Category: Uncategorized

Gov. Rhoden Requests Partnership between Highway Patrol and ICE

PIERRE, S.D.  –  Today, Governor Larry Rhoden sent a letter of intent requesting a Memorandum of Agreement to allow the South Dakota Highway Patrol to assist in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) actions to keep America safe. He sent this letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the Acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons. You can find the letter here.

“We are proud of ICE’s work to keep Americans safe and remove illegal alien criminals,” wrote Governor Larry Rhoden. “My recent visit to the Southern Border revealed just how vast your task is, so I am offering the assistance of our South Dakota Highway Patrol to aide in your enforcement operations.”

Governor Rhoden recently visited the South Dakota National Guard soldiers stationed at the Southern Border in Eagle Pass, Texas. His trip included touring the border through several mediums and receiving briefings from the South Dakota National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol.

Governor Rhoden specifically requested the South Dakota Highway Patrol’s participation in the Task Force Model pursuant to 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

ICE is a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which is led by former South Dakota Governor and current Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

“Given our state agency’s current relationship with ICE, this partnership will enable us to better serve and meet the needs of South Dakota,” continued Governor Larry Rhoden. “This agreement will enable the Highway Patrol to assist in the identification and apprehension of illegal aliens who may pose a risk to public safety in South Dakota. I look forward to your speedy endorsement of this request in hopes of moving forward to keep South Dakotans – and all Americans – safe.”

This partnership would align with the first bill that Governor Rhoden signed into law: Senate Bill 7, which banned sanctuary cities in South Dakota. Governor Rhoden will continue to take decisive actions to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free.

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Gov. Rhoden Visits South Dakota National Guard Troops at Southern Border

EAGLE PASS, T.X. – Yesterday, Governor Larry Rhoden visited our South Dakota National Guard troops at the Southern Border. You can find b-roll footage of the Governor’s trip here and photos here.

“My goal as Governor is to keep our state strong, safe, and free, and I want the same for our country,” said Governor Larry Rhoden. “The 109^th Engineer Battalion is working with the Trump Administration, Secretary Noem, and Border Patrol to keep our nation safe, and I was honored to see them in action at the Southern Border.”

Governor Rhoden met with the 109^th Engineer Battalion in Eagle Pass, Texas, then viewed the Picnic Observation Outpost near the Rio Grande River. As Commander in Chief of the South Dakota National Guard, Governor Rhoden is committed to supporting our troops.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) hosted Governor Rhoden for an airboat tour of the Rio Grande, which took off from Shelby Park. In 2023, under the Biden Administration, this region caught national attention with as many as 4,000 illegal aliens crossing the border at Shelby Park daily.

Texas DPS then provided a helicopter tour of the border, including the border wall that was constructed near town. A previous South Dakota National Guard deployment assisted with the construction of that wall.

“The biggest eye opener was just how vast the challenge of securing the border is. The Trump Administration, Texas DPS, and our National Guard are accomplishing the incredible feat of keeping our nation safe,” continued Governor Rhoden.

Governor Rhoden ended the day by engaging in a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol briefing at the Del Rio Sector. They outlined their actions to stop drugs, human trafficking, and other illicit activities from crossing our border.

To learn more about Governor Rhoden’s trip to the Southern Border, watch his special-edition Rhoden RhoundUp video recapping his day.

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The Fight to Save Ellsworth
By Sen. John Thune

 On May 13, 2005, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it was recommending South Dakota’s Ellsworth Air Force Base for closure. It was a gut punch for South Dakota. Ellsworth has been a point of pride in our state since World War II. Losing the base would have been devastating to western South Dakota and a significant loss for America’s national security. So, we set out to save it.

In May 2005, I was a freshman senator just five months on the job. Saving Ellsworth was a longshot; history showed we had a 12 percent chance of success. There were just over 100 days from the announcement in May to the final decision in August, and that summer we worked harder than we ever had before.

It was a team effort. Bob Taylor and Qusi Al-Haj on my staff didn’t see much of their families that summer. U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth, Sen. Tim Johnson, and then-Gov. Mike Rounds were all involved. Retired Air Force officers lent their voice and expertise to the cause. And countless local officials, community members, and of course, the 11,000 South Dakotans who came out to the hearing in Rapid City that June were all part of the team.

In the end, we saved Ellsworth by proving that it was too valuable to close. Moving Ellsworth’s B-1s to another base was supposed to save money, but we proved that wouldn’t be the case. We demonstrated that the Pentagon had failed to account for some critical factors in its analysis. Their plan to consolidate all the B-1s at a single base was a major vulnerability. Any issue at that base risked grounding the entire fleet, and consolidation risked overwhelming maintenance and training capacity there.

It turned out that Ellsworth was exactly what the Air Force needed. As retired Air Force Colonel Pat McElgunn testified to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission: “Ellsworth has operational advantages to make it the ideal base for the 21st century.” The commissioners agreed, and they voted 8 to 1 to keep Ellsworth open. And in the years since then, the colonel’s prediction has proved right.

