Author: @SoDakCampaigns

Johnson’s South Dakota, Women’s Sports, Tough on China Priorities Included in Annual Defense Bill

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House passed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which included several of U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson’s (R-S.D.) priorities. The bill includes provisions to strengthen deterrence against China, prohibit men from competing in women’s sports at military academies, and robust funding for B-21 aircraft procurement. Johnson voted to pass the legislation.

“This defense package ensures America’s military remains the strongest in the world. It keeps our military men and women focused on military readiness and ensuring peace through strength,” said Johnson. “I’m grateful for its investment in South Dakota and the B-21, which will be an incredible addition to our fighting force.”

Johnson priorities included in the 2026 NDAA:

• Provides $3.45 billion for B-21 aircraft procurement.
• Provides $378 million for military construction for Ellsworth Air Force Base.
• Provides $28 million for the Watertown Complex’s National Guard Vehicle Maintenance Shop.
• Johnson’s bill to prohibit biological men from competing in women’s sports at military service academies.
• Johnson’s provision to strengthen deterrence against China by supporting defense industrial cooperation with U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Authorizes $50 million in Impact Aid assistance.
• Raises servicemember pay by 3.8% and improves benefits for military families.
• Fights drug trafficking.
• Ends $40.5 million of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the Department of Defense (DoD).
• Prohibits funding for the teaching, training, or promotion of Critical Race Theory in the military, including at service academies and DoD schools.
• Cuts more than $1 billion of Green New Deal programs at the DoD.
• Provides nearly $20 billion in savings.

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Thune: Health Care 101: How Democrats’ Policies Fail Patients and Families

“[A] three-year extension without reforms, and furthermore, a three-year extension that actually backtracks on some of the reforms that have been made earlier – and that also is in Democrats’ bill – creates more fraud, more waste, more abuse, higher prices, and a higher cost for the American taxpayer.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Click here to watch the video.

What the hell did I just watch?

I had a loyal reader forward me the links for the Clay County Commission website, and the last 2 Clay County Commission meetings where former, and likely future, D17 Republican State House candidate Robin Shiro stopped by on December 2 and December 9 to tell the Clay County Commission about the meth that’s being smoked in her house, the young girls in her attic, the checks being returned from her Republican Women’s group, and other topics.

She claimed in both meetings that Speaker of the House Jon Hansen told her he’d start a drug task force, and would act as their attorney.  .. ( I think?).   And in the other that they need to take care of that Republican women check issue. Because if they don’t she’ll get the First Lady Sandy Rhoden involved.

This gets even more interesting when you consider that she lives in Elk Point. Which is in Union County. So, I’m not sure why she’s haranguing the Clay County Commissioners.  Which I’m sure they’re wondering as well.

If you think this is out there, I’d direct you to her written testimony to the Woodbury, IA County Commission from last February that talks about her trying to turn in terrorists, GPS units in her and her dog’s eyes, and the device in her bra.

It’s a free country and all, but some people should not be running for office. It’s a good example of the political landscape we face in 2026.

It’s kind of out there.

Attorney General Jackley Sends Cease and Desist Letter Ordering Stop to Deceptive Abortion Pill Advertising in South Dakota

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has sent a letter to Mayday Health ordering the company to immediately cease and desist the deceptive advertising of the sale of abortion pills in South Dakota and said the state may bring a lawsuit against the company if it does not comply.

Abortions are banned in South Dakota except for specific, extenuating circumstances. State law also prohibits the administering or procuring of any medicine, drug or substance to perform an abortion.

Attorney General Jackley said Mayday Health’s advertisements do not state the prohibitions listed in state law.

“Your advertisement directs South Dakota consumers to resources that insinuate abortion-inducing pills are legal in South Dakota, while also urging women not to seek medical care after taking abortion pills and to keep their abortion a secret,” wrote Attorney General Jackley.

Attorney General Jackley launched an investigation into the advertisements at the request of Gov. Larry Rhoden. Attorney General Jackley said his investigation indicates that the company is misleading the public through deceptive information and advice provided in the advertisements.

“Based on this information, it appears that your business practices constitute a deceptive act or practice under SDCL Ch. 37-24, the South Dakota Deceptive Practices and Consumer Protection Act,” wrote Attorney General Jackley.

If South Dakota does file a lawsuit, Mayday Health could face felony criminal consequence or civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation.

Gov. Rhoden thanked Attorney General Jackley for his immediate action.

“South Dakota moms and babies deserve to be protected from deceptive advertising,” said Gov. Rhoden. “The Attorney General wasted no time responding to my request, and I thank him for his quick action.”

Attorney General Jackley’s letter to Mayday Health can be read here:

From KOTA News, State Senator Helene Duhamel was recently honored by ELEVATE Rapid City for her public service to the citizens of Rapid City:

Elevate Rapid City presented State Senator Helene Duhamel with the 2025 Distinguished Public Service Award Tuesday night.

“She has been a force for good in Rapid City and has left an indelible mark,” Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun said. “We are better because she has existed. We are so grateful for Helene, and it’s great to be able to celebrate her today.”

and..

“I’ve stood on their shoulders and tried to follow in their footsteps,” Duhamel said. “It’s a great honor.”

Other legislators say Duhamel stands out among her peers in Pierre.

Read the entire story here.

Despite coming out separately on the measure, according to a press report, Senator Casey Crabtree & Governor Larry Rhoden will be working together on a suppressor bill this next session:

Governor Rhoden and State Senator Casey Crabtree will be working to remove suppressors from the list of controlled weapons in South Dakota. Removing suppressors from the state’s controlled weapons list would still mean they are regulated under federal law and purchasers would still need to go through background checks on other measures.

and..

State Senator Crabtree and Rhoden both initially announced their own individual proposals before announcing they would work together on Tuesday. Crabtree said in a press release, “Thanks to President Trump and Republican Leaders, the One Big Beautiful Bill was a major win for gun owners purchasing suppressors. This session, we will update South Dakota law to reflect this Second Amendment victory.”

Read the entire story here.

ACLU of South Dakota Condemns Politically Motivated Investigation of Abortion Ads

Gov. Larry Rhoden’s request for an investigation into an advertising campaign educating people about the safety and effectiveness of abortion pills is a politically motivated attack on free speech.

Despite the state’s near-total ban on abortion, the governor can’t prevent information about abortion from being shared in South Dakota. The United States Supreme Court considers speech about abortion protected speech under the First Amendment and has reaffirmed that position multiple times since Bigelow v. Virginia in 1975.

“This investigation into the ads placed by Mayday Health at gas stations throughout the state will chill rightfully protected speech about an issue that needs to be discussed now more than ever,” said Samantha Chapman, ACLU of South Dakota advocacy manager. “This targeted attack against information about abortion violates our First Amendment right to share and receive information and puts a target on any other organization or individual who dares to share information that the governor disfavors.”

For decades, medication abortion has been a safe, effective, FDA-approved method for ending an early pregnancy. It is used for more than 60% of abortions in the United States, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute. The drugs mifepristone and misoprostol, commonly used in medication abortions, are also listed on the World Health Organizations’ list of essential medicines.

Attempts like this to restrict information about abortion will only further isolate pregnant South Dakotans seeking to educate themselves about medical care.

“South Dakota’s anti-abortion politicians are more concerned about restricting information than the state’s sky-high maternal and infant mortality rates,” Chapman said. “This investigation into Mayday Health’s ads is little more than political theater at the taxpayer’s expense.”

Mayday Health is non-profit organization that provides education about medication abortion and how to access it in the United States. It does not sell or provide medication abortion pills.

About the ACLU of South Dakota

The American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of South Dakota is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and Wyoming. The team in South Dakota is supported by staff in those states.

The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBTQ communities. The ACLU of South Dakota carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of South Dakota.

