Creating More Outdoor Opportunities for South Dakotans
By Sen. John Thune

South Dakota is home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the United States: Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, the Badlands, and if you mentioned Wall Drug to nearly any stranger from New York to Los Angeles, they would know the place made famous by free ice water and 5 cent coffee. While the attractions themselves generate nationwide interest, South Dakotans do an amazing job highlighting these wonders and creating additional opportunities that continue to draw people from across the state, nation, and world.

These larger-than-life landmarks hardly need an introduction, and for South Dakotans, neither do other statewide treasures like the Missouri River – one of my favorite spots in all of South Dakota – and Spearfish Canyon that winds its way through the Black Hills National Forest. The canyon’s natural beauty is evident to anyone who has driven from Spearfish down to Cheyenne Crossing or spent time hiking or camping in the canyon’s forest. These are good ways for visitors young and old to experience the canyon, but I believe we’re missing some big opportunities on this now-federally owned land.

After hearing Gov. Daugaard’s concerns about Spearfish Canyon, I led the state’s congressional delegation in drafting legislation that would facilitate a land transfer between the federal government and the state of South Dakota that would include nearly 2,000 acres of land in the Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake areas. If enacted, the federally owned land would be turned over to the state in exchange for several parcels of state-owned land in Pennington, Lawrence, and Lyman Counties.  

Take a look at state parks across South Dakota, and it’s pretty clear why we are pursuing this land transfer. State officials have repeatedly shown their ability to both protect the wide array of South Dakota’s natural resources and provide access to the opportunities they offer. That’s exactly what we need in Spearfish Canyon and Bismarck Lake: a strong emphasis on conservation so these resources can be made available for future generations, and at the same time, a willingness to provide greater access to these recreational areas.

It’s my job as your elected representative to make sure the federal government is held accountable to the people of South Dakota. Transferring these acres from federal to state control will fulfill that responsibility and help create more outdoor opportunities for South Dakotans and the millions of visitors to our state each year.     

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Achieving Regulatory Reform and Improving Chemical Safety Laws
by Senator Mike Rounds

In South Dakota, we understand that overregulation and too much bureaucracy hinder economic growth and productivity. We work best when government gets out of the way, and we have low unemployment and a strong economy to show for it. Unfortunately, this tried-and-true principle has seemingly been lost at the federal level: we have more than 1 million federal regulations on the books today and are writing new ones at the rate of 3,500 per year. I have spent a good part of my time in the Senate seeking to reform the regulatory environment and reduce the regulatory burden placed on Americans today.

While many efforts have been road blocked by a regulation-hungry president and his Democrat counterparts in Congress, there is at least one regulatory reform success story. After years of hard work, this summer the House and Senate passed – and President Obama signed into law – the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. The Lautenberg Act is the first major reform of the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) since it was enacted 40 years ago. TSCA is the law that gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) authority to review and regulate chemicals in commerce. I applaud Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Chairman Jim Inhofe, Senator David Vitter, Senator Tom Udall and the entire committee for their diligence in seeing this law enacted.

The Lautenberg Act will help make sure South Dakota families are protected from harmful toxic chemicals by creating safeguards and oversight requirements. Over the last 40 years, the shortcomings of the well-intended but broken TSCA law have made it difficult for the EPA to monitor the safety of chemicals found in products American families use every day.

It will also support millions of jobs and spur economic growth by providing regulatory certainty for American businesses. For too long, job creators and manufacturers have suffered from inconsistent guidance of what chemicals can be used in their products. Now, they will have the certainty they need to safely invest in new manufacturing endeavors.

When working on the Lautenberg Act, the Senate EPW Committee, of which I am a member, took into account the oversight that we have been regularly conducting over the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, and addressed problems we found in these laws in order to make TSCA a smarter, more conservative regulatory agent that won the support of all principal stakeholders. As a result, the Lautenberg Act will require that the EPA’s regulatory decisions be based on the best available science and require the agency to show their work to the public and Congress.

