Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and John Garamendi (D-CA) introduced the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021. This bipartisan legislation is the first major update of federal regulations for the global ocean shipping industry since 1998. The legislation would support American exports by establishing reciprocal trade opportunities to help reduce the United States’ longstanding trade imbalance with China and other countries.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ) today introduced the Metropolitan Statistical Area Preservation Act, a bill to preserve more than 140 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) from losing their classification as a MSA.

More than 36% of all Americans are fully vaccinated. Our nation is on track to get back to “normal.”

But if we really want to get back to normal, that means getting back to work. If you walk down Main Street in most towns across America, you’ll spot “Help Wanted” signs in most windows. There are more than eight million job openings in our country right now, but nearly ten million Americans aren’t working.

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., and Sen. Roger Marshall R-Kansas, introduced Tuesday the bicameral Get Americans Back to Work Act, a bill to remove the federal supplemental unemployment benefit by June 30.

Job openings have reached a record high of 8.1 million and more than 35% of Americans are fully vaccinated. According to the recent jobs report, employment rose by only 266,000 jobs in April — far below the estimated 1 million new jobs projected by economists for April.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced the Kids In-Person Determines School (KIDS) Success Act to assess the impact extended school closures have on students’ academic and emotional wellbeing. According to recent data, only “47 percent of schools serving fourth-graders and 46 percent serving eighth-graders were open for full in-person instruction.”

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) today expressed their concern with the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS’s) recommendation to reduce the timber sale program in the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF). The members are also seeking answers about the process the USFS used to reach this recommendation.    

Residents and business owners affected by President Biden's executive order canceling the Keystone XL pipeline gathered Monday in southwestern South Dakota and appealed to three Republican congressmen in an effort to help restart the project.

During his first days as president, Biden revoked Keystone XL's permit and shut down construction of the long-disputed pipeline that was to carry oil from Canada to Texas. While the move was celebrated by the mainstream media and environmental activists, the decision dealt a costly blow to small-town business in the center of the country.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) hosted a roundtable with more than twenty South Dakota business owners who have been impacted by President Biden’s Executive Order shutdown of the Keystone XL Pipeline. You can watch the full roundtable discussion here.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) reintroduced the District of Columbia-Maryland Reunion Act, legislation that would revert the majority of Washington, D.C., suburbs to the state of Maryland. The National Capitol Service Area, consisting solely of the National Mall and federal buildings, would remain the District of Columbia.

Washington, DC – Today, U.S.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) introduced the PRICE Act, a bill that will increase transparency in the cattle market, improve risk management, and support new and expanding meat processors. Earlier this year, the U.S.

Congress passed the last COVID-19 relief bill 174 days ago. Hundreds of thousands of Americans – schools, families, and small businesses – are still struggling from this virus. Both the House and the Senate have proposed vastly different proposals to help these hurting Americans. The House passed a bill with a $3T price tag – that’s too much spending so I voted no. The Senate has offered several packages with a lower price tag, but Senate Democrats have offered no support. We need to find common ground.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) decision to award a $22 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to reconstruct 30 miles of Highway 46 between US-81 and I-29 near Beresford and Irene, a critical route for agriculture producers in southeast South Dakota and for those driving between Yankton and Sioux Falls.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Collin Peterson (D-MN) introduced the Preserving Readership and Information of Newspapers for Tomorrow (PRINT) Act, which would include the cost of print production of local print media in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Currently, local media is eligible for the PPP, but printing costs are not forgivable under the program guidelines.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act – this bill authorized a critical pandemic program for American families – the Farmers to Families Food Box. Since March, more than 62 million families across the country have received food boxes.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and U.S. Reps.

Last I heard, 20 million Americans had not received their stimulus checks.

In the three months since the CARES Act passed Congress, I’ve been patient. South Dakotans have been patient – all while waiting for the help some of them desperately need.

My patience has run low. My office has heard from hundreds of South Dakotans who are not only waiting on stimulus checks but are also waiting months for their tax returns. This is unacceptable.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) spoke on the U.S. House Floor regarding the Internal Revenue Services’ (IRS) lack of customer service for constituents needing Economic Impact Payments and tax filing support.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM), both members of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address the urgent issues facing America’s agriculture economy and food supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the Farming Support to States Act would provide states access to immediate, flexible funding to ensure farmers and rural businesses have the tools needed to respond and rebuild more resilient supply chains right here in South Dakota. U.S.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today signed onto the Agricultural Security Risk Review Act, a bipartisan bill which would formally name the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The Agricultural Security Risk Review Act would allow USDA to analyze any foreign investment into our nation’s food supply.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued a statement following President Trump’s announcement of a Department of Justice investigation into the cattle markets.

“Beef is flying off the shelves, while our cattle producers can barely make ends meet. Something doesn’t add up,” said Johnson. “I’m grateful after calls from Midwest members, the president is ramping up this investigation for cattle country. COVID-19 has exposed the cracks in our supply chain.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today urged the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury to provide additional guidance to ensure seasonal businesses that have already applied for or received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan can recalculate their loan award to maximize the assistance they can receive through PPP.

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Austin Scott (GA-08), along with several House colleagues, introduced legislation to increase funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) response to COVID-19. The legislation would provide an additional $50 billion for USDA to expand relief efforts for farmers and ranchers. Click here to read the full bill. 

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) today applauded a deal that will refill funds for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In South Dakota, more than 11,324 small businesses received funding through the PPP, amounting to over $1.37 billion in loans. The deal is headed to the president’s desk.