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Delegation Reviewing Draft EIS Findings on Hot Springs VA  

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today commented on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA’s) release of its draft environmental impact statement (EIS) with respect to the Black Hills Health Care System and the veterans facility in Hot Springs, South Dakota. The draft EIS is now open to a 60-day public comment period prior to a final EIS and decision that will be made by VA Secretary Robert McDonald.

“My primary concern remains what is best for our veterans,” said Thune. “Hot Springs is a special place of healing built around the veterans’ community. As I continue to review this extensive draft EIS, I will compare the analysis to what I have heard from the men and women who have answered the call to serve and will continue to consult with the Save the VA Committee. While any decisions will ultimately come down to Secretary McDonald, I am hopeful we will be able to strike a balance that best serves all of our veterans.”

“For more than 100 years, the Hot Springs facility has delivered exceptional, quality care to our veterans,” said Rounds. “While the great service at the local level continues, the VA’s bureaucracy continues to disappoint. As we analyze the EIS, I will make sure the data is complete and not based on a pre-determined decision to close the facility. I encourage everyone affected to remain engaged and offer comments during the public comment period. As a member of the Veterans’ Affair Committee, providing our veterans with proper and timely care is a top priority of mine.”

“For more than a century, the Battle Mountain Sanitarium has served the needs of our nation’s veterans,” said Noem. “Despite the wishes of our veterans, however, the VA has continued to reduce the facility’s services and push forward a proposal to close it altogether. The EIS findings released today once again highlight the dramatic impact closing the medical and residential rehabilitation center would have on the community and the historic site. I remain committed to fighting for Secretary McDonald to settle on a solution that will work for all involved – especially, our veterans – and encourage everyone impacted to let their voice be heard during the public comment period.”

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Nice crowd for the Augustana college….. Strike that. University College Republican debate watching party.

I just breezed in for a moment because I have to do some things in Sioux Falls tonight, but it looks like the GOP faithful are there in force, and ready to continue fan vetting our presidential hopefuls.

Just got this press release. Too bad that it happened, but it’s a good thing it’s back in the custody of the state.

Original State Flag of South Dakota Recovered by Attorney General’s Office and Criminal Charges Anticipated

PIERRE, S.D – Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that the original State Flag of South Dakota that was missing has now been recovered by the Attorney General’s Office. The Secretary of State’s Office began an internal investigation for the missing State Flag in January 2015, and ultimately reported the missing flag to South Dakota Legislative Audit. On July 15, 2015, South Dakota Legislative Audit referred the matter to the Attorney General’s Office. The Division of Criminal Investigation conducted an investigation and recovered the flag from a former Secretary of State employee on October 8, 2015 in Washington D.C.

“The recovery of the South Dakota’s original State Flag preserves an important part of our history for the citizens of South Dakota. I want to extend my appreciation to the Secretary of State’s Office for their assistance and cooperation throughout this investigation. Criminal charges are anticipated to be released in the near future,” said Jackley.

History of the State Flag noted in the 2011 SD Blue Book:

“In 1909 Senator Ernest May of Deadwood came into the Historical Society office. Seth Bullock wanted a state flag. May asked Doane Robinson about it and was told by Robinson that Ida Anding, now Mrs. McNeil, former operator of KGFX radio of Pierre, who was then a stenographer in the Historical offices, would design him a flag. She did. It was a blazing sun, on an azure background. May liked the design, and Senate Bill 208 was introduced. On the floor later, he moved that ‘on the reverse of the blazing sun shall appear the Great Seal of the State of South Dakota in dark blue.’ This was adopted and the bill passed. Money to buy two flags was appropriated. One went to the Secretary of State, and Seth Bullock of Camp No. 1, United Spanish Veterans of South Dakota, got the other.”

I have a bit of emotion with this, because I was the one who recommended that the flag be removed from display.

One of the office’s lesser known roles involves some historic items and documents. One of my early tasks was to retrieve the official state seal described in law. It had been hanging in the Governor’s office since it’s creation under Governor Janklow, and…. well, I wanted the latest incarnation of the seal to be with the Secretary of State – the Keeper of the seal.

That, and it wasn’t under glass or anything. Just the seal painted on wood by the current artist of the seal, John Moisan.

So, very early on, I contacted the Governor’s office and asked for it back before anyone was really used to it being there. Governor Daugaard sent it right over, and we worked with state archives to update the 20-25 year old photo of the seal (duplicated over and over until you couldn’t tell what color it was) with modern imaging techniques. The result was a very high quality and accurate scan of the seal which is used in many instances today.

From there, the seal was stored as part of our collection in the State Archives.

We also sent up to archives all the old copies of session laws, and historic legislative documents, many of which were now old leather bound original proceedings. Some of the oldest had coffee stains from spills while the area was used as a Lobbyist coffee area over the years. So, it was good that they went over.

And then there was the flag. It had been hanging in the office on a pole for a great number of years, and was just kind of “there.” One day, as I was working on a project, we laid it across the table in the conference room, and discovered the manner in which it was attached to the pole. By a old partially rusty nail. And at the points of attachment, the flag was badly deteriorating. The fringe was all coming off in the area, and the fabric of the flag itself was unraveling.

