US Senator John Thune’s Weekly Column: Ellsworth’s Expanded Role in America’s National Security

@SoDakCampaigns

thuneheadernew John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressEllsworth’s Expanded Role in America’s National Security
By Sen. John Thune

This year, Ellsworth Air Force Base, located just outside Rapid City, has seen its role in our national security increase dramatically. Early this spring, the Air Force signed off on the completion of an eight-year project to expand the Powder River Training Complex, or PRTC, the airspace in which our B-1B bombers train. Until the expansion, this airspace was only big enough to permit one B-1B bomber to train at a time, which meant that our aircrews had to commute to other airspace to meet their training needs.

With this expansion, the PRTC has quadrupled in size, making it roughly the size of Indiana and spread over four states, including South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. Eighty-five percent of our aircrews’ training needs can now be met here in South Dakota, with live-fire exercises taking place elsewhere. This will potentially save Ellsworth $23 million per year and allows our state to host missions from across the country as aircraft come here to utilize this national resource.

This week, we also saw another milestone in the notable history of Ellsworth Air Force Base, as the command structure for the B-1B bombers moved from Air Combat Command to Global Strike Command. This means that all of our nations’ bombers, the B-1B, the B-2, and the B-52, will now be under the same command.

The B-1B remains a legacy mission for the Air Force, and the aircraft modernization the fleet is undergoing means the B-1B will continue to be the work horse of our Air Force for years to come. However, as we look to the future, the United States will eventually need a new, highly advanced, long-range bomber to meet our security needs.

The contract for this new bomber, known as the Long Range Strike-Bomber, or LRS-B, should be announced by years’ end, with the new aircraft coming online in the mid-2020s. When that happens, the LRS-B will gradually replace the B-1B and the B-52 bombers. By moving Ellsworth to Global Strike Command, the Air Force is anticipating that transition. Ellsworth’s command structure is now in a place where it can smoothly receive the new bombers once they come online.

According to General Richard Clark, commander of the 8th Air Force, the transition to the new command will be seamless for the men and women stationed at Ellsworth. “They will wear a different patch,” Gen. Clark said recently, “but aside from that it won’t be a significant change.” He went on to say, “in general this is a really great move for the Air Force.”

With the expansion of the Powder River Training Complex and the transition to Global Strike Command, the key role Ellsworth plays in our national defense has been solidified for years to come.

###

US Senator Mike Rounds’ Weekly Column: Staying Safe Online

@SoDakCampaigns

RoundsPressHeader MikeRounds official SenateStaying Safe Online
By Senator Mike Rounds
Oct. 2, 2015

The internet has become such an integral part of our daily lives that most of us take it for granted. It is where we go to read the news, pay our bills, socialize with others, do our shopping and conduct important business. Over the last 15 years, the number of internet users has risen across the world from about 360 million to more than 3 billion.

While the World Wide Web has helped us stay connected with loved ones and become more efficient in our daily lives, we must be mindful of hackers and cyber threats that wish to do us harm. To highlight the risks that can occur if we are not safe with our online information, the Department of Homeland Security has dubbed October Cyber Security Awareness Month.

With all of the information we put on the internet – credit card information, bank account numbers, passwords and social security numbers – it is more important than ever to protect ourselves from attacks. Failing to do so can result in stolen identities, drained checking accounts, fraudulent credit card charges, unwanted solicitation and worse. As we have seen from the recent Office of Personnel Management data breach, which compromised 22 million federal employees’ private information, not even the federal government is safe from a cyber-attack.

While nothing is foolproof, there are things you can do to safeguard your online identity. First, make sure to always set strong passwords and change them frequently on all of your online accounts. Make certain you have antivirus software installed on your computer and install security updates every time your computer prompts you to do so. You should also be cautious when opening e-mails and e-mail attachments from unknown sources. If the address and subject line look suspicious, it could very well be a legitimate threat.

In Washington, D.C., cyber security policy has become a major topic of conversation in recent months because of the wide-ranging effects an attack could have on our nation. Some of our country’s top cyber security leaders, including Admiral Michael S. Rogers, Commander of the U.S. Cyber Command and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, recently spoke to the Senate Armed Services Committee to discuss our military strategy in cyberspace and ongoing cyber threats to U.S. national and economic security. They reinforced the importance of being prepared for any kind of attack on our cyber networks. The Senate is expected to consider the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) sometime this fall. I welcome this debate and look forward to discussing ways to enhance our nation’s cyber security.

In South Dakota, we are doing our part to keep Americans safe from online threats by training students in cyber security. Dakota State University in Madison, which offers a doctoral degree in cyber security, is one of the National Security Agency’s National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. The demand for highly-trained cyber security experts continues to grow, and Dakota State University is making sure South Dakota students are equipped and trained to fill those jobs. I’m proud that Dakota State University has become a nationally recognized leader in this important field and I look forward to watching their progress.

Cyber Security Awareness Month is an opportunity for all individuals, businesses and organizations to reflect on their efforts to protect themselves from cyber threats. During the month of October, I encourage all South Dakotans to make sure they are taking the steps necessary to keep themselves safe online.

###

Congresswoman Kristi Noem’s Weekly Column: Double-Digit Disaster

@SoDakCampaigns

noem press header kristi noem headshot May 21 2014Double-Digit Disaster
By Rep. Kristi Noem
October 2, 2015

Nearly one in three health insurance plans sold nationwide on HealthCare.gov next year will see double-digit rate increases.  In South Dakota, those kinds of increases are expected for 100 percent of the plans, according to an analysis done by Agile Health Insurance this September.  The President’s health care law fundamentally failed to drive down the cost of health care in this country and now hardworking families are left to foot an ever-increasing bill.

Congressional Republicans have tried many different approaches to repeal the President’s bill in full and even in part.  We’ve been successful in getting portions of the bill repealed nearly a dozen times, which has already saved billions of dollars.  But more must be done.

This September, I helped the House Ways and Means Committee advance legislation that aims to repeal five core elements of the President’s health care law: the individual mandate, the employer mandate, the Independent Payment Advisory Board (or IPAB), the medical device tax, and the “Cadillac tax.”  This legislation uses a tool called “budget reconciliation” to help protect the language from being stopped by Democrats in the Senate.

In the Senate, almost every bill requires at least three votes: one to start debate, one to end debate, and a final vote on passage.  The first two votes require a 60-vote majority before the legislation can move forward.  Since there are just 54 Republicans in the Senate, most bills require the support of at least six Democrats, making any legislation very difficult to move forward – especially bills that would repeal parts of the President’s signature health care law.

Because of Senate rules, however, reconciliation bills bypass the 60-vote threshold and can pass with just a simple majority – or 51 votes.

There are limits with this approach, however.  For instance, this tactic can only be used once a year, every provision within the bill must directly impact revenue, and it must produce an overall cost savings.  You might remember that Senate Democrats used this same tactic in 2010 to pass a portion of Obamacare. But just as the President’s health care law couldn’t be passed in full through budget reconciliation, it also can’t be completely repealed through budget reconciliation alone.  Nonetheless, reconciliation is the best tool we have to get repeals to the President’s desk that offer meaningful relief to families struggling under Obamacare.

If we are able to tear down the most harmful portions of the President’s health care law, we could stop the entire program in its tracks, which would give us the ability to replace it with a more affordable, patient-centered system.

That replacement system would allow people to buy insurance across state lines.  It would provide tax incentives to help families pay for a health insurance plan that worked for them.  It would reform medical malpractice laws while continuing to safeguard individuals with pre-existing conditions.

A better system that isn’t accompanied by double-digit cost increases is possible.  We just need the chance to implement it and our budget reconciliation language moves us in the right direction.

###

Governor Daugaard’s Weekly Column: Remembering Walt

@SoDakCampaigns

daugaardheader daugaard2Remembering Walt
A column by Gov. Dennis Daugaard:

Last Monday, South Dakota lost a statesman and we also lost a friend.

Walter Dale Miller was tall, quiet and unassuming. He was born on his family’s ranch near New Underwood and he spent his life on that ranch. Walt spent years on the local school board, and was elected to the State House in 1966. That was the first of ten times that his friends and neighbors chose him to be their representative in Pierre.

In Pierre, Walt quickly emerged as a leader, and he became one of our state’s legendary legislators. He didn’t give a lot of speeches or sponsor dozens of bills. He chose his words carefully. But when he did speak, people listened, and they followed his lead. Walt was the only person in the history of South Dakota to serve as speaker, speaker pro tempore, majority leader, assistant leader and majority whip. That’s the kind of respect his peers had for him.

