Category: Uncategorized

A Supremely Qualified Candidate for the Nation’s Highest Court
By Sen. John Thune

After Judge Neil Gorsuch’s recent confirmation hearing, there isn’t a doubt in my mind that he is the right person to replace the late Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court. His resume is impeccable. He graduated from Harvard Law School and Oxford University. He clerked for two Supreme Court justices, including Anthony Kennedy who still serves on the Supreme Court today. He worked in private practice and at the Justice Department. And for the last decade, he’s served on the 10^th Circuit Court of Appeals where he’s been widely regarded as a brilliant and thoughtful jurist.

While Judge Gorsuch’s experience makes him exceedingly qualified to serve on the Supreme Court, I’m particularly encouraged by the fact that he understands his role as a judge. While he might personally dislike certain laws written by Congress and signed by the president, he knows that it’s his job to interpret the law. He’s a judge, not a legislator. He truly believes that it’s his responsibility to call balls and strikes, not rewrite the rules of the game. It’s that kind of judicial philosophy that benefits the American people, and I think it’s the kind of judge most Americans want on the bench.

It’s because of his experience and judicial philosophy that Judge Gorsuch is supported by people from both ends of the political spectrum. For example, Neal Katyal, acting solicitor general for President Obama, said, “I have no doubt that if confirmed, Judge Gorsuch would help to restore confidence in the rule of law. His years on the bench reveal a commitment to judicial independence — a record that should give the American people confidence that he will not compromise principle to favor the president who appointed him.”

Despite all of his experience and respect among his peers, nothing will be good enough for a vast majority of Senate Democrats who seem increasingly determined to stand in the way of his nomination only because he’s been nominated by a Republican president. Without anything substantial to point to, they are coming up with some pretty creative reasons why they won’t support his nomination. Everything from not agreeing with certain rulings (who agrees with a judge’s every ruling?) to asserting that he’s out of the judicial mainstream, which is just laughable.

If Judge Gorsuch is out of the mainstream, why did both of his home-state senators – one a Republican and one a Democrat – support his nomination when he was appointed to the 10^th Circuit? Why did the current minority leader, a Democrat, raise no objection to the nomination? And why did then-Sens. Obama, Biden, or Clinton not raise these concerns when Judge Gorsuch sailed through the Senate with unanimous support?

In the ten-plus years since he was confirmed by the Senate, it isn’t Judge Gorsuch who has changed. It’s Senate Democrats who have changed, and it’s purely because they just can’t get over the 2016 election. 

I truly hope my Democrat colleagues don’t upend America’s 230-year Supreme Court tradition by denying a nominee a simple majority vote out of bitterness from having lost one election. If Democrats successfully wage the first partisan filibuster of a Supreme Court nominee in American history, they will be setting a dangerous precedent based on shortsighted and misplaced anger. The Senate is better than that. I hope my colleagues abandon this approach and confirm Judge Gorsuch, because there is every reason to support him.

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Ag Economy is Crucial to the Future of South Dakota
By Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

Agriculture is South Dakota’s number one industry. More than 2,000 of our state’s farms have been in the same family for 100 years. Our farmers and ranchers play a critical role in feeding and fueling a growing global population. It’s easy to take for granted the ability to have access to high quality food. Without a strong ag community, we would struggle to put food on our families’ tables. In South Dakota, agriculture accounts for more than half of our economic output each year.

Unfortunately, ag income has been declining over the past four years. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), national net farm income, which is a key indicator of the health of the industry nationally, is down nearly 9 percent from last year and nearly 50 percent over the past four years. This marks the fourth consecutive year of decline, and is mainly the result of weak prices for crop and livestock products. As we get into the 2017 season, it looks like producers may continue to see low commodity prices. 

I was recently in Highmore, and had coffee with a group of farmers from around the area. Many of them shared concerns that they would end this year without being able to make a profit. This reflects concerns I have been hearing from producers in communities all across our state over the past couple of years. I share these concerns and I will continue to work diligently to make sure that South Dakota’s producers have access to crop insurance and commodity support programs in the short term. In the long term, only a return to stronger commodity prices will actually provide real relief. Also, with the new administration in place, I believe we can improve the regulatory environment for farmers, ranchers and landowners so burdensome and unnecessary rules don’t hamper production capabilities.