It was in tough shape from years of display, so the decision was made to take it down in favor of coming up with a more conservation-friendly manner of display, and the flag was neatly folded up and stored in a cool and dry area. We had been working with Buildings and Grounds on costs, and their availability to construct a display (which would have to be of considerable size), finding out they were months out from availability. And we also had to figure out where to put it.

Shortly thereafter, I left the office. As I understand it, it continued to be pended in the face of costs, carpenter availability and other activities. It’s not like the SOS office doesn’t have other things to do.

Early on this year, I heard about the new administration not being able to find it, and it seemed that it might have just been misplaced. In fact, I sent a note indicating where I remember it being, and the manner in which it was stored. But, according to the release today, apparently that’s not where it was.

Despite what’s noted in the release, I’ll note up front that the provenance of the flag recovered isn’t exactly clear. The description above, which I wrote for the 2011 Blue Book,  says of the two flags that were authorized under Senate Bill 208, one flag went to the Secretary of State. But it’s unclear that the flag on display on the office was THE flag that was given to the SOS in 1909, as opposed to a very early flag produced at a later date. It was the one in the office as an early state flag, but I don’t know that we ever reviewed any historic documents proving it was THE original. But, it was thought to be as such.

As you’ll note in my picture, the seal on the flag appears to be printed in some manner, which is what made me question it myself. But, the fabric is certainly consistent with the era.

With the flag recovered, hopefully it can be sent up to state archives for repair and display at the cultural heritage center. And it would be nice if they can review and determine the actual provenance of the now returned flag, proving or disproving whether it was the original.

Yeah, it was too bad that an employee treated it like a pen, and ran off with it. But, if it is the genuine article, it’s best that it’s back home, and can get the care that was intended for it.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Updates Delegation on Neutrino Experiment Facility at Sanford Lab

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today received an important project planning update from U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz on the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF). LBNF will facilitate the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), which will be conducted at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, and the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) in Batavia, Illinois. The project seeks to advance our understanding of neutrino science and particle physics and will attract international scientists, researchers, and educators to the Black Hills, as well as an estimated $150 million in regional economic activity during the project’s construction from 2017-2023.

“Shooting a beam of neutrino particles hundreds of miles through the Earth to an underground mine in South Dakota might sound like a concept from a Hollywood movie,” said Thune. “Not only will the United States lead this world-class experiment, but South Dakota gets to host it, bringing jobs, researchers, international partners, and a substantial economic boost to the Black Hills.”

“I thank Secretary Moniz for meeting with the delegation today,” said Rounds. “The research being done at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead is critical to learning more about particle physics, neutrinos and the matter that makes up our universe. I look forward to seeing the Sanford Lab expand and thrive in partnership with Fermilab in Illinois and the international physics community.”

“The groundbreaking neutrino research to be conducted in South Dakota will give us a new understanding of how the world around us works,” said Noem. “I am encouraged by Secretary Moniz’s support for the project and am hopeful we once again impressed upon him our belief in the value of the Long Baseline Neutrino Facility experiment for our country and the world.”

For the experiment, Fermilab will send the highest-intensity beam of neutrinos in the world 800 miles through the Earth’s mantle to a detector at SURF. The U.S. particle physics community identified the project as the highest priority domestic construction project, which will help assure U.S. leadership in neutrino physics over the next 20 to 30 years. SURF is an ideal detector site for the project, as its underground depth will shield the experiment from the effects of cosmic radiation.

Earlier this month, the 2015 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded to Dr. Takaaki Kajita of Japan and Dr. Arthur McDonald of Canada for their work with neutrinos, specifically a breakthrough discovery that neutrinos contain mass.

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Thune Statement on Air Force Announcement of Long-Range Strike Bomber Contract

“The Air Force has been extremely diligent in its review process. Now that the contract has been awarded, I hope we can move forward in a timely manner.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the Air Force announced it has awarded its Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) contract:

“The Air Force has been extremely diligent in its review process,” said Thune. “Now that the contract has been awarded, I hope we can move forward in a timely manner. Our ability to project power is an essential component of our national security. As potential adversaries continue to advance technologically, we must maintain a significant level of qualitative superiority. The LRS-B, once completed, will be the most sophisticated aircraft in our bomber fleet, providing us with the superiority needed to penetrate advanced anti-aircraft environments.”

Global Strike Command, which now includes Ellsworth Air Force Base, expects the arrival of the LRS-Bs by the mid-2020s.

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Rounds Statement on Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Protect South Dakotans from Cyber Threats

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) issued the following statement on today’s Senate passage of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA):

“The World Wide Web is a wonderful tool that has helped us stay connected with loved ones, pay our bills, shop with ease and explore new ideas from the comfort of our homes,” said Rounds. “But we must also be mindful of those who use the Internet to scam others and steal private information. The bipartisan cyber security bill we passed in the Senate today will help protect Americans from such cyber-attacks by allowing companies to share information about cyber-threats to prevent other businesses from falling victim to similar threats. It does so while protecting Americans’ private information from being shared and is 100 percent voluntary. With all the information we put on the Internet today, it’s important that we take steps to protect ourselves online. CISA contains the tools to help mitigate these threats.”