In 1986, George S. Mickelson was looking for a partner to join his ticket, and he looked to Walt. George had served in the State House with Walt and knew that Walt was steady, capable and respected. George invited Walt to be the first full-time lieutenant governor. Walt wasn’t flashy and he didn’t seek attention, but during his time in the Mickelson Administration he was an important partner to Gov. Mickelson.

Then came the tragedy of April 19, 1993, when Gov. Mickelson and seven others died in the crash of the state plane. For the first time in South Dakota, a lieutenant governor succeeded a governor who had died in office. And for the first time, we had a full-time lieutenant governor to step in. Many South Dakotans remember being reassured by Gov. Miller’s calm, steady leadership during that tragic time.

In the days that followed, Gov. Miller was challenged again and again. The river flooding of 1993 was among the worst in state history, and he led response efforts. A penitentiary riot ended without bloodshed thanks to Gov. Miller’s restraint and leadership. A court ruling that suspended video lottery required Gov. Miller to impose deep mid-year cuts to keep the state solvent.

When Walt ran for his own term in 1994, his campaign slogan was “Cool in a Crisis.” It was the perfect slogan to describe a man who was perfectly suited to lead South Dakota during a very difficult time.

The State Capitol memorial service on October 5th coincides with Walter Dale Miller’s ninetieth birthday. That day is a time for all South Dakotans to say “thanks,” one last time, to the quiet, west river cowboy who stepped up when South Dakota needed him.

-30-

Down the Road to the Lincoln County Lincoln/Reagan Denim and Diamonds Dinner

@SoDakCampaigns

patnsydI was planning on making a jaunt to USD today to see my daughter in the parade. Until she said something about parents not coming.

Somehow, I think it was her intention to have fun as a 21 year old. Given her participation in Strollers, I think that might be a mandate.

About that time, it so happened that a friend asked me if I could go to tonight’s Lincoln County Lincoln/Reagan Denim and Diamonds Dinner in his stead. So, what’s a Republican to do? I packed up my daughter who happens to be the State Vice Chair of the Teenage Republicans, and we hit the road!

Here’s rare visual proof that I’m not driving like a bat out of hades down the Interstate and blogging over my phone. I left that to my #4, keeping both eyes, and at least one hand on the wheel at all times.

I arrived, and like most dinners,  it’s old home week.

DSC_4830

Here, Jason Ravnsborg and Jim Bolin enjoy each other’s company at a table.

DSC_4828

State Senator Ernie Otten tells the tables where to start the procession to the chow line. I’m not sure why, but I ended up being last.

shantel

Secretary of State Shantel Krebs and Senator Phyllis Heinemann chat for a moment by the Water Cooler.

DSC_4833

Chris Nelson and Marty Jackley help to honor Representative Arch Beal for his service to the Lincoln Co GOP.

DSC_4836

Ryan Brunner gives an update on the Office of School & Lands…. and then keeps going back to watch the SDSU/NDSU game for some reason . 🙂

DSC_4840

Mark Mickelson stands up to see who is bidding so darned high on that limited edition Reagan print.

DSC_4837

Senator/Auctioneer David Omdahl is calling out the bids, and helping to raise money for the cause.

IMG_2051

Senator Phyllis Heinemann and newly minted State Senator Bill Shorma watch the program.

DSC_4843

Lincoln County GOP Chair Betty Otten gives an emotional farewell to the crowd.

IMG_2058

And Argus Leader Political Reporter Dana Ferguson gets to experience her first South Dakota Lincoln Day Dinner. We’ll see if she’s still enthused after another 20-30 chicken dinners.

(Although, Trust me – there’s a county up north that serves home-cooked prime rib that can’t be beat!)

Will the modern SDDP accept Stephanie Herseth Sandlin as a candidate? Maybe. But I doubt it.

@SoDakCampaigns

Kevin Woster is over on his KELO blog opining this afternoon that, on the basis of a discussion with one Democrat who fought against her previously, that all her moderate stances and blue-dogging will be forgiven by state Democrats if she decides to run for Governor:

The Democrats who abandoned Stephanie Herseth Sandlin during her 2010 reelection run for the U.S. House are ready to support her, probably with some vigor, if she runs for governor in 2018.

