Category: Uncategorized

Thune Welcomes Additional Sanctions on Iran, Russia, North Korea

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement regarding passage of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (H.R. 3364), legislation that gives the Trump administration an essential tool for deterring threats from Iran and North Korea and expands current U.S. sanctions on Russia.“

The continued hostile behavior of Iran and North Korea must be met with action. By imposing tough sanctions on Iran for its continued support for terrorism, prohibited arms transfers, and ballistic missile testing, this legislation sends a powerful message that our nation stands firm against Iranian aggression. This legislation also shows North Korea that its unrelenting efforts to develop a nuclear missile that can threaten America and our allies, as well their continued human rights offenses, will not be tolerated.

“By expanding sanctions against the government of Russia, Congress is taking necessary action to check Russia’s continued aggression in Syria and occupation of Crimea, its brazen cyberattacks and interference in elections, and its alarming suppression of human rights. I look forward to the president signing this significant piece of bipartisan legislation.” 

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Noem Seeks to Bring Greater Integrity to IRS Hiring with New Legislation

NEW REPORT: IRS rehired 200+ former employees who had been previously terminated for misconduct 

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem, a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, today introduced the Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act, which would prohibit the IRS from rehiring an employee who has been fired for certain forms of misconduct. The legislation comes in the wake of a Treasury Department report released this week that shows the IRS rehired more than 200 former employees between January 2015 and March 2016 that had previously been terminated for misconduct or performance issues.

“This is about having a basic respect for hardworking taxpayers,” said Noem. “An agency with access to our most sensitive financial data has repeatedly rehired employees who had already been fired for things like accessing taxpayer information without authorization, threatening their coworkers, or repeatedly falsifying documents. If the IRS won’t instill commonsense hiring practices within the agency, we will work to write them into law.”

The Treasury Department report found “former employees were selected for rehire without fully considering prior conduct and performance issues.” The report went on to detail examples of the misconduct that was overlooked:

“Two rehired employees had repetitively falsified employment forms by omitting prior convictions or terminations.”

“Two rehired employees were previously terminated for failure to maintain a successful level of performance in multiple critical job elements as tax examining technicians. However, both of these employees were rehired as tax examining technicians less than six months later.”

“One rehired employee had several misdemeanors for theft and a felony for possession of a forgery device.”

“Another rehired employee had threatened his or her co-workers.”

“Three rehired employees had ‘excessive’ absence without leave for more than 270, 150, and 140 hours respectively.”

Moreover, around 7 percent of those rehired faced new conduct or performance issues within one year. 

Noem first introduced the Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act in the 114th Congress. While the legislation was passed with broad bipartisan consensus in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2016, the legislation did not receive a vote in the U.S. Senate before the 114th Congress gaveled to a close.

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Noem, House Pass Bill to Build Border Wall, Invest in Military, Support Vets, Stop WOTUS

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing H.R.3219, the Make America Secure Appropriations Act. Among other initiatives, the legislation fully funds President Trump’s request for a wall along the southern border. It also offers service members a 2.4 percent pay raise (the largest increase in eight years); strengthens support for the Department of Defense, making investments into updating equipment and weapons; and bolsters the VA’s ability to care for veterans. Additionally, the bill authorizes the EPA to withdraw the controversial Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. 

“Today’s legislation supports some of the federal government’s most fundamental responsibilities: our common defense, our national security, and our veterans,” said Noem. “We offer the resources necessary to build a strong border wall, invest in our military, and support those who have served. At the same time, by authorizing the EPA to ditch the WOTUS rule, we take yet another step toward eliminating the harmful, regressive, Obama-era regulations that have shackled small businesses, farmers, and ranchers for far too long.”

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Hiley goes on to say-“It is not only because of the contemptuous sound, suggestive of “squit.” It is also clearly a diminutive.”

Yesterday, GOP got the slimmest of a majority (51 votes including a tie-breaking vote by the Bice President) to open debate on amending Obamacare, with amendments limited to taxes or spending and items directly related spending or taxes. Under Senate rules, a full repeal requires 60 votes, which would require support from over 20% of the Democrat caucus.

A subsequent vote of the most broadly possible amendment of Obamacare as allowed under Senate rules failed 43-57. Any other possible changes will be less robust because of the Senate rules. Thus, we have on the record a definitive list of Obamacare Republicans.

Senators Susan Collins, Bob Corker, Tom Cotton, Lindsey Graham, Dean Heller, Mike Lee, Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul.

These Obamacare Republicans betrayed the most central GOP position advocated in the past four elections and their stature will never be the same. They are Quislings. In addition to 9 Democrat Senators in states carried by Trump, the GOP must primary Corker and Heller. No Quislings allowed in caucus.

