Author: @SoDakCampaigns

The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations is posting on their website tonight a few notes for healthcare employers on why the organization believes overall that employers are well within their legal rights to mandate vaccination for employees as a condition of employment, subject to a few rules:

Providers, as private employers, have no prohibition on vaccine mandates under federal law so they really need to stay attuned to what is happening on the state level as mentioned above.

Two recent court decisions have addressed whether a hospital or public university can mandate a COVID-19 vaccine for employees and students. Both of these cases upheld the vaccine mandate, even while the current vaccines are only under Emergency Use Authorization. Based on these decisions we will likely see more public and private employers implement mandates before we see full FDA approval of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Finally, if providers implement a policy requiring a COVID-19 vaccine (or other vaccine) as a condition of employment, federal and state law allows employees to request an exemption based on a disability/medical condition or religious objections. Providers should carefully review the EEOC guidance as well as any corollary state law guidance on how to implement such a program within their organization. There is a process in how to address any exemptions to a vaccine mandate and those with flu vaccine mandates should be familiar with this accommodations process already.

Read the entire article here.

People trying to get government to intervene and tell businesses what qualifications they can or cannot put on their employees is a very troubling type of government intervention.  Especially since the right to be infectious is not a protected class under federal law.

If an organization such as Sanford (who is in the news recently for such a mandate) does not wish to employ the unvaccinated in a health care setting, that’s their right, as much as it is for those who don’t like it to take their business elsewhere.

Last time I checked, we still operate under the free enterprise system.

At least for the moment.

Why Senator Rounds Should Support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal
by Will Thomssen, IUOE Local 49

As a member of the Executive Board for Local 49, I represent skilled workers from across the construction industry. Speaking for myself and our organization, we support the proposed bipartisan infrastructure package, which will be a historic investment in American infrastructure. A deal of this magnitude is a once-in-a-generation investment opportunity that our country is long overdue for. In addition to fixing America’s roads and bridges, it will deliver clean water to communities across the nation and finally connect rural America to high-speed internet. Our workers and businesses stand to benefit from the hundreds of billions pumped into the American economy if Republicans and Democrats can compromise. Funded by $1.2 trillion over 8 years, the bill utilizes several funding mechanisms including the redirection of excess emergency relief funds from the covid-19 pandemic response.

If the bipartisan infrastructure framework is passed by Congress, American communities and workers will enjoy substantial, long awaited benefits. The bill provides for the modernization and expansion of federal investment in a variety of physical infrastructure projects, most notably broadband and clean energy. Helping ensure all Americans are connected to broadband is critical for their economic future. And the deal provides new investment into clean water and wastewater systems to replace their faulty predecessors. It finances the removal of lead pipes that have poisoned Americans for generations and expands access to clean drinking water for rural and underserved communities.

More traditional infrastructure projects, which are just as necessary, are also included in the proposed framework. The repair and rebuilding of our roads and bridges will finally be fully funded. The American public will also benefit from upgrades to run-down mass transit systems and airports. Old school and transit buses will be replaced by electric alternatives, significantly reducing emissions from our transportation sector. On that front, the bill also funds the expansion of electric vehicle charging stations, which are quickly becoming a necessity.

The bill increases our resilience against foreign cyber-attacks and extreme weather events caused by climate change. Both of those threats to our infrastructure have become more frequent in recent years and must be addressed. This bipartisan framework enables the modernization and enhancement of security for our entire electric power grid, while also establishing a new Infrastructure Financing Authority to complement existing funding mechanisms.

Congress has the opportunity to pass this infrastructure bill into law, but for that to happen, they need the full support of leaders such as Senator Rounds. By publicly voicing his support for this bipartisan infrastructure framework, Senator Rounds can play a crucial role in repairing America’s infrastructure. This historic deal is a rare opportunity that must not be passed up.

 

Thune: Democrats’ New Death Tax Would Crush Family Farms, Businesses

“Americans’ bank accounts should not be regarded as a bottomless barrel of money to pay for Democrats’ preferred government programs.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video. 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today discussed the Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending spree and the cost that would ultimately fall on the backs of hardworking middle-income families. Thune noted that the Democrats’ new death tax would force Americans to pay more money in taxes on assets passed on from generation to generation. Last week, Thune led the entire Senate Republican caucus inurging President Biden to abandon his effort to impose a capital gains tax increase on family-owned businesses, farms, and ranches.

From Twitter:

The CDC shifts their position AGAIN.

South Dakota’s cases remain low. If you’re worried about the virus, you’re free to get vaccinated, wear a mask, or stay at home. But we won’t be mandating anything. And the CDC’s inconsistency doesn’t help the American people.

— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) July 27, 2021

US Senator John Thune was featured on the college fix website today for thanking the US Department of Education from backing off promoting critical race theory, but also warned that we need to be vigilant about it coming back.

South Dakota Republican Senator John Thune gave a speech in his chamber of Congress today praising the Department of Education for backpedaling from “radical and divisive propaganda…for civics and American history education” but warning “there’s still a lot of reason to be concerned.”

and…

After his warning that people ought to still be concerned about what President Biden’s Department of Education is up to, Thune said, “The department’s reversal was cloaked in bureaucratic language, leaving room for a future flip-flop by the administration.”

Read it all here.