USDA will soon be led by a very qualified individual, the former governor of Georgia, Sonny Perdue. During the first day of his Senate confirmation hearing, Gov. Perdue promised to make farmers and those living in rural America a top priority. Gov. Perdue and I both served as governors of our states during the same time period, and I respect his abilities. His leadership skills and knowledge of production ag from growing up on a dairy farm will be helpful as Congress works on the 2018 farm bill. I am excited to work with him to promote our nation’s agriculture industry and provide stability to South Dakota producers.

South Dakota’s farmers and ranchers are resilient. In their difficult line of work, they have to be. The 2017 projections from USDA show a harsh environment for producers unless crop prices rise. This hinges on a number of different factors, including economic growth and an increase in consumer demand for products. I will continue to work to prioritize South Dakota’s ag products in any future trade discussions the administration may hold. In the meantime, I would encourage farmers and ranchers who need assistance to reach out to our office and share your story. As the Senate begins work on the next farm bill, input from producers will be critically important. 

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Saving Families Money with a Pro-Energy Agenda
By Rep. Kristi Noem

If you’re a family making less than $50,000 annually in South Dakota, you likely spend double the national average on energy every year. It’s one of the largest monthly expenses for many, so if we have the opportunity to drive those costs down, we ought to take it.

When former President Obama was first running for office, he outlined an energy agenda that, as he said, would “necessarily skyrocket” electricity rates. Over the course of the next eight years, his administration implemented provisions that made affordable energy more and more difficult to access. His boldest move promised to increase costs by as much as $17 billion nationwide and put a quarter-million people out of work annually, according to some estimates. In South Dakota, analysts believed the plan would force electricity prices to rise 30 percent on average and 36 percent during peak times.

In addition to being costly, many questioned whether President Obama’s regulatory actions were within the Executive Branch’s authority. As a result, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the administration’s proposal and Congress passed legislation to stop it, although President Obama chose to veto that effort.

I believe our energy challenges can be solved, but the answer is innovation, not regulation. I’ve been very encouraged by the Trump administration’s actions on this front. In late-March, President Trump signed new Executive Orders to roll back many of the Obama administration’s overreaching energy regulations and I was honored to join Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke hours later as he signed Secretarial Orders reflecting that same agenda. Their actions help clear a path so market-driven ideas can lead the way forward.

By prioritizing innovation, I’m optimistic we’ll see lower costs, a revved up economy that supports good jobs and higher wages, and a decrease in our reliance on foreign energy from volatile regions of the globe. I’m also hopeful that by allowing innovation to lead, we’ll be able to strike a balance between energy production and environmental protection in a way that doesn’t cripple the economy.

There is almost no profession that values the sustainability and integrity of the land than a farmer or rancher. Our livelihoods depend on it. During planting season when I was a kid, I remember climbing into the tractor to take over for my dad and almost always finding a tiny, purple prairie pasque inside. My dad loved that flower and told me countless times how special it was, as it seemed to grow best on native grasslands. It’s an image I don’t forget.

American ingenuity can address even the toughest challenges, but I don’t believe the government is the best facilitator for that innovation. Instead, we need to give folks the freedom to pursue smarter technologies and finally drive down energy costs for South Dakota families.

Juvenile Justice Reforms Showing Promising Results
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

This week, the juvenile justice reform oversight council released its first annual report. The report encapsulates the progress made in the first full year of implementation of the 2015 Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Initiative.

Before the 2015 reforms went into effect, South Dakota had the second highest juvenile commitment rate in the country and was 188 percent above the national average. This ranking was not explained by a higher rate of juvenile violence. In fact, South Dakota’s juvenile violence arrest rate was just one-third of the national average.

Our high commitment rate was driven by nonviolent offenses. Seven of every 10 youth committed to the Department of Corrections in 2013 were sent to them for misdemeanor offenses, probation violations and “status offenses” – violations which, if committed as an adult, would not even be considered crimes. The status offenders were removed from their homes and sent to the Department of Corrections solely for disciplinary reasons, not to rehabilitate them.

The 2015 reforms restored the Department of Corrections to the role it was designed to fulfill – a correctional entity for serious or dangerous offenders. Now, only those juveniles fitting that description can be committed.