The companion bill passed the House of Representatives earlier this year. CISA is supported by President Obama and has been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It passed the Senate with bipartisan support, 74-21.

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Noem Aims to Expand Black Hills
National Cemetery with New Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Kristi Noem today introduced the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act, which would transfer nearly 200 acres of land outside Sturgis from the Bureau of Land Management’s jurisdiction to the Department of Veterans Affairs.  The transfer would give the Black Hills National Cemetery additional space to serve future veterans.

“Our men and women in uniform have made incredible sacrifices in service to our country.  The Black Hills National Cemetery is just one way our nation can serve them back,” said Noem.  “Every agency and constituency involved is in agreement on the permanent land transfer this bill would allow.  I’m hopeful we can see it move forward quickly and ensure the Black Hills National Cemetery can continue serving those who have worn our nation’s uniform.”

Opened in 1948, the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis rests on around 100 acres of land.  Unfortunately, the facility requires more room to continue serving future veterans.  The Bureau of Land Management currently holds land adjacent to the Cemetery.  Rep. Noem’s legislation would transfer that land, roughly 200 acres, from the Bureau of Land Management to the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to accommodate an expansion of the Black Hills National Cemetery.

Without legislation to make the transfer permanent, federal law limits transfers like this one to a lifespan of 20 years.  Senators Thune and Rounds introduced a similar bill in the Senate earlier this year.

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Thune Statement on the President’s “Clean Power Plan” Overreach

 “… we are working on a bipartisan basis to check his executive privilege and protect American families from unnecessary hikes to their electricity costs.”

 WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today released the following statement after he and 48 of his colleagues introduced resolutions of disapproval with bipartisan support to stop the regulatory overreach of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan rule:
“Yet again, President Obama has circumvented the role of Congress by issuing this mandate, and we are working on a bipartisan basis to check his executive privilege and protect American families from unnecessary hikes to their electricity costs. The Obama Environmental Protection Agency, composed of unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats, is attempting to force onto the American people regulation that comes with $479 billion in compliance costs and could lead to double-digit electricity price increases for hard-working American families who are already having to do more with less.”

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Rounds, Johnson, King, Manchin Announce New
Senate Regulations Caucus

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), Angus King (I-Maine) and Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) today announced the formation of the bipartisan Senate Regulations Caucus to address regulatory reform at the federal level. Recognizing the many movements and legislative efforts currently in existence to address regulation, the goal of the Senate Regulations Caucus is to unify and lead these efforts to advance meaningful regulatory reform in Congress.

“With more than 1 million federal regulations on the books today, the need for a common sense approach to address unneeded, outdated and unnecessary federal regulations is as important as ever,” said Rounds. “Regulatory compliance costs are not only taking money out of the pocketbooks of South Dakota families, they are stunting economic growth and innovation throughout the country. We are long overdue for an overhaul of the regulatory environment created by Washington. I’m pleased to work with Senators Johnson, King and Manchin to address federal regulation in a practical, business-like manner. I encourage all of our colleagues to join us.”

“Unfortunately, Washington is all about addition,” said Johnson. “As a result, layer upon layer of regulation has built up over the years that significantly hampers economic growth and success. Easing the burden of this regulatory burden has been one of my top priorities since coming to the Senate. I’m proud to be part of this bipartisan effort to identify commonsense regulatory reforms. For my part, I will earnestly concentrate on areas of agreement that unite us and that can lead to real results.”

“With thousands of new regulations taking effect every year, it’s far past time that Congress got a better handle on the regulatory system that impedes American businesses and hampers vital growth and innovation,” Senator King said. “The Senate Regulations Caucus can lead that effort and spearhead an overhaul of ineffective, duplicative, or outdated regulations so that businesses in Maine and across the country can do what they do best – create jobs and grow the economy.”

“In West Virginia, we’ve seen firsthand how federal regulations can stifle industry and destroys jobs. With more than one million federal regulations on the books, the system has simply gotten out of control,” Senator Manchin said. “It is past time to significantly reform the federal regulatory process and reduce unnecessary red tape for job creators. I’m truly proud to work with my colleagues from both parties to address regulatory reform and create a balance between beneficial federal regulations and a thriving job market.”

The formation of the Senate Regulations Caucus comes at a time when we have more than one million federal regulations on the books. All 100 members of the Senate are invited to join the caucus.

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Thune: IRS in Desperate Need for Top-to-Bottom Culture Change

“American taxpayers should expect, at the very least, a culture of accountability, of fairness, of impartiality. No taxpayer ever again should fear that they will be discriminated against based on their political or ideological beliefs.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), today urged IRS Commissioner John Koskinen to institute a top-to-bottom culture change at the beleaguered tax-collecting agency. Thune’s primary recommendation was to implement the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Enhancement Act (S. 1578), a series of measures to hold the IRS accountable to American taxpayers. Thune and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) introduced S. 1578 in June.

 

Earlier today, Thune previewed the Senate Finance Committee hearing and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” with Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum.