Noem Meets with President Trump, Vice President Pence in White House to Discuss Regulatory Reform 

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem yesterday met with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and six other governors at the White House to highlight South Dakota’s deregulatory accomplishments and discuss further work to scale back regulations at the federal and state levels.

Noem, Vice President Pence, and President Trump discuss regulatory reform at the White House on December 16.

“I appreciate the President’s commitment to streamlining occupational licensing and reciprocity,” said Noem. “I’m committed to putting people over paperwork and eliminating unnecessary regulations in South Dakota.”

This year, Noem signed HB1111 into law, which eases the professional licensing process for the spouses of military members assigned to Ellsworth Air Force base or other locations in South Dakota.

“More than 20 percent of military spouses cited state licensing regulations as one of their greatest challenges,” said Noem. “The law we enacted this year changed that reality for South Dakota’s military families, fast-tracking military spouses through the licensing process and expanding the experienced talent pool of South Dakota’s workforce.”

South Dakota is the second least-regulated state in the nation, with only 44,000 regulatory restrictions.

###

Rounds Names Valley Queen Cheese Factory of Milbank as Senate Small Business of the Week

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today named Valley Queen Cheese Factory of Milbank as the Senate Small Business Committee’s “Small Business of the Week.” Rounds was invited by Small Business Committee Chairman Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to select a South Dakota small business to be highlighted by the committee. Valley Queen Cheese was founded in 1929, and remains a family-run operation. It is the largest cheese plant in our state and the largest employer in Milbank.

“South Dakota is fortunate to have many thriving small businesses,” said Rounds. “It’s my honor to name Valley Queen Cheese in Milbank as the Small Business the Week. Valley Queen has been a family-run operation for four generations, and currently employs 300 individuals. It gives back to the community through its charitable foundation, which has awarded more than $300,000 in college scholarships to local students. I thank the Nef and Gonzenbach families who started and continue to run Valley Queen Cheese for the great work they do for South Dakota.”

Today, Rounds submitted the following excerpt into the Congressional Record in honor of Valley Queen Cheese Factory:

Mr. Rounds. Mr. President, today, it is my pleasure to name Valley Queen Cheese Factory of Milbank, South Dakota, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. Valley Queen Cheese is a prime example of the important role small businesses play in their local economies and communities. 

In 1929, Alfred Nef and Alfred Gonzenbach decided Milbank, South Dakota, was the perfect home for their business and founded Valley Queen Cheese. Four generations later, Valley Queen remains a family-run operation and is still owned by the Nef and Gonzenbach families. Today, it operates less than 1/2 mile from the original location. It is a recognized leader in the South Dakota business community and the greater dairy industry. Since 2017, Doug Wilke has served as CEO of Valley Queen. With guidance from the board of directors, he currently oversees the largest cheese plant in South Dakota and the largest employer in Milbank.

More than 90 percent of all milk Valley Queen uses comes from South Dakota cows, and they make a conscious effort to continue South Dakota’s leadership in this important industry. Thanks to a recent expansion, Valley Queen now has the capacity to produce 200 million pounds of cheese from 2 billion pounds of milk each year. Their cheese can be found in most local grocery stores, as it is sold to some of the best-known food brands in the world. To meet the growing demand, Valley Queen recently invested in a business expansion project that increased the factory’s output by twenty-five percent.

Valley Queen is an active leader in the Milbank community where it has grown to employ 300 people. In 2017, the Valley Queen Charitable Foundation was established to advance positive change by supporting local organizations and initiatives. In its first three years as a non-profit, the foundation has contributed more than $900,000 to local charities that have a community, educational or humanitarian focus. Since 1990, Valley Queen has awarded high school and college students over $300,000 in scholarships. In addition to the business’s own philanthropy, Valley Queen makes an annual contribution to the Milbank Community Foundation, which seeks to improve the quality of life of residents in the community.

Valley Queen has been recognized for their continuous improvement and exceptional process control through several awards. Earlier this year, Valley Queen won two awards and received near-perfect marks at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest for their reduced fat cheddar and Monterey Jack jalapeno cheeses. Valley Queen’s sustained efforts toward improved research and development does not go unnoticed by the industry.

