Category: Dusty Johnson

National Parks Week
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
April 9, 2021

South Dakota is lucky to call home to seven of our nation’s National Parks, Monuments and Recreation Areas. As we celebrate National Parks Week in the month of April, I can’t help but reminisce on the beauty of places like the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, and the Missouri River.

The Badlands or the ‘Land of Stone and Light’ span more than 244,000 acres of our great state. Thousands of folks trek to its vast terrain every year. You can explore fossil trails with your kids, get your feet blistered on a long hike, or take the scenic route — whether you’re an avid hiker or a novice outdoorsman, there is something in the Badlands for you.

If someone mentions South Dakota, America’s ‘Shrine of Democracy’ is quick to come to mind. I don’t blame anyone outside of the state when that’s the first thing they mention during a conversation; it’s definitely a sight to see. For many of us, last year’s fireworks display at Mount Rushmore served as a glimmer of light during a dark year. I’ll continue to fight to protect this unique monument with my legislation, the Mount Rushmore Protection Act, as political activists seek to dismantle our great presidents’ faces.

And finally, the great Missouri River. Not as many people know this is a national recreational river, but if you live along the River, you’re well aware of its majestic, and sometimes unpredictable presence. You can hunt or fish right along the river – if you haven’t done so along the Missouri you should add that to your bucket list.

Despite tourism being down by 13% last year, South Dakota was one of the best performing states in the country. Tourism contributed nearly 5% of South Dakota’s economy last year – I’m hopeful that with the opening of the vaccine to all Americans, we can begin to welcome more visitors to our great parks.

The Center for Effective Lawmaking has completed a study, and a few weeks ago, announced the release of the Legislative Effectiveness Scores (LES) for the recently-completed 116th Congress (2019-21) in order to come up with a benchmark of the most effective lawmakers in Congress.

And according to the survey, South Dakota’s lone Congressman, Dusty Johnson, was cited as being the most effective Republican in the US House when it comes to Agriculture issues:

Top Performers in the 116th House, by Policy Area

Newly added to the CEL Legislative Effectiveness Scores (LES) in 2021 are Interest and Legislative Effectiveness Scores (ILES) in each of 21 different issue areas.  These are based on issue area codes from the Comparative Agendas Project through the 111^th Congress and based on issue areas found on www.congress.gov for the past decade.  The methodology that we employed to construct these scores is the same as that for the overall LES; but we simply base our analysis on the subset of bills that each legislator sponsored in each issue area.

Throughout 2021 we will be releasing reports in which we highlight the scores in many of these different issue areas.  For now, we list the top performing lawmakers in each area, by party, for both the House and the Senate.  Readers interested in exploring these scores more thoroughly can find all of these scores in a new interface on the CEL website.

Most Effective Lawmakers in 116th House, by Policy Area and Party

Policy Area	Top Democrat	ILES	Top Republican	ILES
Agriculture	Gregorio Sablan (CNMI)	63.1	Dusty Johnson (SD)	2.83

Read it all here.

Congratulations to Congressman Johnson and thanks for his service to South Dakota working to promote agriculture!

The Next Big Thing
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
March 26, 2021

Over the last two months, Speaker Pelosi has passed one large bill after another. From the federalization of state elections to immigration reform, we’ve just about seen it all.

I’m eager to move past the first 100 days of the session and hopeful we can move on to legislation that has a chance of passing in the Senate. So what’s the next big thing Congress will tackle?

At the beginning of the Congress, I was newly appointed to the Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee. T&I is known for its bipartisan work – every five years this committee tackles a highway reauthorization package, and this year will be no different. Both Republicans and Democrats have started to lay the groundwork for what’s to come.

Yesterday, I joined Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a committee hearing on the new administration’s priorities for the highway bill. Secretary Buttigieg highlighted the bipartisan approach the committee has taken in the past because “every citizen, regardless of political affiliation, shares the need for reliable roads.” I share that sentiment.

But actions speak louder than words. Nancy Pelosi and the Biden Administration have shown, through legislation and executive orders, that they prioritize “environmental justice” over small business owners and rural communities. I believe there is a lot of room for environmentally-sound policies in the transportation space, but Secretary Buttigieg’s plan will have a price tag of $3 trillion. Incredibly, that’s ten times the price tag of the last five-year highway bill.