Thune, Smith, Johnson, Craig Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Provide Needed Flexibility for Emergency CRP Haying

Bill will provide relief to producers experiencing drought conditions during primary nesting season  

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.), members of the House Agriculture Committee, today introduced companion bills that would improve the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) ability to allow for the timely emergency haying of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in response to drought and other weather-related disaster events. Under current statute, emergency CRP haying is not allowed until after the primary nesting season, which ends August 1 in South Dakota, Minnesota, and North Dakota. The CRP Flexibility Act would address this by allowing emergency haying on CRP acres before August 1 when certain conditions are met and in consultation with the state technical committee. This legislation is also co-sponsored by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.), Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), and Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.).

“Unfortunately, almost every acre of South Dakota is currently experiencing drought, and we need to make sure USDA has the flexibility to improve producers’ access to greatly needed forage for their livestock during these difficult times,”said Thune. “As a longtime supporter of the Conservation Reserve Program, I’m pleased to introduce this commonsense measure to help producers meet their forage needs during weather-related emergencies. This legislation would build on my effort to increase CRP enrollment, which significantly benefits conservation efforts and wildlife habitat in our state.”

“Right now over 70 percent of Minnesota is experiencing a severe drought and it’s quickly worsening with the current hot weather,” said Smith. “This is devastating for our cattle producers, who are running out of hay to feed their herds. When severe droughts hit, the USDA should have the tools to allow farmers to access reserve land for haying and grazing. This will lessen the impact on the farm economy.”

“As drought conditions fail to improve across the Midwest, producers need continued flexibility to weather the storm and avoid further liquidations,” said Johnson. “The CRP Flexibility Act would open up needed conservation acres to forage for livestock. This is a problem with a simple solution – I’m glad our legislation will promote conservation and provide flexibility to the committee on the ground to move up forage dates when disaster strikes.”

“Severe drought conditions in Minnesota and across the country are impacting farmers and ranchers who were just beginning to recover from the COVID-19 public health and economic crisis,” said Craig. “Today, I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation to ensure USDA can create flexibility for farmers and ranchers, expand drought relief and protect our ag community during this difficult time.”

“With most of the state facing an intense drought, South Dakota ranchers and farmers need flexibility to protect their livelihoods and combat the extreme conditions,” said Rounds. “Our bill alleviates these challenges by allowing emergency haying during the primary nesting season, which lasts until August 1st. This is a commonsense fix that will provide much-needed relief for South Dakota farmers and ranchers.”

“The drought across the upper Midwest has created incredibly difficult conditions for Minnesota’s farmers and livestock producers,” said Klobuchar. “By authorizing emergency haying of Conservation Reserve Program lands, we are taking an important step to help farmers and ranchers feed their herds throughout droughts.”

“This legislation is needed to improve the timeliness of emergency haying of Conservation Reserve Program acres during droughts like the current one that has caused forage shortages and the culling of herds,” said Scott VanderWal, president of South Dakota Farm Bureau and vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “We appreciate the efforts of our South Dakota delegation to make this program more helpful to producers during weather-related disaster events.”

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At Thune’s Request, Senate Judiciary Committee to Hold Hearing to Examine Beef Market Manipulation Tomorrow

“Building off of the testimony we recently heard at the Senate Ag Committee, I hope tomorrow’s hearing helps get to the bottom of exactly what is going on in this market.”

Click here or on the photo above to watch Thune preview tomorrow’s hearing.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today applauded the Senate Judiciary Committee for holding a hearing to examine possible improper and anti-competitive activity in the highly concentrated meatpacking industry. In May, Thune sent a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durban (D-Ill.) requesting this hearing. Tomorrow’s hearing will feature testimony from representatives from two of the big four meatpacking companies as well as food and agriculture industry leaders.

“With cattle producer profit margins down and prices at the meat counter up, producers and consumers in South Dakota deserve answers,” said Thune.“Building off of the testimony we recently heard at the Senate Ag Committee, I hope tomorrow’s hearing helps get to the bottom of exactly what is going on in this market. One of my top priorities is supporting cattle producers and making sure they have fair and transparent markets for the commodities they produce.”

Details for tomorrow’s hearing below.

Title: Beefing up Competition: Examining America’s Food Supply Chain

Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Time: 2:30 PM

Watch the hearing live here.

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KELOland has a story this afternoon that there has been a high price tag for the South Dakota Board of Regents buying out their 2 previous Executive Directors’ contracts:

Rush, whose departure was announced in April 2018, received six months of severance pay totaling $168,037. His last annual contract was for $378,815 and was to run through June 21, 2018. He returned to Idaho.

Beran, whose departure was announced in March 2020, received six months of severance totaling $169,125. His last annual contract was for $338,250 and was to run through June 21, 2020. He returned to Arkansas.

Read the entire story here.

Over the years, due to their autonomy, the Board of Regents have earned the regental system a nickname that they are the “4th branch of government.” Yet, it is said that South Dakota has one of the highest costs for education in the region, it seems at times that the universities are liberal social engineering laboratories run amok, and we hear of things like this.

There have been overtures by the Legislature and the Governor to improve the situation… but should there be more drastic steps?  Should the Regental system go to a single university system and/or be put under the Department of Ed?

What are your thoughts?

It’s been around two weeks or so and we still have yet to hear from Dakota Free Press author Cory Heidelberger over his permanent relocation deep in the heart of Nebraska. (In case you missed it, his wife has a nice new job).

While Cory is busy throwing barbs at Governor Noem, he still remains mum about his whole ‘leaving the state’ thing.

The Cory Countdown clock is now sitting at 20 days and counting.  Click on the image if you want to follow how many days we can expect until the state’s most liberal commentator is likely leaving the state on a permanent basis.