Ellsworth’s B-1s are an asset to our national security. In 2011, B-1s flew from Ellsworth to strike targets in Libya, marking the first time a B-1 fleet launched from the United States to strike overseas targets. Last year, Ellsworth B-1s conducted a first-of-its-kind combat mission: a continuous 31-hour flight from the continental U.S. to the Middle East and back without landing.

After fighting to save Ellsworth, we got right to work building it up to ensure its future would never again be in jeopardy. In 2007, the Air Force Financial Services Center arrived on base. In 2009, the state created the South Dakota Ellsworth Development Authority, which remains a strong partner in promoting the base and local community. In 2012, the 89th Attack Squadron came to the Black Hills to control MQ-9 Reaper drones in combat remotely. After a decade of work following the BRAC threat, we expanded the Powder River Training Complex, nearly quadrupling its size to make it the largest training airspace in the continental United States. And in 2021, the Air Force announced that Ellsworth would officially be Main Operating Base One for the new B-21 Raider, boasting both the schoolhouse and operational squadrons.

Twenty years ago, Ellsworth was said to be a liability. Today, it’s very clear that it’s a national security asset. From BRAC to B-21: that’s the Ellsworth story. And I’m proud to continue to work to support the base and the surrounding community to write the next chapter of this great South Dakota story.

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Work Matters
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
May 16, 2025

BIG News

The House Agriculture Committee passed its portion of House Republicans’ reconciliation package, commonly referred to as the “one big, beautiful bill.” Our committee found more than $290 billion in savings while making strong investments to support American agriculture and rural communities.

Many of my priorities were included, including portions of my bill, the America Works Act, to strengthen work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents receiving SNAP benefits (commonly known as food stamps). People who can work, should work. I’m glad our bill roots out abuse of the program to ensure those who truly need help the most receive it.

Click here or the image above for Johnson’s remarks on work requirements

Additionally, the committee’s bill supports farmers facing increased costs due to inflation, improves trade programs, and defends our livestock from foreign animal diseases. Reconciliation doesn’t address everything farm country needs, so I’ll keep working to get a strong Farm Bill across the finish line.

BIG Idea

I am gearing up to reintroduce the TEENS Act to give 14- and 15-year-olds more flexibility and opportunities in their work schedule. Today, a 14-year-old cannot work after 7 p.m. on a school night. My bill allows these students to work until 9 p.m. and up to 24 hours a week (an increase from 18 hours), if the teenager and their family decide to do so.

Many kids play video games all hours of the night, but we know work experience increases growth, development, and success. I want to encourage our kids to experience the reward of hard work, not prevent it.

BIG Update

It’s National Police Week, which is an opportunity to reflect on the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers in our communities. I had the honor of meeting the loved ones of two South Dakota law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Those officers’ names were added to the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial Wall in D.C. I’m grateful to the brave, dedicated men and women who work to keep us safe.

Johnson with the Prorok family and Hofman family 

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ICYMI: Rounds Asks HHS Secretary Kennedy About South Dakota School of Mines Grant in Committee Hearing

Kennedy additionally expressed support for the Sanford Underground Research Facility near Lead

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) asked Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about a mining research grant for the South Dakota School of Mines (SDSMT) during a hearing for the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), overseen by HHS, is a federal agency that makes recommendations for occupational health and safety. NIOSH’s Spokane Mining Research Division, which supports research at SDSMT in Rapid City, recently had staff laid off – subsequently impacting a grant awarded to SDSMT to study and improve underground mining safety.

“This is not just a missed opportunity, it undermines our ability to meet national security goals tied to mineral independence and supply chain resilience,” said Rounds. “Mr. Secretary, given the President’s directive to increase American mineral production, and the clear role NIOSH plays in supporting research at accredited mining schools, can you help with regard to why or explain or are you aware that the Spokane Mining Research Division has basically been shuttered?”

“I will work with you… I’ve spent a lot of time, as you know, in your state and have many friends who are working at the mine up in Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota,” said Kennedy. “I’ve been myself to the bottom of that mine many times. I understand the health concerns and how brave you have to be to undertake that kind of work. We need to protect our miners because they are the future of our country.”

Rounds also asked Kennedy about artificial intelligence research happening at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Watch a full clip of the exchange HERE.

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New National Poll Reaffirms America’s Seniors Overwhelmingly Support Medicare Advantage

82 percent also believe proposed cuts to the program will harm their financial well-being

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Medicare Advantage Majority (MAM) today released new national polling data, confirming the powerful consensus that America’s seniors want Congress to protect the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. The public opinion survey underscores MA’s profound importance to aging Americans and reveals overwhelming opposition to any effort that would reduce its funding.

MAM’s public opinion survey, fielded in March 2025, polled 1,000 US senior likely voters and consumers nationwide. Topline findings from respondents include:

• A significant majority of seniors (82%) believe cuts to Medicare Advantage will have a negative impact on their financial well-being.
• A large majority (71%) across parties want Congress to oppose cutting funding for Medicare Advantage, and 69% are less likely to vote for a member who supports cuts.
• Nearly all (93%) believe it is important to have a variety of Medicare plan options to meet their health needs.
• A vast majority (83%) believe the additional benefits provided by MA plans are important to their family members.
• A majority believe the federal government should increase funding (53%) for MA – not cut it (7%).

