Weekly Column
At the start of my first day as the Ben Reifel intern for Congressman Dusty Johnson, I was convinced the biggest takeaway would be the experience. I did not imagine I would be swayed into the world of politics. The intern experience has been amazing, and I’m even more thankful Congressman Johnson has given me the opportunity to have policy exposure I would not have had otherwise.
This week, six proud South Dakotans began military training at their respective service academies. These young men are some of the most motivated and determined I've had the honor of nominating to the academies. |
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is spying on ports across the globe. I suppose it isn’t much of a shock, given their track record with spying through apps like TikTok, their spy base in Cuba, and CCP “police stations” around the world.
Without action this week, rural airports in Aberdeen, Watertown, and Pierre would have faced over $4 million in new expenses over the next ten years. This cost burden would have many potential impacts: flight cancelations, higher ticket prices, and maybe even a risk of closure if our local governments can’t come up with these additional funds.
Every June, hundreds of high school students who just completed their junior year are selected by the American Legion Auxiliary to participate in Boys State and Girls State. I had the opportunity to attend Boys State when I was in high school, and it has had a lasting impact on me. I was honored to be able to speak at Boys State and Girls State again this year and met some of our state’s next generation leaders in government. This year was even more special because my oldest son, Max, was at Boys State.
South Dakota is home. It’s where I grew up, went to college, met my wife, and where I chose to raise my kids. June 5holds a special place in the hearts of South Dakotans.
In honor of 605 Day, I asked South Dakotans what they like most about our state, and I think you’ll agree with a lot of their answers:
As the debt limit “X-date” of June 1 becomes closer and closer, House Republicans have been standing firm on our requests to address our two crises—out-of-control government spending and a debt limit deadline.
In the late 1880s, a movement called the Ghost Dance swept across the nation. Indians believed that this dance would give stolen land back to them, bringing about a renewal of Native society. Indians would join together to dance for this renewal at the protest of the federal government.
There have been more than 5 million illegal crossings of our southern border since President Biden took office. Title 42 ended May 11, a policy that has allowed border patrol to turn migrants away due to public health concerns. Fentanyl is flowing across the border in record numbers.
Small businesses are the heart of our communities, providing employment and driving innovation at the national, state, and local levels. In South Dakota, 88,000 small businesses make up 99% of businesses in the state, employing nearly 210,000 people, more than 58% of our workforce. These businesses make large and small impacts in our communities and beyond.