Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Celebrating America

By: Governor Kristi Noem 
February 26, 2021

There is no better place to celebrate America’s birthday than Mount Rushmore, surrounded by the beautiful Black Hills and in the presence of four iconic American leaders. Last year, we brought fireworks back to Mount Rushmore for the first time in more than a decade. The celebration was a tremendous opportunity to showcase our state to the world, and I am committed to continuing the celebration this year.

Now, you may be wondering why I’m talking about the Fourth of July when it’s still cold outside. This week in the United States Senate, there was a confirmation hearing for Rep. Deb Haaland, who is President Biden’s pick to be the new Secretary of the Interior. The Department of the Interior has oversight over our national parks, including Mount Rushmore, so if Rep. Haaland is confirmed as secretary, she would have oversight over our fireworks celebration as well.

During the hearing, Senator Roger Marshall, a former colleague of mine, asked Rep. Haaland whether she would join us for the Mount Rushmore Fireworks. Her response was promising. She said that she’d “never been to Mount Rushmore,” but implied that she’d like to “if the pandemic is over.” I have the same hope that she does: that the pandemic is old news by July. And I’m glad that COVID hospitalizations have fallen off their peak by about 85% in South Dakota.

We are moving forward with planning a Fireworks Celebration. We signed the agreements with the Department of the Interior for the 2021 celebration on the same day as the 2020 celebration – we just need the Biden administration to honor those agreements.

This event is a huge deal for our state. Last year’s celebration carried an advertising value of more than $22 million, and Google searches for “Mount Rushmore” reached an all-time high – more than 12 times higher than the previous record. This attention to our state will be an economic boon for years to come, as families choose South Dakota as their road trip destination.

I know that some suggest that this event poses safety risks to the park and the surrounding Hills, and I take these concerns very seriously. South Dakota takes great pride in our care for our natural resources. When weather conditions have not been favorable to the fireworks celebration in the past, we have refrained from holding the event. And we will continue to manage these celebrations responsibly moving forward.

I’ve also asked Senator Thune, Senator Rounds, and Congressman Johnson to help me advocate to the Biden administration on behalf of our Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration. Together, I’m confident that we can make it happen. And if President Biden wants to join us, we’d be glad to have him.

Again, there’s no better place to celebrate America’s birthday. Washington won our Independence – a fight that was driven by Jefferson’s ringing call to freedom: “all men are created equal.” Lincoln secured that freedom for the oppressed. And Teddy Roosevelt guaranteed the sustainability of the West so that future generations could enjoy it. These men embody so much of what makes America great. I look forward to once again celebrating our Independence Day in the presence of four such iconic leaders.

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I Just watched @KristiNoem interview on Face the Nation.. if you could call it an interview.

It actually came off as little more than the moderator spending most of their time talking over Governor Noem when they werent outright attacking her. The low-point was when they went after the Governor on “allowing” the Sturgis rally to happen, hanging their hat on the debunked Sturgis Rally COVID study.

The Governor’s COVID detractors seem to think that totalitarian mandates coming from above are going to make a difference in South Dakota. When in comparison to our colder neighbor to the North… maybe it hasn’t proven to be so.

In case you wanted to watch the entire speech, we’ve got the whole thing right here!

From CPAC, Governor Kristi Noem had some words for attendees on exactly what ground our economy to a halt:

.@govkristinoem: "COVID didn't crush the economy. Government crushed the economy.

South Dakota is the only state in America that never ordered a single business or church to close." pic.twitter.com/hDJJPLlBa3

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 27, 2021

From the Rapid City Journal, Governor Kristi Noem will be addressing CPAC this weekend.. and we’ll also hear from State Rep. Rhonda Milstead:

Gov. Kristi Noem will speak at 1:50 p.m. Mountain Time on Saturday at CPAC, considered the largest conservative gathering in the world.

Additionally, State Rep. Rhonda Milstead, R-Hartford, will speak at 1:20 p.m. MT the same day on a panel called “My Pronouns are First Place and Winning: Protecting Women’s Sports.”

