Time for Recess!
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
August 6, 2021
Just like any school-aged kid, I love recess. But recess in Congress looks a little different than recess in elementary school.
Every August, Congress “recesses” for the month and members head back to their respective districts for an intensive district work period. For me, that means returning to the great state of South Dakota. While the colloquial term for this August work period is recess, it’s not a break – it’s a time to hear from fellow South Dakotans so I can bring their stories back to Congress. As our state’s sole representative in the House, I strive every day to work as hard as I know so many of you do.
You may remember the summer of 2019 when I hosted more than twenty “Inside Scoop” town halls at local ice cream shops around the state. Over the coming weeks, I will be hosting nine “Inside Scoop” town halls across the state where I will answer questions, address concerns, and listen to the issues you care about, all while enjoying a tasty ice cream treat. I also take the opportunity to share the biggest issues I’m working on in D.C.
Additionally, I will be hosting over a dozen Vietnam Veteran Commemorative Pinning ceremonies throughout the month to recognize our Vietnam veterans who were not properly welcomed home. I take great honor in being able to look these heroes in the eye and thank them for their service—an act that’s long overdue.
In between the Inside Scoops and Vietnam veteran ceremonies, I’m looking forward to attending Dakota Fest, Central States Fair, and the Sioux Empire Fair, as well as touring various businesses and speaking with community groups.
Sitting down with local business owners, chambers of commerce, agriculture producers, educators and healthcare workers really does inform my work in Washington. Just yesterday, I met with healthcare professionals from the Mobridge Regional Hospital, and we discussed my legislation to combat the mental health crisis in America. Hearing about their patients will arm me with the stories to encourage other representatives to sign onto this much-needed proposal and get it across the finish line.
It’s a jam-packed month, but there’s nothing better than being back in South Dakota full-time. I look forward to meeting you this August—I hope you’ll join me!
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