Time to fix our debt and the deficit 
by Spencer Wrightsman, Sioux Falls

The 2024 election season has come to an end, and we finally have a clear picture of the political landscape of the next two years. The Republican party was handed full control, albeit by a narrow margin, and South Dakota is in a seat of influence thanks to the nomination of Gov. Noem to the president’s cabinet and the appointment of Sen. Thune as Senate majority leader.

There is a long list of priorities in both the White House and the legislature, but what we need to be focused on is the status of our national debt and spending habits. This is a topic we heard discussed on the campaign trail, and a priority of President Trump – apparent by his creation of the Department of Government Efficiency which aims to cut $2 trillion out of our national spending. However, the approval of the budget and debt reduction falls squarely in the lap of Congress.

It is my hope that our legislators – Rep. Johnson and Senators Thune and Rounds – work to ensure the budget is squarely centered on the list of priorities. The longevity of this country and the day-to-day security of their constituents is reliant on it.

As it stands, the U.S. national debt has surpassed $35 trillion, with $18 trillion of that being added on in the past 15 years. While we did experience the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic during these times, $11 trillion of this borrowing was utilized for policies unrelated to those crises.

We stand at an impasse of fiscal action. If our elected officials don’t prioritize this crisis during this legislative cycle, get spending under control, and begin chipping away at the debt, then it is likely we will see the size of the debt eclipse the size of our annual economic output, which is nearly unheard of in the history of the country. In fact, debt held by the public is soon expected to exceed our country’s previous record of 106% of GDP which we reached immediately after WWII.

Today, our country’s payments on the debt are the third-largest line item in our budget, and the fastest-growing expenditure. The payments alone cost us $892 billion, singularly consuming more than 3% of our nation’s entire economic output. Every dollar we divert towards paying off the interest is a dollar not used in investing in children’s future. This year, these payments will cost more national defense, Medicare, or programs for children.

However, we are in a position to fix this problem before the crisis becomes too large to reverse – and South Dakotans are in a seat of influence for ensuring success. The national debt is a bipartisan issue which requires bipartisan solutions and collaboration. As citizens and voters, we must show support for those who are brave enough to stand up, cross the aisle and finally come to grips with the crisis and put us on a stringer, more sustainable fiscal path. Anything less will eventually lead to ruin.

Restoring American Values
By Rep. Dusty Johnson
December 13, 2024

BIG Update

A federal court recently ruled that Congress does have the authority to force a sale of TikTok from its current owner, ByteDance. A bill that was signed into law this year would do exactly that, or else TikTok would no longer be allowed to operate in America. TikTok is Chinese malware that is installed on more than 100 million American devices, giving China access to users’ passwords, internet history, voice, fingerprint, and facial data, and more.

This court ruling is a big win for Americans’ privacy and in combatting the Chinese Communist Party. ByteDance is now up against the clock to sell TikTok by January 19 to continue operating in America. Tick tock, TikTok.

BIG Idea

28% of Gen Z hold a favorable opinion of the term “communism” compared to just 6% for Boomers and 3% for the Silent Generation. 18% of Gen Z thinks communism is a fairer system than capitalism and deserves consideration in America. 19% of Gen Z believes that dictatorship is the best political system, compared to only three percent of the Silent Generation.

This is incredibly concerning. Communism, dictatorship, and totalitarianism are completely contrarian to America’s founding principles, values, and freedoms.

Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” Seeing these statistics, you can see how his statement is true. We must fight for freedom, democracy, and capitalism to ensure our kids will grow up in a safe and free America.

I recently voted to pass the Crucial Communism Teaching Act to educate high school students on the dangers of communism and totalitarianism and to help ensure the foundational values of our nation are not abandoned.

BIG News

Over the past four years, the Biden Administration has shifted the Department of Defense’s focus from military readiness to social agendas, like DEI, Critical Race Theory, abortion, and gender transition for minors. This politically ‘woke’ culture has infiltrated our military, but this year’s annual defense package puts an end to some of those policies, like paying for gender transition treatments for youth.