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[Editor’s note – Senator Rounds is right on the money with this, as I sent a political mailing for a client that took fully 2 weeks to go from my area to SE SD. A mailing that should have taken 2 days took 2 weeks?!? The situation is completely ridiculous. -pp]

Rounds Requests Investigation into Postal Service Issues in South Dakota

Service has “deteriorated to critical levels” for South Dakotans

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has formally requested an investigation into the persistent issues with United States Postal Service (USPS) delivery in South Dakota. In a letter to Tammy Hull, Inspector General of USPS, Rounds asked for Hull to determine the root cause of mail issues impacting South Dakota, as well as consider the need for a regional processing facility in South Dakota.

In September, Rounds sent a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner urging him to restore reliable mail service and requesting a meeting. Rounds and Steiner met in October. Steiner followed up on the meeting with a letter dismissing the issues raised by Rounds, claiming that the mail delays were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City despite none of these facilities handling South Dakota’s intrastate mail.

“In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with USPS service in my state,” wrote Rounds. “I believe these issues are caused by the flawed design of the USPS network, which all but guarantees that mail traveling across or to South Dakota must travel in a circuitous manner through locations around and outside of the state.”

“The people of South Dakota depend on the Postal Service for critical communication, medicine and care,” continued Rounds. “I request that you act swiftly to identify and resolve the causes of these failures and help return South Dakota’s mail service to the standards Americans deserve.”

BACKGROUND:

Rounds has been a leader on USPS issues in South Dakota, leading the push to keep local processing facilities in South Dakota. In April 2024, Rounds sent a letter to USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging USPS to avoid downsizing or significantly reorganizing mail processing operations in South Dakota. As a result, in February 2025, USPS committed to keeping the Dakota Central processing facility in Huron open, as well as investing $3 million in improvements to the facility. Rounds also secured a commitment from former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to keep mail that originates within South Dakota from leaving the state for processing.

In addition, Rounds first introduced the Postal Processing Protection Act in June 2024, legislation that would require USPS to consider consequences for rural areas during their closure or downsizing review process in order to protect rural mail processing facilities. Rounds recently reintroduced this legislation in the 119th Congress.

Earlier this year, Rounds introduced the Deliver for Democracy Act, which would protect rural newspapers and consumers from unjustified price hikes by making certain the Postal Service is held to a standard for on-time deliveries. Rounds is also the Senate lead on the Instituting Notification Formalities on Reorganizing Mail (INFORM) Act of 2025, legislation to require the USPS to post a physical notice within impacted storefronts explaining any proposed changes in service.

Read the full text of the letter HERE or below.

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Dear Inspector General Hull:

In recent months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents across South Dakota voicing substantial issues with United States Postal Service (USPS) service in my state.

This includes intrastate mail, package and periodicals as well poorer service compared to the district average on all classes of inbound and outbound mail. I believe these issues are caused by the flawed design of the USPS network, which all but guarantees that mail traveling across or to South Dakota must travel in a circuitous manner through locations around and outside of the state. As a result, mail delivered in South Dakota is arriving outside of acceptable service standards.

Unfortunately, these systemic inefficiencies are not just inconveniences, they’re directly affecting the health and well-being of South Dakotans. Delays have resulted in veterans missing Community Care Network appointments because the letter arrived after the scheduled appointment date. Furthermore, a leading private sector regional health care system has reported that by the time some delayed medications arrived, they could no longer be used. These issues have become persistent and at times reached the “point of jeopardizing patient care.”

I believe USPS service performance on intrastate mail and periodicals in South Dakota has in some cases deteriorated to critical levels that impacts the lives of everyday South Dakotans and degrades my ability to communicate with constituents.

I expressed my concerns about this to the Postmaster General (PMG) Steiner who downplayed such issue existed in South Dakota. PMG Steiner also noted that he believed that delays in mail sent across South Dakota were caused by issues at processing facilities in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. However, none of these facilities handle South Dakota’s intrastate mail.

Despite clear evidence of poor performance of USPS mail products especially intrastate mail, USPS senior leadership denies a problem exists. Therefore, I request the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of USPS investigate these concerns and make the necessary recommendations to USPS to restore reliable mail service to South Dakota.