I talked to one this morning, a long-time, hard-line, difficult-to-please Democrat who turned away from Herseth Sandlin in a big way in 2010 because “I couldn’t tell the difference between her and John Boehner.”

and…

I asked the obvious: “Will the money be there, too?”

Yes. Yes, it will be.

Several Democrats who have been sailing along on the SHS Disaffected say they will come to political port if she runs. They like her chances, a lot, in a head-to-head against Kristi Noem for the governor’s chair.

Read it all here.

Kevin may get that from one Democrat, but I don’t believe it can be applied across the board.  State Democrats have purged moderates from their midst. So, there’s little chance they’re going to ask them to come back.

Remember when they went after Jim Abbot as a Democrat in Name only?  That was only the beginning. They moved hard against Herseth in 2010 with a Kevin Weiland as a protest candidate who almost jumped in (and it helped to set up Herseth Sandlin’s) fall from grace.

Most recently is the end run the Daschle/Weiland people made around Herseth Sandlin. They had a very competitive challenger who could have gotten into the US Senate race against Mike Rounds.  And they sunk her. They absolutely sabotaged her by getting into the race. And she walked away.

Each of these incidents is evidence that more and more, year by year, the hard-left liberal wing has taken over more and more of the state Democratic party.  You have long time Democrats such as Ryan Maher, Eldon Nygaard, and most recently Dale Hargens who felt they had no place, and that they were better off leaving as their party moved farther and farther to the left.

Not to mention the fact that there has also been a corresponding dwindling of the number of Democrat elected officials, candidates, and voters.

Are there a few old timers who might welcome the Herseth name back on the ballot? Sure. There are always a few. But by and large, its doubtful that the support will be there from the liberal faction that has taken over the state Democratic party.

Their sole quest is for ideological purity. And to drive their party into the ground.

After the memorial service on Monday, Please join the procession to Rapid City for Governor Walter Dale Miller.

@SoDakCampaigns

wdmI just had a note from the family of Walter Dale Miller.

As you know by now, the former Governor will be lying in State in the State Capitol on Monday. Governor Dennis Daugaard notes in his column this week “The State Capitol memorial service on October 5th coincides with Walter Dale Miller’s ninetieth birthday. That day is a time for all South Dakotans to say “thanks.”

Public viewing will be allowed from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. CDT on Monday, Oct. 5, as former Gov. Walter Dale Miller lies in state at the South Dakota Capitol. Those wishing to pay their respects may enter the Capitol Building via the north doors (parking lot side).

The ceremony will conclude with members of the Highway Patrol carrying the casket down the front steps of the Capitol. As the procession exits the Capitol, there will be a 21-gun salute and taps.

Former Gov. Miller’s funeral service has been set for Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m. MDT at the Calvary Lutheran Church, 5311 Sheridan Lake Rd., Rapid City.  Burial will follow at Viewfield Cemetery, near Miller’s Meade County ranch.

A memorial ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda is scheduled for 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Pat Miller, and the rest of the extended Miller family will be gathering after the events of the day in front of the Capitol Building Monday, at 5pm.  Family and friends and others who want to honor the Governor are invited to travel in a group from the South Dakota State Capitol to follow Governor Miller to Rapid City. 

The family would like to invite anybody interested to caravan with them to Rapid City that evening.

If going to Rapid City is not possible-anyone and everyone is welcome to follow them out of the Pierre/Ft.Pierre area for as long as they please.

Also, they tell me Walt always took Highway 14, so they will be taking this route to Rapid City. It is also an opportunity for those communities along the way to have a chance to pay their respects.

They asked me to help get the word out, so be sure to pass this message on. Post it on Facebook, twitter, and everywhere you can to spread the word.

Obama EPA’s Smog Overreach Bad for Business, Workers

@SoDakCampaigns

thuneheadernew John_Thune,_official_portrait,_111th_CongressObama EPA’s Smog Overreach Bad for Business, Workers

Most Expensive EPA Regulation in U.S. History

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today denounced the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) release of a final rule to lower the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone, or smog. The new standard would be set at an unprecedented 70 parts-per-billion (ppb), down from the 75 ppb standard set in 2008, and is projected to increase energy prices, curb job growth, and hinder economic development.

