Thune, Rounds Defend Pro-Life Protections, Vow to Block Taxpayer-Funded Abortions
“For more than 45 years, the Hyde Amendment has ensured that taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions, saving the lives of nearly 2.5 million preborn children.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today joined 46 of their colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) pledging to block any bill that would undermine pro-life protections, including the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding for abortion. Last year, Thune and Rounds introduced legislation that would make the Hyde Amendment permanent.

“We write to express our unwavering support for the Hyde Amendment and all other longstanding pro-life protections,” the senators wrote. “For more than 45 years, the Hyde Amendment has ensured that taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions, saving the lives of nearly 2.5 million preborn children. As you know, the Hyde Amendment is supported by both a substantial majority of the American public and a bipartisan majority of sitting United States Senators, and was most recently signed into law by President Biden in Public Law 117-103.”

“On February 5, 2021, we wrote to you that ‘[w]e are committed to vote against the advancement of any legislation that would eliminate or weaken the Hyde Amendment or any other current-law pro-life protections, or otherwise undermine existing Federal pro-life policy,’”the senators continued. “We firmly renew this commitment for FY 2023.”

“We urge you to start where we finished by making a baseline commitment to maintain the same pro-life protections that were included in Public Law 117-103, and to eschew any taxpayer-funded giveaways that benefit the multi-billion-dollar abortion industry,” the senators concluded.

The letter was led by U.S. Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.), and it was also signed by U.S. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

The letter is endorsed by the Susan B. Anthony List, Family Research Council, March for Life, Catholic Vote, National Right to Life, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Americans United for Life, Concerned Women for America, and Alliance Defending Freedom.

Full letter below:

The Honorable Chuck Schumer
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Leader Schumer:

We write to express our unwavering support for the Hyde Amendment and all other longstanding pro-life protections. For more than 45 years, the Hyde Amendment has ensured that taxpayer dollars are not used to fund abortions, saving the lives of nearly 2.5 million preborn children. As you know, the Hyde Amendment is supported by both a substantial majority of the American public and a bipartisan majority of sitting United States Senators, and was most recently signed into law by President Biden in Public Law 117-103.

Nevertheless, President Biden’s budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 once again proposes to eliminate the Hyde Amendment and other existing pro-life protections, while also increasing taxpayer funding for the abortion industry at home and abroad, including through massive funding increases for the Title X family planning program.

On February 5, 2021, we wrote to you that “[w]e are committed to vote against the advancement of any legislation that would eliminate or weaken the Hyde Amendment or any other current-law pro-life protections, or otherwise undermine existing Federal pro-life policy.”

We firmly renew this commitment for FY 2023. We are united in our resolve to preserve more than 45 years of consensus against taxpayer funding for abortion. We urge you to start where we finished by making a baseline commitment to maintain the same pro-life protections that were included in Public Law 117-103, and to eschew any taxpayer-funded giveaways that benefit the multi-billion-dollar abortion industry. The American people, born and preborn, deserve nothing less.

Sincerely,

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Dakota News Now is reporting that Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg is noting that he is not planning to run for AG at the Republican Convention:

Ravnsborg did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. However, sources close to the matter tell Dakota News Now that since being impeached in the House, Ravnsborg has been telling Republican delegates and close confidants that he will not run for the office again in 2022, regardless of the outcome of the Senate impeachment trial later this month.

Read the entire story here.

I don’t think this comes as a surprise for anyone.

The whole situation is unfortunate, but it’s for the best that he make his intentions known.  Hopefully this moves the matter closer to closure, especially with the Senate trial coming late this month.

This bordering on hilarious ad purports to have someone claiming to be former presidential candidate Rick Santorum inserting Janet Jensen’s name into a generic robocall, like a bad CAMEO video.

I hope JANET JENSEN didn’t break her campaign account doing this.  Is that JANET JENSEN’s actual disclaimer? (Someone better call Tonchi Weaver to get to the bottom of it. LOL)

SuperPAC Defending Main Street has released an ad just unloading on Taffy Howard for her liberal record. While I can’t embed the video, you can click on the image below to watch it yourself.

