Governor Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Making South Dakota an Example to the Nation

Making South Dakota an Example to the Nation
By Governor Kristi Noem

The Tenth Amendment of the United States Constitution says “All powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

This means the founders intended power to default to the states. The federal government is more limited than state government, which means we can be laboratories of democracy. We can learn which policies work best for our country through trial and error at the state level.

South Dakota is a small state in terms of population and GDP, but we’re nimble. We have a responsive state government that does more with less. This set of characteristics allows us to take innovative approaches when it comes to issues like economic growth, meth, or dealing with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Late last month, I went to Washington, DC for the National Governors Association meeting. This was the first time I had the honor to represent our state on the national stage among other governors and national leaders. The time was filled with meetings on issues that many states are dealing with – like education and workforce. I also had the opportunity to meet with President Trump several times and visit with cabinet officials one-on-one to improve the partnership between state and federal governments. It was my goal to listen and learn, but to also begin developing the expectation that South Dakota can, and will, be a leader in innovative policies that will serve as an example to other states and the federal government.

Here are two examples.

First, I met with Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar about adding flexibility to existing federal programs in South Dakota so we can combat our meth epidemic. I explained to him that while opioids dominate national headlines, South Dakota needs to shift federal dollars from opioids to confront our meth issue. I’m optimistic that our conversation will result in added flexibility on federal programs that could target both opioid and meth concerns.

Secretary Azar and I also discussed ways we can address the failing IHS. For years, people have looked the other way while IHS facilities provide third-world care to tribal members. In the last few years, babies have been born on bathroom floors with no doctor present. Medical personnel performed operations with lapsed certifications. People died because there were no doctors available at hospitals. This is unacceptable. We’re working with the feds to launch pilot programs and pursue additional coordinated care agreements that increase access and expand services. Today is a new day for South Dakota’s state-tribal relationship, and I hope I can work with the tribes to continue finding ways to make improvements.

Second, I visited with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie about South Dakota’s longstanding commitment to military service. As we continue working to make Hot Springs America’s “Veteran’s Town,” I invited him to see the town first hand. When Secretary Wilkie does so, he will fully understand the impact our veterans have on our state and the ways we want to develop that for the next generation of military men and women.

Many say Washington is broken, and I’m the first to agree that there are parts that seem dysfunctional. But I had positive meetings in Washington with governors and federal officials that are looking for solutions and opportunities to implement successful policies. Some of our best ideas start in the states. It’s my hope that South Dakota leads the way.

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