The annual defense bill includes a nearly 15% pay raise for junior enlisted service members, supports our B-21 bombers, and includes my provisions to hold China accountable for unfair shipping practices, and strengthens the Second Amendment.

Passing the annual defense package is critical to strengthening our military and giving the Department of Defense the resources they need to project a strong military abroad—and stay focused on lethality. Our service members deserve the investment this bill provides, and I was proud to vote yes.

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From Facebook:

Rounds Urges Ag Secretary to Avoid Reopening U.S.-Mexico Cattle Trade Due to Detected Disease

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack requesting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to thoroughly investigate the threat of the New World Screwworm (NWS) prior to reopening the U.S.-Mexico feeder cattle trade.

On November 24, 2024, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) decided to halt imports of livestock from Mexico after a detection of NWS in Chiapas, Mexico. This temporary action was taken to prevent further spread to U.S. markets. While NWS was believed to be eradicated from the United States in 1966, a single detection of the parasite within our borders could have significant consequences for U.S. cattle markets.

“To address current threats, I urge the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to proceed with real caution and to refrain from prematurely reopening the U.S.-Mexico feeder cattle trade,” Rounds wrote. “Prior to reopening this trade, USDA must thoroughly assess and address the concerns of the entire cattle industry. Additionally, animal health officials must effectively investigate the source of this spread.”

Read the full letter HERE or below.

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Dear Secretary Vilsack,

American ranchers produce the highest quality beef in the world. The high demand for American beef has allowed producers to consistently supply a safe product to consumers across the globe. Yet as you know, foreign disease threats to the beef supply are always prevalent. In the past month, a threat has emerged in the form of the New World Screwworm (NWS).

As you know, NWS has been a persistent issue in the western hemisphere for decades. While the United States worked to eradicate NWS in 1966, the parasite has remained present in certain parts of Central and South America. In partnership with Mexico, U.S. officials have been able to largely contain the parasite. Despite these efforts, NWS detections have occurred periodically. The parasite presents not only a serious threat to animal safety, but it also has the potential to disrupt U.S. cattle markets.

Following a recent detection of NWS in Chiapas, U.S. officials made the right choice to halt feeder cattle imports from Mexico on November 24, 2024. While this action is temporary, it has allowed animal health officials to implement necessary surveillance measures.

To address current threats, I urge the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to proceed with real caution and to refrain from prematurely reopening the U.S.-Mexico feeder cattle trade. Prior to reopening this trade, USDA must thoroughly assess and address the concerns of the entire cattle industry. Additionally, animal health officials must effectively investigate the source of this spread.

I also encourage APHIS to clearly outline the process for making these trade decisions.

Animal health officials should take all the necessary steps to protect American producers. Our ranchers consistently deal with a number of uncontrollable factors, including rising input costs and volatile markets. It would be irresponsible to subject our domestic cattle herd to further uncertainty.

Thank you for your consideration of these requests.

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Summit Carbon Solutions Secures Sequestration Permits from North Dakota Industrial Commission
Major Milestone in Advancing the Critical Infrastructure Project

Ames, Iowa [December 12, 2024] –Summit Carbon Solutions announced today that it has received three Class VI sequestration permits from the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC), marking a critical step forward in the Midwest Carbon Express project. These permits authorize the safe and permanent storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in North Dakota’s deep saline geologic formations, further establishing the state as a leader in carbon capture and storage (CCS) innovation.

“These sequestration permits are the result of years of rigorous scientific study, engineering design, and input from regulators, landowners, and local leaders,” said Wade Boeshans, Executive VP of Summit Carbon Solutions. “This milestone underscores North Dakota’s leadership in advancing CCS technology and highlights how infrastructure projects like ours can drive economic growth while enabling energy innovation. With these permits, we’re one step closer to providing vital infrastructure that benefits farmers, ethanol producers, and communities across the Midwest.”

The permits allow Summit Carbon Solutions to permanently store more than 350 million metric tons of CO₂ in geologic formations more than a mile underground. This process ensures long-term safety while decarbonizing 57 ethanol plants across five states. Combined with the project’s pipeline infrastructure, the sequestration sites in North Dakota will enable farmers and ethanol producers to access new markets for low-carbon fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and green fuels, while supporting the broader goals of energy and economic sustainability.

