Transportation & Infrastructure
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BIG Update
The 250 students at Girls State in Vermillion had great questions and high enthusiasm about being civically involved. We had a great conversation about politics and policy in D.C., why that matters in South Dakota, and the importance of civility in politics. The American Legion Auxiliary always puts on a great event, and I was happy to join them.
BIG Idea
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Greg Stanton (D-AZ) reintroduced legislation to digitize and streamline the permitting process for transportation infrastructure.
BIG News
Heather and Charles Maude, fifth generation West River ranchers, faced up to ten years in prison over a fence line dispute with the Biden Administration’s U.S. Forest Service. Thankfully, under the leadership of President Trump, cooler heads prevailed. This week, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the criminal charges against the Maude family were dropped.
BIG News
Valley Queen completed its expansion in Milbank, and I was excited to see the completed project firsthand. Investments in dairy production are vital to South Dakota producers. Each year, Valley Queen receives 1.8 billion pounds of milk from farms in South Dakota and Minnesota to produce 200 million pounds of cheese. I’m grateful for their continued investment in our state.
Washington, D.C. – The Center for Effective Lawmaking named U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) the most effective House member on Native American issues and third most effective on Transportation issues during the 118th Congress.
“South Dakota knows the importance of transportation and Native policies,” said Johnson. “I’m proud to receive these rankings and deliver real results for my constituents. The 119th Congress is off to a strong start, and I’m determined to keep up the good work.”
BIG Update
I had a great week visiting seniors young and old—high school seniors and senior citizens—across South Dakota this week. I can tell they’re all paying attention to the news because they had great questions about the border, TikTok, and Trump’s first few weeks in office, especially about tariffs and government efficiency.
I always love getting out in the state to talk to real people like you. It keeps me focused on the most important part of my job – serving South Dakota.
BIG Update
School conditions are dire in Indian country. For years, they haven’t received the funding they need, and now, unfortunately, schools are riddled with leaky roofs, broken heaters, mold, and more. Congress and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) must do better to uphold our trust and treaty obligations to tribes.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) introduced the bicameral Fair SHARE Act to impose one-time fees on electric vehicles (EVs) to ensure EVs contribute to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) as internal combustion vehicles do.
BIG Update
Earlier this week, President Trump signed into law the Laken Riley Act which makes it easier to deport illegal immigrants with a criminal record. This was the first bill Trump signed into law during his second term which had broad support from Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate.