U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) on March 29 honored U.S. military troops during a 45th anniversary event marking their return stateside from the Vietnam War and took the opportunity to outline his recent efforts to strengthen health care and benefits Read more…
A bipartisan bill from U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) offering certain investors more capital to help grow America’s small and medium-sized businesses has become law as part of the $1.3 trillion omnibus government funding bill signed by the president on Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, and 13 fellow senators on the Senate Armed Services Committee have requested that President Donald Trump prioritize the immediate completion of the nation’s cyber deterrence strategy. Read more…
Revenue generated by energy production on federal lands would be used to address a maintenance backlog for U.S. National Parks that now exceeds $11 billion under a bipartisan, bicameral bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Shelley Moore Capito Read more…
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Feb. 14 introduced the bipartisan Families of Fallen Servicemembers First Act, a measure to guarantee immediate military death-benefit payments for survivors who lose their loved ones during any future shutdown of the United Read more…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) spearheaded a group of his Senate colleagues in urging President Donald Trump to revisit consideration of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in talks this week with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that are expected to encompass Read more…
U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) on Feb. 13 joined Senate Democrats in introducing the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act, S. 2421, which would relieve agricultural producers from certain requirements Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Feb. 6 introduced the Access Business Credit Act of 2018, a measure that would incentivize America’s Main Street community banks to extend capital to farms and businesses. “By making it easier for community banks Read more…
Several U.S. Republican senators recently wrote to President Donald Trump quantifying how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) supports U.S. economic development and workforce livelihood and seeking his support for modernizing the trade pact. Representatives of the United States, Read more…
U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) has joined in leading a bipartisan group of colleagues to support greater transparency, reduce out-of-pocket costs and eliminate certain fees for American seniors’ prescription drugs. Sens. Capito and Jon Tester (D-MT), along with 19 Read more…
U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer’s (R-MN) bipartisan Home Mortgage Disclosure Adjustment Act, H. R. 2954, a bill to reduce regulatory overreach so that Main Street lenders can help expand home and business ownership, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. Read more…
U.S. Sen. John Hoeven’s (R-ND) amendment continuing fair tax treatment for cooperatives has been incorporated into the House-Senate conference committee’s final tax relief legislation. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) joined Hoeven in writing the amendment, which aims to ensure that elimination Read more…
U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is among more than a dozen members of the Senate who have called on the U.S. Commerce Department to provide a financial impact analysis of how any changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement Read more…
The U.S. Senate last week passed bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) that aims to help the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) better address opioid abuse among the nation’s military members, and the measure now heads Read more…
With pheasant hunting season now underway, South Dakota Republicans U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem and U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds highlighted the world-class pheasant hunting in their home state and the important source of revenue it generates for small businesses. Lifelong South Read more…
U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) stood up for small businesses and families in rural areas by cutting red tape for the community banks that serve them through legislation they introduced on Tuesday. Their bill seeks to Read more…
Efforts led by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) to better understand how exposure to toxic burn pits on military bases is impacting the health of veterans across the nation gained Senate approval on Monday. The Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Read more…
Despite signs of an improving economy in recent months, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) argues that stagnant wages and economic growth hovering around 2 percent for the last decade underscore the need for pro-growth tax reform. “It has been more Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) sought to ensure the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) was responsibly and properly managing the Missouri River during a Tuesday field hearing held in the state capitol of Pierre, S.D. “The Missouri River plays Read more…
Veterans would have more access to nursing homes and other long-term care services (LTC) in their home communities under legislation reintroduced on Monday by U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND) and Mike Rounds (R-SD). The Veterans Access to Long Term Care Read more…
Permanent advisory panels would be created to ensure that small businesses and community banks have input on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) rulemaking process under legislation reintroduced last week by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD). Three advisory panels would Read more…
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would be required to share prescription drug data on all beneficiaries with state prescription drug monitoring programs under legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Friday that seeks to prevent opioid abuse. Read more…
U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Steve Daines (R-MT) said on Tuesday they support Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) decision to delay the August in-state work period until the third week of August. Both lawmakers, along with U.S. Sens. Read more…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized emergency grazing on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands on Friday in response to extreme drought after requests made by U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD). USDA Read more…
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) led a bipartisan letter on Friday highlighting the importance of the U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance and the pursuit of solutions that neutralize threats from North Korea ahead of meetings this week in Washington. Gardner Read more…
Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Monday would undertake efforts to educate disabled veterans and their caregivers about support services available to them through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Implemented in 2010, the VA caregiver program Read more…
The survivors of deceased service members would be granted greater flexibility when it comes to transferring Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits under bipartisan legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD). No changes to education benefit allotments can be Read more…
The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee on Wednesday considered lifting a prohibition on the sale of 15 percent ethanol (E15) gasoline during the summer months, legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) that would expand consumer choice Read more…
Lawmakers from South Dakota and North Dakota applauded the Trump administration’s announcement on Monday that it had reached an agreement to end China’s ban on beef imports from the United States. China’s ban on U.S. beef imports went into effect Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced a bill that calls for exempting community banks and credit unions from a revised rule under the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that requires them to publicly disclose mortgage data. The Home Mortgage Disclosure Read more…
In an initial step toward overhauling the tax code, legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) would cut the tax rate by 2 percent in each tax bracket, resulting in an average 16 percent reduction in South Dakota Read more…
Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) on Monday would improve veterans’ eligibility for reimbursement for career training programs under the Post-9/11 GI Bill in order to help improve their job opportunities after military service. The Veterans To Enhance Read more…
U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) led a letter on Monday that highlighted the positive impacts of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the potential consequences of abandoning the trade deal. The letter to U.S. Read more…
Hoping to help veterans who transition to small business owners, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced a bill to make permanent a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) policy to waive up-front fees for veterans securing capital under its Export Express Read more…
U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-SD), Mike Rounds (R-SD) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD), who have fought to protect veterans through opposing the relocation of a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Hot Springs, said on Thursday the VA Read more…
Military finance offices would be directed to reimburse service members for off-base housing expenses during long-term temporary duty under a new bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Our service Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) is leading the bipartisan legislative effort in the Senate for Purple Heart recipients to be afforded full access to Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Under current eligibility requirements, only Read more…
Senate leaders praised the qualifications of Heather Wilson to serve as secretary of the Air Force in the Trump Administration during a confirmation hearing last week. Wilson currently leads the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and is a Read more…
Late bill payments by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should not lead to lower credit scores for veterans, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) said in reintroducing legislation that would prevent wrongful penalties from hurting the finances of those who Read more…
U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), in seeking to limit burdensome regulations, introduced a bill that would grant the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) the authority to review rules proposed by certain independent federal agencies. The OIRA Insight, Reform Read more…
Legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) last week would revamp the nation’s cybersecurity workforce by modernizing an existing Department of Defense (DoD) scholarship program for cybersecurity degree programs. The DoD Cyber Scholarship Program Act would authorize $10 million Read more…
Legislation recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) calls for an independent audit of the Indian Health Service (IHS) in light of what he called inadequate care delivered at IHS facilities across the country. The bill would require the Read more…
Two bills introduced this week by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) would require agencies to consider risk profiles when drafting financial regulations and dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The Taking Account of Institutions with Low Operation Risk (TAILOR) Read more…
Legislation recently reintroduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) would repeal outdated federal laws pertaining to Native Americans, including laws that can force the removal of Native American children from their homes. Rounds initially introduced the Repealing Existing Substandard Provisions Read more…
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) led a group of Republican senators in calling on the Trump administration to pursue a tough-minded and principled policy toward Russia, as well as active dialogue in areas of mutual interest. U.S. Sens. Todd Young Read more…
Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) on Tuesday would help the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) better care for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Helping Veterans Exposed to Burn Read more…
U.S. Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) commended executive action taken by President Donald Trump on Tuesday to advance construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines. Trump invited TransCanada to reapply for Read more…
U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) were tapped this week to lead key subcommittees of the Senate Armed Services Committee. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), the chairman of the committee, announced Read more…
Local and state stakeholders would have greater control over national monument designations on federal lands and waters under a bill recently introduced by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT). The Improved National Monument Designation Process Act would require local input and Read more…
Legislation reintroduced by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) would authorize a permanent land transfer needed to expand the Black Hills National Cemetery. Bicameral versions of the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act outline Read more…