However, just because a non-violent youth isn’t committed to DOC does not mean that he or she will not face consequences. Just like Newton’s third law of motion, there is an equal and opposite reaction for every action. Every time a juvenile misbehaves, there is an appropriate response to that behavior. The reforms established a graduated response matrix to help address bad behavior and incentivize good behavior.

In addition to the response matrix, the juvenile reforms provided a number of effective programs for youth offenders, including community-based programs to address substance abuse, antisocial tendencies or challenges within the family. The programs allow youth to get the help they need without being removed from their homes.

While I realize it is easier to incarcerate misbehaving youth, it comes at the expense of the child. Our Midwestern work ethic doesn’t urge us to do things the “easy” way – in South Dakota we do things the “right” way. Addressing behavioral concerns in the community allows juvenile offenders to remain in school, gain employment and avoid future delinquency.

As the numbers indicate, the reforms are working. Since the passage of the reforms, new commitments to DOC have declined 43 percent and the number of recommitments has declined 62 percent, from FY 14 to FY 16. Nearly 70 percent of diversions from the juvenile justice system during that time period were completed successfully, and 94 percent of youth completed their term of probation.

It is still very early, and it will take some time before we see the full impact of these reforms. Still, early indications are hopeful, and I am committed to executing these new policies well. The system may not be perfect, but the data shows that we can successfully and efficiently discipline juveniles in the community.

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The political winds keep shifting and swirling, with comings and goings. So, based on the happenings of the past couple of weeks, here’s an update of who we’re seeing in the running for the Republicans nominations for statewide races:

Congresswoman Kristi Noem is in Pierre to speak with the SDTARs Mock Legislative group this AM. Here she’s explaining what she does on the Ways and Means committee.

And Congresswoman Noem took a few minutes before she had to continue down the road to take a picture with this group of future leaders.

While I hadn’t planned it, I’m in Pierre today for the South Dakota Teenage Republican mock legislature.

After dealing with a vehicle I own that broke down on the interstate, I got to show up at the state capital bright and early this morning in time to see South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley address the group this Saturday morning.

This year, they are well over 100 strong as a gathered yesterday and slept on the floor in sleeping bags at the brand-new Fort Pierre elementary school gym.

I will have a few more pictures here and there, but as always, this is a great event for high school kids of any political persuasion.

Gov. Daugaard Announces Appointees To New Board Of Technical Education

PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced today the initial appointees to the Board of Technical Education.  

The nine-member board will provide state-level oversight to the state’s four technical institutes, taking on the functions currently served by the state Board of Education. The Board was created by Senate Bill 65, which the Legislature passed and the Governor signed this year.

Under Senate Bill 65, the Governor appoints the nine-member board, with members representing diverse geographic areas and industry sectors, and no more than six being members of the same political party. Each technical institute submits a list of nominees, and the Governor must select one from each of the four lists. The remaining five members are selected at large.

The Governor’s appointees: 

· Rod Bowar, of Kennebec, is the majority owner and manager of Kennebec Telephone Company, Inc. (KTCI). He has been with KTCI since 1976 and purchased the business in 1998. In addition to the telephone business, KTCI business divisions include PowerCom Electric, Charley’s Welding and Auto, Kennebec Telephone Construction, and Chamberlain NAPA. Bowar serves on the Mitchell Technical Institute Foundation Board, the Kennebec Town Board, SDN, the South Dakota Telephone Association, and numerous boards and organizations in Kennebec. He was selected from among the four nominees submitted by Mitchell Technical Institute.

· Dana Dykhouse, of Sioux Falls, is the chief executive officer of First PREMIER Bank, a position he has held since 1995. He has served on many civic and community boards. He is the chair of the Build Dakota Scholarship board and is a past chair of the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce and Forward Sioux Falls. He also serves on the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, the South Dakota State University Foundation board, and the Sioux Falls Sports Authority 

· Doug Ekeren, of Yankton, is the regional president and CEO of Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton. Ekeren has been with Sacred Heart since 1993. He serves on the board of directors of the Regional Technical Education Center (RTEC) in Yankton, and is a past president of the Yankton School Board and the Yankton Chamber of Commerce.

· Bob Faehn, of Watertown, is a 40-year resident of Watertown. He is a businessman who currently owns and operates KXLG Radio. Faehn served from 2005-11 in the State House of Representatives, including as house majority leader from 2009-11. He is a member of the South Dakota Lottery Commission and the Lake Area Technical Institute strategic advisory council, and a past president of the South Dakota Skilled Workforce Advisory Council, the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce, and the South Dakota Broadcasters Association.

