Thune, Klobuchar, Moran, Smith Introduce Legislation to Bolster Conservation Reserve Program 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) today introduced the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Improvement and Flexibility Act. The legislation would bolster CRP by improving access to grazing, maximizing enrollment options for producers, and expediting emergency haying in response to drought and other weather-related disaster events.

“Ensuring that CRP continues to be an effective option for producers and landowners is critical to South Dakota’s agriculture industry,” said Thune. “As a longtime supporter of CRP, I’m proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would help advance the multiple-use benefits of this conservation program, including wildlife habitat and livestock forage potential.”

“The Conservation Reserve Program helps equip our farmers with the tools to conserve and improve soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat,” said Klobuchar. “This bipartisan legislation makes commonsense improvements to CRP that will strengthen conservation practices and landowner enrollment in this vital program.”

“When land sits idle, it doesn’t just go unused, it declines, and so do the small towns and rural communities that depend on active land management,” said Warren Symens, president of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association (SDCA). “Cattle are key to grassland health – enhancing habitat, improving water infiltration, and supporting carbon sequestration through grazing. Investing in fence and water infrastructure needed to graze CRP acres strengthens soil and gives producers a lifeline during drought, helping them keep their herds instead of selling off herds. SDCA thanks Senators Thune and Klobuchar for leading the charge on this important issue.”

“The Conservation Reserve Program is an important, incentive-based program that provides flexibility for farmers and ranchers to implement voluntary conservation practices on their land,” said Tom Landmark, state chairman of South Dakota Ducks Unlimited. “We thank Senators Thune and Klobuchar for their leadership in enhancing CRP to ensure landowners can continue to get the most out of this historically successful program in South Dakota, Minnesota, and across the U.S.”

“The Conservation Reserve Program is one of our nation’s most effective tools for improving wildlife habitat, water quality, and soil health on private lands, and is a vital part of the farm safety net,” said Andrew Schmidt, director of government affairs for Pheasants Forever (PF) and Quail Forever (QF). “The CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act will make this critical program work better for farmers, ranchers, rural communities, and wildlife. PF and QF are grateful to Majority Leader Thune and Ranking Member Klobuchar for their continued leadership in strengthening CRP and ensuring it remains a cornerstone of private lands conservation.”

The CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act would:

• Make CRP grazing a more attractive option by providing cost-share for the establishment of grazing infrastructure – including fencing and water distribution – on all CRP practices and contracts if grazing is included in the approved conservation plan;
• Increase the CRP annual payment limitation from $50,000, which was established in 1985, to $125,000 to account for inflation and rising land values and provide landowners with more CRP enrollment options to ensure resources are appropriately conserved;
• Reinstate mid-contract management cost-share payments for activities that are not related to haying or grazing;
• Permanently establish the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement practice under Continuous CRP; and
• Create flexibility for producers by allowing emergency haying on CRP acres when certain conditions are met and in consultation with state technical committees.

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Rounds Introduces Legislation to Modernize Veteran Burial Scheduling System, Provide Clarity to Families

 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), ranking member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, today introduced legislation to modernize the Veterans’ Administration’s National Cemetery Administration’s (NCA) burial scheduling system and provide further clarity for grieving families. The Honest Operations for National Cemetery Reporting (HONOR) Act would require NCA to create and maintain an online portal for families to monitor cemetery wait times.

“Our veterans put their lives on the line so that we can maintain the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States. A burial ceremony in a cemetery with their fellow veterans is a part of how we honor their sacrifice,” said Rounds. “Unfortunately, families across the nation are left in the dark about burial availability. Some families have experienced delays in scheduling burial ceremonies, waiting over a week or more at many cemeteries and up to 30 days at one cemetery. Here in South Dakota, the Black Hills National Cemetery maintains an average burial availability of two days. This should be standard across the nation. However, if a family must wait to hold a ceremony for their loved ones, knowing how long it will be and having the ability to request the earliest possible date brings added comfort during a difficult time.”

“Ensuring veterans receive the burial ceremony they deserve at a veterans’ cemetery is an important part of honoring their legacy and service to our nation,” said Blumenthal. “Our bill will make sure veterans’ families and loved ones have improved access to information about how long it will take for their loved one to receive a burial ceremony during an already difficult time.”

Specifically, this legislation directs NCA to begin building the data infrastructure necessary to support improved tracking and transparency standards. By requiring improved transparency on burial availability and developing systems to track and analyze wait times, the VA can fulfill its promise of dignity, timeliness and respect to every veteran and their family, no matter their faith, location or circumstances.

BACKGROUND

The NCA provides a deeply meaningful set of burial benefits to honor those who have served our nation. At no cost to the family, eligible individuals are entitled to a gravesite in any national cemetery with available space; the opening and closing of the grave; perpetual care; a government-provided headstone, marker or medallion; a burial flag; and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. In fiscal year 2023 alone, nearly 138,000 individuals were laid to rest in national cemeteries operated by the NCA, final honors reflecting the gratitude of a nation.

Click HERE to read full bill text.

