U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) recently requested a federal review of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Native American Direct Loan program (NADL), which allows eligible Native American military veterans to finance the construction, purchase Read more…
U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and 33 of his Republican colleagues urged U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to consider providing federal funds to nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, senior living communities, independent living, assisted living, memory Read more…
Nonprofits must be considered for additional federal financial assistance in the next COVID-19 emergency funding relief package, said U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) and several of his colleagues. “As we work to build on the CARES Act in the next Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) recently applauded President Donald Trump, who said at the White House on May 6 that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will investigate meat packer pricing activity. “I thank President Trump for continuing to stand Read more…
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) last week led 23 of her colleagues in seeking federal protections for America’s biofuels. Specifically, the senators urged the Trump Administration to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and to reject the requests from five Read more…
The 12 U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs regions must receive their fair share of the $8 billion authorized to them under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, according to U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD). Specifically, the Great Read more…
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) joined more than two dozen of his U.S. Senate Republican colleagues in urging the government against allowing early releases for violent offenders incarcerated in federal prisons during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have serious concerns about Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) recently made a bipartisan request that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ensures targeted healthcare for America’s at-risk military veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sen. Rounds and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), in a Read more…
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and more than a dozen other senators urged leading public health officials to take immediate steps to bolster the federal government’s and states’ testing and disease surveillance systems and infrastructure to rapidly expand the nation’s Read more…
Following the recent closure of the Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls, S.D., due to a COVID-19 outbreak, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and a bipartisan, bicameral contingent of congressional lawmakers requested federal assistance for the nation’s pork producers Read more…
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and more than a dozen other senators called on U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to help sustain the U.S. dairy industry by utilizing authorities under the recently signed Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Read more…
U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) joined a group of 17 Republican senators in requesting that the president aggressively continue to protect America’s national security by scrutinizing any transactions or investments by the Chinese government or privately owned enterprises. “We must Read more…
U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) joined fellow members of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee in requesting expanded telemental health services via expanded broadband access for America’s military veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, many veterans Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on April 1 teamed up with more than 140 other members of Congress to request that U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue swiftly provide federal funds from the newly enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stabilization Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) commended the inclusion of his bipartisan bill, the United States Public Health Service Modernization Act of 2019, into the newly enacted COVID-19 relief package signed into law on March 27. Sen. Rounds sponsored S. 2629 Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) is addressing the nation’s ongoing cattle market crisis, which has been magnified during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re at the point where many South Dakota ranching families are on the brink of going under. This Read more…
The U.S. Senate on March 16 passed bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) to protect GI Bill education benefits for the nation’s military veterans and their dependents who opt to take online classes during the coronavirus pandemic. Read more…
U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) on March 2 introduced a bipartisan bill to make available more respirators during public health emergencies, such as the current global COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. “Our bipartisan bill would help ensure manufacturers are producing additional respirators,” Read more…
U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) on March 2 introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure manufacturers and distributors may legally produce ample numbers of respirators during public health crises, such as the current COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic. “With the Read more…
U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Steve Daines (R-MT) are concerned that the federal government’s lift of a ban on Brazilian raw beef imports could put food safety standards at risk. “Given that the United States halted Brazilian raw beef Read more…
U.S. Sens. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Feb. 12 proposed the bipartisan Hazard Eligibility and Local Projects (HELP) Act to hasten recovery projects following natural disasters. Sen. Tillis sponsored S. 3285 with six cosponsors, Read more…
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) on Feb. 12 sponsored a bill that would restrict certain federal grants for states that grant driver licenses to illegal immigrants and fail to share information about criminal aliens with the federal government. “Immigrants must Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) led a letter this week urging the International Trade Commission (ITC) to enforce action against illegal Chinese trade practices that have harmed the American kitchen cabinet industry. The letter, signed by Sen. Rounds and 24 Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds’ (R-SD) bipartisan Memorializing Veterans Act became law on Jan. 17 with the president’s signature. “I thank President Trump for signing into law our bipartisan bill that establishes a grant program to honor veterans’ legacies,” Sen. Rounds Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Jan. 8 urged action on bipartisan legislation he supports to save and strengthen critical social contract programs of the federal government that, in turn, could help reduce the nation’s debt, which as of this Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Dec. 12 introduced a bipartisan bill that would establish a federal grant program to conduct cemetery research and produce educational materials for the Veterans Legacy Program, an educational initiative under the U.S. Department of Read more…
U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Dec. 5 introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing the nation’s recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and other first responders by offering more of them federal housing assistance, Read more…
The U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a bipartisan bill led by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act for seven years. “I want to thank Chairman Crapo and Read more…
U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Roy Blunt (R-MO) this week reiterated recommendations that the Trump administration take corrective action on its proposed supplemental Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rulemaking. “This supplemental rulemaking is an Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced a bipartisan resolution last week seeking to establish the McCain-Mansfield Fellowship, a program offering a two-year Senate fellowship to wounded American veterans. While a Wounded Warriors Fellowship currently exists in the House of Representatives, Read more…
Republican senators representing Midwest states expressed concerns that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed supplemental rule on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program would harm the economies of biofuel-producing states. In separate comments submitted last week to the Federal Read more…
A Medicare beneficiary’s access to the life-improving expanded Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) model must not be determined solely by the zip code in which the person lives, said U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) and a bipartisan group of senators Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) seeks to ensure than a “Product of the U.S.A.” label doesn’t get put on beef products derived from livestock born, raised and slaughtered in foreign countries. “Consumers deserve to know where their food is coming Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced on Tuesday the Native American Housing Affordability Act of 2019, which seeks to speed up the mortgage loan processing time for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The bipartisan legislation would reform the Housing and Read more…
The U.S. Senate on Oct. 25 passed bipartisan legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) that would help deter deepfakes, which are hyper-realistic, digital manipulations of real content that depict events that did not actually occur. “As AI rapidly Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Oct. 17 introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure ample numbers of healthcare personnel are on hand to respond to national disasters and emergencies. Sen. Rounds sponsored the United States Public Health Service Modernization Act of Read more…
U.S. Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) on Oct. 16 sponsored a bipartisan bill to exclude vehicles used solely for sporting competitions from provisions of the Clean Air Act. “This legislation upholds Congress’ intent of the Clean Air Act and protects motorsports, Read more…
U.S. Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) and a bipartisan contingent of 30 other senators urged U.S. Senate leaders to include a reauthorization of two critical federal programs for rural counties in any end-of-year legislation. Specifically, Sen. McSally and her colleagues requested Read more…
U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) on Sept. 26 introduced a resolution to recognize October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which for 2019 would have the theme: “Own IT. Secure IT. Protect IT.” “National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Read more…
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) must restore full education benefits for members of the U.S. Army National Guard and the Reserve components of the U.S. Armed Forces, said U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND) and Steve Daines (R-MT) earlier this Read more…
U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) recently voiced concern with leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee that commercialization of an FDA-approved product is being hindered by a provision in the agriculture appropriations bill for fiscal year 2020. If the provision’s Read more…
U.S. Rep. French Hill (R-AR) on Sept. 6 sponsored legislation that would expand credit reporting agencies’ access to American’s payment data. Rep. Hill introduced the Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2019, H.R. 4231, which he said would level “the Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) recently unveiled a bipartisan bill to examine the potential for establishing a joint United States-Israel cybersecurity center of excellence. “Israel is a world leader in cybersecurity,” said Sen. Rounds. “Partnering with this close ally on Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on July 18 introduced a bipartisan bill to waive certain fees for United States military veterans and their spouses applying for the Export Working Capital, International Trade, and Export Express small business loan programs. Sen. Read more…
The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on July 16 advanced a bipartisan bill sponsored by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) to improve healthcare services for America’s military veterans. “We owe it to our veterans to provide them the Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), one of the leaders of a bipartisan bill to permanently end the Cadillac Tax that’s set to be imposed on certain health insurance plans, seeks swift U.S. Senate action on the bill following last week’s Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) recently introduced bipartisan legislation to modify the transition period between care and services provided under both the Veterans Choice Program and the Veterans Community Care Program. “The men and women who wore the uniform of Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) wants to open up interstate commerce for state-inspected meat and poultry. Sen. Rounds on June 5 introduced the bipartisan New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act, S. 1720, with five cosponsors, including U.S. Sens. Read more…
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) on May 22 cosponsored a bipartisan bill to guarantee paid maternity leave for the roughly 150,000 women serving in U.S. National Guard and other reservist positions. “This bipartisan, sensible legislation would support new mothers in Read more…
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) thinks that anyone who murders or targets a local public safety officer should be prepared to face the death penalty. Sen. Tillis on May 16 introduced the Thin Blue Line Act, S. 1508, with bill Read more…