Read that here.

I believe you can catch the speeches by clicking here.

This afternoon, three groups representing the major law enforcement associations added their voices to those advocating that Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg resign from his position as the chief law enforcement officer for the state. From the Argus Leader:

The South Dakota Fraternal Order of Police, the South Dakota Chiefs’ of Police Association and the South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association announced Friday afternoon they are “unified in requesting” that Ravnsborg resign, a call Gov. Kristi Noem made on Tuesday.

“Ravnsborg’s involvement in the death of Joe Boever on September 12th have resulted in a lack of confidence in his ability to effectively carry out his duties as the chief law enforcement officer in South Dakota,” the groups said in the joint announcement.

Read the entire story here.

If you recall at the time of his race, a significant number of the South Dakota Sheriffs were Ravnsborg’s base of support in both his Republican convention race as well as the general election contest – which makes this Friday afternoon announcement surprising.

Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Iran Sanctions Resolution

WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Representative Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and 42 other members of Congress introduced a resolution to oppose lifting sanctions on Iran.

“Iran’s aggressive behavior and nuclear ambition puts our regional allies and our own national security at risk,” Rounds stated. “The U.S. must continue to maintain sanctions on the Iranian regime until it abandons its nuclear ambitions. The Biden Administration should not repeat the same mistakes of the Obama Administration.”

Cosigners of the resolution include Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R- N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and 19 member of the House of Representatives.

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Governor Noem Signs Bills into Law

PIERRE, S.D. – Yesterday, Governor Kristi Noem signed ten bills into law:

• SB 81 authorizes certain flags and flagpoles to be located on residential property regardless of any private covenants, restrictions, bylaws, rules, or requirements.
• SB 82 revises certain regulations pertaining to dealers of motor vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, or manufactured homes and mobile homes.
• SB 92 requires that certain proposed rules include a housing cost impact statement.
• SB 94 revises requirements to the publication of milk regulation ordinances.
• SB 101 revises provisions regarding warranty agreements with certain repair facilities.
• SB 102 protects voter registration information for certain voters.
• SB 136 changes the criteria for a petition to vacate a highway.
• HB 1034 revises certain youth hunting requirements.
• HB 1068 revises the requirement for written findings of fact and conclusions in certain judicial proceedings involving a child.
• HB 1109 modifies requirements and restrictions related to certain alcoholic beverages.

Governor Noem has signed ninety-two bills into law this legislative session.

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A couple of weeks back, I’d written on my household’s bout with COVID and the experimental infusion treatment that I’d been given.  If you recall from my post, COVID for me was mainly in the form of body aches and low-grade fever.  My oldest son who got it mainly experienced it in the form of ridiculously chapped lips.. and his deployment to the Navy now being pushed back 2 months.

Of course, the youngest ones bounced back in a matter of days like they never had it.  What COVID?

For me, receiving the experimental monocyte treatment seemed to have been at the same time the viral tipping point where a lot of fatigue has set in, coinciding with the point in the COVID cycle where people reported that symptoms start raging.

After some challenges in managing bronchial irritation which has been my biggest cross to bear (think hacking cough that never wants to leave), 3 ½ weeks out I think I’m rounding the bend and on the uphill track. I’m definitely out of quarantine, but there’s still this sense of my body constantly telling me that it has a ridiculous drive for constant hydration (and lean protein – think tons of chicken breast), and not as much tolerance for my daily work schedule as I want.

At 54 years old, as I told a friend yesterday, if the worst thing I feel is needing to rest and it’s taking a while to get back to 100%, that’s ok. There are a lot of people who are far worse off than I am.

With the course of experimental treatment telling me I can go get a vaccination 3 months after, it looks like I’ll be in line in mid-May, and gladfully getting poked if it stands a chance at preventing any reinfections until COVID has run it’s course.

And as before, kudos to the care & service from the medical community at Avera Clinic.