Weekly Column

As you may know, this week is National Ag Week. Agriculture is the number one industry in South Dakota and the lifeblood of not only our state, but our country and our world.

Supply chain problems are still plaguing producers, manufacturers, transporters, and consumers across America. These high prices and delayed shipments have been aggravated by steady increased demand. Consumer spending on e-commerce is expected to hit a record $1 trillion this year due to the shift of online shopping driven by the pandemic. This is a 13% increase from 2021.

Last week, I was informed by Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 23 Director Robert McDivitt and the Biden Administration of recommended in-patient service closures that follow a multi-year nationwide review of (Veterans Affairs) VA services

The recent recommendations call for the following:

SIOUX FALLS Recommendations

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.