Valley Queen is an excellent example of how small businesses fit the shared values and ideals of their community and give back in a multitude of ways. I am proud to highlight Valley Queen and its team for their integral social and economic contributions to South Dakota. Although many years removed from being a start-up company, Valley Queen remains committed to the legacy of its founders. Furthermore, Milbank South Dakota continues to serve as the perfect home for this thriving business. Congratulations again to the entire team at Valley Queen Cheese Factory for being named Senate Small Business of the Week.

 

###

NDAA Passes Senate with Rounds Support, Includes a Number of South Dakota Priorities
Annual defense bill now heads to the president’s desk for signature

WASHINGTON– U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued the following statement on the Senate’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020. It now heads to the president’s desk for signature.

“Providing our troops with the tools they need to complete their missions fulfills one of our most fundamental duties: to provide for our national defense,” said Rounds. “This year’s NDAA continues to rebuild our military, gives our service members additional resources to meet new challenges and takes care of military families. I look forward to the president signing it into law.”

“Mike has been an important voice on the Armed Services Committee and throughout negotiations on the final Defense Authorization Act,” said Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe. “As chairman of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee, he spearheaded numerous provisions in this year’s bill that will protect our networks from our adversaries and expand our cyber capabilities to maintain our technological edge. I thank him for his leadership on these and other critical defense issues.”

Bill Highlights:

• Implements the National Defense Strategy, which provides clear direction for restoring our military’s competitive edge in an era of re-emerging, long-term power competition.
• Authorizes a 3.1 percent pay raise for our troops, the largest in a decade.
• Authorizes full funding for the B-21 Raider bombers, to be stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
• Creates a Space Force as a sixth branch, under the Air Force, devoted to military operations in space.
• Provides additional resources to research and begin cleanup of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.

o   PFAS substances have emerged as a widespread contaminant to the drinking water sources of communities across the country, as well as military installations, largely due to their use in firefighting foam used by the Department of Defense.

Rounds Major Provisions Included:

• Cybersecurity of the Defense Industrial Base – Requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to create a framework for the cybersecurity of the defense industrial base, particularly with regard to the myriad subcontractors who demonstrate tremendous cyber vulnerabilities. This results from a major cyber breach of a Navy contractor resulting in serious theft of information.
• Readiness of the DOD Cyber Force to Accomplish its Mission – Requires DOD to develop readiness metrics for the cyber force and, based upon these metrics, brief the armed services committees on a quarterly basis.
• Establishment of a Cyber Consortia for Centers of Academic Excellence like Dakota State University (DSU) in Madison – Requires the DOD to establish a university consortia to advise and assist DOD on cybersecurity. It would provide a single portal for DOD to access the expertise of universities designated as National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Centers of Academic Excellence, such as DSU.
• Establishment of Principal Cyber Advisors Within Each Branch – Creates a “Principal Cyber Advisor” position within each of the services to act as a single point of responsibility for cybersecurity. The goal is to bridge the gaps, seams and fragmentation within the services’ cyber postures.
• Innovation Pilots – Requires a pilot program to produce dual-use startups in defense technology that would attract funding from the public and private sector to include venture capital firms in the United States.
• Streamline Defense Acquisition Milestone Decision Process – Establishes a pilot program to improve DOD’s acquisition milestone decision process.
• Better Tracking of Troop Deployment Rates – Directs senior military leaders to establish and maintain “specific and measurable deployment thresholds” to help control the amount of time that troops are away from home.

###

Thune Statement on Senate Passage of the National Defense Authorization Act

“Support for our national defense is essential and should never be subjected to partisan posturing.” 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), today issued the following statement after the Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

“The NDAA is a positive step toward ensuring our troops are able to continue the important work of protecting Americans at home and abroad. Support for our national defense is essential and should never be subjected to partisan posturing. I am pleased Congress has been able to come to a consensus on this important legislation — legislation that also delivers the largest pay raise for our military in a decade and authorizes a significant down payment for the B-21 bomber, which will soon be based at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. In today’s global atmosphere, we must ensure America’s military stands strong. With the passage of the NDAA, Congress delivers on fulfilling that fundamental responsibility.”

###

Governor Kristi Noem isn’t mincing any words in her latest on-line fundraising e-mail to supporters, which just went out this morning:

“They are at it again. The liberal media is attacking me. They are attacking my family.

But what else do you expect when we start to make some progress?

