The mail was just dropped off on my doorstep, and I got one of the best pieces of campaign swag I think I’ve ever seen – the Mike Rohl for Senate Hoodie:
(Pardon my shedding retriever’s hair, but..) Working from my desk in “the corner of cold” in my house, this item from the District 1 State Senator is just what I was looking for today!
And this thing is great – Love the laced hoodie.
Thank you very much Senator Rohl, and my most enthusiastic thumbs up for the campaign swag.
We’re back in Washington for another week of work in the United States Senate. Now that we’ve got a Speaker of the House, both the House and the Senate are in a lot better position to address some of the big issues that are facing America right now. We still have to pass a series of appropriation bills to keep the government open and funded past the November 17 deadline set by the continuing resolution. We’re currently making amendments to these appropriation bills on the Senate floor, and the House is doing the same on their side. As part of this, we also need to address aid to Israel and Ukraine, as well as securing our southern border as a prerequisite. Because we have divided government – a Republican majority in the House, a Democrat majority in the Senate and a Democrat President – we have to work together in a bipartisan way to complete our appropriations process. I recognize that there’s a lot to get done here, and I’m ready to continue working to finish the job. Here’s my Weekly Round[s] Up:
South Dakotans I visited with: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District’s Leadership Development Class.
Meetings this past week: Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State and current Director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; the Software and Information Industry Association; David Sampson, President and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association; National Association of Convenience Stores; Masood Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States; Todd McCracken, President and CEO of the National Small Business Association; Kent Walker, President of Global Affairs at Google; Essa Kayd, Somaliland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs; Father Chris Kellerman, Director of Government Relations for the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States; Syracuse University’s AI Policy Symposium; Kathleen Hicks, Deputy Secretary of Defense; Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor and Shalanda Young, Director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
I spoke at the Housing Assistance Council’s National Rural Housing Conference in a Fireside Chat with Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.). As members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Smith and I have introduced legislation to improve rural housing programs, cut red tape and increase the accessibility of affordable housing in our state. Together, we have met with stakeholders and visited with constituents about the hurdles they are facing regarding homeownership. Our bill, the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, is the direct result of these visits and meetings. During this Fireside Chat, we discussed this important bill that would work to make homeownership a reality for more South Dakotans.
As you may remember, as a member of the bipartisan AI working group, I hosted the first AI Insight Forum last month with leaders from the tech industry, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Meta (Facebook) CEO Mark Zuckerberg and more. This past week, we hosted another forum with leaders from AI companies and venture capital groups, where we focused on opportunities for innovation and domestic growth within the industry.
It’s critical that the United States stays at the forefront of artificial intelligence development. The opportunity to utilize AI for innovations in the health care industry, including research on deadly diseases like cancer, will not only improve but extend the lives of Americans. These forums continue to be informative and helpful as the future of AI regulation and legislation begins to take shape.
Votes taken: 10 – A few of these were on nominations, and a few of them were on amendments to our “minibus” appropriation bills. As we look to the November 17 deadline set by last month’s continuing resolution, we continue to work on getting these appropriation bills passed through the Senate.
Hearings: I attended one hearing in the Select Committee on Intelligence. Wish I could tell you more, but as usual, our hearing this week was closed.
Classified briefings: I had one classified briefing related to my work on the Select Committee on Intelligence.
My staff in South Dakota visited: Aberdeen, Brookings, Carthage, Custer, Edgemont, Hill City, Hot Springs, Keystone, Lead, Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Watertown.
Steps taken this past week: 58,449 steps or 29.01 miles
Photo of the Week:
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and I during our meeting this past week.
Just when you think things are going to be static with certain legislative races, it looks like at least two Rapid City districts are going to be as competitive as they were last election.
It appears that District 32 is going to have a potential open seat in the House, as State Representative Becky Drury is said to be moving from one house to another house. In more ways than one.
I’m hearing that Representative Drury is planning a move within Rapid City as she has a new home that the Drury family are in the process of fixing up and remodeling.. except this new House is not in D32, but in District 34, where you might expect the former City Councilwoman to hang her hat, and to run for office from in 2024, leaving an open seat in D32, Rapid City’s most challenging district for Republicans. I have no doubt they will find a qualified candidate, but that will make things interesting.
How does that affect District 34? Currently, With Mike Derby and Jess Olson in the House, Rep. Drury would make three.. except I’m also hearing that there is a possibility that State Rep. Jess Olson may take a pass on seeking re-election, winnowing the numbers back down to two.
Stay tuned… because it’s barely over 60 days until petitions can be taken out!
Rounds, Working Group to Host AI Discussion on Workforce Forum to Feature DSU President José-Marie Griffiths
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, November 1, U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and the bipartisan Artificial Intelligence (AI) working group will host a discussion focused on AI in the workforce. The forum will feature academic and industry experts, including Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President of Dakota State University. The group will discuss the intersection of AI and the workforce and will aim to explore how AI will alter the way that Americans work. In addition to Rounds, the AI working group is comprised of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.).
“AI is leading to incredible advancements in our daily lives, including the way we work,” said Rounds. “From medicine and manufacturing to entertainment and hospitality, workers in all industries will feel the impacts of AI. I look forward to hearing from Dr. Griffiths and other top experts as we discuss the development of AI in the workforce.”
