![](https://dakotawarcollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Dusty-Big-three.jpg)
Supporting American Families
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
February 2, 2024
BIG Update
The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are disrupting global shipping routes, threatening supply chains, and endangering human life. Twenty percent of all container shipping passes through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, but due to the conflict they must be rerouted. The detour is costly, to the tune of an additional $1 million in fuel costs and an additional ten days of travel time. Shipping rates from Asia to Europe have nearly doubled and freight rates for U.S.-bound cargo have also spiked.
This week, I urged the Biden Administration to secure the Red Sea and restore the safe passage of trade in the region. We may not be able to part the Red Sea like Moses, but if we can’t restore the normal flow of trade, Americans and consumers around the world will pay the cost.
BIG Idea
School nurses are often the first in line to care for our kids when they are at school. Carrie has been a school nurse for 25 years and is well aware of the needs of students and staff. As the South Dakota Director for the National Association of School Nurses, she advocates for school nurses and works to equip them with the tools and skills to keep our students safe and healthy.
We discussed fentanyl use among teens and the necessity to equip school nurses with Narcan to prevent overdose deaths. It’s unfortunate, but fentanyl is leading cause of death for teens. One pill can kill.
![](https://dakotawarcollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/SchoolNurse.jpg)
BIG News
The House passed the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act this week to restore many Trump-era tax cuts. This pro-growth, pro-family, pro-small business tax policy will boost U.S. competitiveness on the global stage. Should the bill be signed into law, the Child Tax Credit will be increased to keep up with inflation and the penalty for large families would be eliminated to ensure child tax credit work incentives apply equally to all families. I was proud to support the bill to bring relief to American families and Main Street businesses who have struggled to keep up with inflation.
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Policy!
Dusty votes with democrats to increase government spending again.Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act will, according to Heritage Foundation, generate $155 billion in new federal deficits through fiscal year 2025, adding upward pressure on inflation and interest. Also 91.5 percent of the “family benefits” are cash welfare, not tax relief for working families.They state “While offering no meaningful economic growth, this bill would further undermine marriage and healthy family formation.” Read it for yourself: https://www.heritage.org/taxes/report/the-tax-relief-american-families-and-workers-act-light-tax-relief-and-heavy-welfare#
Red sea conflict is a Europe problem not economical problem for USA. Europe should protect their own shipping. Mark Hopkins, an economist at Moody’s Analytics states that disruption of Red sea shipping has little if any effect on USA economy or prices. Read for yourself:
https://www.investopedia.com/how-attacks-on-shipping-in-the-red-sea-could-affect-the-us-economy-8418699