Not a good day for the challenger candidate, who is going to be forced to eat some of the attacks she’s been levelling at Dusty Johnson.

Dusty Johnson has another dose of the truth for Taffy Howard on her legislative record. That over the last 3 years, she’s been 0 for 17 in passing her legislation.

Spencer Gosch took a hard hit today in District 23 mailboxes from Pac’n Heat with regards to his actions surrounding the House impeachment of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg:

Whoof.

Great commercial from Dusty Johnson on what time it is for Taffy Howard. Time to take out the trash!

And those postcards keep coming as they drop into our mailboxes this week. Here are a few of the latest.

I think the scan got cut off on the bottom of D3 Senate challenger Rachel Dix, where she notes her positions, and repeats her nice quote from Governor Kristi Noem..

At the same time District 3 incumbent Al Novstrup takes a hit from the South Dakota Strong PAC on his legislative record this year..

District 35 challenger Liz Regalado has a nice endorsement from Kristi Noem…

While we have it confirmed that her opponents are two of the worst legislators in Pierre. Not that it should come as a shock.. (sorry – the scan is a little warpy. Much like Tina & Tony)

Stay tuned.

 

I was recently back in Murdo, the small town of around 500 people, right off I-90 – my hometown. Being home is always a trip down memory lane. When I think back to my childhood, my first memories are of my parents, Pat and Harold Thune, and of growing up with my three brothers and sister. And boy, we were lucky kids to have my parents at the helm.

My mom was a wonderful, loving, eternally optimistic mother, who spent most of my growing up years as our high school librarian. She was responsible for making sure we Thune kids got some culture – whether we wanted it or not. She insisted that we all learn to play the piano, encouraged me to join the swing choir, and in the summers, she even made us come inside for an hour every day to read.

My dad was our hero – a Division I basketball star and World War II combat pilot. He was a teacher at my high school, a coach, the athletic director, and the bus driver. Between him and my mom as the librarian, we Thune kids were practically never away from our parents’ watchful eyes. I am so grateful to have had my dad’s coaching – in sports and in life. On the court, my dad taught us players to play as a team. He didn’t like ball hogs or people who were in it for personal glory. He believed your job as a member of a team was to make the people around you better. If somebody else was in a better position to take the shot, you always made the extra pass. It’s an attitude I’ve tried to carry with me throughout my life.

Being back in Murdo also made me reflect on just how lucky I was to grow up in a small town – and small-town South Dakota in particular. The values I saw growing up in Murdo are reflected in towns all across our state. In Murdo I learned the character of South Dakotans – the work ethic, the commitment to freedom coupled with a belief in personal responsibility, and a sense of responsibility to the broader community.

South Dakotans cherish their freedoms – and they also believe that with freedom comes responsibility. They have a deep appreciation for the Founders’ vision that has allowed us to enjoy such freedom – and for the sacrifices that have been required to secure it. With that, of course, comes an expectation that each generation has to do its part to pay freedom’s price and protect all that we have been given.

The South Dakota values I learned growing up helped shape my political philosophy: my belief that government should be limited and that it is best when it’s closest to the people. If a matter can be handled at the state or local level, it should be. I learned that the legacy of the past is something to be cherished and preserved – while leaving room for change and adaptation when needed – and that freedom is a sacred gift, and one that must be defended. And, finally, while government is necessary, government is not where we should look for salvation.

The legacy of growing up in South Dakota is a precious one. I am deeply grateful for those years in Murdo and for the privilege of living in the Mount Rushmore State. South Dakota is the best state in the world to live, work, and raise a family. From Sioux Falls to Rapid City and every town in between, the communities and families that make up our great state are truly one-of-a-kind. I am proud to call South Dakota my home, and it is my great honor to represent the people of South Dakota in the United States Senate.

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