Weekly Column
Washington is a town where investigations can last for years and cost millions of taxpayer dollars. Some investigations happen in order to check a box before moving onto the next task. We all know in D.C. there are two types of investigations. Investigations that are "for show" and investigations that are "for real."
In cattle country we need an investigation "for real."
The six-week August break did folks some good – my colleagues on the right, and many on the left, are ready to get to work on passing the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). It's amazing the spark that ignites when legislators spend six weeks hearing from their bosses back home. Democrats and Republicans are finding common ground on this issue – that's a win for America.
School is back in session, which means so is Congress. I spent the last six weeks in South Dakota for the summer in-state work period. I've said it before – I don't think Congress needs a six-week break. We have work to do in Washington. However, my time spent in the state was valuable. When Congress is in session, I typically try to cram my weekends full of meetings and visits with constituents or local businesses, so it was refreshing to have more time to meet with many of the community leaders and constituents I haven't sat down with yet.
Most of South Dakota's students are back in the swing of the school year. Whether your child is beginning kindergarten or just moved into their first dorm room to begin freshman year at college, education - from pre-K to secondary - is central to the American way and our progress as a nation.
School is back in session, which means so is Congress. I spent the last six weeks in South Dakota for the summer in-state work period. I've said it before – I don't think Congress needs a six-week break. We have work to do in Washington. However, my time spent in the state was valuable. When Congress is in session, I typically try to cram my weekends full of meetings and visits with constituents or local businesses, so it was refreshing to have more time to meet with many of the community leaders and constituents I haven't sat down with yet.
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.