Weekly Column
South Dakota is leading the way in energy independence. I've always said the greatest improvements in our environment and conservation won't come in the form of a "green new deal" or the latest trend on the internet – it will come from U.S. innovation. The biofuels industry in South Dakota, along with the efforts of farmers, has proven innovation can move the needle in the right direction.
As the cicadas buzz fills the sky in the waning days of summer and South Dakota's students begin to head back for their first few weeks of school, you can bet that Dakotafest is right around the corner. For those of you who don't know, Dakotafest is a three-day celebration of our state's agricultural community held just south of my home of Mitchell.
Across America, opioids are ripping apart communities and families. After coming to Congress, my bipartisan freshman class made the decision to make addiction a primary focus, because combating the opioid crisis is one issue that all lawmakers can agree on. Addiction impacts families from all walks of life and I believe it is our government's responsibility to start finding solutions. Over the past two years, the Administration has secured more than $6 billion to fight opioid abuse in our communities – but more must be done. |
New love is fun. It‘s easy to enjoy the excitement, the rush, the sense of opportunity.
I prefer old love, though.
New love is perishable. It‘s easily distracted and fades quickly. Old love is abiding. It's stubborn, willing to ride out the inevitable storms and maelstroms of marriage.
New love is picky, and can be run off by any manner of shortcoming. Old love knows its every wart. For some blessed reason, old love sticks around.
You don't have to dress up for old love, but often you do, because you want to.
Both in South Dakota and in Washington, I repeatedly hear the same thing – support free trade but hold bad actors accountable. As Americans, our innovation and ambition has allowed us to compete and succeed in a global market – but the playing field should be even. South Dakota has benefited greatly from market access, particularly for agricultural products. But success doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. The producers I hear from weekly want to hold China accountable for their wrongdoing.
For families throughout the country, the Fourth of July is a time to relax with loved ones, enjoy fireworks shows, and grill some good old-fashioned burgers. The holiday also serves as a reminder of those who've guaranteed our freedoms, the sacrifices our founders made to ensure our independence, and the progress we have seen as a nation ever since.
It's Not Perfect – There was a circus in town this week, and it took up residence on the House floor. With 84 votes, the Senate passed a much-needed bipartisan humanitarian border bill that the President agreed to sign. In the House, Speaker Pelosi stood in the way of this legislation for weeks and waited until the midnight hour to bring a solution to the floor.
Our national debt is higher than ever at $22 trillion. I am a conservative for a few reasons, which include keeping the government small and taxes low. If those reasons are to ring true, then we must limit our spending and ensure our tax dollars are being spent wisely. Neglecting our values gave us the deficit we have today.
When I sat down with a group of farmers and ranchers a few weeks back in Parker, they all told me the same thing: forage stocks are running low because of our wet spring. South Dakotans are well-aware our planting season has been delayed because of continuous flooding and rain. This has gotten national attention. What's not talked about quite as frequently is how this adverse weather affects what goes in our livestock's bellies down the road.