With today’s approval of both the sequestration permits and the Minnesota pipeline permit, along with recent major milestones including the North Dakota pipeline permit and the Iowa permit, Summit Carbon Solutions is making significant progress toward project completion. With the South Dakota PUC application also submitted, Summit Carbon Solutions is on track to begin construction in early 2026 and operations in 2027.

About Summit Carbon Solutions: 

Summit Carbon Solutions is driving the future of agriculture by expanding economic opportunities for ethanol producers, strengthening the marketplace for Midwest-based farmers, and creating jobs. In developing the largest carbon capture and storage project in the world, the company seeks to connect industrial facilities via strategic infrastructure to store carbon dioxide safely and permanently in the Midwest United States. For more information, visit www.SummitCarbonSolutions.com.

Attorney General Jackley Applauds State Supreme Court Decision On Victims’ Rights Case

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley calls today’s South Dakota Supreme Court decision reversing a circuit court decision that ordered a victim to turn over any mental health treatment records a victory for victims’ rights.

“Victims of crime have rights in South Dakota, and this Supreme Court decision reaffirms those rights,” said Attorney General Jackley. “As Attorney General, I will continue to serve as a strong voice to protect victims in South Dakota.”

A Brule County grand jury returned an indictment in February 2022 charging Nathan Antuna with third-degree rape, which was alleged to have occurred in August 2016. Antuna sought a court order requesting the State obtain information related to any mental health treatment records of the victim and issued a subpoena to the victim requesting any such records.

The State moved to quash the request. The Circuit Court judge hearing the case ordered the State to ask the victim whether she had received any mental health treatment and then provide to the court any such records that might exist. The State then appealed to the State Supreme Court.

In its unanimous ruling, the State Supreme Court said the State’s responsibility to disclose certain types of materials within the possession, custody, or control of the prosecution does not require prosecutors to investigate defense theories. The Supreme Court said the circuit court should have applied the three-factor test used to evaluate the propriety of subpoenas issued to victims. The Court said the defendant’s subpoena fell “patently short of the mark” of the requirements of the test, noting that the defendant did not even know if the victim ever received counseling treatment as a result of the rape.

The State’s Appeal was briefed by the Attorney General’s Office.

The Court’s decision can be read here:

Summit Carbon Solutions Receives Pipeline Permit from Minnesota PUC 
Milestone Achieved for 28-Mile Route in Otter Tail and Wilkin Counties

Ames, Iowa [December 12, 2024] – Summit Carbon Solutions is pleased to announce that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has granted a permit for the company’s 28-mile pipeline route through Otter Tail and Wilkin Counties. This milestone follows an extensive review process, including a detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which confirmed the project would have minimal negative impacts.

“We thank the Minnesota PUC for their thorough and diligent review of our project,” said Lee Blank, CEO of Summit Carbon Solutions. “This decision underscores the importance of balancing economic opportunities for local communities with environmental stewardship. We remain committed to working collaboratively with landowners and stakeholders to ensure the successful and responsible development of this project.”

The approved pipeline segment is part of Summit Carbon Solutions’ effort to help ethanol producers lower their carbon intensity and access new markets, like sustainable aviation fuel. The project provides much-needed support to farmers while strengthening rural economies and ensuring agriculture’s long-term success in Minnesota and the Midwest. 

This decision by the Minnesota PUC follows the approval of Summit Carbon Solutions’ pipeline permits in Iowa and North Dakota, and refiled its South Dakota permit application, marking significant progress for the multi-state project.

About Summit Carbon Solutions: 

Summit Carbon Solutions is driving the future of agriculture by expanding economic opportunities for ethanol producers, strengthening the marketplace for Midwest-based farmers, and creating jobs. In developing the largest carbon capture and storage project in the world, the company seeks to connect industrial facilities via strategic infrastructure to store carbon dioxide safely and permanently in the Midwest United States. For more information, visit www.SummitCarbonSolutions.com.