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Thune: Democrats Are Wasting Time and Losing Ground

“I hope that my Democrat colleagues will come to the table. Otherwise we’re going to be spending a whole lot more time here on the Senate floor.”

Click here to watch the video.

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

I’ll give you a little insider baseball here.

A few years back, when I was doing the party newsletter during session, there was a week – that week – when most of what got accomplished was all impeachment related regarding moving forward articles of impeachment to the Senate. It literally was one of the only things that got done. How do you mention the 800lb gorilla in the room? It was kind of challenging to write, and I attempted to handle it factually and tactfully.  That was a mistake.

But I get it. It was the only time I bumped up against a line, and got negative feedback (1 bad article in close to 6 years of writing/editing the newsletter), because this was a Republican party publication, and bringing that topic up was too close to breaking the golden rule that the party did not speak ill of other Republicans.

So, when putting together future issues, the newsletter did not address that topic. That wasn’t a party function.

Of course, that golden rule that the party shall not speak ill of other Republicans seems to have been thrown out the window nowadays.  Recently, we have the SDGOP promoting an attack on Senator Rounds (and holding that grudge a bit), And now, we have one of the House Majority Whips taking to social media to attack all of our state’s Republican delegation to DC, and claiming some Republicans should have a D behind their name:

“The 3 we sent to DC are not representing our SD Values” – House Majority Whip Brandei Schiefbauer

Since when did this functional illiterate become the arbiter of “SD values” as she declares there’s “righteous litmus tests” for “our Governor’s race,” as she goes on about “Republicans who should have a D behind their name?’

I’d ask how dysfunctional GOP House Leadership in the State Legislature is when you have one of the House Majority Whips attacking the Republicans who are literally on the masthead for the Republican party on a statewide basis… except the State GOP in their mess kind of tossed that standard out the door.

You know, the last House Whip I remember who tended to go on like this, similarly declaring who was more or less Republican or a RINO was Lynne DiSanto.  Remember her? No? That was about 8 years ago, and already she’s fading from the collective memory, because there is little to remember except the drama.

The point being that we get a few of these people who run for office who come down with legislatoritis, and seem more concerned with self-importance and their own sense of ideological purity than just doing their jobs. Maybe it’s social media that amplifies it, especially the people who lack an appropriate filter. But the job of being a legislator is not about the politics, it never has been.

It’s about representing your community and constituents. It’s about action and accomplishment, not crazy talk. How do you solve basic problems that people in your community face every day?

No amount of self-righteousness changes that.

You know, I’m not a fan of Taffy Howard with her general awfulness as a legislator such as skipping 14% of all floor votes, skipping impeachment, etc. But this meme from the South Dakota College Democrats goes way, way too far:

If you’re missing the reference, it’s from the burn book scene in the Mean Girls movie.  But even if it originated in a movie, it’s completely and absolutely over the top inappropriate to call a legislator, much less a female one a “skank bitch,” or a “fugly slut” in the course of political debate.

State Democrats have a huge problem if they believe that represents them, even via their college level auxiliary.  If this is how they want to represent themselves to South Dakotans, at the very least, it’s far from enlightened. Would they stand next to the Senate Minority Leader Liz Larson and use this as their catcall at Republicans? I kind of doubt it.

Very inappropriate. And they need to do something about it.

I had never really formalized it, but every once in a while, people have reached out to me about connecting available campaign and public affairs jobs with job seekers.  Today, I had a nice note asking about it again, and it dawned on me that we’re starting to gear up for one of the biggest campaign seasons in a generation, so I’m creating a new page to connect South Dakota campaign and public affairs jobs with those looking for one.

You can find this listing, and very soon others on our SDWC “Job Posting Page” which you can find here.

Dakota Credit Union Association
Position Title: Director of Political Strategy & Engagement
Location: South Dakota
Department: Advocacy – Government Affairs 
Posted 7/30/25

Download Full Job Description here:
Dir Political Strategy & Engagement_2025

Check it out!

A reader pointed this out to me.  Remember my earlier post where I noted where the Hansen Lemmings were raising money up to 10k at a time… except it was legal because they appeared to be running things through a PAC:

That’s $4000. As Arch Beal would say – Whoa Whoa Whoa!  Where are they getting the $5,000 and $10,000 from that they’re soliciting for. Well, you have to go to the bottom of the web page. And you get the explanation:

This is not a state gubernatorial campaign committee that they’re slapping their names on and using to run for office. They’re running as Hansen/Lems for Governor, but donations are being routed directly to a Political Action Committee.  They’re entirely skipping over a regular campaign committee that you or I would use, and the mechanism they are using to raise funds for their gubernatorial campaign right out of the gate is a PAC who can take far bigger checks.

Read that here.

Well something has apparently changed on their website. Except, maybe not enough has changed. Because they changed what was actually legal under South Dakota law… and now they made it appear to be not legal.  The Hansen Lemmings campaign donation page as it is now is not a donation page for a Political Action Committee. It is now branded with the disclaimer for Hansen for Governor, a campaign committee:

Yet, now that it says it’s under his campaign committee, they are still asking for 10k, and proclaiming that’s the maximum donation, according to the screenshot I just took:

But if you look at state law, and particularly the Secretary of State’s website:

These two things do not match, and it makes for a sloppy campaign. Because if they’re taking 5k or 10k, that’s over the contribution limits. (Not that anyone is ponying up a 10k tip at pizza ranch).

