Commitment to Freedom and American Strength

BIG Update

The Second Amendment should apply equally to all law-abiding Americans. Unfortunately, that hasn’t held true for tribal members. Under current law, tribal members can’t use their tribal ID to purchase a firearm, but you can use a foreign passport. There’s no reason a tribal ID should not be an accepted identification document. To fix this, I introduced the Tribal Firearm Access Act to ensure tribal IDs are an acceptable form of identification when purchasing a firearm.

BIG Idea

The Boys & Girls Club is a great resource for children and youth across America. I met with leaders from the Sioux Empire and Northern Plains Boys & Girls Club to talk about their programs to prepare students for the workforce, which are positively impacting students’ lives. They lead a workforce readiness program that gives students the tools they need to land their first job and be successful in the workplace.

I’m supportive of ensuring our youth have access to work, if they want or need the opportunity. I’m leading legislation to expand work opportunities for 14- and 15-year-olds, who are currently limited by the hours they are allowed to work. My Teenagers Earning Everyday Necessary Skills (TEENS) Act would extend working hours for 14- and 15-year-olds until 9:00pm year-round and allows them to work up to 24 hours per week. The TEENS Act would grow their skills and development and lead to more success in their future.

BIG News

During the State of the Union address this week, President Trump highlighted the important achievements of Congress and the Administration in the past year like securing the border. Over the past nine months, there hasn’t been a single release of an illegal immigrant into the United States. Additionally, there is 56% less fentanyl coming across the border than there was in 2024. I invited Custer County Sheriff Marty Mechaley to be my guest at the State of the Union this year, and he was pleased to hear how securing our border has made our country safer.

During the address, 100-year-old South Dakota native Royce Williams received the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was presented by the First Lady. Royce Williams is a true American hero who served as a naval aviator in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He received the medal for a historic fight with the Soviets in the Korean War. His act of heroism and resolve is commendable and embodies the South Dakota spirit of strength. It was an honor to meet him and thank him for his service.