the DOD to analyze AI trajectories and develop DOD adoption strategies with Deputy Secretary of Defense and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as co-chairs. Protects the dual-hat leadership arrangement between U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Provides authority to the Department of Defense and military to conduct military operations in defense of critical infrastructure. Requires a bomber aircraft force structure and transition roadmap, to include training packages and other measures, to make sure our bomber crews are as well-trained and equipped as possible. Process to improve Foreign Military Sales to our partners and allies. Modernization of the Department’s cyber and network security policies on full content inspection, to include A.I. capabilities to be included in the program. Requires the Department to identify how they will achieve implementation of zero trust cyber and network security by December 2025. Requires budget coordination of the Cyber Mission Force to increase mutual support between U.S. Cyber Command and cyber elements of the reserve component. Provides a pathway for men and women who may be medically disqualified for serving in the active duty military to serve in the Department of Defense or other military services as a civilian. Implements significant DOD cyber personnel related reforms to include establishing a Cyber Excepted Workforce (CEW) Interchange Agreement and increased flexibility regarding the pay and benefits for cyber personnel. Strengthens the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy — a position Senator Rounds created. Rounds-Supported Victories: Authorizes funding to support a 3.8 percent pay raise for military members. No restrictions on supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with deportations, including the use of military air. Prohibits DOD from paying for sex change surgeries for military personnel. Includes an additional $6 billion for munitions – in concert with $25 billion in reconciliation, which effectively doubles last year's munitions budget. Expands Navy fleet with an additional two destroyers and funds wage improvements for conventional surface shipbuilders (destroyers, amphibious ships, and more). Clearly authorizes key portions of President Trump’s Golden Dome, the missile defense program for our country’s national security. Clarifies the timing for operational certification of the B-21 bomber with the AGM-181 Long Range Standoff Weapon, which will make the B-21 more lethal and at longer distances. Includes a Comprehensive Cyber Workforce Strategy. This would require the Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive cyber workforce strategy. Encourages the Department to use multi-modal Large Language Models for foreign language translation. Directs the Secretary of Defense, as part of the Defense Cyber Workforce Framework, to design and implement a program for active management of cyber talent transitioning out of active duty and into the reserve force. Includes report language that directs the Secretary of Defense to assess how to better synchronize the Defense Cyber Crimes Center under the Air Force with the Defense Cyber Defense Command (DCDC) to maximize protection of the Defense Industrial Base. Directs the Secretary of Defense to facilitate the integration of existing commercially available AI capabilities to assist with logistics in two relevant DOD exercises. Directs the Secretary of Defense to evaluate the establishment of a Joint Task Force-Cyber in each of the geographic Combatant Commands to serve as the operational cyber component. Includes report language that will direct the Department of Defense to issue a report on the competition, barriers to entry, and market share of cloud service providers, AI providers, and data services providers. Directs the Secretary to develop standards and a strategy associated with digital provenance. Includes report language that emphasizes the importance of authentication and directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a strategy to establish phishing resistant authentication. Prohibits any use on any DOD system of a large language model created by a Chinese or other covered entity, specifically DeepSeek. It also prohibits contractor use of these models. ###",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A9C09FB6-4962-40C5-901E-9E5F8917943F,Thune Joins Martha MacCallum on Fox News,2025-10-10,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Martha MacCallum on Fox News. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “Democrats have to decide whether they want to deliver the five votes that we need to open up the government. We have … 55 out of 100 senators. The House has passed it, it’s sitting on the desk at the Senate … “[Democrats] have to think long and hard about what they’re doing, and unfortunately, the consequences of this are becoming very real … for a lot of federal workers. We want our troops to get paid, we want our TSA agents to get paid, our Border Patrol agents to get paid, air traffic controllers to get paid.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “We’ve made it very, very easy. It’s a nonpartisan, short-term, clean continuing resolution to keep the government open. Democrats now have voted against it seven times – something that they voted for 13 times under Joe Biden when he was president and Chuck Schumer was the majority leader in the Senate. “This is a routine thing. What they’ve decided to do is hijack it, and they’ve consistently now, seven straight times, voted it down.” […] “Democrats have concluded … that they think this is a political game. I mean, the statement that Chuck Schumer said … to the press about, ‘this gets better for us every day.’ I mean, that is a cynical statement, and honestly, they ought to be ashamed, because this is a real thing for a lot of families across this country that could be completely eliminated. “All they simply have to do is vote for the bill that’s right at the Senate desk. All we need is five of them right now to get it done.” […] “The president, like us, just wants to see the government opened up again … The Democrats are asking for $1.5 trillion in new spending. They’re asking for free health care for noncitizens in their counter proposal. Those are not things that’re going to go anywhere. It’s not serious. “We have in front of them a serious proposal to open up the government. They just simply need to take it, and then let’s go to work on health care.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “I think the president – and to give him credit for this – for 10 days now, they have held off on making hard decisions with regard to agencies and departments and moving money around and deciding what gets prioritized and what doesn’t, and which employees are essential and get paid and which don’t. “Those are all hard decisions, and the Democrats have put the administration in that position. But for 10 days, they have resisted making any decisions like that. [The administration is] now going to be forced to make those kinds of decisions, and that’s really unfortunate.” On the preserving the legislative filibuster: “Every single Democrat, with the exception at the time of Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema – voted to get rid of the filibuster, and every single one of them today, if they had that same opportunity, would vote to keep the legislative filibuster, because it’s situational for them … “This is the ultimate hypocrisy, and we’ve been consistent. The filibuster is something that protects the minority in the United States Senate. It enables us to work in a constructive, bipartisan way to get things done, and it’s just something that we’re not going to do … “We don’t have to do it. All we have to have are five courageous Democrats with backbone who are willing to cross the far-left activist groups who are calling the shots, and they’re dancing to their tune, and just come up here and vote to get the government open. It’s that simple … this isn’t a complicated thing.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=CF75528C-7927-430E-A34B-D0687F29E1E2,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day 10,2025-10-10,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.). Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, good morning. “Leader Chuck Schumer may think that every day that goes by, the shutdown gets better for the political prospects of the Democrats. “But every day that it goes by, it gets a lot worse for the American people. “Now, Democrat senators might start to feel that a little bit personally when they try to fly out of airports, and you see some of the impacts that are already occurring with respect to TSA and air traffic control. “And families around the country are already seeing the impacts, and it’s about to get a whole lot worse. “Because we just needed five more votes – five more Democrat votes – that the Democrats wouldn’t give us yesterday. “The American people are going to … feel a lot more pain and miss a lot more paychecks in the very near future. “So, shame on the Democrats. “Shame on the Democrats for doing this to the American people. “I mean, look at that. “Really? “‘Every day gets better for us?’ “‘Every day gets better for us.’ “That’s their thought about what this shutdown means. “So, shame on the Democrats for what they’re doing to the American people. “Republicans want our troops to get paid. “We want our air traffic controllers to get paid. “We want our TSA agents to get paid. “We want our Border [Patrol] agents to get paid. “And we have voted that way now in the United States Senate seven times, to open up the government. “Democrats in the Senate are the last hurdle, the last hurdle to getting the government open again and the American people back to work. “But, what? “Instead, they’ve decided to pander to their far-left activist base, who are cheering – cheering – what’s going on here. “And the Democrats tend to be so afraid – I guess, is the only thing, or running scared from – that far-left activist base that they are willing to put that ahead of what’s in the best interest of the American people. “Well, it’s time for them to get a backbone. “It’s really time for the Senate Democrats to show a little courage and put the American people ahead of their far-left activist base. “They have a simple choice in front of them: “Open up the government. “Quit playing politics. “Quit talking about how ‘it gets better for us, because we’re looking at the polling and we think that we’re winning.’ “This is all that’s between this country and their government being open again. “It’s this bill. You’ve seen it before. “It’s passed the House of Representatives. “It’s sitting at the desk of the Senate. “It could be picked up and passed today, put on the president’s desk, where he has said he will sign it into law. “The government opens back up, people get paid, troops get paid, air traffic controllers get paid, TSA agents get paid, Border Patrol agents get paid, and we get back to working on behalf of the American people. “That’s what, that’s really, this is it. “This is all that is between this country being back to work again, and it’s five Democrats in the United States Senate. “We have a majority of United States senators – 55 out of 100 senators – are voting to open up the government. “We need five bold, courageous Democrats with a backbone, who are willing to take on their far-left activist base. “Join us in passing this. “Could do it anytime, anytime. “Send it to the president, he’ll sign it in law. “It’s that simple. “Something they’ve done 13 times when they had the majority here in the United States Senate and President Biden in the White House. “Thirteen different times. “Continuing resolutions are a routine practice around here. “They don’t get hijacked for extraneous policy riders, and we didn’t do that. “No gimmicks, no policy riders, no partisan attachments to the bill that came over that the speaker and the House passed and sent to the Senate. “It’s just a straight-up bill to keep our government open so we can continue the appropriations process and get back to work for the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=13F7BD4D-EADC-4396-A128-6DC2902DA978,Thune on Israel-Gaza Peace Agreement,2025-10-09,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, before I begin, I want to mention the very welcome news that the first phase of the historic Israel-Gaza peace plan brokered by President Trump and his administration working with allies and partners in the region has been agreed to. “This will finally mean the release of all remaining hostages, living and dead, who have been held by Hamas since its October 7, 2023, attack. “It is vital that Israel and especially Hamas implement the terms of this agreement as quickly as possible, so that this can truly mark the beginning of an end to the bloodshed and – I hope – a lasting peace for this most war-torn of regions. “In addition to both sides adhering to all agreed-upon terms, true peace will also require that there is never again a threat to Israel emanating from Gaza. “This means that Hamas must disarm and relinquish any role in governance of the Gaza strip. “And I know the president and Secretary Rubio continue to work relentlessly to pursue peace and to make this a reality. “Mr. President, I am grateful for this news. “And my prayers today are for the successful release of all hostages, the success of this agreement, and the protection of all innocents in harm’s way.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=43F5CA44-E9CD-48BB-8D27-F0D4C7C0EC23,"Thune Applauds Senate Passage of NDAA, Urges Democrats to Stop Holding Troops’ Paychecks Hostage",2025-10-09,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today issued the following statement after the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, which authorizes significant investments for Ellsworth Air Force Base and the future B-21 bomber mission. “This year’s NDAA builds on the historic security investments we secured in the One Big Beautiful Bill and will strengthen the important role that South Dakota plays in keeping our nation safe by providing critical resources to Ellsworth Air Force Base and the B-21 mission,” said Thune. “The NDAA is one of the most important bills that Congress considers every year, and I’m pleased that the Senate made it a priority this year to ensure our military has everything it needs to project American strength and promote peace. “While I’m pleased we were able to get this legislation across the finish line, it is imperative that Senate Democrats stop holding the federal government – and military pay – hostage and reopen the government,” Thune continued. “Democrats need to do the right thing and vote to reopen the government so our troops can get paid and continue to provide for their families.” The NDAA includes significant investments that will benefit South Dakota:",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C262E313-91E0-4E55-A7CA-7CB1D529B571,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day Nine,2025-10-09,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, we are now nine days into the Democrats’ government shutdown. “Nine days in which Democrats have had multiple opportunities to support a clean, nonpartisan CR, sitting right here at the Senate desk, to reopen the government. “Something that’s been passed by our colleagues in the House of Representatives. “That has achieved 55 senators – a senate majority. “Out of 100 senators, 55 senators support this 24-page resolution sitting at the desk, which could open up the government today – because as soon as the Senate passes it, the president will sign it into law. “And Mr. President, this is the same nonpartisan measure that, as I said, passed the House three weeks ago. “No partisan riders, no gimmicks, no … partisan policies, Republican policies, anything like that. “A simple resolution – 24 pages long – to open up our government and make sure that the federal employees and the American people who depend upon them get paid. “Mr. President, the president’s ready to sign it. “All it takes is a handful of Democrats. “There are three Democrats who have already supported this clean continuing resolution. “Just a handful more, and we can end this shutdown in a matter of hours. “Fifty-five senators – a Senate majority, a majority of the 100 United States senators. “A majority in the House of Representatives. “The president of the United States is prepared to sign it. “That’s how straightforward this proposition is. “We’ve already seen, Mr. President, plenty of negative impacts from the Democrats’ shutdown. “But a whole new wave of pain begins tomorrow if Democrats don’t act. “Because if we fail to fund the government by the end of the day today, American servicemembers will begin going without their paychecks starting tomorrow. “That’s right, Mr. President. “If Democrats can’t bring themselves to reopen the government by the end of the day, our troops – the people who protect and defend this country – will start missing their paychecks. “To say that that’s unacceptable is an understatement. “Many of our service members are serving in harm’s way at this very moment. “All of them stand ready to rush into danger at a moment’s notice to protect the rest of us. “They and their families make numerous sacrifices to serve our country. “The idea – the very idea, Mr. President – that they won’t get a paycheck because Democrats can’t bring themselves to accept a clean, nonpartisan CR is beyond the pale. “Mr. President, if the government remains shut down after today, instead of getting our troops paid, they’re going to have to continue stretching what money they have saved. “Unfortunately, Mr. President, sometimes that’s not very much. “As one advocate for military families put it, and I quote, ‘This isn’t just a financial hardship – it’s destabilizing for households and military readiness alike.’ “‘Military readiness.’ “Many families have already begun to visit food banks near bases. “And it’s even harder on families with a loved one who’s deployed. “Amy Palmer, who runs an organization that helps military families in Colorado, said families of the deployed, and I quote, ‘are having to navigate this alone. They’re used to getting the paycheck … and paying bills on behalf of their entire family, and with that service member deployed and not really having that support system from them … it is really hard.’ “Mr. President, it’s not just our troops who are going to be missing a paycheck. “Civilian workers will also be missing part of their pay starting this Friday – including law enforcement officers like the members of our very own Capitol Police. “Food banks and other nonprofits around the country are bracing for increased demand from federal employees – especially here in the national capital region. “I remember when the Democrat leader was a passionate opponent of government shutdowns because of their impact on federal workers. “I’m pretty sure that was just about six months ago. “Other Democrats used to be concerned about the impact on federal workers as well. “A few years ago, our Democrat colleague from New Jersey – himself a former career federal worker – had this to say, and I quote, ‘I worked through multiple shutdowns including, you know, having to work and show up every day without getting paid … I mean, it’s just so scary to think of the fact that this is going to hurt people.’ “Yet Democrats aren’t showing the slightest interest in reopening the government to ensure our troops and federal employees get paid. “Mr. President, later today we’re going to have another vote on the clean continuing resolution to open up the government. “As I said, we are a handful of Democrats away from passing this continuing resolution and reopening the government. “A handful of votes away from paying our troops. “And we’re going to see if that matters to Democrats. “We’ll see if Democrats choose to pay America’s troops, or if they once again bow to the demands of their far-left base, which is telling them to hold out, or to their strategists who tell them they’re ‘winning’ the shutdown. “Well, based on the reporting this morning, Democrats couldn’t care less whether military families miss a paycheck tomorrow. “In an interview posted this morning, the Democrat leader said, ‘Every day gets better for us.’ “‘Every day gets better for us.’ “Mr. President, this isn’t a political game. “Democrats might feel that way, but I don’t know of anybody else that does. “Mr. President, the longer this goes on, the more the American people realize that Democrats own this shutdown. “A Morning Consult poll finds that, and I quote, ‘Voters Increasingly Blame Democrats for the Government Shutdown.’ “In the latest Harvard-Harris poll, 65 percent of voters think Democrats should reopen the government instead of holding out for their partisan demands. “But Democrats are apparently being told to hold the line by their far-left base, and so this shutdown drags on. “Mr. President, we can solve the issue of troop pay – and every other problem we’re seeing – today, today, by passing this clean, nonpartisan CR and sending it to the president. “He’s ready to sign it. “If Democrats would only agree, we could reopen the government in just a few hours. Literally. “Pay our troops. “Pay federal workers. “And stop this madness – and this notion that somehow, in this political game, the Democrats believe, according to their leader, that ‘every day gets better for us.’ “That, Mr. President, is not the experience of the American people. “It’s time to end this shutdown, reopen this government – let’s pass this CR today.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=C42975CE-38F2-45D2-8CF0-7B708C0BE2AD,Thune Joins Amna Nawaz on PBS NewsHour,2025-10-09,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Amna Nawaz on PBS’s NewsHour. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “All we need is … five Democrats to vote with us … it’s passed in the House, president will sign it … We’ve got 55 senators currently – a majority of the United States Senate – who have voted multiple times now to open up the government.” […] “You can’t take the ... federal government hostage. This is something that is routine, at least it has been in the past, when you do a short-term funding extension, and the one that we put together is … nonpartisan, has no policy riders, no Republican priorities in there. It is a straightforward funding resolution to keep the government open until such time as we can complete and finish the appropriations process … something that when the Democrats had the majority the last four years and while Biden was president, they did 13 different times … “This is a hijacking of a process that should be very straightforward, and you shouldn’t take a hostage, like federal workers …” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “What matters here is the people who get hurt by a government shutdown … the federal government should not be taken as a hostage. And that used to be a very heartfelt position of a lot of Democrats in the Senate, including the Democrat leader. “But now, all of a sudden, things flipped and what’s changed is [Democrats] got a new president in the White House, and it’s a president they don’t like. And the left-wing base in the country is very adamant about fighting this president … so the Democrat leaders in the House and the Senate have followed that lead. “But there are, I think, reasonable Democrats out there who recognize this is a bad strategy and it harms the American people and hostage-taking shouldn’t be something that’s permissible. “Government shutdowns hurt everybody, and it doesn’t matter who gets blamed. [This] shouldn’t be about politics. It ought to be about … what’s in the best interest of the American people, and that’s getting the government open again.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “Right now, we’ve got a government that’s shut down. We got military people who aren’t going to get paid starting early next week, air traffic controllers who aren’t getting paid, Border Patrol agents who aren’t getting paid.” […] “All that has to happen is we pick up the bill off the Senate desk, five Democrats join us in addition to those who already have, and the government opens up again, and then you don’t have that discussion, everybody gets paid again. That’s the best way to end this.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F1A13731-52A9-4C01-A328-0F46613C0E8C,"Thune Joins Squawk Box, ABC News",2025-10-09,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch Squawk Box andhere to watch ABC News. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) joined Joe Kernen on CNBC’s Squawk Box and Linsey Davis on ABC News. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “The only thing standing between the government being opened up again and us having a conversation about this is five Democrats coming forward and doing the right thing for the country.” […] “This is a political game for [Democrats] … I understand they’ve got these outside groups and this left-wing constituency that is clamoring to fight with President Trump. But this isn’t about the game … These are the real life consequences that happen to the American people if their government doesn’t act in a responsible way.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrat] leadership has no interest in a solution. When Chuck Schumer is saying ‘this is getting better for us every day,’ that’s not somebody who wants to see this get resolved. And they are pandering to the left-wing special interest groups out there who have demanded this and demanded this showdown with the president of the United States. “We’ve got a bill … that’s passed the House, that’s sitting at the desk in the Senate, that we could pass today, put it on the president’s desk, he would sign it into law, and this shutdown, whole fiasco, ends, and people can get back to work, and we can start paying the federal employees who are starting to miss paychecks.” […] “The last year the Senate Democrats had the majority, we didn’t do a single appropriations bill. We’ve done three [this year]. We want to do more. The funding resolution is about … giving us the opportunity to finish the annual appropriations process in the way we should be doing it – transparent, open, through regular order … “We’ve got a very straightforward proposal out there: Keep the government open, and then let's sit down and talk about these other issues.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “Right now, it’s all about politics. And as Chuck Schumer pointed out in his interview yesterday, this is a big game for the Democrats. He actually said yesterday, ‘Every day, this is getting better for us.’ I mean, do you think it’s getting better for the troops that aren’t going to get paid, the air traffic controllers that aren’t going to get paid, for the Border Patrol agents that aren’t going to get paid? “This isn’t a game. This is real. This is people’s lives we’re talking about. This is the families of the American people. And it’s important to get the government open again. We give the Democrats an opportunity, pretty much on a daily basis, to actually vote to do that. “We have 55 senators – a majority, 55 out of 100 senators – who are voting to open the government. We need five more Democrats, because, as you just pointed out, it takes 60 to do anything in the Senate.” On Democrats’ health care crisis: “Obamacare, at its core, is inflationary. It’s been driving up costs … The fundamental problem here is the underlying program … needs to be reformed, and the president wants to do that. The president would like to overhaul Obamacare and give people health insurance that is higher quality and more affordable, but you’ve got Obamacare now embedded for the last 15 years. “The Democrats … enhanced these subsidies a few years ago, so there’s no income cap on it … I think the president is more than open to sitting down and working on solutions that would improve quality and affordability for people in this country when it comes to health care. But part of the problem you have is the Obamacare program in the first place, and everything that goes with it, has an inflationary impact on health care costs. “Health care costs have been going up. They’re going to go up irrespective of what happens on these enhanced subsidies, they were going up anyway … I think that’s a problem that needs to be addressed [and] needs to be looked at … We’re willing to do that, but you can’t do it while you’re holding the federal government hostage.” […] “The question you have to ask yourself is, should the American taxpayer be subsidizing people who are making $500,000 a year, when it comes to their insurance? … The very fact that it costs $400 billion to extend it … suggests that this thing ought to be ripe for reform …” […] “When you have people making half a million dollars a year that are getting subsidies from the taxpayers for these federal subsidies for these insurance plans, something might be a little bit amiss there. There are no income caps on it. There are a lot of what you’d call premium-free policies – in other words, nobody … pays anything for it. “They don’t even know they have coverage. Insurance companies are incentivized to enroll people. They do that automatically, sometimes without the insurer’s knowledge … The subsidies are going directly from the government to the insurance companies. And as a result of that, last year … a little more than half of the people who were covered never filed a claim, because a lot of them don’t even know they have coverage.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F6616C7D-D7D0-4829-A0EF-D6BBC1036CA9,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day Eight,2025-10-08,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, we are now in day eight of a government shutdown, which is truly unfortunate and unnecessary, and totally at the behest of left-wing Democrat special interest groups who have pressured the Democrat leadership into a position that makes absolutely no sense to any thinking person. “I want you to think about where we are. Think about this scenario. “You have a bill passed by the House of Representatives over here in the Senate. “Twenty-four pages long, clean, short-term, nonpartisan, no policy riders, no Republican priorities. “A clean resolution to fund the government, which there are 55 senators – 55 out of 100 senators are voting for the clean, short-term funding resolution that would open up the government. “The president of the United States has said that, as soon as it is passed in the Senate, he will sign it into law. “So what you have is complete unified support for a short-term funding resolution to keep the government open and make sure that all the government employees who are currently being impacted and their families can get back to work and get paid again. “And so it’s always interesting when the Democrat leader comes down here and describes this fantasy world where the bill that they proposed – which would only get 47 votes here in the United States Senate, not even 50, not 51, not a majority, and certainly not the 60 that are necessary to pass consequential legislation in the Senate. “It wouldn’t get a single vote in the House of Representatives. “So they’ve got a bill, a proposal that they say keeps the government open, that can’t pass the Senate, wouldn’t pass the House, and wouldn’t be signed into law by the president. “Now, you tell me – you tell me – who is responsible for the government shutdown. “Republicans passed a bill in the House, over here in the Senate, 24 pages long, sitting right at the desk. “We can pick it up and pass it today, send it to the president, who will sign it into law, the government opens up again. “Or, you can take this proposal the Democrats have – which has $1.5 trillion in new spending, allows for free health care coverage for noncitizens, completely obliterates the $50 billion rural hospital fund that we put in place to support rural hospitals in this country who are struggling – and they think that would pass. “Doesn’t pass here, doesn’t pass the House, wouldn’t get signed into law [by] the president. “So just a logical person – think about this. “Think about the juxtaposition of those two positions, and you tell me who is shutting the government down. “We have a straightforward, simple proposition: a 24-page funding resolution to keep the government open with no partisan policy riders, no gimmicks, short-term, funds the government through November the 21st to give us an opportunity to continue to do the government funding the way we should do it, through the appropriations process, where we have the committees meeting and Republicans and Democrats contributing, and then bring it to the floor and have an open amendment process here. “That’s the way the government should normally be funded. “And so what this does is provides a short-term extension in order for all that to happen. “That’s all that we’re talking about. “Now, they have other issues they want to bring up, which I’ve said before, we’re happy to discuss. “And yes, there are some things that I think there is interest on both sides in trying to address when it comes to health care in this country. “But you can’t take the federal government hostage and expect to have a reasonable conversation on those issues. “The government needs to be funded. “Federal employees need to go back to work. “Federal agencies and departments need to be open and providing the services that the American people expect. “It’s that simple, and that’s really what this is all about. “Again, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. “It’s whether or not they want to support a 24-page funding resolution that keeps the government open, or continue to vote for $1.5 trillion in new spending, free health care for noncitizens, and completely wiping out a $50 billion rural hospital fund that’s designed to support rural hospitals in this country. “Something that would get 47 votes here in the Senate and not a majority in the House of Representatives, wouldn’t get a single vote, honestly, among Republicans in the House of Representatives, and would not be signed into law by the president – versus something, again, passed by the House, here at the Senate. “All we need is five more votes. “There are a majority of United States senators today who support the short-term funding resolution – 55 out of 100. “We need five Democrats. “You tell me who shut the government down. “And Mr. President, I think that the public is … coming wise to this debate and this argument and these fallacious arguments that are being made by the Democrats. “In fact, there’s a new Harvard-Harris poll that came out Monday that found that 70 percent of voters oppose a government shutdown. “70 percent. “And of interest to my Democrat colleagues, 65 percent of voters – including 63 percent of independents – think Democrats should end the shutdown by accepting a continuing resolution like the clean funding resolution I just described that’s in front of us. “So what are my Democrat colleagues doing? “Well, after their resounding defeat in the presidential election last November, you’d think they might be paying attention to the strong majority of voters who would like the shutdown to end, as well. “Now, you’d think they might notice that 63 percent of independents – voters I’m sure Democrats would like to capture in the next election – want Democrats to accept a resolution like the clean CR in front of us. “But you’d be wrong. “Because, Mr. President, Democrats are still deeply in thrall to the far left. “And they’re taking their marching orders for this shutdown from far-left interest groups. “And I mean that literally. “A recent Axios article reported, and I quote, ‘Progressive grassroots groups are blasting congressional Democrats on speed dial to “hold the line” in any negotiations to reopen the government.’ “Now, that followed an Axios report that found, and I quote again, ‘Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and his staff are closely coordinating their government shutdown strategy with outside liberal groups … Backing down and helping fund the government, like Schumer did in March, is unacceptable, the groups have told his team.’ “‘Backing down and helping fund the government, like Schumer did in March, is unacceptable, the groups have told his team.’ “And so the liberal groups say ‘Jump,’ and Democrat leaders say, ‘How high?’ “Forget the robust majority of independents who want Democrats to end this shutdown. “You know, Mr. President, back in the day – and by back in the day I mean as recently as six months ago – the Democrat leader was a pretty passionate opponent of government shutdowns. “Yeah, he was an opponent. “So much so, that even though he didn’t like the continuing resolution we passed in the spring, he voted for it anyway, because, in his words, and again I quote, ‘a government shutdown would be far worse.’ “But then progressive groups got big-time mad. “And now the Democrat leader is leading the charge to keep the government shut down – indefinitely apparently. “And all those federal workers and hardworking Americans he was so worried about before seem to have just slipped his mind. “In fact, Democrats have barely reacted to the fact that federal workers are going to start missing pay. “Mr. President, when we realized that we were going to need a continuing resolution to allow us more time to complete the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills, Republicans wanted to do everything we could to ensure that there was no government shutdown. “Which is why we put forward a clean continuing resolution, with no new Republican policies or partisan policy riders. “We knew a shutdown would be costly and disruptive for hardworking Americans, and we were determined to ensure that Democrats had no reason – no reason – to oppose our CR. “But Democrats weren’t deterred by the fact that there was nothing for them to object to in our bill. “And they decided to oppose it anyway. “Now, Mr. President, Democrats will get another chance this week to vote to keep the government open. “And I hope the Democrat leader and Democrat senators can summon up some of that concern they used to have about shutdowns, and vote to reopen the government. “At the very least, if the Democrat leader is too worried about his polling to vote to reopen himself, he could allow Democrat senators who do care about the functioning of our government to join Republicans to reopen.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=276ED813-2D7D-4077-B719-5E7F736E3E5D,Thune Delivers Remarks on Two-Year Anniversary of Terrorist Attack on Israel,2025-10-07,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, before I begin, I want to note that today marks two years since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel. “By day’s end on that October 7, hundreds of innocent Israelis were dead, and more than 200 hostages had been taken. “And some of those hostages are still in captivity. “My prayers today are with the remaining hostages, the survivors of that day, and all those still grieving the loss of their loved ones – and for a just and lasting peace in the region.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3FF0961E-0D3B-4775-86B3-25FEAAFC50A8,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day Seven,2025-10-07,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, it’s been one week since Democrats shut down the government. “One week since Democrats put their far-left base before the American people. “Over the past week, the Senate has taken votes on two different continuing resolutions. “One, offered by Republicans, is a clean funding extension – something that we do routinely around here. “It adds no Republican policies. “It has no partisan policy riders. “It just extends current funding levels through November the 21st so that we can make more progress on full-year appropriations. “The Democrats’ proposal, on the other hand, shows their lack of seriousness. “Their resolution would fund the government until October 3 in exchange for $1.5 trillion in new partisan spending. “Yes, you heard that right, Mr. President. “$1.5 trillion in new partisan spending to fund the government through the end of the month. “Just the end of the month. “Four weeks for $1.5 trillion. “And then there’s the fact that their plan makes noncitizens eligible for federal health care programs. “Strips away commonsense work requirements for able-bodied adults to be eligible for Medicaid. “And repeals the transformative $50 billion rural health fund that Republicans enacted in July to support and bolster rural hospitals. “Why Democrats think that threatening health care in rural America is a winning proposition is beyond me. “But apparently they really do think so, because we’re still in this shutdown one week later. “And Democrats are digging in their heels on their partisan demands. “Now, Mr. President, needless to say, Democrats’ partisan, $1.5 trillion bill has zero chance of becoming law. “There is only one viable path out of the mess that the Democrats have created. “We need to pass the clean, nonpartisan CR that’s already passed the House of Representatives. “And that President Trump is ready to sign today – right now. “And it is only a handful of votes away from passing here in the United States Senate. “We’re not asking Democrats to support any Republican policies. “We’re just asking them to reopen the government. “It’s that simple. “And if just a handful of Senate Democrats would join Republicans and the three Democrat senators who already support the bill, we could end this shutdown in a matter of hours and get back to … doing the work that the American people sent us here to do. “Mr. President, Democrats may be earning some praise from the far-left base, but I doubt that hardworking Americans have many kind words. “Right now, federal workers – including our troops, Border Patrol, air traffic controllers – are working without pay. “The National Flood Insurance Program has lapsed, putting households at risk during hurricane season. “Telehealth and hospital-at-home programs have expired, taking away services that Americans depend upon, especially in rural areas. “Americans seeking services or benefits from the federal government are facing delays. “And the longer Democrats refuse to support a clean funding extension, the worse things will get. “Some federal workers will soon be missing a paycheck. “WIC is almost out of money and may soon be unable to deliver resources to American families. “And federally funded programs will continue to run through their reserve funds and be forced to curtail or cancel their activities. “Mr. President, before I close, I also want to point out that Senate Democrats, at the same time, are blocking progress on bipartisan full-year funding legislation with their shutdown strategy. “We have a number of bipartisan bills that are waiting for consideration on the Senate floor right now. “Bipartisan bills that contain priorities from … members of both sides of the aisle and from every corner of the country. “Bills that we could be considering this week if we weren’t stuck in this shutdown. “Mr. President, Democrats’ shutdown is helping no one. “And I hope that when we vote next to reopen the government, my Democrat colleagues will join us to support our clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution – something that they have done 13 times, as recently as when they were in the majority here in the Senate and President Biden was in the White House. “We’ve had a few Democrats join us already. “We just need a handful more, and we can reopen the government and get back to working for the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=A9DCDBB8-6CB3-4776-98D4-07035FC9BD0B,Thune Joins Guy Benson on Fox News Radio,2025-10-07,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Guy Benson on Fox News Radio. On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “[Democrats are] voting against a clean, nonpartisan, … continuing resolution that has no policy riders, no … partisan priorities for Republicans. It’s simply a funding resolution. And in lieu of that, they have offered up this gargantuan … counter proposal … that has … $1.5 trillion in new spending, … [and] free health care for noncitizens. “It is … hard to figure out where [Democrats] are. They’re in search of an identity. They don’t really have a leader. And as a consequence, it’s the tail wagging the dog.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “It’s all these outside left-wing groups and personalities in the state of New York who seem to be influencing the behavior of [Democrats] who ought to know better. And so I’m hoping eventually that the adults will come back and we’ll be able to keep the government funded and avoid all the adverse consequences that come with a shutdown, but at least at the moment, they seem really dug in. “It is purely and simply their absolute hatred for the president and … desire to fight him on everything that he’s trying to get done, even if it includes taking a hostage like the federal government.” On the Biden-era FBI targeting Republican senators: “That revelation, in and of itself, ought to send chills up every American’s spine, because that is an egregious violation of American liberty, privacy, and I just think that we have to do everything necessary to get to the bottom of it and to hold people accountable. There’s just no two ways around it … you don’t find many times in American history where something like that’s been done, if ever, and we … can’t let this go. We have to make sure that there is accountability.” […] “Congress needs to be involved. There were … eight United States senators who were among those … on whom they were snooping. And I think that the Senate Judiciary Committee obviously is … the forefront of that, the tip of the spear, if you will … There ought to be oversight of any relevant committee of the Congress that has any sort of jurisdiction over the agency or the way in which it was done … there’s probably some Commerce Committee jurisdiction there because of the way that they used telecom devices, … including securing from Verizon, for example, these records. “Those are all things that just violate so many laws and I think there needs to be the necessary oversight, to include not just the Justice Department, but the Congress as well.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=FDDF9EBA-0546-465C-9A67-7CC87E892A4F,Thune: Americans Pay the Price for Democrats’ Government Shutdown,2025-10-07,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Senate Republican leadership: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Every day that the Democrats keep the government shut down is creating more, and worse, consequences for the American people. “The White House estimates that it’s costing our economy about $15 billion a week to continue to have the government shut down. “But it’s not just our economy. “It’s American families, the American people who are paying the price. “The program funding for the WIC program – Women, Infants, and Children Program – was about set to expire. “I think the White House is trying to figure out a way to move resources around to be able to keep that program up and funded. “Telehealth, hospital-at-home, programs like that have expired – meaning that hospitals are losing and patients are losing their flexibility and making it harder to cover the people who need to be covered. “And then, of course, this week, paychecks start being affected for federal workers, and that is going to have real consequences for them and their families as well. “So this shutdown continues to create more and more problems, and the Democrats are going to get another chance. “They’ve already voted five different times now to keep the government shut down and against opening up the government – which we have from our colleagues in the House a clean funding resolution, which is nonpartisan. “Something that 13 previous occasions during the Democrats’ majority here in the Senate and the Biden presidency, almost all Democrats voted for all 13 times. “This is a fairly routine thing that … happens around here on a regular basis. “So instead, what they’ve tried to do is hijack this to get $1.5 trillion in new spending. “And … there’s no universe in which that’s going anywhere around here. “This is a very simple and straightforward proposition. “The Democrats want to have a conversation about the covid tax credit cliff that they created, and at some point we’re happy to have that conversation, but not until the government opens up. “Again, the consequences for the American people are very real, and this just has to stop – and it could stop today. “We have the bill in front of us. “It’s in the Senate. “[The] House has passed it and supported it. “[The] president is ready to sign it into law. “Could do it today. “All we have to do is pick it up off the desk, as you all know. “And if there are a handful of Democrats, a few more Democrats, who are willing to vote with us, we can get this government opened up again and limit the impact and the effect that it has, the consequences, the adverse consequences on the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=013C2630-E22D-4363-BE24-BAC888476339,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day Six,2025-10-06,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, we’re now in day six of the Democrats’ government shutdown. “Day six. “And I’m wondering just what exactly Democrats think they’re gaining from all of this. “I guess they’re getting points from the far-left interest groups they’ve been coordinating their shutdown strategy with. “But I highly doubt that they’re earning a lot of points with everyday, hardworking Americans. “Like the voters that they lost in the last election. “Mr. President, a Reuters headline from Thursday noted, and I quote, ‘US government shutdown threatens food-aid program for low-income Americans.’ “Let me just read that again, Mr. President: “‘US government shutdown threatens food-aid program for low-income Americans’ “The article noted that while the Trump Agriculture Department is doing its best to continue administering the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children – more commonly known as WIC – the program is ‘critically low’ on funds. “And it won’t get new funds until Democrats agree to reopen the government. “Mr. President, Democrats own this. “They own any lapse in funding for critical food aid programs, just as they own every other negative effect of this shutdown. “Because let’s remember, Mr. President, the only reason the government is shut down is because Democrats refused to accept a clean, nonpartisan funding extension. “A clean, nonpartisan funding extension. “We didn’t ask Democrats to swallow any new Republican policies. “We didn’t ask them to swallow any partisan riders. “We simply asked them to agree to a clean, nonpartisan bill. “The same kind of bill, Mr. President, I might add, that they voted for 13 times – 13 times – during the Biden administration. “But Democrats said no. “And I should note, Mr. President, that you don’t have to take my word for it on the facts of the bill. “Republicans aren’t the only ones pointing out that this is a clean CR. “Here’s what the president of the Teamsters union had to say the other day, and I quote: “‘A shutdown will hurt working people. Period. … Senators should … pass the House-passed clean, short term funding bill.’ “‘Senators should … pass the House-passed clean, short term funding bill.’ “Again, that from the president of the Teamsters union. “Or, you know, you could take the word of a mainstream journalist, who recently noted, and I quote: ‘In a vacuum, this CR would get almost every [Democratic] vote. “‘It just would. “‘This is a clean CR that has no partisan riders, extends a bunch of programs that are [Democratic] priorities. “‘… it’s clean.’ “‘It’s clean,’ Mr. President. “So to summarize, Democrats have shut down the government because they refuse to accept a clean, nonpartisan bill. “And why are they refusing to accept it? “After all, as I mentioned, they supported similar bills 13 times during the Biden administration. “The reason that they refuse to accept it is that Democrats still cannot get over the fact that the American people elected President Trump. “And when their far-left base demanded a showdown with the president, Democrats fell in line. “And now it’s the American people who are suffering the consequences. “I quote again: ‘US government shutdown threatens food-aid program for low-income Americans’ “‘… threatens food-aid program for low-income Americans’ “Mr. President, three Democrats have rejected their party’s shutdown politics and voted with Republicans to reopen the government. “All Democrats will get another chance to vote to reopen the government later today. “And for the sake of the American people, I hope at least a few more Democrats will join us to pass this clean, nonpartisan CR and let the Senate get back to work.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F04CDF4E-50A9-4333-96F8-B3AE522E5D5D,Thune Joins Larry Kudlow on Fox Business,2025-10-06,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Larry Kudlow on Fox Business. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “Nobody likes shutdowns. … Nobody gains from a shutdown, Larry. But the truth is, in this case, we’ve put before [Democrats] something they voted for 13 times when Biden was president and when the Democrats [had] the majority in the Senate – a short-term funding resolution to keep the government open while we consider, in this case, other appropriations bills to fund the government for the full year. “This is very straightforward, but [Democrats] have decided to hijack it and make it about everything else on their agenda, most of which is … $1.5 trillion in new spending … [and] free health care available to noncitizens. This is what they’ve staked their claim on. And they’re wrong … “Hopefully the American people see through it and understand that we do have a clean funding resolution, something [Democrats] voted on 13 times in the past, and it will keep the government open. “If [Democrats] want to have a conversation about some of these other issues, I’ve said we’re open to that, but you’ve got to open up the government first.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “I think when the impact of this shutdown starts really being felt, I believe there are some Democrats who are going to say, ‘You know, this isn’t a good position for us to be in,’ and come and work with us to keep the government open … “We’ve told [Democrats] we’ll have a conversation about … the ACA tax credits. Although that, in and of itself, is another issue that the Democrats created because they put the expiration date in place. They … expanded these … tax credits, in a way that was supposed to be responsive to covid; well, covid is no longer with us. So this is a problem of their own making, and now they want us to … bail them out of this mess. But we’re not going to have that conversation until the government gets opened up.” On Democrats’ manufactured crisis: “The ACA tax credits are rife with fraud, waste, and abuse. They are subsidies to insurance companies – nothing more, nothing else. And there’s no cap on income. I mean, you can make half a million dollars now, 600 grand in some places, and be eligible for federal assistance under this program. So it’s desperately in need of reform … “We want to make sure that people in this country have access to affordable health care. Obviously, people on Medicaid, Medicare … In the One Big Beautiful Bill, we made reforms to Medicaid to make sure it’s there for the people who really need it. But for able-bodied adults who are gaming it and all these states who play these games and cover illegals, California being probably the best example of that, … take these provider taxes and, … get a higher FMAP from the federal government, get more federal money, and then rebate those taxes back to the providers, and then use the resources to cover illegals. That was what California was doing. That’s what they got busted for. “Now the Democrats, they want to put that all back in play … They’re issues that … we think need to be addressed on behalf of the American people, but not in a way that is such a bad return for the American taxpayer, that actually is inflationary when it comes to health care costs and to premiums and insurance and everything else, in a way that honestly skews these programs toward people who, in the expanded population, are able-bodied adults, ought to be working, and ought to be able to get … other health care options available to them. So we’re willing to have that conversation, Larry, but it doesn’t fit here.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=453953A9-7CA2-4FFD-9D09-67F3277C7649,Thune Joins Maria Bartiromo on Fox News,2025-10-05,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhere to watch. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today joined Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News. On Congress’ responsibility to fund the government: “There’s not a lot to negotiate, Maria. The Democrats just need to open up the government. Right now, we’re at a stalemate. They’ve now voted four times. We’ve given them the opportunity – a clean, nonpartisan, short-term funding resolution that continues government funding for the next seven weeks, and on four occasions now they’ve voted against it. “So they’ll get another chance on Monday to vote again, and I’m hoping that some of them have a change of heart … What’s happening here is the Democrats are trying to hijack a short-term, nonpartisan continuing resolution to fund the government merely for seven weeks, to give us an opportunity to get the appropriations process done – to try and get $1.5 trillion of new spending, make health care in this country, free health care available to noncitizens in this country, and guts a $50 billion rural hospital health fund that’s designed to support rural hospitals. “That’s what they’ve got on the table. That’s [Democrats’] proposal. It’s a nonstarter. It’s not serious, it’s not reasonable, it’s not realistic. Everybody knows that. The Democrats need to come to that realization and understand their option in front of them here is to open up the government, and then we can talk about all these other things they want to have a conversation about.” […] “[Chuck Schumer’s] rank-and-file members shouldn’t follow his lead on this. This is where you need to separate from your leader and actually do the right thing for your constituents and for your country.” […] “This is nonpartisan, we didn’t put anything on it – no gimmicks, no policy riders. Just a straightforward resolution to keep the government open so we can continue the appropriations work that … both sides, Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, want to do.” On the consequences of Democrats’ shutdown: “You’re talking about border patrol agents not getting paid, TSA agents not getting paid … You’ve got programs like … food assistance for women and children that’s being affected by this. At some point, this is going to start having real consequences … “The administration is having to make decisions right now about how to move money around, which agencies and departments to prioritize in all this. And those are also decisions they’re going to be costly to the American people and to a lot of the constituents of Democrats out there who continually vote to keep the government shut down.” […] “The real sacrifice here, too, is all the other things we need to be doing … We’ve got a defense authorization bill that’s supposed to be on the floor. Appropriations bills. Permitting reform. All kinds of other things that are … swept aside and hanging in the balance now over this shutdown. So it’s really a function, not only of opening up the government again, but it’s also all the other things that Congress needs to be working on that we’re not getting done right now.” On Democrats’ shutdown hypocrisy: “This is a Schumer shutdown. Chuck Schumer instigated this at the behest of a bunch of far-left, liberal interest groups. But there are Democrats who are reaching out to Republicans, having conversations about how we might be able to get the government opened up again. “So hopefully the reasonable Democrats will prevail there and not … follow the lead of their leader … and walk down this path of a government shutdown, which is detrimental to the American people. And they know that, and this is a very costly endeavor for the Democrats to take, because it really does hurt people across this country, and it’s a simple, straightforward proposition to get the government opened up again.” […] “Right now [Democrat] leadership is stuck, because these left-wing special interest groups are so adamant in their desire to fight President Trump, it’s sort of this blind Trump Derangement Syndrome, if you will. They don’t want to give the president a victory on anything. This is not giving him a victory … this is simply continuing to fund the government for the next seven weeks so we can continue the appropriations process. It really is, it’s ironic, in a way, that this is where the Democrats have decided to pick their fight … Their liberal left is insisting on it, and so their leadership is being, you know, it’s the tail wagging the dog right now. “All these things that [Democrats] want to do and that we’re talking about, we’re happy to have a conversation about, but that can’t happen with the government shut down.” On Democrats’ historic obstruction: “I can’t speak for their side. I don’t understand their side. I certainly don’t understand this strategy. I’ve never seen something that seems like such a losing proposition, a losing hand, where you take hostage something you actually like, which is the federal government.” […] “This is the new business model for the Democrats in the Senate. They have decided to take everything hostage because of their hatred for the president … I don’t understand it. It is irrational to me. But there are people on their side for whom this Trump Derangement Syndrome is borderline pathological. There is just no other explanation for it. They just want to fight everything that the president is trying to get done.” On a peace deal in the middle east: “We’re all very, very hopeful. I mean, please … let’s get these hostages released … I give the president and his team great credit for sitting down and being able to work out this – work with the Israelis, work with other … neighbors in the region who care deeply about stability and peace in that area of the world … “I’m skeptical, obviously, as always, of Hamas and any other terrorist organization, because … they, as a fundamental matter of their charter, want to eliminate and wipe out Israel on the map. And I think in the end, they need to disarm, and that’s something I think that’s being asked of them, which we’ll see if they’re … willing to follow through on. “But let’s give the president credit. Hopefully this will be a deal that will result in a peaceful outcome in that region, and the elimination and obliteration of Hamas and Hezbollah and other terrorist groups that have been wreaking havoc there, literally now for decades.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=E7818D54-B561-4E2A-9681-1A56A985B5CC,"Thune: Open the Government, Open the Discussions",2025-10-03,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke at a press conference with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. “The Speaker is right. “We have an opportunity to pick up a House-passed bill that, if it passes the Senate, will be sent to the White House, the president will sign it, and the government will reopen. “It’s that simple and that straightforward, and that’s all we’re talking about here. “All we need is a handful more Democrats. “We have a majority of senators – 55 senators have already voted for this clean, short-term, nonpartisan CR. “As the speaker said, no policy riders, no gimmicks, nothing in here that benefits Republicans. “This is a straight-up seven-week funding resolution, and we need it to keep the government open. “And if we don’t keep the government open, you’ll have all the things that the speaker just alluded to, all the Americans who are adversely impacted by this government shutdown. “Now, this is something, as you all know, as recently as the last administration, during the Biden administration, when the Democrats had the majority here in the United States Senate, the Democrats, on 13 different occasions, voted for this, a short-term continuing resolution. “Now, I have to ask, what’s changed? “What’s different about this? “What’s different is who’s in the White House. “That’s what it is about. “It’s all about President Trump and the Democrats needing to pick a fight to satisfy their far-left political base, far-left activist organizations, who are the tail wagging the dog right now. “That’s all this is about. “And you have a Democrat leader from New York in the in the Senate, a Democrat leader in the House from New York, and you have a mayoral race in New York, you’ve got AOC, you’ve got all these people that are bringing pressure to bear on what should be a routine, simple, straightforward proposition, and that is a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government funded, which is sitting right now, sitting right now, this is sitting at the Senate desk. “We will have a vote in another hour or two, and it will be the fourth time that Democrats will have an opportunity to vote to keep the government open. “Now, at some point, reason, good sense, common sense has to take effect here, because that’s really what this is. “They brought to us – and the speaker alluded to all the impacts on illegals and free health care programs in this country – a bill loaded with $1.5 trillion in new spending, which includes all these provisions, and they want to load that onto a seven-week continuing resolution to fund the government. “Now, what’s happening right now? “When the government is shut down, all the things that we could be doing – the defense authorization bill, which benefits every congressional district, every state across this country is languishing right now because we are shut down. “The other appropriations bills. “We have people in the Senate, both Republicans and Democrats, and frankly, Democrats, I think especially, because they haven’t had a chance to be heard in the appropriations process for a really long time. “Because when Chuck Schumer ran the Senate, we didn’t do appropriations bills. “We didn’t put them on the floor. “They marked them up in committee, and then they died, and then he wrote it behind closed doors in his office. “That’s the difference. “We are opening this process up, and one of the things that’s not getting done while the government is shut down is an appropriations process that allows us to fund the government the old-fashioned way, in the light of day. “We aren’t working on permitting reform, which should be a bipartisan priority. “We aren’t working on a farm bill. “We got a lot of farm policy this summer in the working families tax cuts bill, but there’s more to do there. “Those should be bipartisan things that we could be working together on, along with appropriations. “All those things aren’t getting done right now because Senate Democrats have chosen to shut the government down. “They have an opportunity, a fourth opportunity – fourth time today, fourth time – to vote to open up the government and to allow us to do the rest of the work that the American people expects us to do. “They have taken hostage the federal government, and by extension, the American people, who are the only losers in this. “Everybody’s talking about who wins and who loses and who gets the blame. “That’s not what this is about. “This is about [doing what’s] in the best interest of the American people, and what’s in the best interest of the American people is keeping the government open and operating so it can continue to work on their behalf.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=F471515F-0ECA-4795-930E-0A91A9678612,Thune: Schumer Shutdown Day Three,2025-10-03,2025,2025-10,Republican,Senate,SD,John Thune,T000250,www.thune.senate.gov,thune,https://www.thune.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases,scraper,"Clickhereto watch the video. WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, it’s been two weeks since our first vote on a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open. “This shutdown could have been avoided well before it began. “But because Democrats have not budged from their partisan demands, the shutdown is now entering its third day. “Mr. President, there’s a lot we could be doing right now. “We could be considering bipartisan appropriations bills through regular order. “Going to conference on the three appropriations bills we passed in August. “Or passing the bipartisan annual defense bill. “But instead we’re stuck in a shutdown mess of Democrats’ making. “And the American people are suffering as a result. “Mr. President, Republicans remain united around a clean, nonpartisan funding extension. “It’s passed the House of Representatives. “And it’s currently sitting here in the Senate ready to be voted on. “It has no new Republican policies. “No partisan policy riders. “It’s straightforward, simple, and clean. “All it does is reopen the government through November the 21st to give us more time to pass appropriations bills here on the floor. “We have a number of bipartisan bills waiting for floor consideration right now. “The only thing standing in the way of reopening the government and getting back to doing the important work is Democrats’ $1.5 trillion in partisan spending demands. “That’s right – $1.5 trillion. “Their partisan proposal demands more money – think about this – more money than our defense budget just to keep the government open for four weeks. “That’s not a credible proposal – it’s a far-left wish list. “And it’s not how we’re going to do things around here. “Mr. President, we can end this shutdown in just a few hours. “We need to take one roll call vote – just one roll call vote – on the House-passed, clean continuing resolution. “The president of the United States says that he’s ready to sign it. “We just need a handful of Democrats to agree. “Now, once we get the government back open, then we can talk about the issues that Democrats are raising. “But we can’t do that while they’re holding the federal government hostage to their partisan demands. “Mr. President, whatever Democrats are saying publicly, I think privately they are all well aware of the problems with their current position. “The senior senator from Massachusetts has said, and I quote, ‘Hostage tactics are the last resort for those who can’t win their fights through elections, can’t win their fights in Congress, can’t win their fights for the presidency, and can’t win their fights in the courts.’ “The Democrat leader called shutdowns, and I quote, ‘a politics of idiocy, of confrontation, of paralysis.’ “Mr. President, this shutdown needs to end sooner rather than later. “And there’s only one way out of it. “Democrats need to vote for the clean, nonpartisan continuing resolution sitting right there. “All it takes is one roll call vote, the government’s back open. “And Mr. President, we need to get this government back open – which we can do very, very quickly. “And then we can talk about whatever we need to talk about. “Just a few years ago the Democrat leader had this to say, and I quote again: ‘We’re allowed to come here and disagree over policy. In fact, our system of government was designed to allow for progress despite our large and sometimes raucous differences. But when one side … throws a temper tantrum and uses the basic functioning of our government as leverage in a policy argument, our system of government breaks down.’ “Well, Mr. President, let’s hope the Democrat leader decides to heed his own words – and that Democrats’ temper tantrum ends sooner rather than later. “Mr. President, later today, [in] a couple hours, Democrats will have another opportunity to vote for the clean continuing resolution. “And we’ll see if they’re still committed to their shutdown politics. “Republicans remain ready to reopen the government and to get back to doing the American people’s business. “How much longer this shutdown lasts depends entirely on Democrats. “The choice is theirs.”",1,2026-03-30T01:40:41Z,2026-04-06T19:32:54Z