Seniors, Soldiers, and the State Fair

BIG Update

I joined the Peaceful Pines Senior Living Center in Huron to talk about my work in Washington and the policies in the One Big Beautiful Bill that will help seniors. Policies like cutting taxes on Social Security, expanding access to home and community-based care, and ensuring longevity for health and social programs will make a meaningful impact on the lives of many seniors.

I also shared some of the things I’ll continue to work on in Congress like banning individual stock trading for members of Congress and the threat of farmland purchases from the Chinese Communist Party.

BIG Idea

The Chinese government will find any avenue to infiltrate and influence the United States. In fact, technology developed and manufactured in China, like LiDAR, can be used as spyware here in the United States. LiDAR is commonly used in autonomous vehicles and transportation projects, creating highly detailed 3-D maps of our infrastructure. If our adversaries, like China, have access to critical infrastructure like maps of ports, railways, airports, roads, or bridges, they could disrupt our supply chains and cause a national security crisis.

I introduced a bill to prohibit the U.S. Department of Transportation from using Chinese-made technology for transportation projects. Congress must protect our critical infrastructure from the malign interests of the Chinese Communist Party. 

BIG News

The State Fair is a beloved event in South Dakota. Many people gather for food, fellowship, and a celebration of what makes South Dakota great. During the Bull Bash, I helped honor Vietnam veterans who served our country. This recognition is hosted annually by Red Wilk during the rodeo.

I also joined the South Dakota Pork Producers at the fair to talk with producers about some of the things I’ve been working on. I’m leading the Save Our Bacon Act which will end California’s Proposition 12 rules that negatively impacting pork producers across the country. We also discussed trade and commodity prices and how Congress is working to support our producers.