Weekly Column
"We can join forces, stop the shouting and lower the temperature. For without unity there is no peace, only bitterness and fury. No progress, only exhausting outrage. No nation, only a state of chaos. This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge, and unity is the path forward."
Those were the words spoken by President Biden the day he was sworn into office.
One of the best parts of my job is the unique opportunity I have to meet with outstanding young people from across the state. I am inspired by their energy and dedication to make a positive impact in their communities and across the country.
I am proud to be a South Dakotan. As a father with three sons in public school, I'm grateful they have an opportunity each day to go to class in-person. Too many school children across this country aren't being given that opportunity, and it's a shame.
By now, many of us understand that President Biden's Executive Order to halt the Keystone XL Pipeline is going to have disastrous effects on our nation's economy, energy security, and thousands of American jobs.
As we all know by now, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted just about every part of life – federal government agencies are no exception. One of the most frustrating realities of this pandemic was the impact it had on IRS operations.
Over the last several years, there's been a lot of discussion about making our nation's capital city the 51st state in the union. I think that's a bad idea, but it's supported by many for a few reasons.
Some support statehood for Washington, D.C., because they want to expand Democratic control of the United States Senate. I'm opposed to that kind of a political power grab.
More than 20,000 of our National Guard troops lined the streets of Washington this week to help safely usher in the peaceful transition of power. It was a striking image to see firsthand.
After the violence in the Capitol, these men and women dropped everything to come protect the streets of America's capital city.
In December, Members of Congress were given early access to the COVID-19 vaccine, and I asked for South Dakota to decide whether I should take the vaccine early to instill public confidence or wait my turn. Nearly 9,000 South Dakotans participated in the poll.
Our U.S. Constitution was tested this week.
As you most of South Dakota now knows, on January 6th, I voted to uphold the 2020 election results that were certified, recounted, and audited from various states across the nation.
When I am traveling across South Dakota I get dozens of questions a day, from the budget deficit to healthcare to national defense to agriculture policy. Over the last two years I've regularly used this space to address many of the issues most often asked about.
There is a common question asked by South Dakotans I haven't written about in a while, though: "How is your family doing?"