Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Release: AFP South Dakota Responds to the State of the Union Address

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AFP South Dakota Responds to the State of the Union Address
President’s “Robin Hood Plan” An Unserious Fairy Tale

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Americans for Prosperity South Dakota Director Ben Lee issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s State of the Union address:

“In tonight’s speech, the President made it clear he isn’t serious about addressing the biggest problems our nation is facing. The President’s tax-the-rich “Robin Hood” plan ignores a clear mandate from voters that rejected Obama’s big-government fairy tale in favor of real reforms that create jobs and opportunity for everyone.

His plan would raise taxes on job creators and hurt economic growth. If the economy is recovering as the President says it is, then why is the country’s workforce the smallest it’s been in 37 years? The President’s proposals are more of the same tax-and-spend policies that, over the last 6 years, have failed to create wealth and opportunity for everyday Americans.

AFP South Dakota will be focusing on real efforts to create prosperity for all Americans which includes restoring the 40 hour work week, ending the gas tax, approving the Keystone Pipeline, preventing Medicaid expansion and cutting government spending.”

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Press Release: Rounds Statement on President’s State of the Union Address

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Rounds Statement on President’s State of the Union Address

MikeRounds official SenateWASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) made the following statement on the President’s State of the Union Address:

“I appreciate the fact that the President at least acknowledged the need to work together to solve our country’s most pressing issues,” Rounds said, “but he must do more than pay lip service to bipartisanship in order to move our country forward. If the proposals he laid out tonight are any indication, I’m afraid he is not serious about working with the new Republican Congress. Instead, he offered more of his same failed policies and proposals that will raise taxes on American families, add to our already bloated debt and stifle energy and economic growth.

“Most troubling of these proposals is his plan to raise taxes on hard-working Americans – to the tune of $320 billion dollars. The President might want you to think these tax increases will only affect the Warren Buffetts of the world, but don’t be fooled. The tax plan he proposed tonight would impact South Dakota small business owners, farmers, ranchers and entrepreneurs. The people who will be hit by this are your friends, your neighbors and Main Street store owners who provide good-paying jobs and essential services in South Dakota communities.

“Americans made very clear in the last elections that they are tired of the same old Washington practices that have made government too burdensome, too big and downright ineffective.  What South Dakotans are telling me is that they want us to work together on ideas that will make government more efficient and accountable. Republicans have already rolled up their sleeves to work on commonsense, bipartisan efforts to get government working again. It will be up to the President decide whether he wants to join us in that conversation.”

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Press Release: Noem Responds to President Obama’s State of the Union Address

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Noem Responds to President Obama’s State of the Union Address

South Dakota Deserves Action, Not More Politics, Says Noem

kristi noem headshot May 21 2014Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today issued the following statement in response to the President’s State of the Union Address this evening:

“South Dakotans deserve to hear about opportunities, but unfortunately, most of tonight’s speech was about politics.  I believe we can produce real results that give South Dakotans the peace of mind that if they work hard and play by the rules they’ll be given opportunity and security.  That means we can’t be increasing taxes on Middle Class families trying to save for college or adding billions of dollars to the deficit, which our kids will be responsible for.

“We should, however, enact new trade agreements that create more opportunities for South Dakota commodities and products to be sold overseas.  We should eliminate some of the burdensome regulations that make it difficult to do business in America.  We should cooperate on real solutions that strengthen cybersecurity, simplify the tax code, secure our nation, and accomplish much more.  But to do that, we have to put politics aside. Only then can we create an opportunity economy with higher paying jobs and an accountable, efficient government.”

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Press Release: Thune Reacts to President Obama’s State of the Union Address

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Thune Reacts to President Obama’s State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) tonight issued the following statement on President Obama’s sixth State of the Union address:

“America’s new Congress is focused on a reform agenda to fight for the middle class with policies to help create jobs, increase wages, and lower health care and energy costs. The president tonight laid out an agenda of top-down policies of the past to tax, to spend, and to regulate.

“South Dakotans know that bigger government doesn’t mean better government, but that’s exactly what the president proposed tonight, new ways to expand Washington’s already-overextended bureaucracy. After six years of the same stale policies, it’s time for new ideas.

“Republicans will turn Congress’ focus back to Americans’ top priorities: stimulating economic growth and improving the lives of middle-class Americans. This includes policies important to South Dakotans like approving the Keystone XL pipeline, reining in burdensome regulations, enacting trade agreements to put American goods on an equal playing field in the global market, and acting on other bipartisan jobs bills that have passed the House but were stuck in the United States Senate.

