Press Releases

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and Rep Dusty Johnson R-S.D.) today praised the news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has awarded major contracts to four universities, including South Dakota State University (SDSU), to establish a network of stations to monitor snowpack and soil moisture throughout the plains area of the Upper Missouri River Basin. SDSU will receive a $12.8 million contract, and earlier today the first task issue was issued for the first 10 sites to be installed in South Dakota.

Washington, D.C — Today, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member K. Michael Conaway and Rep. Dusty Johnson (SD) introduced the Digital Commodity Exchange Act of 2020, legislation that creates a single, opt-in national regulatory framework for digital commodity trading platforms under the jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Washington, D.C. – Today, legislation sponsored by U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), which will divert millions back to tribal students' education, passed the U.S. House unanimously. The Tribal School Federal Insurance Parity Act (H.R.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) made a statement following President Trump's announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide $14 billion for agriculture producers still struggling from COVID-19 supply chain disruption. The second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP 2) will begin September 21 and run through December 11, 2020.

WASHINGTON - Today, Tuesday, September 15, 2020, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus – 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans -- unveiled its "March To Common Ground" framework to help break the gridlock on the latest COVID-19 relief package and encourage negotiators to get back to the table.

The 50-member bipartisan Caucus, developed and came together in support of the framework after extensive listening to constituents and outreach to stakeholders over the past six weeks.

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 introduced the Gilt Edge Mine Conveyance Act, legislation that would authorize the state of South Dakota to purchase approximately 266 acres of U.S. Forest Service land in Lawrence County. The land transfer authorized by this legislation would allow the state to conduct a clean-up effort within the boundary of the Gilt Edge Mine superfund site once the Environmental Protection Agency completes its clean-up actions.

WASHINGTON – Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI), David Cicilline (D-RI), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD), have introduced the Highways Coronavirus Relief Act, bipartisan legislation to temporarily increase the amount the federal government contributes to federal highway projects. The bill aims to ensure states, which generally pay for a portion of projects backed by the federal highway trust fund, can continue major infrastructure improvements as they attempt to deal with budget shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) issued the following statements after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied dozens of requests from oil refineries seeking economic hardship exemptions from ethanol blending requirements under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) dating from 2011 through 2018.