Dusty Johnson Votes to End Woke Policies, Strengthen Military, Get Tough on China

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House passed the annual defense package, which included two provisions led by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.). The bill provides a substantial pay raise to troops, ends politically woke policies, strengthens America’s military, and gets tough on China. Johnson voted to pass the bill.

“Politically ‘woke’ culture has infiltrated our military, but this bill puts an end to some of those policies like paying for gender transition treatments for youth,” said Johnson. “I’m glad my provisions to hold China accountable, support our B-21 bombers, and strengthen the Second Amendment were included. Passing the annual defense package is critical to strengthening our military and giving the Department of Defense the resources they need to project a strong military abroad—and stay focused on lethality. Our servicemembers deserve the investment this bill provides.”

The defense package restores the focus of our military on lethality by banning the Department of Defense from providing gender transition treatments for minors and promoting Critical Race Theory in the military and in classrooms. The bill also prohibits the DoD from instituting a Military Green New Deal, which would force servicemembers and employees to use electric vehicles for official travel and would give preference to weapons with lower climate impacts.

The bill includes Johnson’s provision to hold China accountable for their unfair shipping practices. The Shanghai Shipping Exchange has been using anti-competitive market practices to benefit China’s economy, instead of employing fairness in the global shipping market.

It also includes a provision championed by Johnson to modernize Proof of Delivery (POD) notifications for certain firearm transfers. Over the past year, the U.S. Postal Service has caused delays confirming the necessary POD for these transfers. Johnson worked on a provision to allow electronic notifications as an alternative, and quicker, confirmation process for law enforcement officers who chose that method.

This year marks the 64th consecutive year of passing the National Defense Authorization Act.

The Fiscal Year 2025 annual defense package will:

• Provide over $2 billion for B-21 procurement and $282 million for B-21 construction projects to prepare Ellsworth for the Raider’s arrival.
• Secure $177 million for Ellsworth Air Force Base projects.
• Boost pay by nearly 15% for junior enlisted service members.
• Fully support the deployment of National Guard at the southwest border.
• Prevent Chinese espionage in our military, supply chains, and research institutions.
• Protect our ally in the Middle East, Israel.
• Help bolster Taiwan’s defense and support Indo-Pacific allies.
• Save $31 billion by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons, and bloated Pentagon bureaucracy.
• Cut $4 billion in programs that do not meet requirements.
• Require promotions to be based on merit.
• Prohibit contracting with advertising firms that blacklist conservative news sources.
• Permanently ban transgender medical treatment for minors.

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Thune: Long-Awaited NDAA Will Strengthen Ellsworth Air Force Base

“I can promise that next year, national security will be a priority in the Senate. We will work to make sure that the military has everything it needs to project American strength and to keep the peace.”

Click here or on the picture above to watch the video.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor about the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), legislation that would bolster American national security by making much-needed investments in the military. Thune noted that this year’s NDAA includes critical resources for South Dakota’s Ellsworth Air Force Base and fully funds the B-21 mission at Ellsworth.

 

It has been something that has been started and stopped and started, and too much time has gone by, so it has been abandoned and retooled. And once again, started and stopped.

But this week I put my foot down and managed to cobble together a podcast from material I recorded last week (after which I stopped because I got sidetracked), plus new material I added today and edited on the fly.

But Episode 1 of the official SDWC podcast – the South Dakota Political Show – is up, and on-line for your listening and critique through Acast, and Apple Podcasts.

I can guarantee you the format will change and evolve, but I wanted to get *something* up and running as I’ve tried to put it together for years with false starts, because I have my fingers in a few different pies. Plus a day job, plus kids and all the other things I try to get done.

I’ve also wavered on whether I should do video, (vodcast) or just an old school audio podcast, or a combination of them both. It doesn’t help that I’m terribly rusty on radio, and I’m kind of prickly on the quality and the “feel” of the show. I know exactly how I want it to sound. And that’s a lot of excuses.

I just needed to sit down and do it. So here’s episode 1. It’s always been important to me not to just be part of the pack and do what everyone else does, so this will evolve as my comfort level with the format grows.

Expect change, and it will get better, because I’m not sure it can get worse – but it’s a start.