“Medicare Advantage keeps proving to be the preferred choice for the majority of seniors across the country and particularly among lower income seniors,” said MAM spokesperson Darren Grubb. “This latest survey makes it crystal clear that seniors are fed up with past cuts to the program and expect Congress to protect the benefits they depend on. Any proposed cuts aren’t just numbers, they have real-life consequences like higher costs, fewer benefits, and less access to trusted doctors.”

Medicare Advantage is a public-private partnership that provides health care to more than 34 million seniors and people with disabilities in the United States. Today, it is the preferred choice for over half (53%) of all Medicare beneficiaries. Unlike traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage offers a more integrated, affordable, and personalized approach to care, often including extra benefits like dental, vision, hearing, and wellness programs. “With a majority of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries living on less than $25,000 annually, they are depending on their elected leaders to stand up and protect the care they count on – and expect them to do so in the weeks and months ahead,” Grubb said.

Medicare Advantage Majority’s nationwide survey amplifies a united front of seniors who oppose any proposed cuts to the program, even as some in Congress are seeking to cut MA benefits. The new national polling data can be found here and follows a survey conducted in October 2024 that further emphasizes the program’s value for seniors and taxpayers.

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About Medicare Advantage Majority (MAM)

Medicare Advantage Majority (MAM) is a 501(c)4 organization dedicated to protecting and strengthening the Medicare Advantage program for 34 million American seniors and people with disabilities – more than half of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries – who depend on it. MAM is powered by the support of local advocates across the country, including beneficiaries, caregivers, health care providers and community leaders.

Thune: Senate to Overturn California Waiver Rules

“[T]he California waivers rules are an improper expansion of a limited Clean Air Act authority and would endanger consumers, our economy, and our nation’s energy supply.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:

Click here to watch the video.

 

Attorney General Jackley Warns Consumers About Sales Tactics Used by Some Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Companies

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley warns consumers that some over-the-counter hearing aid companies are using misleading sales tactics when reaching out to the public.

“Consumers should only have their hearing tested by a qualified audiologist or hearing instrument specialist,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Over-the-counter, direct-to-consumer, hearing aids are not regulated by the FDA.”

May is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, and consumers, especially senior citizens, are encouraged to have their hearing tested by a qualified specialist. Hearing loss leads to many co-morbidities, including cognitive decline, falls, depression, cardiovascular issues, and an increased risk of dementia.

Attorney General Jackley’s Consumer Protection Division offers these consumer safety tips when dealing with these companies or others offering a service.

1. Research the company first before you purchase the product. Be skeptical of online reviews and endorsements.
2. Know your cancellation and refund rights. Pay attention to the timeframes and conditions for returns and refunds.
3. Only a hearing screening and opinion from a hearing professional can tell you what type of hearing device will work best for you.
4. Talk to your physician.
5. Have a family member help you when making such a selection.
6. Finally, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Consumers who believe they have been a victim of a scam resulting from such a transaction should contact the Attorney General’s Office’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or at https://consumer.sd.gov/, You may be helping someone else out by reporting what you’ve encountered.

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Sounds like President Trump is seeking energy independence in the form of pipeline language to be returned to the reconciliation bill:

TRUMP to House Republicans:

“Please put the pipeline language back in. Who doesn’t love pipelines? Let’s get this done. We need to build pipelines.”

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) May 20, 2025

A little history on myself that some might not be aware of.

My mom had an auction business which operated for a decade, close to two decades in Pierre. I am actually a trained auctioneer (via the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City Iowa). And while I was not going to attempt to call a cattle sale, at my most practiced I could hold my own calling a personal property sale just fine.

So, the point is that in the days before eBay and all the on-line sales, we used to do a lot of retirement sales where people retiring to town would sell out their stuff, and we would help them dispose of it.  And I remember one sale where a couple of the adult kids back by the cashier literally got in a fight over who was going to get the proceeds from “mom’s sale.” The problem was, mom wasn’t dead.

They got into an actual shoving match while standing over their elderly mom who was seated in her wheelchair. It was literally the height of trashiness.

I bring it up, as the Minnehaha GOP members are looking more and more like this trashy family fighting over control of mom’s money as they stand over mom herself, as the bickering continues and escalates over who controls the Minnehaha County Republican Party.  Never mind that 99.95% or more of the nearly 60,000 registered Republicans in Minnehaha County could care less, and think they all look silly and trashy.

Here’s more of the train wreck that is the Republican Party organization representing our state’s largest county:

Here’s all the attachments being referenced…

So, we have someone from one faction calling out the former vice-chair Jennifer Foss as a “former Democrat,” and we have the awful former vice-chair Jennifer Foss calling out the current board members’ behavior as “communism.”

For the good of the cause – which is supposed to be about trying to get Republicans elected.. maybe they all need to actually concern themselves with that. Getting Republicans elected.

Instead of spending their time being concerned about their own egos.