John Thune
Thune visits Israel, says ‘organizations like Hamas have to be eliminated’
U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, said during a weekend visit to Israel that if the world wants peace, “organizations like Hamas have to be eliminated.” Israel has been at war with Hamas, a militant Palestinian group in the Gaza Strip, since surprise attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7. Thune joined a bipartisan group of […]
Republicans push for border funding to be wrapped into Israel, Ukraine aid package
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate leaders called Tuesday for a bipartisan aid package for Israel’s counteroffensive against Hamas that also includes assistance for Ukraine and Taiwan, with possible border funding sought by Republicans, as President Joe Biden prepared to leave Tuesday evening for a trip to Israel. Meanwhile, an explosion killed hundreds Tuesday at al-Ahli Arab […]
Next battle in Congress over Ukraine aid, as Biden presses House speaker for vote
WASHINGTON — Republican and Democratic lawmakers are searching for a way to clear more aid for Ukraine, after Congress approved a short-term spending bill that didn’t include any additional money for the country. President Joe Biden on Sunday said that U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to find the votes needed to pass a supplemental […]
With two days until shutdown, Thune and GOP leaders eye border security package
WASHINGTON — Republican U.S. senators huddled behind closed doors Thursday, attempting to draft an amendment to the short-term government funding bill that would increase spending on border security and make policy changes. The provision could help nudge U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to put the broadly bipartisan measure up for a vote in that chamber, […]
So this is what passes for ‘unity’ in the Trump era
There was a time in 2004 when South Dakota Democrats had plenty to celebrate. This was back in the days before South Dakota politics was awash in red. It was likely even before the days when anyone would characterize states as red or blue. On the national level, there was a short time when South […]
10,700 South Dakotans enroll in student loan repayment program; Thune files opposition measure
WASHINGTON — More than 4 million federal student loan borrowers — including 10,700 in South Dakota — are enrolled in the Biden administration’s new repayment program, according to figures released Tuesday by the Department of Education. With the pause of more than three years on federal student loan repayments coming to an end in October, […]
Gun law raises funding concerns for school hunting programs
WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers are concerned that the Biden administration is interpreting last year’s bipartisan gun safety law to cut funding for school archery and hunting programs, though programs themselves say they haven’t been affected. A provision in the law – a bipartisan effort to curb gun violence that established new criminal offenses, and expanded background […]
State’s all-Republican congressional delegation will not attend Trump’s SD event
When the South Dakota Republican Party hosts former President Donald Trump on Sept. 8 in Rapid City, the state’s all-Republican congressional delegation will not be there. All three have scheduling conflicts, their offices said. South Dakota’s senators have endorsed South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott in the Republican presidential primary, rather than former President Donald Trump. […]
At ag forum, Johnson, Thune and Rounds reject ‘loud’ approach to politics
MITCHELL — U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, received applause Wednesday at an agricultural trade show when he countered a call for more aggressive confrontation in politics. An audience member at a Dakotafest forum on the farm bill asked why Johnson doesn’t attack his colleagues across the aisle with greater vehemence. Johnson said being loud […]
Defense bill passes Senate with Thune & Rounds support, but deep divide with House looms
WASHINGTON — U.S. senators avoided a heated partisan split as they passed the massive annual defense policy package late Thursday — in stark contrast to the GOP-led House version, in which far-right members included language to restrict abortion access and transgender care for service members. Senators passed the National Defense Authorization Act, 86-11, but lawmakers […]
Congressional Roundup: Foreign ownership, culture wars in the military, child tax credit, and more
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-South Dakota, is supporting another effort to limit foreign ownership of U.S. land. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party recently introduced the Protecting U.S. Farmland and Sensitive Sites From Foreign Adversaries Act, with the support of Johnson, who’s a member of the committee. The bill would expand the jurisdiction […]
Congressional Roundup: Rounds advocates for defense and AM radios
A congressional defense spending bill includes about $400 million for South Dakota construction projects, according to Sen. Mike Rounds. Rounds, a Republican, is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Earlier this week, the committee sent the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2024 fiscal year to the full Senate. “The NDAA is […]