If they are going to go to the trouble to change the donation page from rolling into a PAC, why wouldn’t they fix the glaring error with what they can accept from the committee?  It looks like these lawmakers are trying to be lawbreakers.

Stay tuned for a later update.

Thune: The One Big Beautiful Bill Makes Life Better for Hardworking Americans

“Communicating about this bill should be a priority – when we’re in Washington, but especially when we’re in cities and towns across America.” 

Click here to watch the video:

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

Rounds Delivers Opening Remarks at Securities, Insurance and Investments Subcommittee Hearing

Rounds was named chairman of the Subcommittee for the 119th Congress

 WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investments, today delivered opening remarks at a hearing titled “Guardrails and Growth: AI’s Role in Capital and Insurance Markets.”

This is the first Subcommittee hearing of the 119th Congress and the first hearing with Rounds serving as chairman. The hearing examined how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming financial services and Congress’ role in fostering innovation while promoting transparency and accountability. The witnesses included Kevin Kalinich, Intangible Assets Global Leader at Aon; Tal Cohen, President of NASDAQ; and Dr. David Cox, Vice President for AI Models at IBM Research.

“We need regulatory frameworks that both support innovation and protect consumers,” said Rounds. “As AI continues to evolve, regulators also have an opportunity to modernize their own operations. AI can help agencies conduct smarter supervision, reduce unnecessary burdens on smaller institutions, and focus resources where they’re most needed. There’s a real opportunity for public-private collaboration in this space, and I hope today’s hearing helps us think more clearly about how to make that happen.”

Read Rounds’ full remarks as prepared for delivery below. Watch a clip of Rounds’ opening statement HERE.

Toby Doeden’s Education and Business Plan: Details Later?
by Katherine Mickelson

As one of South Dakota’s most successful self-made business owners, Toby Doeden seems to be taking stances to prevent others from achieving similar success. He has repeatedly made anti-business statements in his campaign messaging that are not built on solid pro-business policy, but populist anger.

On July 28th, Doeden’s campaign posted a clip from his state tour campaign in which he criticized residents of Deuel County for thinking AI tech companies will hire rural South Dakotans to work in their “super sophisticated data centers,” claiming that they will instead hire liberals from California, New York City, and Oregon. He said “they ain’t hiring Toby Doeden to run an AI software company, I promise you that.” The speech claimed to be open for business but contradicts itself in its narrow view of developing industries. With a condescending tone that South Dakotans, and specifically rural residents, aren’t bright enough to compete with outside competitors in the developing tech industry. Erin Tobin weighed in on Facebook, saying, “That’s a pretty insulting thing to say to the bright young minds at Dakota State University.” Many of the comments online criticized Doeden, but he has no formal response or indication that South Dakota is able to support and staff data centers.

The comments from Doeden aren’t surprising, as they continue sentiments against institutions of higher education. Episode 8 of “Toby Doeden Unfiltered” describes his personal experience of enrolling at Minot State University and seeing it as a complete waste of time. He talked about the need to re-educate parents, guidance counselors, and administrators on pushing students to go to college. While some individuals are vastly successful without college degrees, this isn’t the norm. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the average college graduate with a bachelor’s degree makes 68 percent more per year than someone with a high school diploma. And those with bachelor’s degrees experience half the rate of unemployment.

Promoting trade and alternative tracks are important, but shouldn’t be prioritized over the success of four-year institutions. Especially in a time when rural healthcare needs grow and shortages continue. The projected shortage of registered nurses in 2030 is 14.0% and the demand for nurse practitioners is projected to grow more than 50% by 2032. Doeden has no plan to meet these shortages or incentivize systems to support rural healthcare. He has avoided all healthcare workforce specifics. This continues a trend of vague statements that fail to introduce a formal plan for new business recruitment, workforce retention, or educational improvements.

His education policy on his policy issues page consists only of preventing schools from using indoctrination tactics for gender and critical race theory, advocating for reading, writing, math, and critical thinking, but not having a single stance or plan to achieve these goals. His campaign lacks details with no substantive proposals to rebuild or fund education, instead offering slogans that are hollow and contradictory. He stated in his announcement speech: “I will work with President Trump and our Legislature… to develop and implement an education system that prepares our children for a future of winning.” Clearly, he doesn’t think a future of winning is possible for DSU students despite its 99% placement rate for graduates of the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences.

He highlights his entrepreneurial success as a qualification to improve state governance, but if he isn’t qualified to run a software company, why should voters trust him with the power to run the state?

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Sioux Falls resident Katherine Mickelson is a Junior at Baylor University, where she studies Political Science and is a student media fellow with the Network of Enlightened Women. 

(Editor’s note – Katherine’s grandfather & great-grandfather were trusted with the power to run the state. Both of them twice! – pp)