· Scott Knuppe, of Rapid City, is the facilities manager for Caterpillar Black Hills Engineering Design Center. He is a graduate of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, and worked with Caterpillar in Illinois, Indiana, and China prior to returning to lead the Rapid City facility. He serves on the Build Dakota Scholarship board.

· Ed Mallett, of Watertown, is the vice president for the Midwest Region for Country Operations at CHS, Inc. Mallett earned his ag business degree from Lake Area Technical Institute (LATI). With CHS since 1978, Mallett has management oversight for agri-service centers across South Dakota, southwest North Dakota, southwest Minnesota and northeast Nebraska. He serves on the advisory boards at LATI for Ag Business and Production curriculum, Strategic Advisory Council and LATI Foundation board of directors. He was selected from among the four nominees submitted by LATI.

· Scott Peterson, of Belle Fourche, is the owner of Scott Peterson Motors in Belle Fourche and Sturgis and has been in the car business since 1988. Peterson also serves on the Governor’s Workforce Development Council, the South Dakota Automobile Dealers Board and the Belle Fourche Development Corporation. He was selected from among the four nominees submitted by Western Dakota Technical Institute.

· Terry Sabers, of Mitchell, is co-president of Muth Electric. He is a 1975 graduate of Mitchell Technical Institute and is a member of the MTI Foundation Board and the Build Dakota Scholarship board. Sabers served for eight years as a member of the state Board of Education, which had state oversight responsibility for the technical institutes prior to the passage of Senate Bill 65.  

· Diana VanderWoude, of Sioux Falls, is the senior executive director of Academic Affairs for Sanford Health. Prior to joining Sanford Health, VanderWoude served for 11 years as the executive director of the South Dakota Board of Nursing. VanderWoude is chair of the Southeast Technical Institute Foundation board and a member of the Build Dakota Scholarship board. VanderWoude was selected from among the four nominees submitted by STI. 

The law creating the Board of Technical Education takes effect on July 1, and the Governor’s appointments will be effective on that date. He is announcing the nominees now to give the new board time to organize and schedule its meetings prior to July. 

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In a statement issued today, Lt. Governor Matt Michels, who had been contemplating a run for Governor over the past several months, announced today that he has chosen not to run in the 2018 Republican Primary for Governor:

I am extremely humbled by the constant and overwhelming encouragement I have been given to run for Governor. I very much enjoy serving South Dakota and the Governor.

The Governor and I became very good friends while both serving in the legislature and years ago when he asked if I would join him in public service he asked if I would be “his partner”. Not only is he a man of his word but I am honored by the tremendous responsibilities he has given me and believe with his leadership and assistance of our great team and the legislature we have been successful in many areas. But as they say: my work is far from done.

My current responsibilities regarding The Department of Veterans Affairs, The Department of Military, The Department of Tribal Relations, working with the financial rating agencies, bond financing, South Dakota Retirement System and many other special projects like the USS South Dakota consume a great deal of my time on a day to day basis.

As many know I have an intense passion for the delivery of Behavioral Health Services, providing adequate healthcare services to our native populations and focusing on homelessness remedies.

As president of the South Dakota Senate my legislative duties are enjoyable, complex, challenging and also require a tremendous amount of focus.

All of this is to say that in order to do my best for the Governor and the State of South Dakota a campaign would impair my ability to do this job in an effective and comprehensive way that would make me satisfied.

This has not been an easy decision, however Karen and I have over 1 ½ years left to focus on serving the best I can during that time and let others campaign. By the end of our term I would have served South Dakotans for 16 years and it will be time for us to move onto our next “Adventure”.

The Governor, Linda and their family have been incredibly great friends to Karen, Collin, Jill and I and we cannot be more blessed to be on this journey with them.

My immense gratitude to all who have volunteered their support of me and my family!”

Michels would have been the third major candidate in the Governor’s race where Congresswoman Kristi Noem and State Attorney General Marty Jackley have already announced their intentions to seek the office.

The Lieutenant Governor not running for governor is a loss to the race. But we can’t help but understand that after 16 years of continuous service, he’d like a break.  Thank you Lt. Governor Michels for your past and present service!