“Time and time again, this administration has shown complete disregard for American workers and their families. The stricter smog standard – previously estimated to be the most expensive EPA regulation in history – will have widespread implications, raising energy prices and stunting economic growth and opportunity across the country.” said Thune. “At a time when our economy needs relief from regulatory overreach, the Obama EPA has once again dealt a devastating blow to job creators and hard-working Americans.”

Counties that exceed the ground-level ozone standard are considered non-attainment areas and will be subjected to stiff federal penalties, increased business costs, restrictions on infrastructure investment, and lost highway dollars. Areas in marginal attainment will face steep challenges in attracting new economic development.

On March 17, 2015, Thune and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced the bipartisan Clean Air, Strong Economies (CASE) Act (S. 751), which would stem the economic harm from a lower ozone standard by requiring the EPA to focus on the worst areas for air quality before lowering the ground-level ozone standard. Thune and Manchin’s bill would also require the EPA to consider the costs and feasibility of the lower standard, which the EPA currently does not consider. Finally, the bill would prohibit the EPA from using unreliable modeling to expand non-attainment areas to many rural counties that otherwise would not be impacted by the expensive regulation.

In 2008, the permitted level of ground-level ozone or smog was lowered from 84 ppb to the current 75 ppb. Currently, 227 counties in 27 states are considered in non-attainment with the 75 ppb standard. The CASE Act would require 85 percent of areas currently not meeting the 75 ppb standard to meet compliance before the EPA could lower it further.

###

Noem, Matsui, Frankel, Brooks Lead House Women in Commemorating 25th Anniversary of NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health

@SoDakCampaigns

noem press header kristi noem headshot May 21 2014Noem, Matsui, Frankel, Brooks Lead House Women in Commemorating 25th Anniversary of NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswomen Kristi Noem (R-SD), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Susan Brooks (R-IN) along with 78 other female members of the House today introduced a bipartisan resolution to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Research on Women’s Health.  Noem and Matsui serve as Co-Chairs of the Bipartisan Congressional Women’s Caucus. Frankel and Brooks serve as the Caucus’ Vice Co-Chairs.

“Introducing gender-specific medical research may be one of the most meaningful advancements we’ve made in women’s health in my lifetime,” said Noem. “As a result of the research, we’ve taken tremendous steps toward finding a cure for breast and cervical cancers, we’ve learned more about how medications work in women, and we’ve saved women’s lives.  I am pleased to join my female colleagues on both sides of the aisle in celebrating this important anniversary.”

“Today, disparities between males and females in clinical research is becoming a thing of the past, thanks in large part to the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health,” said Matsui.  “Women must be included in scientific studies in order to advance cures and treatments for diseases that impact women or impact them differently. Our population is aging and women are living longer, which means a higher likelihood of diseases linked to aging such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and chronic conditions.  Including women in research within these areas is critical.  We are celebrating this anniversary today to both recognize the important achievements we’ve made these past 25 years and to reflect on the work that still needs to be done.”

“So many lives have been saved in the 25 years since this office was established, including the women who are spared the diagnosis of breast cancer, the children of HIV-positive mothers who are born healthy, and the mothers and daughters who are protected from HPV and cervical cancer,” Frankel said. “This anniversary is a celebration of life, and we look forward to many more decades of groundbreaking, lifesaving research.”

“Twenty-five years ago, clinical trials and research were often conducted without female participants. Now, not only are women present in clinical trials, but gender-specific research is regularly conducted to learn more about the full spectrum of women’s health,” Brooks said. “I am very pleased to join female colleagues in celebrating this important milestone.”

The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) has made significant progress in developing and implementing policies to ensure the inclusion of women in NIH clinical research. The Office’s research efforts benefit all individuals with diseases and disorders studied by researchers, including men, women, older and younger adults, children and minority populations. ORWH-supported research has dramatically increased understanding of the importance of gender-specific research and has spurred policy change and programs focused on the health of girls, women and their families.

Today, more than half of participants in NIH-funded clinical trials are women. The ORWH now works in partnership with NIH’s 27 Institutes and Centers to ensure that women’s health research continues to be a part of the scientific framework at NIH and throughout the scientific community.

The language, which was introduced by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME), passed in the Senate earlier this year.

###