Weekly Column
On Tuesday, President Biden visited the U.S. Capitol to address both chambers of Congress while 37 million Americans tuned in at home to listen to the annual State of the Union.
While the current outlook of our nation and the world may appear bleak to many, I was proud to see Republicans and Democrats alike stand in unity to support Ukraine and its people at the start of his address.
This week, I presented the Strength of South Dakota Award to the Fred Assam Elementary School Student Council, students, and staff in Sioux Fall, South Dakota. The Strength of South Dakota Award was created to celebrate and honor South Dakotans that display unusual perseverance, compassion, and innovation, and are beloved by their community.
As Russia continues an aggression campaign against its neighbor, this raises growing concerns across the globe and will have significant implications not just for Ukraine, but for the worldwide energy supply. If Russia invades Ukraine, Germany will withdrawal its approval of the Nord Stream 2, a natural gas pipeline that runs through the region. This pipeline is set to provide 15% of Europe's natural gas.
In 2021, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (USCBP) seized 11,201 pounds of fentanyl—a 234% increase from 2020. This amount of fentanyl is enough to kill every American seven times. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug in the United States and is 50 times more powerful than heroin. This lethal drug has made its way into our homes and communities, accounting for 64,000 of the over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021—the highest number ever.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is set to implement the Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule on February 7—this Monday. This rule imposes new requirements on entry-level Commercial Driver License (CDL) applicants before they can get behind the wheel. These regulations–originally mandated as part of the 2012 surface transportation reauthorization bill known as MAP-21–requires drivers to complete their training from a provider on the FMCSA's Training Provider Registry List.
This weekend is the 64th annual Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo in Rapid City. I am looking forward to attending along with over 330,000 others from across the country. I have gone to the Stock Show a dozen times, and it continues to be one of the best ways to hear from ranchers and producers in the state, catch up with old friends, and keep a pulse on South Dakota ag.
This week marked one year since President Biden took office. I wish I could say happy anniversary, but it isn't that happy. Let's be honest, it's been a bumpy ride.
I'm not somebody who just complains. I also focus on solutions, so I'm going to identify four areas where I think this administration has failed and how we can do a better job as a country.
Sunday night, New York City passed a law that will allow noncitizens (green card holders and DACA recipients) the right to vote in municipal elections. More than 800,000 noncitizens will now be eligible to vote. This is a serious mistake.
Earlier this week, the White House held a roundtable to discuss the meat and poultry supply chain. Farmers, ranchers, and independent processors from across the country shared their experience and expertise with this Administration. I hope their firsthand account isn't used to score political points – the White House has the opportunity to take what they heard and implement a real fix.
As my third year in Congress comes to a close, I have been reflecting on all that has happened in the short span of a year. I started off the year being sworn in for my second term as South Dakota's lone representative and was appointed to two committees—the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. These two committees are critical for the progress of South Dakota and played a vital role for our country as we have dealt with the impacts of a global pandemic, issues with the supply chain, and inflation.