Category: Uncategorized

Noem Effort to Bar VA from Ending Services at Facilities Like the Hot Springs VA Hospital Passes House

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives tonight passed legislation that included a provision authored by Rep. Kristi Noem that would prevent the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from ending or limiting hospital-based services at facilities like the Hot Springs VA Hospital.

Specifically, the amendment would bar the VA from ending, suspending, or relocating hospital-based services at a health care facility that is undergoing an Environmental Impact Statement, is designated as a National Historic Landmark, and is located in a highly rural area. The Hot Springs VA facility meets all of those criteria.

“There is a reason Hot Springs is called ‘The Veterans Town’ and I’m not going to stop fighting on their behalf,” said Noem. “The VA Hospital in Hot Springs has long provided critical care to South Dakota veterans. My amendment which was approved in the VA appropriations bill is pretty simple: it would prohibit the VA from spending money to shut down or limit services for rural veterans, including those who are treated in Hot Springs.”
Noem’s amendment was approved as part of the FY 2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, which passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 255-163.
Noem has been fighting for years to save the Hot Springs VA hospital from closure. Last summer she brought House Veterans Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller to Hot Springs to hold a field hearing which helped highlight discrepancies in data that has been used by the VA as they have worked on their proposal to close the hospital. Earlier this year, Noem joined Sens. John Thune and Mike Rounds in urging the VA secretary to remove plans to close the Hot Springs hospital from President Obama’s budget request.
###

Ambassador’s May 2015 Meeting

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015, 12:00 noon
Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn

***I have confirmed that our program for the 5/6 meeting will consist of a Mayoral Candidates Forum

Mayor Sam Kooiker and Candidate Steve Allender will share their thoughts with us. Both will have three minute Opening Statements and then questions will be taken from the floor. Each will then have a two minute Closing Statement. So come prepared to ask the questions you want answered.

Remember to bring a friend, a colleague or neighbor.

The menu is: (Meal $15 or $5 for attendance)
Beef Stroganoff or Chicken Cesar Salad

All RSVP’s Due by NOON on Friday May1st, 2015
RSVP to [email protected] or 348.8396

(** PLEASE SPECIFY MEAL or NO MEAL and MEAL CHOICE PLEASE)
*** Don’t FORGET- 2015 membership dues***
Hope to see YOU there!

Respectfully yours,
Ed Randazzo, Chairman
Pennington County Republican Ambassadors

I caught this as I was searching for Annette Boswoth’s legal fund information.

If you’re not familiar with Gordon Howie’s Life and Liberty Group (LLC), From his facebook page:

The purpose of the Life and Liberty Group is to reclaim the Christian, Conservative vaulues (SIC) that our country was founded on for our families, communities and government. http://www.lifelibertygroup.com

“Reclaiming Christian and Conservative Values,” but apparently, they left off the part that it’s good to Gordon’s bank account. At least, according to his financial disclosures filed with the US Senate Select Committee on Ethics which was made (somewhat late) in February:

Good to be Gordon

Yes, that’s Gordon Howie claiming to the US Senate that he received $110,000 as income from his Life and Liberty Group venture.

From the Lansing, Michigan newspaper, John Thune staffer Jon Lauck is getting some love this morning:

The center will host a free, public conference Thursday and Friday, bringing more than 30 presenters and 300 participants together to discuss the history, economy, culture and future of the nation’s geographical heart.

“The Midwest has been overlooked in scholarly studies and popular literature for a number of decades,” Whitney said. “There is a growing sense that the Midwest also has a rich history of innovation, producing statesmen, leaders and the values that helped define the United States and make it a great country.”

Whitney defines the Midwest as the area that ranges from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Appalachian Mountains in the east and from the Ohio River north to Canada.

Among conference presenters is Jon Lauck, who is affiliated with the University of Iowa’s Public Policy Center and is an advisor to Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota. His books include: “The Lost Region: Toward a Revival of Midwestern History.” One reviewer called it “the definitive manifesto for a new midwestern historiography.”

‘He is leading a very small band of troubadors singing the praises of the Midwest,” Whitney said

Read it all here.

From Todd Epp at KSOO News comes his take on the latest Bosworthian wrinkle:

I’m calling to ask you to pray for our dear sister, Dr. Annette Bosworth,” the robo-call begins. “Annette is a woman of God who has used her medical training and skills to aid people in need in South Dakota and around the world.”

Waldron, who worked on former U.S. Congresswoman Bachmann’s short-lived 2012 campaign for the Republican Presidential nomination, filed two ethics complaints against the Minnesotan. Previously in 2006, Waldron was arrested on terrorism charges in Uganda and spent over a month in prison until intervention by the Bush administration.

Read it here.

On a personal note, is anyone interested in a GoPro Hero 3+ silver edition, that I’ve used probably twice in the last 8-12 months I’ve had it?

It’s pretty nifty and all, but it’s just ended up being one of those things that haven’t left my camera bag.  I’ve got everything with it, including a couple extra mounts, like the suction cup one.

If so, e-mail me privately. We can talk.

Rounds, Thune Call on USDA to Provide Immediate Assistance in Fight Against Avian Flu Virus 

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Thomas Vilsack, requesting assistance to contain the deadly H5N2 bird flu virus affecting poultry farms in South Dakota.

“While not harmful to humans, the bird flu virus has the potential to devastate the entire U.S. poultry industry,” said Rounds. “Already, more than 300,000 South Dakota turkeys have been destroyed. Agriculture is our number one economy in South Dakota, and our poultry farmers rely on exports to foreign markets. It’s important to combat the virus and keep foreign and domestic markets open to poultry products from South Dakota. I urge USDA to utilize its resources to contain this devastating virus.”

“The avian influenza virus could significantly damage the growers and processors of South Dakota’s 4.3 million turkeys as well as other poultry producers and egg-laying facilities. USDA needs to keep continued vigilance focused on containing the virus as well as assuring our trading partners that U.S. poultry products continue to be safe for human consumption,” said Thune.

Full text of the letter follows:

—

April 28, 2015

 

The Honorable Thomas J. Vilsack
Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

As you are aware, six confirmed cases of the H5N2 bird flu have been found on South Dakota farms and as a result, more than 300,000 turkeys in the state have been destroyed. H5N2 poses no risk to humans or to public health, but due to the potential devastating effects the H5N2 could have on the entire U.S. poultry industry we strongly urge the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allocate all available personnel and resources to contain this deadly virus and to provide all assistance available to impacted states’ poultry industries.

Also, it is imperative that foreign export markets continue to be kept open, especially for turkey products. We strongly urge you to make certain that these markets remain open and that you redouble your efforts to ensure an uninterrupted flow of U.S. poultry products to foreign markets continues.

Agriculture is South Dakota’s number one industry and vital to South Dakota’s economy providing a $21.4 billion economic impact each year, directly or indirectly employing 122,000 South Dakotans, and generating 20 percent of the state’s economic activity.  South Dakota agriculture depends heavily on exports and the loss or reduction of foreign turkey product exports would be highly detrimental to that industry in our state.

As the USDA continues to take steps to contain this virus, please provide our offices with regular updates on the status of the outbreak and your efforts to contain and eradicate it.

Sincerely,

###