Category: Uncategorized

A New, Innovative Program to Help South Dakota Farmers
By Sen. John Thune

Ask any member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, of which I’m a long-time member, and they’d tell you that work on the farm bill never really ends. It doesn’t matter if it’s a farm bill year or not, I’m always listening to farmers’ and ranchers’ ideas about how I can provide assistance so they can run their operations more efficiently, earn a better living, and ultimately pass their farm or ranch on to the next generation.

Today’s sluggish agriculture economy means it’s more important than ever for policymakers in Washington to find new, innovative ways to help present and future generations of farmers and ranchers stay on their land. We can work toward achieving that goal by providing reasonable alternatives to growing crops on land that produces the least, which would make family-run farms more profitable.

After months of collecting feedback from farmers and other agriculture stakeholders, I’ve introduced a new farm bill program that’s intended to protect farmers’ income in these tough economic times. My bill, the Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP), is an economic assistance tool that offers several conservation benefits. SHIPP will not compete with or replace the popular Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), but would be a voluntary alternative for farmers who don’t want to tie up their land for long periods of time.

Most farmers are familiar with CRP. It’s a good, common-sense program that provides a long-term benefit to farmers, wildlife, and the environment. It creates a safe and healthy habitat for South Dakota’s pheasant population, which has an exponential impact on the state’s economy. But in order to enroll land in CRP, farmers must be willing to commit to a lengthy contract of up to 15 years. SHIPP, on the other hand, would give farmers the flexibility they need to plant their least productive cropland to a soil-enhancing, low-cost perennial conserving use crop for three, four, or five years. In return, they would receive an annual rental payment and additional crop insurance assistance.

Every farmer knows exactly which portion of his or her land produces the least. Technology, like yield maps, for example, can help many farmers identify their poorest producing land. Other farmers know certain areas of their fields are less productive than others because of consistently excessive wetness, dryness, or other yield-reducing factors. 

Under SHIPP, farmers could enroll up to 15 percent of a farm’s least productive acres as long as they were planted or considered planted to a commodity crop for three consecutive years prior to enrollment. Once enrolled, the acreage must be planted to a perennial conserving use cover that can be hayed or grazed outside the designated primary nesting and brood-rearing season in the county in which the land is located. And SHIPP would be a low-cost program because it would encourage the removal of poor land from taxpayer-subsidized crop insurance premium subsidies and indemnities. 

SHIPP is just the first of several individual farm bill proposals that I’ll unveil throughout the year, and I look forward to hearing from South Dakotans about how we can improve this or any existing farm bill program, for that matter. By laying the groundwork for some of these key issues early in the process, we can make sure we’re doing all we can to meet the needs of today’s farming community.

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Upholding our Responsibility to our Native Population
By Senator Mike Rounds

Our tribal population is amidst a government-induced health care crisis as a result of decades of mismanagement and poor leadership at the Indian Health Service (IHS). In South Dakota and across the country, IHS facilities consistently fail to meet basic benchmarks of providing proper care to Native Americans. Headlines frequently tell the tale of emergency rooms closing down, lack of adequate health care professionals and blatant corruption among IHS administrative employees.  Too often, my staff hears horror stories of dirty or broken medical equipment, poor record-keeping, and in one case, a woman who gave birth to her baby on a bathroom floor with no nurses or doctors around to help her. This is unacceptable.

The first step toward fixing the crisis is understanding where the problems lie within the IHS itself. I recently introduced legislation requiring a full audit of the IHS. Despite the agency’s well-known and well-documented history of failing the people it is meant to serve, there has never been an independent, broad, thorough review of IHS. I have requested a systemic review of the agency’s structural, financial and administrative problems so that the federal government, working in close consultation with tribes, can make the changes necessary to live up to its trust obligations.

IHS is tasked with providing health care for approximately 2.2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives across the country. But one does not have to look beyond the agency’s own website to see that it is failing in its core mission. According to www.ihs.gov, tribal members continue to die at higher rates than other Americans in a number of categories, including liver disease and cirrhosis, diabetes, suicide and respiratory diseases. In the Great Plains Area, which includes South Dakota, Native Americans have a life expectancy 10 years less than the U.S. population. 

Why this is happening can be found – at least in part – in the structure and culture of IHS itself. For example, my office has uncovered an alarming imbalance of staff: of more than 15,000 total IHS employees, only 725 are doctors. More than 10,000 IHS employees are administrative professionals – with nearly 4,000 dedicated to billing alone.

