Bipartisan Aviation Bill Reaches New Heights
By Sen. John Thune

Passing bills through the U.S. Senate is not an easy task, especially bills that include sweeping reforms that would impact a large portion of the American people. That’s why I was particularly pleased that 95 of my colleagues – nearly every U.S. senator – recently voted to approve my bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act and send it to the House of Representatives, which gets it one step closer to the president’s desk. While passing bills might be difficult, making the case for getting this bill across the finish line and signed into law is pretty straightforward.

First, it’s good government. Congress should get back in the business of reauthorizing federal programs and agencies, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here. Our oversight role is an important one, and it can’t be overlooked. The Republican-led Senate has made it a priority to get back to the basics and do the work the American people expect us to do. Until Republicans took the majority in January 2015, the committee process had essentially ground to a halt. Today, we’re moving bills through committees and onto the Senate floor where they can be debated and amended.

Take the Commerce Committee for example. I’ve chaired this key committee for just over a year, but we’ve already tackled some pretty monumental items. We helped pass the first long-term transportation bill in nearly a decade, made first-of-their-kind reforms to the Surface Transportation Board, passed legislation that will help develop the next generation of wireless broadband, and now we’ve ushered through what has been described as “one of the most passenger-friendly FAA reauthorization bills in a generation.”

Which brings me to another important reason this bill should be considered in the House without delay: the numerous provisions we included that would make the customer experience easier. As a frequent traveler – I fly to and from my home in South Dakota nearly every week – the headaches of air travel are well-known. My bill makes some pretty common-sense changes that would require airlines to return certain fees when services aren’t rendered, like when your luggage is lost or delayed. The bill also requires airlines to make seat availability clear at the time of booking, which would be a big advantage for families who travel with small children.

Not only do we try to make air travel a little easier, but we make it safer too. It’s unfortunate, but in today’s world, terrorists will try to do anything to cause harm, and we must do everything within our power to stay one step ahead. My bill tightens the vetting process for airport workers who have access to secure areas, like the gate agents who double as baggage handlers at small airports throughout the country. As I’ve said before, a vast majority of these people are hard-working, dedicated employees, but we must take every necessary precaution.

South Dakota’s general aviation community was a priority in this bill too, which is why I included a key safety provision requiring small towers, like those that line the South Dakota landscape, to be properly and safely marked so agriculture applicators and other pilots who typically operate at low altitude can clearly identify them. The Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 was also included in my bill, which means the regulatory burden faced by many recreational pilots will be reduced without compromising safety.  My bill also directs important advances in drone safety to protect the flying public while still fostering opportunity for innovative new uses, such as in agriculture.

As I mentioned at the outset, it’s not easy to do big things in the Senate. But that is the job I signed up to do on behalf of the people of South Dakota. This bill and the process through which we operated prove that by working hard and building a consensus around an important issue, we can get the big things done.

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Energy Bill Benefits South Dakotans
By Senator Mike Rounds

The Senate recently passed a bipartisan, comprehensive energy bill that will increase energy security and help keep energy costs low for South Dakota families. The Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 is the first comprehensive energy bill to pass the Senate in nearly a decade. Included in the final package are a number of measures to improve the energy needs of South Dakotans, and other provisions that will directly benefit our state. I was pleased to vote for it on the Senate floor.

The bill includes my easement disclosure amendment that would make sure landowners are aware of all the options available to them when choosing to place their land in a conservation easement. Landowners in South Dakota deserve to know that perpetual conservation easements aren’t their only option. This legislation will increase awareness for shorter, termed easements that keep the landowner and the federal government on equal footing. I believe it will also result in greater conservation opportunities.

Specifically, this amendment contains language to establish a federal education program through the U.S. Department of the Interior to allow landowners to learn all of the federal conservation options available to them when choosing to restrict future use of their land through a federal easement. The agency will be required to make landowners aware of this program when approaching them about participating in a conservation program.

Another South Dakota provision included in the energy bill is the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act, introduced by Sen. John Thune and me earlier this Congress. This will facilitate a permanent land transfer of around 200 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to expand the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis. The permanent land transfer will guarantee that generations of South Dakota veterans will be able to rest peacefully in the Black Hills National Cemetery.

Reauthorization of the Brownfields program was included in the energy bill as well. I worked with a number of my colleagues on the Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development Act, also referred to as the BUILD Act, which will provide funding for technical assistance grants to small communities and rural areas. This will be helpful to many South Dakota communities by expanding the scope of eligible grant recipients to include non-profit community groups. I was happy to see it included in the final energy bill.

The bill will enhance our ability to protect the electric grid from weather events and cybersecurity threats. Passing the Energy Policy Modernization Act is just one more example of the Senate’s commitment to strengthening economic security for the American people and of our dedication to an all-of-the-above approach to energy policy. We would have liked to see additional energy production measures included in the bill, but operating under a divided government requires any legislation passed to meet the approval of both Republicans and Democrats. We may not have gotten everything we wanted, but this bill is step in the right direction.

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Commonsense Accountability
By Rep. Kristi Noem

With Tax Day only a week or so behind us, the amount of personal information we send in with our tax return is still fresh in our minds: Social Security numbers; our annual salary; in some cases, the routing number for our bank account!  That’s the kind of information we wouldn’t share with just anyone, so it begs the question: whose hands does this information fall into once it arrives at the IRS?

Before we get too far in, I want to say that I’ve met with some incredible folks in South Dakota who do some of this work and do it with integrity.  But the IRS is a nationwide agency.  Not everyone lives up to South Dakota’s standards, including many decision-makers within the IRS.

In the past few years alone, the agency has targeted groups based on their political beliefs.  They’ve let criminal acts pass by the wayside, sending out billions of dollars in improper payments.  They’ve let calls from taxpayers go unanswered, picking up just 15.6 percent of calls during the height of tax-filing season this year.  Thousands of employees have neglected to pay their own taxes.  And all the while, the agency has handed out about $6 million worth of bonuses.

With all of this as background, it may come as no surprise that the IRS also knowingly hired hundreds of former employees who had previously been fired for misconduct. Some of these people had been fired from the IRS for filing false documents.  Some accessed sensitive taxpayer information without permission.  Some just didn’t show up to work for what totaled about 8 weeks’ worth of work, leading to a stamp on their personnel file saying: “Do Not Rehire.”  Incredibly, all of these people were rehired.

Nearly one in five of the rehired employees had new performance issues when they returned to the IRS, according to a federal report.  This defies commonsense.

What’s more, the IRS has shown a complete disregard for changing the practice and insists that prior conduct or performance issues do not play a significant role in deciding the candidates they choose to hire.  I couldn’t let this policy stand.

I introduced legislation to prohibit the IRS from hiring employees they had already fired once for misconduct.  It earned bipartisan support, and on April 21, the House of Representatives gave the legislation its stamp of approval.  The Senate has already started its work on this legislation.  I’m hopeful they can sign off on this bill soon and put this commonsense reform on the President’s desk.

In addition to the bill I introduced, the House passed legislation that ended bonuses to IRS employees until the agency starts to fix its terrible customer service record.  We also passed a bill to get rid of an unaccountable IRS slush fund, giving taxpayers a greater say over how fees the IRS collects are used.  Finally, we passed legislation to stop the IRS from hiring any new employees until they can certify that no employees are delinquent on their own taxes.  These are commonsense, if you are out there to protect hardworking taxpayers.

These bills are only a snippet of what must be done to correct a broken system.  Nonetheless, as we work toward a fairer, flatter and simpler tax code, I’ll be looking for more opportunities to make the IRS more accountable to you.

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Celebrating Agriculture’s Leadership in Conservation
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

Our dedicated farming and ranching families, many of whom have been on the land for generations, know how important it is to take care of the land because their livelihoods depend on it. As we celebrate our natural resources on Earth Day, we should applaud stewards of working lands for protecting our land and water.

Each year, the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, the South Dakota Grassland Coalition and the Sand County Foundation bestow the Leopold Conservation Award^® on a farming or ranching family who demonstrates outstanding conservation leadership, and is dedicated to land and wildlife conservation. The award is named for renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold.

This year’s Leopold Conservation Award recipients, Cronin Farms, have been committed to keeping land health and livestock welfare at the forefront of their management technique. They attribute their continued success on the land to efforts which mimic the natural environment as much as possible.

Monty and Mike Cronin, with their long-time farm manager Dan Forgey, manage a mixed livestock and crop farm that shares a sizable border with the Oahe Reservoir on the Missouri River. This location draws a significant amount of wildlife to their land. Their diverse enterprise provides an excellent example of how outstanding land stewardship and economic resilience go hand in hand.

Congratulations to Cronin Farms and all landowners across South Dakota who care for the natural resources we all depend on. Their commitment to a healthy environment ensures that our natural resources will be here for our future generations.

For information on Cronin Farms, Inc. and the many conservation practices farmers and ranchers use, visit LeopoldConservationAward.org.

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(This OP ed was submitted by Richard Mounce, Candidate for District 30 House to several media outlets including the SDWC, so I offer it here for your reading pleasure.  Guest pieces are always welcome at the SDWC, and are published at my discretion – PP)

I am a Republican running to be your State Representative in District 30 because I want our children and young families to stay and raise their families here in South Dakota. We can achieve this by growing our economy and providing our K-12 students a world class education—two pillars of a thriving community. I am optimistic for our future and what we can achieve together.

The Black Hills are a very special place. As I walk in the district daily, I meet the silent majority of salt-of-the-earth South Dakotans who would give the shirt off their backs to their neighbors and who live with faith and determination.

Unfortunately, by contrast, a small and vocal group uses outright lies, fear-mongering and manipulation to smear and intimidate candidates whom they do not like.  Aside from malicious gossip, they send outrageous, and anonymous, post cards at election time.  Such negative tactics are not consistent with South Dakota values and may ultimately discourage good people from running for office.  These hateful character assassinations do not represent the best of who we are as a community and stand in stark contrast to the true South Dakota we know and love.

Winston Churchill said, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”  This letter was written to put “the pants of truth” on about my campaign and me as there have been many negative attacks directed at my wife Laura and I.  No doubt these attacks will increase as June 7^th approaches. In one sense these attacks can be viewed as a tribute to the strength of my campaign.  It means my message is resonating with the silent majority and threatens the noisy cynics.

One rumor being spread is that Laura and I have “Oregon Values” because we moved to South Dakota from Oregon several years ago.  In fact, Laura is a 4^th generation South Dakotan and absolutely steadfast in her support of my candidacy. We chose to leave Oregon and move to South Dakota, in part, because Christians and Conservatives in Portland are an endangered species.

The Oregon values I learned as a child are love of God, patriotism, service to the community, honesty and the value of hard work.  While things may have changed in Oregon, in South Dakota these values are still the bedrock of life and are values Laura and I share and live daily.

The issue boils down to trust. The voters have every right to expect honesty and integrity from their elected representatives. Relationships of all kinds are built on trust. As a doctor and businessman, I am successful because I deliver what I promise.  I mean what I say and say what I mean. If I promise to support accountable, limited and common-sense government policies based on Reagan-esque conservative principles, I’ll do everything in my power to deliver results honestly and transparently.

I will not compromise to be an insider or forget who elected me in Pierre.  I will not compromise my conservative values. I will not compromise my faith and integrity.  As your representative I will always do what is right in the present, without regard to being re-elected in the future. You have my word on it.

Together, collectively lets say “NO” to the fear, lies and negativity. Let’s say “YES” to optimism, integrity and improving our state. Saying “Yes” will help our young families build a brighter future here. If you want to know where I stand on any issue, or if you hear something other than what is written here, call me. Respectfully, I ask for your vote on June 7^th.

Richard Mounce, SD House Candidate District 30, MounceSDHouse30.com

Attorney General Jackley to Host National Association of Attorneys General Summit

PIERRE, S.D. –   Attorney General Marty Jackley as President of the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) announces the upcoming 2016 Attorneys General Presidential Summit to be held in Deadwood, Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse on May 2-3, 2016. This is the first opportunity for South Dakota to both Chair and to host our nation’s top law enforcement officer summit.

“The Presidential Initiative Summit is an opportunity for the Attorneys General to find solutions for important challenges that affect our States and the safety of our citizens. The State Attorneys General are strong leaders working to strengthen the public’s trust and to make our communities safer,” said Jackley.

Each year NAAG organizes a Summit to allow State Attorneys General throughout the country to discuss the latest approaches and solutions to improving public safety. This year’s Presidential Initiative is “To Protect and Serve with 21^st Century Policing”.

Rounds, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Encourage Greater Competition & Innovation in DOD Cyber Procurement

Bipartisan, bicameral legislation reforms procurement process to maximize performance and long-term value for the taxpayer

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), along with U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), today introduced S. 2826, the bipartisan Promoting Value Based Defense Procurement Act. The legislation would make sure that the Department of Defense (DOD) seeks the best long-term value for the taxpayers during the procurement process for complex information technology and engineering services by providing greater clarity on DOD’s existing Lowest Price, Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation criteria.

“The Department of Defense has a responsibility to provide our Armed Forces with high quality, advanced equipment while remaining a responsible steward of taxpayers’ dollars,” said Rounds. “This bill will help make sure that DOD is using LPTA in an appropriate manner while avoiding its use in determining source selection for complex, innovative technology and engineering services, where the least expensive option is often not the best long-term value. This is in the best interests of our war fighters and our taxpayers.”

Through the LPTA process, all proposals meeting a defined set of minimum technical requirements are considered and the contract is awarded to the lowest-price bidder. However, in cases of more complex and knowledge-based procurements, such as IT services, technical requirements are often harder for DOD to fully define and articulate, and the least expensive option may not be the best overall value if it doesn’t encourage participation by private-sector partners providing innovative products and services and the most talented people.

The Promoting Value Based Defense Procurement Act would make sure that DOD is using LPTA in the most effective and appropriate manner.  The bill directs DOD to avoid, to the maximum extent practicable, LPTA criteria when the procurement is for information technology, systems engineering and technical assistance, or other knowledge-based professional services.

Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Rob Wittman (R-Va.).

Full text of the bill can be found here.

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Rounds Offers Amendment to Energy & Water Appropriations Bill

Amendment would provide funds for Army Corps to implement flood and drought monitoring system on the Missouri River

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today offered an amendment to the Energy and Water appropriations bill that would authorize the use of up to $2 million within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) existing budget to implement Upper Missouri River Basin flood and drought monitoring systems. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) is a cosponsor.

“South Dakotans deserve certainty that the federal government has taken steps to prevent another catastrophic event similar to the 2011 flood that forced more than 4,000 families out of their homes, resulted in five deaths and caused more than $2 billion in damage to infrastructure, businesses and fertile ag land,” said Rounds. “That begins with proper tools to monitor water levels as instructed in a 2014 water resources law. During my field hearing in North Sioux City last month, Army Corps officials told me they didn’t have proper funding to implement the soil moisture and snowpack monitoring system that would help prevent a future major flood event along the Missouri River. By making these funds available, the Corps will have all the tools they need to implement the monitoring system.”

Last month, Rounds chaired an Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Oversight field hearing in North Sioux City to focus on the USACE management of the Missouri River following the flood of 2011. At the time of the hearing, USACE noted that it does not have the funding to improve its soil moisture and snowpack monitoring system, nor has it made an appropriations request to Congress to take such action. You can read more about his field hearing HERE.

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Thune Welcomes Sioux Falls Diocese Bishop as U.S. Senate’s “Chaplain for a Day”

“Mr. President, today we in the United States Senate are giving praise for Bishop Swain’s unwavering devotion to the word of the Lord and to the service of his people.”

WASHINGTON — Bishop Paul J. Swain, eighth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls, today served as the U.S. Senate’s “Chaplain for a Day.” U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) nominated Bishop Swain for this honor.

“He is a pillar of our community and a spiritual leader to over 100,000 Catholics in East River South Dakota,” said Thune. “Bishop Swain’s episcopal motto is ‘Give Praise to the Lord.’ Mr. President, today we in the United States Senate are giving praise for Bishop Swain’s unwavering devotion to the word of the Lord and to the service of his people. I thank the Bishop for joining us today.”

Click here for Bishop Swain’s full biography.

House Passes Noem’s IRS Workforce Integrity Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Kristi Noem today led the House in passing her Ensuring Integrity in the IRS Workforce Act (H.R.3724), which would prohibit the IRS from rehiring an employee who has been fired for certain forms of misconduct.  The legislation passed with broad bipartisan support by a margin of 345-78.

“The IRS has rehired hundreds of people who had already been fired once for misconduct.  This practice needs to end and that’s exactly what my bill does.  It’s just commonsense,” said Noem.  “Much more must be done to correct our broken tax system.  Nonetheless, as we work toward a fairer, flatter, and simpler tax code, I’ll be looking for more opportunities to make the IRS more accountable to you.”

In February 2015, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) publicly released a new report explaining it had “identified hundreds of former employees with prior substantiated conduct or performance issues ranging from tax issues, unauthorized access to taxpayer information, leave abuse, falsification of official forms, unacceptable performance, misuse of IRS property, and off-duty misconduct.”

The agency went on to say that nearly one in five of the rehired employees with a record of prior misconduct had performance issues when they returned to the IRS.  For more information on TIGTA’s findings, click here.