As part of this investigation, I request that USPS OIG work to determine root causes of mail delays impacting South Dakotans; assess processes regarding handling of mail and packages, transportation schedules, facility constraints, staffing and current design of mail flows though the USPS processing network; and evaluate claims made by USPS during the Mail Processing Facility Review process that 3454 Origin/Destinating Pairs in South Dakota would “receive service performance upgrades and no service performance downgrades”. As you formulate recommendations for reform, I would also ask that you evaluate the need for the construction of a regional processing facility in South Dakota.

The people of South Dakota depend on the Postal Service for critical communication, medicine and care. I request that you act swiftly to identify and resolve the causes of these failures and help return South Dakota’s mail service to the standards Americans deserve.

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Tariffs Cut Deep Into South Dakota Farm Income as Federal Aid Surges

New $12 billion bailout arrives as crop prices fall, input costs rise, and long-term markets weaken.

By Todd Epp, Northern Plains News

South Dakota farmers face widening financial losses as tariff-driven price drops collide with rising production costs, forcing taxpayers to cover billions in emergency payments that still trail behind the damage.

Why It Matters

The state’s farm economy enters 2026 under pressure. Tariffs have reworked global trade flows, pushed input costs higher, and left major buyers like China on the sidelines. Federal aid will help stabilize balance sheets this winter, but agricultural economists warn the underlying problems—lost markets, high costs, and prolonged volatility—remain unresolved and could reshape the long-term viability of South Dakota’s row-crop sector.

Farm income has dropped across the Plains as commodity prices fall below breakeven levels. Analysts estimate that U.S. growers of major row crops face tens of billions in reduced revenue for 2025, according to industry and government economic models. In South Dakota, farmers report steep losses on corn as prices slide from pandemic-era highs to levels that no longer cover rising production costs.

The state’s soybean sector has taken the largest hit. China, normally a dominant buyer in global soybean markets, sharply reduced purchases for much of 2025, tightening margins across the Upper Midwest. South Dakota typically harvests about 230 million bushels a year, making soybeans a cornerstone of the state’s $11 billion agriculture industry.

Federal Payments Rise as Markets Collapse

South Dakota received an estimated $418 million in federal emergency support through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program as of September, according to the Dakota Institute. The Trump administration approved an additional $12 billion in aid on Monday, with payments expected by late February.

But federal analysts and budget groups report that the economics do not balance out. Tariff collections generated roughly $195 billion in fiscal year 2025, a sharp increase from the prior year. Yet crop losses combined with federal farm payments consumed an estimated $70 billion to $80 billion nationwide, based on figures from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and historical USDA payment data.

The dynamic mirrors Trump’s first term, when farmer relief programs amounted to nearly the full value of tariffs collected from China, according to research from the Council on Foreign Relations. Agricultural markets suffered long-term damage as former export partners shifted to producers in Brazil and other suppliers, weakening U.S. leverage even after tariff revenues climbed.

Costs Up, Prices Down

South Dakota producers face the double pressure of lower commodity prices and higher operating costs. Tariffs on agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, machinery, and certain chemicals add to expenses already elevated by global supply chain disruptions. Analysts with agricultural lenders report that the per-acre cost of raising corn and soybeans continues to rise faster than market prices, leaving many farms reliant on federal assistance to break even.

Younger farmers bear the greatest financial risk, as tighter credit, smaller land bases, and limited cash reserves reduce their ability to withstand continued price volatility. Industry economists warn that prolonged market disruption could accelerate consolidation in rural communities and weaken the state’s long-term agricultural capacity.

Future Revenue Clouded by Legal Challenges

The Congressional Budget Office projects that current tariff policies could generate up to several trillion dollars through 2035 if maintained. But legal challenges continue to move through federal courts, and a Supreme Court ruling on presidential tariff authority could force the government to refund tens of billions of dollars to importers, shrinking future revenue and limiting the administration’s ability to offset agricultural losses through new aid packages.