Further, no longer can chemical regulations that are the result of cherry-picked data justify a politically-motivated regulatory outcome that is forced on job creators at the state or federal level. Instead, the EPA will need to justify its decisions by a substantial evidence standard and by using transparent scientific information while also taking into account costs when proposing any potential regulation.

The Lautenberg Act both protects public health and strengthens our economy, including the $8 billion chemical industry that impacts more than 7 million related American jobs and is the catalyst for almost all U.S. manufacturing. It is proof that regulatory reform is possible, even under the current political environment. I will continue working with my colleagues to achieve similar reforms in other areas of government.

Returning from the Battlefield to a Battle at Home
By Rep. Kristi Noem

Nearly two dozen veterans a day fall victim to suicide. Not only is this number about twice as high as civilian suicide rates, but as of 2012, more men and women in uniform lost their life to suicide than in combat. We cannot accept this as the status quo. We, as a nation, have to do better.

In recent years, the VA has seen its funding increase. Some reforms have been made. But the bureaucracy has remained the same. Wait times are too long. Calls into the veteran suicide crisis hotline have gone to voicemail, according to the VA’s own Inspector General report earlier this year.

Still, there is hope. Veterans who have been able to cut through the VA’s red tape are less likely to lose their life to suicide. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve been so vocal about the fact that we need to keep the Hot Springs VA Hospital open. This is a facility that has served veterans for more than 100 years.  Its position in the Black Hills provides a level of serenity that aids in the healing process – especially for those facing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and similar illnesses.

Those who receive care there have lobbied hard to make sure it stays open, as has the Hot Springs community.  Despite all this, the VA has incrementally depleted the number of services offered in Hot Springs and pushed forward a plan to close the facility altogether.  Now is not the time to shutter the doors and tell our veterans to find help elsewhere.

The House has voted to block the VA from using funds to close the facility in Hot Springs or limit services there through FY2017, provisions I fought to include; but veterans deserve a permanent solution.

Earlier this Congress, the House also passed the Clay Hunt SAV Act, which helps increase access to mental healthcare at the VA. The bill became law only months later and implementation is underway. Additional services are also offered to veterans in major mental health legislation that passed Congress just a few weeks ago.

There are also incredible organizations throughout South Dakota that are reaching out and making a difference. Over Independence Day this year, I had the opportunity to meet members of the Lane Logan Memorial LTD at a parade in Watertown. They are working hard to fight PTSD and veteran suicide in memory of Lane, who lost his life to suicide at just 28 years old after serving his country.

The Sergeant Derr Foundation in Rapid City also does important work to advocate and assist those fighting battles after returning home. Sergeant Colton Derr lost his life far too young. As his biography reads, “Colton’s one unfulfilled desire was to share his love with a family of his own. Instead, Colton is sharing his love with our God and family in Heaven.”

Our office is also here to help. If you or a loved one ever faces an unresponsive VA, we are here to help usher you through, ensure they respond, and hold the agency accountable for its failure.

The VA’s directive is to serve our nation’s veterans and provide them with the care they have earned. Especially for those fighting a battle at home against PTSD, TBI and other mental illnesses, it’s time that they begin treating veterans on the service members’ terms, not the VA’s. 

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Tragedies Felt In South Dakota
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

Flags across South Dakota have been at half-staff for most of the last two weeks. Following the violence perpetrated in Dallas, France and Baton Rouge, President Obama issued three consecutive proclamations calling for the lowering of the flag. Even though our state has not been directly affected by this recent senseless violence, we are not untouched. We too feel the losses, and we mourn with the rest of the nation.

The assassinations of police officers in Texas and Louisiana weigh particularly heavily on our hearts. The sad events in these cities have reminded me how critically important our state, local and tribal law enforcement officers are to our communities, and that they deserve our appreciation.

The vast majority of those who enforce our laws live selfless lives. They’re courageous, hardworking and dedicated individuals. They work long hours and willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect us. They don’t know what they’ll encounter when they approach a vehicle or knock on a door. Their spouses and children make sacrifices as well, adjusting to the hours of the job and assuming brave faces when their loved one responds to an emergency call.

Still, law enforcement officers are not perfect. Sometimes they make mistakes, and unfortunately, there will always be a few who do not represent their profession well. But just as it is unacceptable for police to stereotype or target individuals based on the color of one’s skin, individuals should not stereotype police officers based on a few bad actors. Stereotyping is wrong and individuals should rather be judged individually and slowly. When mistakes are made, deliberate processes must be followed to review the facts, and legal consequences must be assigned as justified by those facts. Vigilante justice has no place in a civilized society.

It is because of the men and women who enforce our laws that we live in a free and civil society. There are many places in the world today where people live in chaos and face daily uncertainty over whether they’ll be able to protect themselves and their families. Because of our law enforcement officers, South Dakota is not one of those places.

As we mourn the senseless loss of life, occurring in so many places this year, let us also resolve to express our support and appreciation to those who protect us from violence.  Let us show respect for the law and for each other, and convey our appreciation to those who put their lives on the line to protect us.

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I caught part of Donald Trump’s speech last night, and I have to admit, there were a few things I liked. This was the first time I’d heard some of the things I’d wanted to hear from the candidate regarding jobs, taxation, energy policy, etcetera. If he continues campaigning based on his promise of improving our nation’s business climate, He may be able to unify the GOP behind him.

What do you think?

New Defeat 22 Mailer Exposes Facts About Measure 22

Mailer to thousands of South Dakotans shows how they will be forced to support politicians and their campaigns

Sioux Falls, S.D. – Today Defeat22, the coalition opposing Initiated Measure 22 for forcing South Dakotans to fund political campaigns, sent mailers to South Dakotans explaining how the measure will force them to fund political campaigns. This is the second mailer sent by the coalition to thousands of South Dakotans to explain the issue.

Click here to see the mailer.

“Ask any South Dakotan – your parents, your siblings, your spouse, your coworkers, your best friend – they almost all agree: taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay for political ads and robocalls,”explained Ben Lee, spokesman for the Defeat22 Coalition. “South Dakotans overwhelmingly oppose spending tax dollars on politicians and their political campaigns. It’s a no-brainer: dumping tax dollars into our political campaigns won’t fix any problems, but it will spend our hard-earned money on obnoxious political ads and robocalls while we are eating dinner. Defeat 22 to stop politicians from getting to spend our money on their political campaigns.”

Defeat22 is a coalition of South Dakota businesses, charities, and political organizations who agree that taxpayers shouldn’t fund political campaigns. Earlier this month they announced a new radio ad, mailer, and grassroots door knocking effort. The coalition plans to continue heavy grassroots advocacy and paid media over the next four months.

For a supposedly a smart guy, Ted Cruz can do some really dumb things and last night we saw it.  Donald Trump isn’t a person who lets by-gones be by-gones.

For a supposedly man of high personal morals, Ted Cruz can do some really ill-mannered things and last night we saw it.  Whether the Convention is “Donald Trump’s House” or the “Party’s House,” the Convention wasn’t “Ted Cruz’s House.”  He lost the primary in decisive fashion and was only given the right to speak by invitation.  I don’t recall ever getting my face slapped by my mom but if I went to another’s house and did what he did, I am pretty sure I’d have gotten the proverbial slap across the face.

The Washington Times is reporting three days ago Donald Trump was told direct by Ted Cruz that he wasn’t going give an endorsement.  My gut is Cruz was expecting Trump would respond by rescinding Cruz’ speaking slot and Cruz would be made a martyr upon which Cruz would launch his 2020 Presidential Race.

Trump instead didn’t respond as expected-  Gave Ted his moment in the spotlight.

And, in the end, Trump came across as the bigger man and Ted Cruz slithered off the stage.

Sidenote:  Cruz said this morning the reason he didn’t endorse admitting it is personal, referring to Trump’s attack on Cruz’ wife and father during the primary.   Ted’s decision to make a national convention the battlefield for a personal matter.  Ted can expect the same from those who have grudges against him.  Death by a thousand nicks is a painful death.

The Washington Post is profiling South Dakota’s senior US Senator John Thune today, as they discuss where he’s likely to land in the Senate’s hierarchy in the post-November election Senate:

South Dakota Sen. John Thune, 55, will be reelected overwhelmingly in November, no matter what happens to Donald Trump or in the fight for Senate control. You can bet on it.

What is less clear is whether there is a place for Thune in the new Republican Party, and what kind of place that might be.

“You have to be prepared when opportunities come along,” Thune told me by phone this week from South Dakota, where he is touring the state rather than attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

and…

Thune never pulled the trigger on that race, of course, and the senator suggested in another Politico piece early last year that his window for a presidential run may have already closed.

But Thune told me he has neither completely ruled out a future presidential bid nor given a bid any thought at all. “This year people were looking for someone to channel their frustration,” he remarked, all but acknowledging that is not his style.

Third, Thune is the chair of the Senate Republican Conference, making him the third-ranking Republican in the Senate. He also chairs the Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, a committee that Arizona Sen. John McCain once used to boost his profile. In other words, Thune is very relevant on Capitol Hill.

and…

Thune, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, also says that if Congress ever turns its attention to big economic issues, he is ready to be a player.

“If we ever get to tax reform, I’d love to be in the middle of that fight,” he told me.

And finally, Thune is conservative but also is personable and likable — something in short supply for his party of late. As a candidate for higher office or a spokesman for his party, Thune would appeal to Republicans but also to those outside his party. He invariably sounds thoughtful, measured and reasonable.

Read it all here at the Washington Post.

Did you catch the part where the author notes “South Dakota Sen. John Thune, 55, will be reelected overwhelmingly in November”?  I suspect you can count on that pretty easily.

State Representative Isaac Latterell is taking hits from both the right and the left over his actions at the Republican National Convention which brought embarrassment to the Republican delegates attending the National Convention.

From Greg Belfrage:

I’ve had both criticism and praise for Donald Trump through-out the campaign, but he was definitely not my choice for nominee.

However, I would never have embarrassed the South Dakota GOP delegation and disrespected the state’s voters by clasping a hand over my face in a childish protest.

and…

“We did not think (Latterell’s face palm) was respectful to Pam (Roberts) as she was giving the announcement of our vote or respectful to the state,” he says. “It was a time for South Dakota to shine and to show the world what we represent, and that was a mark on it.”

and…

Latterell was dead wrong to slap a majority of South Dakota GOP voters in the face with a childish, petulant display during the state’s shining moment at the party’s national convention.

I expect better from our state GOP delegates.

I certainly expect better from our elected state representatives.

Read that here at KELO-AM.

And at the Argus Leader, Stu Whitney went after Latterell over his attention seeking antics:

As state GOP chairperson Pam Roberts announced that South Dakota’s 29 delegate votes would go to Trump, Latterell made sure he was visible on camera and dramatically covered his face with his hand, sparking a surge of social media attention for his “face palm” of protest.

and..

But it’s also accurate to say that Latterell, who voted for Ted Cruz in the state primary, doesn’t think Trump goes far enough when it comes to fire-and-brimstone stances on social issues such as abortion and LGBT rights.

The District 6 House member, first elected in 2012, has been an aggressive advocate of curtailing the reproductive rights of women in South Dakota and once saw fit to compare Planned Parenthood to ISIS.

and.

Latterell also failed to pass a provocatively titled Preborn Infant Beheading Ban in 2015, continuing a train of thought in which he compared a women’s reproductive rights to the killing of puppies, reinforced by a cute puppy picture on his blog.

Read it all here.

This is probably best summed up by a facebook comment I read this morning on the controversy from a Minnehaha County Republican who noted that the state only gets so many delegates who can attend convention. Isaac wanted to go and take part, taking a slot from others who wanted to go, all of whom participated in full knowledge of the rules.

Basically they said if he didn’t want to take part, he should have let someone else fill the spot, instead of denying them the opportunity to attend. I’m hearing from Republicans across the state – especially around Sioux Falls – who are unhappy over his antics.

While it might have given him a few minutes of Internet fame (or infamy, if you will), Latterell might find that politically, the blowback over his attention seeking move was not worth it.