When I campaigned last year, I promised to be a different kind of governor. At campaign stop after campaign stop, I told South Dakotans that if they wanted a governor to take on big fights and go for big wins, I was the candidate for them. Now we’re nearly a year into it and the media is starting to turn on us. Not a surprise. They always do.”

Noem addresses the state’s meth epidemic in the letter and her campaign to stop the toll in human suffering it takes on our state, specifically taking aim at her critics and their allies in the media, asking supporters to donate to her campaign to help her respond:

The other side and their complicit friends in the media are starting to get nervous. They don’t want us to gain any momentum. They are looking for things to attack on. They’ve stooped so low to now take on members of my family. It’s not surprising but we still need to respond.

Interested in donating? You can click here to pitch in and support Governor Noem.

From Facebook:

Sounds like the SDGOP is hiring for the 2020 campaign season, and has a number of Internships available for interested college students:

Intern Applications Sought by South Dakota Republican Party

The South Dakota Republican Party has opened the application process for students interested in serving as a political intern for the 2020 election cycle.  The SDGOP is looking for college students from all over South Dakota and has openings for regional field teams in all corners of the state.

“The opportunity to intern at the South Dakota Republican Party is one of the best ways to learn how our election process works, while also helping get some great candidates elected,” said Dan Lederman, Chairman of the South Dakota GOP. “Interns will experience the inner workings of a grassroots political organization firsthand, while improving their knowledge and communication skills. I encourage all college students to consider applying for this great experience.”

Republican Party internships are not exclusively reserved for those interested in a career in politics, but also for those looking to expand their experience in the day-to-day operations of a fast-paced organization. Applicants will gain a variety of skills including but not limited to political organizing, communications, research, public relations, event planning, and digital media.

Read the entire story, and download the application here.

South Dakota: You like Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson. You really, really like him.

How do I know this?  Because that’s what at least one survey says about the freshman Congressman’s impression on South Dakotans.  I managed to get a copy of a memo from Moore Information Group on a survey conducted in South Dakota this past October from a Moore Information Group telephone survey of 500 South Dakotans including both landline and cell phones – via a live interview method.

SD Poll Results Dusty Johnson Oct2019 by Pat Powers on Scribd

The Dusty Johnson love-fest gets even more intense when you start drilling down past South Dakotans and get among his fellow Republicans.

The poll notes “Today 58% of all Republicans say they have a favorable view of him while only 13% view him unfavorably and among Conservatives 58% view him favorably and just 13% view him unfavorably. Nonetheless, these positive numbers among voters of all political stripes is impressive at a time of intense partisanship nationally” – giving Johnson a fairly significant approval rating of +45% in his own party.

Excluding those who don’t have an opinion, for Republicans who express an opinion of liking or disliking Dusty… that’s around 81-82% who like him.  And that can’t be good news for any potential GOP challengers who think they might be able to make any headway.

In fact, in looking at possible opponent Neal Tapio, who has been making some noise about taking on Dusty Johnson, with Neal trying to use his past affiliation for the Trump campaign against Dusty, the news gets even worse.

Among those voters who approve of Trumps job performance, Dusty’s net approval is +44%. Only one percent off of his net approval among Republicans overall. The difference between Trump supporters who love Dusty and Republican supporters who love Dusty is within the margin of error for the poll.

If Neal thinks he can find Republican Trump supporters who don’t like Dusty to support a challenger campaign, he might be in for a tough go of it. Because while there might be a couple chirping on Facebook, at least according to this poll, they’re statistically non-existent in South Dakota.

As the poll notes, “Johnson’s numbers, while very strong with his base are also solid with other voters in South Dakota, no small feat in the current political climate.”  And that spells trouble for anyone thinking they’re going to challenge him.

It’s just a snapshot in time, but those seeking to challenge Dusty for the Congressional seat from either within the GOP or outside of it should pay great heed. Because they have a tremendous amount of distance to make up, and South Dakota has some big love for the man in the orange tie.

The Season to Rejoice
By Sen. John Thune

The holiday season is a special time of year. We get to rejoice in God’s gift to mankind while spending time with our family and friends, enjoying traditions of holidays past and the moments and memories created with those we love. It’s also a good reminder to slow down and take stock of the blessings that surround us.