Johnson’s Bipartisan Digital Permitting Bill Passes U.S. House

 Washington, D.C. – Today, the ePermit Act, led by U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA) passed the House unanimously. The ePermit Act will codify President Trump’s Action Plan to modernize permitting technology across the federal government, reducing processing time for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews.

Click here or the image above for Johnson’s floor remarks

“It has become harder and harder to get any big project done in America,” said Johnson. “The same road project that can get approved in Germany in six months takes six years in America. America is full of innovators, creators, and builders. It’s time we let them build again, fueling economic growth and unlocking domestic energy production. I’m grateful the ePermit Act passed the House, and I hope the Senate acts soon so this can be the law of the land.”

“Passing this bill out of the House represents a major breakthrough in our effort to finally modernize an outdated permitting system,” said Peters. “Today’s progress is a clear sign that Congress can still come together to solve real problems; let’s build on this momentum, digitize the permitting process, cut needless delays, and get this bill across the finish line.”

“The ePermit Act modernizes an outdated system and establishes a streamlined, electronic permitting framework that will reduce red tape and increase efficiency across federal agencies,” said Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR). By transitioning to digital permitting, we can cut down on delays, enhance coordination and provide applicants with clearer, more predictable timelines. I applaud Representative Johnson for leading this bipartisan effort to bring permitting into the 21st century.”

“Modernizing the environmental review and permitting process will enable the United States to meet critical infrastructure needs, secure affordable and reliable energy, and fuel economic growth,” said Katherine Scarlett, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality. “The administration welcomes congressional action to leverage technology to accelerate and simplify the permitting process across the Federal government, building on the accomplishments set in motion by President Trump’s Memorandum Updating Permitting Technology for the 21st Century – such as CEQ’s Permitting Technology Action Plan.”

“Technology and transparency are key pieces of meaningful permitting reform to let America build,” said Jeremy Harrell, CEO, ClearPath Action. “Today’s House vote reiterates bipartisan support for streamlining reviews in a way that balances speed and safety. We look forward to the Senate taking up the ePermit Act this Congress.”

“NAHB urges House passage of the ePermit Act, introduced by Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA),” said Buddy Hughes, Chairman, National Association of Home Builders. “This legislation would address housing affordability challenges by improving and expediting the environmental review and permitting processes. Permitting roadblocks delay housing projects and raise construction costs. The ePermit Act will bring clarity, efficiency, and certainty to the permitting process by requiring the use of electronic permitting platforms.”

“It’s no secret that the current permitting process remains a major barrier to deploying the projects needed to secure America’s energy and environmental future,” said Chris Barnard, President, American Conservation Coalition Action. “By embracing today’s technology, we can modernize the permitting system and accelerate project approvals through greater efficiency and transparency. The American Conservation Coalition Action and its members across the country commend this effort to bring environmental review into the 21st century.”

“The American Council of Engineering Companies, the business voice of the nation’s engineering industry, supports passage of H.R. 4503, the ePermit Act and applauds Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA) for their leadership on this important bipartisan legislation. The ePermit Act will modernize how federal agencies use technology to facilitate more efficient and timely federal permitting decisions. If passed, the bill will help to cut red tape by enhancing transparency, improving stakeholder engagement, and facilitating efficient interagency collaboration.”

Johnson introduced the ePermit Act in July. The House Natural Resources Committee passed the legislation in November.

Background:

The current permitting process has failed to ensure project permitting is on-time and on-task. Oftentimes, the root causes of delays in the environmental review process have little to do with questions about environmental protection and a lot to do with failure to embrace modern technology and move on from legacy bureaucratic approaches, like paper forms.

Congress must address the root causes for delays, which include compiling and reviewing lengthy paper documents, a lack of accessibility and transparency – leading to misunderstanding, conflicts, and all too often, protracted litigation – and continued reliance on outdated technologies and processes for interagency review and comment.

The ePermit Act would address these root causes by establishing a framework for agencies to implement a digital permitting system and unified portal.

Click here for bill text.

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