Infrastructure is popular. So it worries me that like the last COVID package, the Biden Administration is using it to advance $2 trillion of the proposed spending is completely unrelated to roads, bridges and even broadband.

As I mentioned, the last bipartisan five-year highway reauthorization, which occurred under the Obama Administration, cost $305 billion. While hundreds of billions is by no means small, why can’t we move forward in the same, more appropriately sized manner?

I’m hopeful we can get on track and push forward a highway bill that meets the middle of the road. We need to ensure American infrastructure stays competitive and accessible, that our permitting process is fair and certain, and that rural roads receive the updates they desperately need.

President Biden promised unity and that he would work on behalf of all people, I hope he maintains that promise of bipartisanship as we begin our work on the reauthorization of the highway bill. It only happens every five years, we need to get it right.

###

Policies Matter
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
March 19, 2021

Over the last two months there has been a growing crisis at the southern border.

Following decisions to end the Migrant Protection Protocols or the “remain-in-Mexico” policy and the reestablishment of catch-and-release policies, there has been a surge in illegal crossings at the border.

In February 2021, less than a month after President Biden took office, the number of illegal immigrants apprehended at the Southern Border tripled from the previous year. According to Customs & Border Protection, the number of migrants encountered at the border this February climbed to 100,441 – a more than 170% increase from the 36,687 encounters in February 2020.

Congress and the President have a responsibility to ensure our borders are safe and secure.

I toured the southern border in April 2019 when we were experiencing a similar crisis – I heard several stories of children being trafficked by drug cartels. Many of these children were paired with fraudulent “family units” and being recycled to get adults across the border. And right now, more than 6,000 family units are coming across the border illegally every week.

The last time our nation faced a border crisis of this magnitude, Congress and President Trump had to send $4.5 billion in humanitarian aid to the border to alleviate the crisis. We must act now to avoid similar significant human and financial cost.

The data is clear, the border wall paired with new technologies significantly reduce illegal border crossings and human and drug trafficking at our southern border.

Immigration is a complex issue, but the administration needs to make it clear: if anyone wants to come to our country, they need to do it the right way, legally.

Time to Change Those Clocks…Again

By Rep. Dusty Johnson

March 12, 2021

Temps are rising and the sun isn’t setting at 4:30 in the afternoon – that can only mean one thing – Daylight Saving Time (DST) is here.

The “spring forward” has its pros and cons – the cons, we lose an hour of sleep and our kids’ schedules are in disarray for a few days – but for me, the extra daylight in the evening is well worth it. It’s the “fall back” I dislike, so much of the afternoon daylight is lost.

Congress established Daylight Saving Time through legislation, so Congress could just as easily undo it. That’s why I signed on to the Sunshine Protection Act, a bill that would make daylight savings time permanent. Namely, it would make the “spring forward” version of Daylight Saving Time the default – no more “fall back.” Most importantly, no more changing of the clocks twice a year.

There is broad, bipartisan support for this proposal. Since 2015, at least 45 states have introduced legislation to change their observance of DST, and eleven states have made this permanent switch to “spring forward.”

There’s nothing more depressing than leaving work or school only to be greeted by a dark sky. The Sunshine Protection Act solves this problem. Congress should do everyone a favor and let this weekend be the last time we’re all forced to change our clocks.

Unity?
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
March 5, 2021 

“We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward.”

Those were the words spoken by President Biden the day he was sworn into office.

I was hopeful these were more than just words on Inauguration Day and that maybe, just maybe, we’d see a growing coalition willing to work together. Considering Republicans gained several seats in the House, leaving only a sliver of a majority for Speaker Pelosi, I hoped for the best.

Sadly, these words have fallen flat, and I’ve been disappointed week after week. It’s not in my nature to be discouraged, and I’m not naïve. I know politics is partisan and both parties have a line in the sand they often will not cross, but throughout my first term in Congress both parties proved it was, at times, possible to work together.

We passed five COVID-19 relief bills – FIVE – with broad bipartisan support. Congress doesn’t deserve a gold star, but we ended a government shutdown, provided funding for humanitarian relief at the border, fought abuses of biofuel waivers, and set our sights on targeted relief for Americans facing an unprecedented pandemic.