“Republicans believe in tapping into the potential of the American people, not the government, and we hope the president will finally join us.”

Click here for the YouTube video of Thune’s remarks and here for the high resolution file. Audio of his remarks is available here.

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Thune Offers Remarks Ahead of Tonight’s State of the Union Address

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Thune Offers Remarks Ahead of Tonight’s State of the Union Address

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today offered remarks on what he hopes to hear from President Obama ahead of the State of the Union address tonight:

“President Obama’s State of the Union address will play an important role in setting the tone for the next Congress and I hope he will outline a new path forward working with Republicans to rebuild our economy from the ground up, creating jobs and strengthening the middle class. Americans want to know if the president will promote a positive, bipartisan agenda and join Republicans on working to find solutions to increase economic opportunity for all. Or, based on his rhetoric from the past few weeks, will he deliver yet another unserious political speech that overpromises and under delivers the same failed policies that grow government at the expense of the hard-working American taxpayer?

“The economy is a top priority for the majority of Americans. Although the recession officially ended more than five years ago, too many Americans are still struggling to make ends meet. Wages have remained stagnant, and median household income has dropped almost $3,000 since the president took office. And the president’s response to this is: more burdensome taxes that will hurt small businesses, farmers, and ranchers; more spending to pile debt on the back of the next generation; and more top-down regulations to stifle innovation and economic freedom.

“While the president’s message remains the same, South Dakotans have a reason to be hopeful.

“The new Republican majority is focused on a future that embraces and fights for the potential of Americans, not the government.

“We are fighting to reform the tax code so it’s simpler, more efficient and fairer.

“We are pushing to approve common-sense, bipartisan jobs bills, starting with passing the Keystone XL pipeline legislation.

“Republicans will also take up other bipartisan jobs measures that were stuck in the Democrat-led Senate for far too long, including repealing the job-killing medical device tax and reinstating the 40-hour workweek that was shortened by ObamaCare.

“In addition to passing job-creating legislation, Republicans will also make oversight a priority in the new Congress.

“The Obama Environmental Protection Agency has proposed regulations that would drive Americans’ energy prices through the roof and result in the loss of tens of thousands of American jobs.

“Americans’ priorities are Republicans’ priorities. We have a reform agenda to strengthen the middle-class, create jobs, increase wages, and lower health care and energy costs. Not the failed, top-down approach the president repeats year after year. We are eager to get to work on behalf of the American people and we hope the president will join us in this effort.”

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Press Release: Governor Unveils Juvenile Justice Legislation

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Governor Unveils Juvenile Justice Legislation

PIERRE, S.D. – Building on the success of earlier reforms to the adult corrections system, Gov. Dennis Daugaard, legislative leaders and Chief Justice David Gilbertson today unveiled legislation designed to improve outcomes for youth in South Dakota’s juvenile justice system and cut costs.

Joined in the Senate chamber by Chief Justice David Gilbertson and legislative leaders, Gov. Daugaard said the Juvenile Justice Public Safety Improvement Act focuses expensive juvenile facilities on youth who pose a safety risk and expands the use of effective, community-based interventions for youth who commit less serious offenses.

“South Dakota has a choice to make,” Gov. Daugaard said. “We can continue to place juveniles in expensive state-funded facilities that, for many, are less effective at reducing delinquency, or we can invest in proven interventions and treatment programs that keep our youth close to home and connected to their communities. We are seeing success with our adult reforms of 2013. Now is the time to improve our juvenile system as well.”

Highlights of the landmark legislation include:

§  Focusing expensive facility placements on youth who pose a public safety risk

§  Preventing youth who commit lower-level offenses from deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system

§  Improving outcomes by expanding access to evidence-based interventions in the community

§  Ensuring the quality and sustainability of reforms by establishing an oversight council

According to the most recent national statistics, South Dakota has the second highest juvenile commitment rate in the country, a surprising ranking given the state’s very low juvenile violent crime arrest rate. Costs are significant; the state spends up to $144,000 per year for residential placement for each youth committed to the South Dakota Department of Corrections, mostly for misdemeanors and other low-level violations.