Additionally, there is no financial accountability or even a formula for how to allocate funding among the 12 IHS regional offices. IHS officials themselves can’t explain their own budget. This is particularly troubling in places like the Great Plains Region, which has one of the worst health disparities of all IHS regions despite being one of the largest and fastest-growing populations. Even if IHS is underfunded, we cannot responsibly spend more taxpayer dollars on this broken agency without increased transparency and financial accountability.

My legislation would allow us to fully understand the dysfunction at the agency so we can take the necessary steps to fix it. It is supported by the Great Plains Area Tribal Chairmen, officials within the Department of Health and Human Services, the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations and, most recently, the South Dakota legislature, which passed a resolution in support of an IHS audit earlier this year.

Our ultimate goal is for the federal government to live up to its trust obligations of providing timely, quality care to our tribal members. IHS will never be able to accomplish this without broad reforms. But first we need to understand where the problems lie. In the meantime, I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress, tribal leadership, IHS administrators, Health and Human Services officials and others to identify key areas of reform and identify potential solutions to provide better health care to our tribal members.

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21^st Century Cures
By Rep. Kristi Noem 

Almost two years ago, my nephew Gage learned he had Type 1 diabetes, a disease his older brother Hunter had been diagnosed with a few years before.  Shortly after the family got home from the hospital in Sioux Falls where Gage had learned to give himself shots and test his blood sugar levels, he was talking with his mom about what the diagnosis would mean.  At one point, he told her, “If God is going to heal me or Hunter, I hope he heals Hunter.  He’s had diabetes a lot longer than me.”  

What an incredible display of brotherly love!  Just a few months ago, another one of my nephews, Mitchell, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as well.  It’s my hope and prayer that one day, because of the incredible research currently underway, we’ll be able to tell Hunter, Gage, Mitchell and young people like them that there is a cure; they can be healed.

On February 28, in observance of the 10^th annual RARE Disease Day, people around the world turned their attention to diseases like this.  Throughout the day and the week that surrounded it, my team and I met with many South Dakotans whose families were forever changed by rare conditions. 

I spoke with one father, for instance, whose son had both Type 1 diabetes and Celiac disease, which our family has learned is a somewhat common combination as they are both autoimmune diseases (one of our nephews also has Celiac disease). The whole family has now gone gluten free to accommodate his son’s Celiac disease and with new technological advancements, he can monitor his son’s blood sugar levels almost minute-by-minute through an app on his phone. 

We also met with two inspiring moms of children with cystic fibrosis and a father whose son has been living with a severe genetic disorder.  The disorder causes intellectual disability, behavioral and learning challenges, and various physical characteristics. Ongoing research offers more insight into how to manage life with the disease, but there is currently no cure. 

While the syndromes and diseases take many different forms, I am consistently inspired by the resilience of those who live with these diagnoses and the caregivers who offer support.  It was with these families in mind that I helped pass the 21^st Century Cures Act last year.  The bill was also approved by the Senate and eventually signed into law by the president.

The 21^st Century Cures Act provided new support for research and biomedical innovation, specifically incentivizing the development of drugs and medical countermeasures for pediatric diseases.  Additionally, the legislation removed regulatory burdens that slow the pace of scientific advancement, modernized clinical trials, put patients at the heart of the regulatory review process, and streamlined processes that made it difficult to translate discoveries into FDA-approved treatments.

For more than a century, the United States has been on the leading edge of medical innovation and I’m committed to protecting this tradition for a century more.  With the 21^st Century Cures Act now in place, I’m hopeful we’ve cleared a space where innovation can thrive and new forms of healing can take hold. 

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South Dakota’s Seat At The Table
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

“Action is not a choice, it is a necessity.” Those were President Trump’s words on Obamacare to Congress. As the President mentioned in that speech, one-third of America’s counties now have only one insurer. A number of insurance companies have left the market. Others have been forced to raise premiums or narrow their networks, leaving South Dakotans and consumers nationwide with fewer options, which for many, are unaffordable.