For me, many of those blessings come in the form of family – my wife, daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids; my siblings and my dad, a World War II veteran who will turn 100 years old shortly after Christmas Day. A bounty of blessings, to be sure.

The Christmas season can also be a time capsule of sorts – both in terms of what you put in and everything you can take out. For example, this time of year often takes me back to a snow-covered Jackson Avenue in Murdo, which we’d sled down as kids. I’m reminded of all those Christmas Eve nights at my grandmother’s house and the unmistakable aroma of her lutefisk and lefse wafting through the air. And I can’t help but smile when I think of watching Brittany and Larissa perform in church and school Christmas programs through the years.

I cherish the old memories and how they’ve shaped me and our family, but I also look forward to creating new ones with my kids and grandkids, who I hope will be able to remember these moments during Christmases yet to come.

Looking back on 2019, like most years, there’s a lot for which I can be thankful. Aside from health, happiness, and my family, I’m always thankful to know that I live in the greatest country on the face of the earth. There is no other place on the planet where people enjoy the same freedom and opportunities that are afforded to the American people, and we should never forget that.

We also shouldn’t forget that our freedom comes at a cost. A big one. I’m so thankful for the men and women in our military – for their humility, honor, courage, and sacrifice. I’m also thankful for their families. Ask any service member, and they will tell you that service is a partnership, because families are just as invested as those in uniform.

In Washington, I’m continually thankful and humbled to be able to serve South Dakota and work on the issues that are important to the state. As politically divided as the country might seem right now, believe it or not, we can still work in a bipartisan way. In fact, I’m hopeful that by the end of the year, my bipartisan bill that would help protect consumers from illegal robocallers will land on the president’s desk. In a sea of disagreement, going after these scammers is one thing on which nearly everyone can agree, and for that, I hope we all can be thankful.

As the year comes to a close, I want to wish you and your family the blessings of this holiday season, and I hope you have a safe, enjoyable, and memorable time with those who you hold dear.

###

South Dakota Well-Represented in Defense Authorization Bill
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)

Every year for nearly 60 years, Congress has worked in a bipartisan, bicameral manner to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). By the end of 2019, we will have passed the 59th NDAA in a row. This one, which authorizes funding for the military for Fiscal Year 2020, includes some major wins for South Dakota, to include Ellsworth Air Force Base and Dakota State University (DSU).

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and chairman of our Cybersecurity Subcommittee, I worked with my colleagues to make sure a number of important provisions were included in the NDAA. This year’s bill provides the resources necessary to rebuild and improve our military while also taking care of our troops and their families. It provides the largest pay raise for our troops in a decade, and includes measures to help military families with housing, childcare and moving expenses.

Our bill will fully fund the B-21 Raider bomber program, which will help keep the program on time for the B-21 to come to Ellsworth Air Force Base in the mid-2020s. In March, then-Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson announced that Ellsworth was selected to receive the training squadron and the first operational squadron of B-21 Raiders, which are the Air Force’s next-generation stealth bombers. This decision solidified the important role Ellsworth will play in our national defense for years, if not generations, to come. Making sure the B-21 Raider program is fully funded and delivered on time has been, and will continue to be, a top priority for me. The NDAA also fully funds additional purchases of the F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. The more of these that are purchased in the future, the greater the possibility that we will get them assigned to South Dakota Air National Guard’s 114th Fighter Wing, which is based at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls. The unit’s current aircraft is the F-16 Block 40.

Legislation I offered to establish a cyber consortia for certain universities, including Dakota State University in Madison, was also included in the final NDAA. The consortia will provide an opportunity for schools designated as National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security Centers of Academic Excellence to lend their cybersecurity expertise to the Department of Defense. The consortia can also pave a path for college students studying cybersecurity to work on important national security issues following their graduation. Our government needs highly skilled cybersecurity employees, and students who graduate from DSU have some of the best education available for the cybersecurity workforce.

The armed forces have dealt with years of underfunding which has diminished combat readiness. Thanks to President Trump, our Armed Services Committee Chairman, Sen. Jim Inhofe, senior Defense Department leaders and our bipartisan Armed Services Committee, we are making progress to rebuild and strengthen our armed forces. The NDAA further solidifies the integral role South Dakota will continue to play in the defense of our nation for many years to come. I am proud to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and be part of its efforts to make certain our troops have the tools they need to keep us safe.

###