Here are some of the most concerning actions taken by Congress and President Biden since he was sworn in:

• A $1.9 trillion partisan COVID-19 relief bill passed the House. While there is strong bipartisan support for a more modest approach with targeted relief for families, along with investments in vaccine distribution and testing, that compromise approach was rejected.
• A sweeping federal takeover of elections, including funding political ads with matching funds from the federal treasury was pushed through the House.
• Partisan “police reform” passed by the House that would cut our nation’s police force and place harmful restrictions on tactical equipment. There are areas of bipartisan support when it comes to law enforcement, like Sen. Scott’s JUSTICE Act, but these proposals were not considered.
• President Biden cancelled the Keystone XL Pipeline through an Executive Order. Our commitment to the rule of law was eroded, and jobs were lost.
• Relief previously allocated for agriculture producers was put on hold by the Biden Administration.

I believe we can be a Congress known for getting things done that benefit the American people. If unity is the goal, why have the last three months been nothing but one-party rule? Let’s make sure we’re bringing vaccine distribution across the finish line and getting American businesses and people back on their feet. Let’s invest in our nation’s infrastructure and rebuild the bridges and roads that have been neglected for too long. And let’s work to lower prescription costs for families. Let’s start working together.

###

Rising to the Challenge: The Congressional Award

By Rep. Dusty Johnson

One of the best parts of my job is the unique opportunity I have to meet with outstanding young people from across the state. I am inspired by their energy and dedication to make a positive impact in their communities and across the country.

It’s easy to look at today’s political climate and feel discouraged, but as I am reminded every time I meet with young people, the future of this country is in good hands.

I believe it is important to recognize young people for practicing good citizenship and contributing to their communities. That’s why I am excited to highlight Congress’s highest honor bestowed on a young person: The Congressional Award.

In 1979, Congress established the Congressional Award to highlight the service, initiative, and achievement of America’s youth. The Congressional Award is a non-partisan program where participants set and achieve challenging goals in four core areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration.

As participants reach their goals, they earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Certificates and Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals. The program is open to anyone between the ages of 14-23 and accommodates for young people with disabilities. In order to participate, individuals must register online.

Community service makes states like South Dakota stronger, and I’m proud many of our youth are stepping up voluntarily. If you are interested in learning more about the Congressional Award or would like to register, visit https://www.congressionalaward.org. I look forward to honoring South Dakotans willing to take on this unique challenge.

###

Put Students First
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
February 18, 2021

I am proud to be a South Dakotan. As a father with three sons in public school, I’m grateful they have an opportunity each day to go to class in-person. Too many school children across this country aren’t being given that opportunity, and it’s a shame.

Study after study has shown that children being forced to learn remotely are falling behind students attending school in-person. The impact of those decisions will be felt for years to come.

President Biden promised Americans he would have schools reopened in the first 100 days of his presidency. However, America is one month into his tenure and he’s walking back this promise.

His new watered-down approach? Fifty percent of classrooms, in-person one day a week. One. Day. A. Week. That’s an absurd proposal. So absurd, he even reversed course on that plan this week.

Science and data have been the driving forces behind decisions made by the CDC and local governments, but apparently, science and data are irrelevant when push comes to shove and the national teachers union get involved.

The Biden Administration has stressed schools cannot open until they have more funding – but that doesn’t pass the smell test. Congress has already allocated $68 billion for K-12 schools to increase safety protocols and only a fraction of that money has been spent.

According to the CDC, “there has been little evidence that schools have contributed meaningfully to increased community transmission.” Last week, the CDC released long-awaited guidance that schools can be reopened safely if masks are worn and social distancing is practiced. South Dakota schools have been following this practice since last fall, and in Mitchell, there have been very few cases linked to in-person learning. I am grateful South Dakota’s schools are open and our teachers aren’t letting our students fall by the wayside, but other states aren’t so lucky.

Frankly, like many parents, I’m frustrated. Frustrated at the unions for putting themselves before our children, frustrated at the high-rate of mental health issues young children now face, frustrated for the students falling further behind, and frustrated that one million American mothers have left the workforce in the past year.

I know many of America’s teachers are just as frustrated as the parents and children facing uncertainty with never-ending remote learning – teachers and students want to be back in the classroom. The overwhelming majority of open schools in South Dakota are making wise decisions and mitigating the spread of COVID-19 – President Biden promised he’d lead efforts to open schools. It’s time he fulfill that promise.

###

JOHNSON AND CRAIG LEAD CONGRESSIONAL BIOFUELS CAUCUS IN INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY IN RFS SMALL REFINERY WAIVER PROCESS

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Angie Craig (D-MN) led Co-Chairs of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus in introducing bipartisan legislation to ensure transparency and predictability to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) small refinery exemption (SRE) process. The Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act would require small refineries to submit a petition for a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) hardship exemption by June 1st of each year, allowing EPA to properly account for exempted gallons in the annual Renewable Volume Obligations set each November. The bill would also increase transparency by mandating the public disclosure of data surrounding SREs – a process that has previously been carried out behind closed doors with little to no congressional oversight.

Johnson and Craig were joined in introducing the RFS Integrity Act by Representatives Rodney Davis (R-IL), Cindy Axne (D-IA), Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Adrian Smith (R-NE).

“No matter the administration, Congress should not sit on the sidelines while the intent of the Renewable Fuel Standard is being abused and manipulated,” said Representative Dusty Johnson. “The RFS Integrity Act adds accountability and transparency to the EPA Small Refinery Exemption process – something we should all agree upon. With each approved waiver, rural communities continue to suffer. This bill will ensure that volume obligations are met whether it’s a Republican or Democrat in the White House.”

“For the past several years, the Environmental Protection Agency has skirted Congressional oversight and prioritized the interests of Big Oil over family farmers in Minnesota, leaving ethanol producers at a distinct disadvantage,” said Representative Angie Craig. “This senseless, shortsighted policy has greatly impacted rural communities who depend on the Renewable Fuel Standard to help support their local economies – at a time when these communities are especially vulnerable due to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic crisis. Fortunately, our bipartisan bill would reverse that trend by helping to ensure that transparency, predictability and accountability are prioritized in the EPA’s waiver process moving forward – and that rural communities receive the support they deserve from the federal government in the years to come.”

“In recent years, the Renewable Fuel Standard has been weakened by Small Refinery Exemptions to the detriment of farmers and biofuels producers across America,” said Representative Rodney Davis. “Particularly in this struggling economy, where our biofuels producers continue to lack access to assistance, we should strengthen the RFS and ensure regulators adhere to it. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the RFS Integrity Act alongside my fellow House Biofuels Caucus co-chairs. Our legislation will help bolster the RFS through increased transparency to support our farmers and biofuels producers.”

“For the last four years, the EPA has abused its authority and given out dozens of small refinery waivers at the expense of farmers across the Midwest. These illegal waivers resulted in over 4 billion gallons of biofuels being removed from the market, reducing demand and creating uncertainty for producers,” said Representative Cindy Axne. “While I’m hopeful our new administration will uphold the RFS, new legislation is clearly needed to permanently increase transparency and accountability at the EPA. I’m proud to help introduce the RFS Integrity Act to ensure the EPA is always upholding the law.”

“I am proud to join my colleagues as an original sponsor of the RFS Integrity Act. For too long, big oil corporations have taken advantage of federal law at the expense of farmers and agricultural communities,” said Representative Mark Pocan. “This commonsense legislation will provide needed transparency and certainty for Wisconsin farmers at a time when they need it the most.”

“Now, more than ever, transparency in fuel markets is vital for our farmers and biofuels producers,” said Representative Adrian Smith. “The Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act will ensure all parties can make production decisions knowing they can rely on EPA to fairly and evenly enforce the RFS.”

By law, the RFS requires that the EPA make adjustments when determining future biofuels targets to account for waivers to ensure that the overall biofuels targets are not reduced by waivers. However, in recent years, the agency has not accounted for these waivers, which has undercut the demand for biofuels. And under the past administration, the EPA greatly expanded the number of small refinery hardship biofuel waivers that were issued. By issuing 85 waivers under former Administrator Scott Pruitt, the EPA saved the oil industry hundreds of millions of dollars while threatening rural economies and harming the biofuels industry at large.