Prior to Obamacare, as many as 17 separate insurance companies were offering individual health insurance plans in South Dakota. As Obamacare was adopted in 2010, companies began leaving the market. Last fall, one of South Dakota’s largest carriers, Wellmark, announced that it would no longer offer individual health insurance plans in South Dakota. This affected 8,000 South Dakotans, whose plans were terminated on Dec. 31. DakotaCare has also ceased offering health insurance plans. The company could no longer sustain the costs. Avera, which now owns DakotaCare, and Sanford are now the only two insurance options for individuals in South Dakota today.

Governors know that as Congress and the President consider the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, they will be reconsidering the expansion of Medicaid. This also offers an opportunity fundamentally to reform the Medicaid program. If Medicaid is to be sustainable, attention must be given to controlling Medicaid cost growth, for both the federal government and the states. As Medicaid cost control is considered, states should neither be rewarded nor penalized for having expanded or not expanded Medicaid eligibility under Obamacare.

Many states want the authority to require Medicaid beneficiaries, if they are able, to work, look for work or be trained for work. States also want the flexibility to require beneficiaries to engage in preventative care and wellness behaviors.

I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend National Governor’s Association meetings, where I heard from Republican and Democrat congressional leaders. Republican leaders shared their belief that repeal and reform will take place on three fronts: a reconciliation bill, requiring just 51 votes in the Senate; administrative acts by U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Tom Price (using existing authority); and a further bill, which will require at least 60 votes in the Senate.

While in D.C., S.D. Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon and I joined state Senate Majority Leader Blake Curd at a private meeting with Secretary Price. At that meeting, we discussed South Dakota’s concern over IHS failures and the shift of Native American healthcare costs onto the state.

Thanks to Sen. John Thune’s office, we also had the chance to discuss IHS problems with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s chief health policy advisor. We also met with House Energy and Commerce Committee staff members, and with the chief counsel for the Senate Finance Committee. These committees will have jurisdiction over healthcare reform legislation.

It is clear that much work remains to determine how Congress will move forward on Medicaid and health care reform. Although I have no vote in this process, I am working to educate Congress and the Trump administration about South Dakota’s particular circumstances. As the debate continues, I will remain engaged. I will work to ensure South Dakota’s Medicaid program can meet the needs of the most vulnerable people in our state. I will also do what I can to bend the future cost curve so the program is sustainable over the long term.

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From the SDSU collegian, One of this year’s legislative interns has a insightful column as to why South Dakota had to repeal initiated measure 22. Well worth your read:

There is displeasure with the passing of House Bill 1069, which effectively repeals Initiated Measure 22. As an intern in Pierre, I had the benefit of seeing all sides of the issue as they were presented, and I’m so thankful our legislators repealed IM-22.

Random people from Massachusetts brought IM-22 forward, and used $1.7 million of out-of-state money to campaign for the measure, while only $600,000 of out-of-state money was brought in opposition of the measure, according to the Secretary of State’s website.

Law requires all donations more than $100 be reported to the Secretary’s Office, which includes the money from lobbyists to politicians and campaigns. One of the main arguments of IM-22 was to stop lobbyists from “secretly giving money to politicians,” which is already a law.

IM-22 was a 35-page mess. The Legislative Research Council told authors of the measure of mistakes: a date and reference correction in Section 39, removal of Section 42 because it’s already in statute and that the measure was likely to be found unconstitutional. They did not move to fix these issues.

Read it all here.

The SDGOP went through some structural changes in light of new leadership this week, as GOP ED Ryan Budmayr announced his departure from the state’s dominant political party in a letter that went out to the South Dakota Republican Central Committee:

At the state party’s website at SouthDakotaGOP.com, a press release was posted yesterday about the changes, along with an indication from new party chairman Dan Lederman that the party is immediately looking to hire two new positions as part of a restructuring:

“This week, the Republican State Central Committee discussed restructuring and re-prioritizing the GOP’s central office towards the activities of party building, volunteer coordination, communication, and ramping up our operations for what we view as the biggest election in nearly a decade,” Lederman said.

The Communications Director will be responsible for developing, implementing and supervising the Party’s communications program and messaging, including press and public relations, earned media, paid media, publications, advertising, and support to the State Central Committee, Executive Board, and county parties.

The Finance Director will work with the party’s Executive Board to develop a comprehensive fund-raising program each year, including Direct Mail, Telemarketing, events, and other fundraising opportunities.

Read it all here.

Hiring on Communication and Finance staff might be an indication that the central committee intends the GOP to return to a more traditional structure as they once had a decade or so before with dedicated personnel handling communication and direct mail/event duties.

Despite Dem’s having an anemic presence in elected office, they’ve been pushing letters to the editor and press releases hard over the past cycle with dedicated staff. This may be a signal that the GOP is ready to take the fight to the streets as well as the ballot box.

So, if you’re looking for a job in politics, read the full release here, and send Dan your resume’.

from Facebook:

Thune Reintroduces Bill to Eliminate Government Competition With Private Industry

“Not only could this bill save hard-working taxpayers money, but it could also give the economy a necessary shot in the arm.” 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today reintroduced legislation that would require federal agencies to rely on the private sector when providing goods and services that are readily available. Thune’s legislation, the Freedom from Government Competition Act, would ensure private enterprises that provide services that are replicated by the federal government have the ability to compete for the opportunity to deliver those federally provided services.

Thune’s legislation would codify the “Yellow Pages” test, which says that if the federal government is doing something that can be found in the Yellow Pages, the product or service should be subject to market competition to ensure better value for the taxpayer.

“If a local small business can provide the same type of good or service that’s being provided by the federal government and they can do it cheaper and more efficiently, why wouldn’t we allow them to compete for those services?” said Thune. “By preventing fair competition, we’re hamstringing private industries and giving a boost to federal agencies that have essentially closed the door to a large portion of the market for certain services. Not only could this bill save hard-working taxpayers money, but it could also give the economy a necessary shot in the arm. I hope we can move this common-sense legislation as soon as possible.”   

Thune’s legislation does not mandate the privatization of any specific federal service and would protect those activities that are inherently governmental, such as certain national defense and homeland security functions, prosecutions, foreign policy, and activities to bind the United States to take or not to take some action by contract, policy, regulation, authorization, or order.

Rep. John J. “Jimmy” Duncan (R-Tenn.) is sponsoring the companion bill, which was also reintroduced today, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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I was out this week with my wife for dinner, since our stove had been disconnected for several days for a flooring installation. That, and I didn’t want a microwave chicken patty like the kids got stuck with.

In addition to avoiding the microwave, we were also celebrating a big, big job change for her. This week, my wife announced her acceptance of a position at the end of the summer where she will be joining Augustana University as a faculty member, teaching in the field of special education to undergraduate and graduate students.

In concept, it had been a while in coming, as she is set to become “Dr. Powers” this coming December. As she was getting her doctorate, she’d been thinking about what she was going to do with those extra letters behind her name. The move to Augie also made a lot of sense, as she contemplated what the next phase of her professional career was going to be. So, she applied and took the plunge.

She was hired. And simultaneously, my USD bound daughter has switched collegiate gears once again, and is back looking at Augustana. (I’m about ready to give up on her becoming a Jackrabbit, and record a black mark on her permanent record of where she ranks among her siblings as my favorite.)

And of course, fate being what it is, right when my wife was in the process of accepting her job, Augustana U announced who their new president was going to be. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.

Um.. Really? So, my wife’s new big boss is going to be someone who I actively crusaded against in the field of politics? (Awkward.)

I’m starting to wonder if South Dakota might just be a little too small!

From the Argus Leader, The University of South Dakota Student Senate is apparently setting themselves up to demand that the University willfully deny any inquiries into students’ immigration status, and to declare itself a sanctuary campus where illegal aliens will be shielded:

Student leaders at the University of South Dakota this week debated a measure to make the school a “sanctuary campus.”

The USD Student Government Association passed a resolution Tuesday night urging university administrators to create a policy to protect undocumented students.

Only three USD students are undocumented, said administrator Scott Pohlson, but the resolution’s sponsor Josh Arens hopes the measure is a way for administrators to hear student concerns over President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

and..

The student government resolution asks USD to assign a contact person to handle all inquiries of a student’s citizenship status.

It recommends that the school create a series of informational sessions to educate students on their rights in regards to federal immigration agents.

It would also prohibit campus security from inquiring about a student’s immigration status, enforcing immigration laws or working with federal agencies including ICE and CBP.

Students who were detained or deported would also be able to continue their education at USD online, according to the resolution.

The main hangup is the provision prohibiting campus security from enforcing immigration laws, Pohlson said.

 

Read it all here.

Should the legislature step in if there are students who intend to demand that universities violate the law, and demand that police stop policing?