In addition to Griffiths, featured speakers include:
Allyson Knox, Microsoft – Senior Director of Education Policy and Programs
Ameenah Salaam, Communication Workers of America – Secretary-Treasurer
Anton Korinek, University of Virginia – Professor
Arnab Chakraborty, Accenture – Senior Managing Director of Data and AI and Global Responsible AI Lead
Austin Keyser, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers – Assistant to the International President
Bonnie Castillo, National Nurses United – Executive Director
Chris Hyams, Indeed – Chairman and CEO
Daron Acemoglu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Professor
Michael Fraccaro, Mastercard – Chief People Officer
Michael Strain, American Enterprise Institute – Director of Economic Policy Studies
Patrick Gaspard, Center for American Progress – President and CEO
Paul Schwalb, UNITE HERE – Secretary-Treasurer of DC Local 25
Rachel Lyons, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) – Legislative Director
Rob Atkinson, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation – Founder and President
In May 2023, the working group was formed to pursue the opportunities and tackle the threats presented by AI. In order to provide additional information to members of the Senate, the working group has hosted a series of briefings. These briefings have included a first-of-its-kind forum that featured top tech leaders including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates and a panel discussion comprised of academic and industry experts focusing on how AI is transforming health care.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO MEET PIERRE
The Medical Marijuana Oversight Committee will hold its second meeting of the 2023 Interim on Monday, November 6, 2023, beginning at 9:00 a.m. (CT). The meeting is being conducted in Room 413 of the State Capitol in Pierre, South Dakota. The committee is chaired by Senator Erin Tobin (R-Winner) with vice chair Representative Roger DeGroot (R-Brookings). Members will hear from representatives of state agencies, medical marijuana establishments, health care providers, and the industry regarding the operational status of the South Dakota medical marijuana program. Public testimony will also be taken. The full agenda is available online.
In addition to Senator Tobin and Representative DeGroot, committee members include Senator Jim Mehlhaff (R-Pierre); Representative Curt Massie (R-Rapid City); and non-legislators Francine Arneson, Brian Doherty, Katie Kassin, Brian Mueller, Kristi Palmer, Jon Thum, and Rachel Waddell.
While many were in the Sioux Falls area for the Governor’s Hunt this last weekend, on Friday, South Dakota Senate Republicans had their own event for fellowship, and to raise some funds to replenish the coffers of the Senate GOP committee to make sure Republicans come out on top in 2024. Looks like a great time was had by all at the event which also featured an appearance by Governor Kristi Noem!
God knows when I hit a clunker or two, my readers are quick to point it out. In case they missed it, and need someone to look it over before it goes to print.
Roetman made dozens and dozens of ignorant social media posts, ranging from caddish digital gawking at women in various states of undress to jokes about women making sandwiches to a bigoted suggestion that Black Americans leave the country and move to Wakanda.
Roetman has been completely unapologetic about the posts. “I am a man who stands by his words,” he told me in response to an inquiry for the original story about them. Since my story published, he also made multiple posts mocking the controversy and liked another social media post suggesting it was a woman’s role to stay at home and care for children while men “provide and protect.”
Israel Should Not Tolerate Terrorists on Its Border BySen. John Thune
I recently returned from a bipartisan congressional delegation trip to the Middle East, including Israel. Our trip was in direct response to Hamas’ savage attack on innocent men, women, and children. We went to show our support for Israel and to deliver a clear message with one voice: The United States stands with Israel.
For nearly 20 years, Israel has had to live with a terrorist organization on its border whose sole mission is killing Jews and wiping Israel off the map. And during that time Hamas has loomed as a persistent threat to Israel, attacking, kidnapping, and killing Israelis. But the barbarism and brutality Hamas displayed in its October 7 attacks revealed an evil that had reached new heights.
During my recent visit, Israeli defense officials updated us on the war. They showed us video evidence of the unnerving atrocities committed against innocent people – horrific images that I will not soon forget. In Tel Aviv, we met with the families of hostages being held in Gaza, including Americans, who shared their painful stories. These experiences made crystal clear the imperative of Israel defeating Hamas once and for all.
Prime Minister Netanyahu made a point about the war that is especially chilling as an American. He pointed out that on 9/11, America’s enemies were thousands of miles away, but today, Israel’s enemy is only one kilometer away. Hamas represents an evil not seen in generations, and, for Israel, this threat is existential. Israel knows it has to eliminate Hamas. Their cause is just, their resolve is firm, and every peace-loving nation on earth should be on its side.
If Hamas and its reign of terror are allowed to continue, no nation in the region or beyond will be able to live in peace and security. It’s really that simple. We need to get hostages freed and Americans out of harm’s way and give Israel the space to get this job done.
The United States and the world also need to be clear-eyed about how Iran is involved in, and benefits from, this brutal bloodshed. Their goal is to bring chaos, violence, and death to anyone who does not share their extreme and militant religious ideology, which includes wiping Israel off the face of the earth. Ninety percent of Hamas’ military budget comes from Iran, and numerous other proxy terrorist groups in the Middle East are also financed, armed, and trained by Iran. Through its proxies, Iran is literally getting away with murder, and it must be made clear to Iran that if they do not stand down or if they escalate this war, the United States and our allies will have no choice but to respond forcefully.
Hamas’ atrocities against Israelis, including against children, their use of Palestinians as human shields, and their lies to undermine the civilian evacuation of Gaza, are truly depraved. Their actions cannot be rationalized yet we have seen some in our own country attempt to do just that in recent weeks. As Americans, we must be uncompromising in our rejection of antisemitism and hate in all its forms. And we must stand united in asserting that hate is not welcome in our communities, in South Dakota, or in any corner of America.
The world hasn’t seen this kind of evil in generations, and it has to be confronted. If it’s not, we will see death and destruction on a scaleakin to the horrors of the last century. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure the United States’ support of Israel is unwavering. Kimberley and I continue to pray for the victims of Hamas’ terrorism, for the success of Israel’s efforts, and for a lasting peace in Israel and the Middle East.