“Juvenile corrections facilities were built for youth who present a real threat to public safety. But the kids who are removed from their families and placed in the custody of the state are far too often low-level rule breakers, misdemeanants and non-violent,” said Sen. Alan Solano. “We can do better by our kids, families and communities by shifting policy and resources toward strategies that work better and cost less.”

Motivated by the high commitment rate and early success of the 2013 Public Safety Improvement Act (SB 70) that transformed South Dakota’s management of adult offenders, the Governor and Chief Justice established the 17-member Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Initiative Work Group in June of 2014. After six months of meetings with more than 200 stakeholders and an exhaustive review of juvenile justice data, the bipartisan, inter-branch work group developed policy recommendations to increase public safety by improving outcomes for youth, families and communities; enhance accountability for juvenile offenders; and contain taxpayer costs by focusing system resources on serious offenders who pose a public safety risk.

Unanimously endorsed by the work group, these recommendations are reflected in the Act filed by Daugaard today. If approved, the package of policy changes will protect public safety while ensuring South Dakota’s taxpayer dollars are used as efficiently as possible.

“The proposals in this bill have the potential to significantly improve our juvenile justice system, by reallocating dollars to places where they are most effective,” said Chief Justice David Gilbertson. “With the implementation of these policies, we will be able to not only treat the juvenile, but also address the juvenile’s family. Too often we remove the juvenile and fail to look at what is going on at home that might be contributing to the child’s behavior. The family needs to become part of the solution.”

Taken together, the policies are projected to reduce the Department of Corrections juvenile population in residential placement by more than 50 percent, decrease the number of youth on probation by more than 25 percent by 2020, and greatly expand the array of services available for juvenile offenders and their families around the state.

The work group’s full report is available on the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Initiative website, located at jjri.sd.gov.

The Act to Improve Public Safety In Juvenile Justice earned the endorsement of Gov. Dennis Daugaard, Chief Justice David Gilbertson, Attorney General Marty Jackley, State’s Attorneys Association, Sheriffs’ Association, Association of County Commissioners, Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault, Association of Youth Care Providers, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Voices for Children, and the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Initiative Work Group and the co-sponsorship of 92 legislators.

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Press Release: Thune Welcomes South Dakota Business Executive to Testify on Impact of Proposed Internet Regulations

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Thune Welcomes South Dakota Business Executive to Testify on Impact of Proposed Internet Regulations

-Midco SVP Tom Simmons to testify before Commerce Committee, Thune’s inaugural hearing as chairman-

John_Thune_official_photoWASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, welcomes South Dakotan and Senior Vice President of Public Policy at Midcontinent Communications (Midco), Tom Simmons, who will testify before the Commerce Committee tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21, at Thune’s inaugural hearing as chairman entitled, “Protecting the Internet and Consumers through Congressional Action.”

“It’s fitting that as the committee holds its first hearing of the new Congress, we draw from the first-hand knowledge and success of a growing South Dakota business,” said Thune. “Mr. Simmons offers tremendous insight on the importance of protecting an open Internet and the current light touch regulatory approach that has spurred innovation. Midco is a prime example of how these policies promote infrastructure investment that benefit South Dakotans. The role of the Internet in our daily lives is going to continue to grow. It will keep revolutionizing things like transportation, health care, agriculture, and education. But heavy-handed government regulation, like that being pursued by the Federal Communication Commission, could delay or even jeopardize the next big leap in innovation. I look forward to hearing from Mr. Simmons as the committee evaluates the best path forward to protect the entrepreneurial character of the Internet and hope to draw valuable knowledge from his testimony.”

Mr. Simmons is from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he serves as Senior Vice President of Public Policy for Midco and manages the public affairs, public relations, government and industry relations, and is the general spokesperson for the company. He joined Midcontinent Media, Inc., parent company of Midcontinent Communications, in 1987 as the general manager of Midcontinent’s South Dakota radio group. In 1995, Mr. Simmons joined Midco Communications, Midcontinent’s telecommunications company, as Vice President and General Manager and was given the primary task of leading the development of full service local and long distance telephone and non-traditional services on Midcontinent’s cable television/broadband infrastructure.

Last fall, PC Magazine named Midco the nation’s fastest Internet service provider. In November, Midco announced it will make gigabit speeds available by 2017 to approximately 600,000 homes and 55,000 businesses throughout South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota along a high-capacity fiber network that covers more than 7,600 miles.

Watch Thune chair his inaugural Commerce Committee hearing live tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21 at 2:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 p.m. CT, 12:30 p.m. MT online here.

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