Update: Today, the following Senators voted against “skinny repeal” (what is possible with a simple majority) without a specific replacement: Sens. Shelley Moore Capito, Susan Collins, Dick Heller, John McCain, Rob Portman, Lamar Alexander, and Lisa Murkowski. Only Collins voted against the 2015 measure which passed both houses and was vetoed by President Obama.

Today, this adds Capito, McCain, Portman, and Alexander to the Obamacare Republican list.

Positive Feedback From South Dakota Farmer,
Other Panelists on Thune’s 2018 Farm Bill Proposals

Thune questions panel in Agriculture Committee hearing on the effectiveness of his SHIPP and commodity title improvement proposals 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a longtime member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today received important feedback on his 2018 farm bill proposals, including his bill tomodernize and target commodity assistance and his Soil Health Improvement Protection Program (SHIPP), a short-term acreage conserving use program.

“I especially want to thank Kevin Scott for being here, representing the American Soybean Association,” said Thune. “[He’s] a multi-generation South Dakota farmer, going back to 1885, I think the family operation has roots. He always provides great council and insight and advice to me and my staff and to all of South Dakota when it comes to the issues that are important to agriculture and to our country, I might add.”

The panel, which included Valley Springs, South Dakota, farmer Kevin Scott, agreed that commodity title payments should be calculated using a farm’s physical location instead of according to administrative county, which Thune’s commodity title proposal would enforce. The panel also agreed that a short-term conservation easement program, like SHIPP, would be an effective means of using conservation to improve soil health and offset low commodity prices.

To read more about Thune’s 2018 farm bill proposals, click here.

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Thune: Senate Must Complete Work to Repeal Obamacare 

“It’s time for us to complete the work the American people sent us to do: repeal and replace this failing law with the affordable, patient-centered health care solutions Americans deserve.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the Senate agreed to move forward on legislation to repeal the failing Obamacare law:

“For seven years, we’ve watched the bad Obamacare news pile up, from lost health care plans to soaring premiums and dwindling choices. Americans all across the country are suffering under Obamacare’s failures, and they deserve relief. Today Senate Republicans took an important step forward toward fixing the problems Obamacare has created. It’s time for us to complete the work the American people sent us to do: repeal and replace this failing law with the affordable, patient-centered health care solutions Americans deserve.”

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As I had mentioned, all last week I was out in Sturgis for an annual office training/meeting period that we do in one of my day jobs.  The driving is a drag, but it’s worth it.

It’s a good exercise, as we’re a national specialty insurance agency, with staff from Maine to Arizona, and from Florida to Washington State. And we’ve doubled in size in the last few years, so sitting down together helps keep us in line with the company goals of service and growth, and helps people put a face to the name.

We do a lot of group events, and one of them was a picnic up at Pactola:

I took this last Thursday when I was out at the our office get together. I still need to do some cleaning up on it, as the images have some shading where photoshop stitched them together, but it’s a great panoramic view of the beach area we were at.

Now that I’m back at the SDWC home base in Brookings, it’s probably a good thing it’s a slow time in state politics, as it will be light posting again through the weekend. Instead of being out for work again, after today I’m going to be out for fun.

Since my wife took my #4 daughter out to DC for a graduation trip, I’m taking “the boys” out on a “manly man trip.” Truth be told, we’re going to the place with the mouse in Florida for a few days.

My 16 year old son is aware of it, but my 9 year old thinks we’re going to go digging at Diamond State Park in Arkansas, which we did a couple of summers ago in July sun and heat.  We didn’t find anything, and the weather was oppressively hot. So, he’s going with little enthusiasm which will turn out to be a nice surprise for him when he finally figures it out.

In another week or two, so much of summer is going to come to a screeching halt as my wife starts commuting for her new job at Augustana, my older son gets involved into a heavy band practice schedule, and everything keeps driving towards the next school year. So, it’s important to take what time I can with the kids while I have it, something I recognize all the more as the baby birds leave the nest, one after the other.

I’ll be monitoring things by phone and iPad, so if something comes up in this “summer before the election off-season,” I’ll be on it.

Otherwise, I’m going to be enjoying what’s left of vacation time, and soaking up some sun.

Check it out here!

Why is it that when State Senator Stace Nelson is at meetings in Pierre, that anonymous comments being posted from LRC/State Government IP addresses talking about how awesome he supposedly is start popping up?

Just wondering.  (It must be Lake Oahe, and someone is deciding to practice their back-stroke.)

GOP Gubernatorial outlier Dr. Terry Lee LaFleur is out on facebook actively recruiting for campaign staff today:

When I take a look at this expensive list of campaign staff that is beyond what we typically see in many state level campaigns, I can’t help but notice that salary isn’t mentioned.  Especially given that this campaign is what you might term an outlier campaign, coming from outside the recognized political establishment, with somewhat odd campaign platform planks.

And let’s not forget the fact he’s been looking for a campaign manager for about a year now.

Is there a job there for someone? Possibly. Whether it pays anything is between you and he.