The bipartisan bill is supported by the National Corn Growers, Growth Energy, Fuels America, the Renewable Fuels Association, the National Biodiesel Board, the American Soybean Association, POET, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union and other groups dedicated to protecting and strengthening the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Below are statements in support of the Members’ bipartisan legislation: 

“We applaud the introduction of the RFS Integrity Act and the strong bipartisan effort to restore integrity and transparency to the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “The intent of the RFS is to blend more biofuels into our nation’s transportation fuel supply every year, not have oil companies use questionable tactics to delay and avoid their blending obligations, creating a tremendous amount of uncertainty for farmers, biofuels producers, and the entire fuel supply chain. Recent research has found that greenhouse gas emissions from corn ethanol are 46 percent lower than gasoline. As science on biofuels continues to update and highlight the increasing environmental benefits of ethanol over gasoline, it’s critical we restore the RFS to its original intent and harness the power of biofuels to immediately address climate change concerns and decarbonize our transportation fleet. We are grateful to Rep. Craig and Rep. Johnson for their continued leadership on this issue.”

“Given the accomplishments of the RFS program to date, EPA’s previous excessive and unreasonable use of the small refinery waiver dampened the prospects for reduced emissions and increased energy security,” said Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “The Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act ensures transparency through a fair and timely EPA waiver process going forward.”

“We are grateful to Reps. Angie Craig and Dusty Johnson for leading this effort to rein in EPA’s abuse of the small refinery exemption program. This bipartisan bill will prevent oil refiners from gaming the system and undercutting the Renewable Fuel Standard, something they have been doing a great deal of the past four years,” said Geoff Cooper, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. “Our hope is that this legislation and the new Administration will restore the integrity of the RFS and the law will be applied as it was intended. We applaud Reps. Craig and Johnson for working together to restore both transparency and integrity to the RFS.”

“The EPA’s abuse of small refinery waivers not only undermined the Renewable Fuel Standard but significantly impacted corn demand. NCGA appreciates Representatives Craig and Johnson and members of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus introducing the RFS Integrity Act,” said John Linder, President of the National Corn Growers Association. “Bringing transparency to the waiver process and establishing clear deadlines for refineries to apply for waivers will allow the EPA to avoid retroactive waivers and ensure the RFS is properly administered.”

“The RFS has positively linked soybean production to energy markets, allowing farmers to contribute to a cleaner fuel system and climate-friendly solutions. We have embraced this opportunity, so it is disheartening when small refinery exemption waivers are granted without transparency. It creates uncertainty in biodiesel markets and harms soybean farmers aiming to help,” said Kevin Scott, President of the American Soybean Association. “A strong RFS adds value to soybeans while also creating jobs, diversifying our fuel supply, and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. We applaud Representatives Craig and Johnson on introducing the RFS Integrity Act, which will add much-needed transparency to the small refinery exemption waiver process at the EPA.”

“The Renewable Fuel Standard plays an important role in building new markets for farmers and creating good rural jobs. But in recent years, this crucial program has been undermined by refineries’ abuse of exemptions,” said Rob Larew, President of the National Farmers Union. “By fostering greater transparency in the way these exemptions are granted, the RFS Integrity Act would help prevent this abuse, thereby ensuring more stability in the program for farmers and biofuels producers. National Farmers Union warmly welcomes this beneficial piece of legislation and thanks Reps. Craig and Johnson for introducing it.”

“This is a commonsense step to ensure that RFS biomass-based diesel volumes are fully met each year and to prevent the demand destruction for biodiesel that we’ve seen since 2017,” said Kurt Kovarik, Vice president of Federal Affairs at the National Biodiesel Board. “Biodiesel producers are grateful to Representative Angie Craig and Representative Dusty Johnson for their leadership on this issue and strongly support Congress’ desire to restore integrity to the RFS program.”

“Representative Craig and Johnson’s bill is a fundamental step to ensure biofuel-blending volumes are fully met and will provide much-needed clarity for rural America,” said Joshua Shields, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications for POET. “Bioethanol producers and farmers deserve transparency in the exemption process and have a right to know the number of gallons of biofuel lost as a result of the waivers and to which companies they are granted.”

“ACE thanks Representatives Johnson and Craig for leading the reintroduction of this bipartisan legislation to ensure the statutory volumes of the Renewable Fuel Standard are enforced by restoring transparency and integrity to EPA’s handling of small refinery exemptions,” said Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol. “This legislation is necessary because under President Trump, EPA brazenly granted nearly 90 waivers for small refineries, erasing over 4 billion gallons from the RFS volumes established by Congress. As of today, 66 additional refinery waivers are pending.”

###