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Floor Speech
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Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, like many of our colleagues, I spend a lot of summer days on the road in my home State of South Dakota. The longer summer recesses give me the opportunity to travel the State far and wide, and with so much going on in South Dakota during the season, it is a great time for me to see familiar faces and to meet new folks as well.
I spend a lot of these summer days listening because what I hear from South Dakotans informs a lot of the work that I do here in the U.S. Senate.
In Howard, SD, I heard from healthcare professionals about some of the important programs that help them provide healthcare in rural areas.
Homebuilders in the Sioux Falls area told me about the headwinds they face from the Biden-Harris administration's overregulation, which has made building new homes more difficult and expensive.
At a Dakotafest in Mitchell, agricultural producers expressed their frustration that Congress has still not passed an updated farm bill--a frustration that I share. I have been pushing hard for Congress to take up a bill and will continue to do everything I can to advance this legislation. Another extension is no substitute for the certainty an updated farm bill would give farmers and ranchers as they make plans for the future, and getting it done should be a priority for Congress.
Traveling around South Dakota also gives me the chance to meet the people who keep our communities going.
I dropped in to hear from local officials in Leola and Eureka.
I got to learn about some of the things happening at Black Hills State University, and I toured South Dakota State's nursing simulation center in Brookings.
I visited the Liberty Center in Box Elder and saw the great work the Black Hills community does to make the area a welcoming place for servicemembers stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base and for their families.
Whether it is Kuchen in Eureka, a quick bite at Ricky's Restaurant in Roscoe, or, of course, the Tubby Burger at the Brown County Fair, I know I can always find some good food to keep me fueled wherever I am traveling in South Dakota.
What would the summer be without a few celebrations? I was out in Rapid City for the annual Military Appreciation Barbecue, I joined the Fort Pierre 4th of July Parade, and I was back in my hometown of Murdo celebrating the 70th anniversary of the legendary Pioneer Auto Show and honoring the life of longtime museum owner Dave Geisler, who passed away earlier this year.
I had the opportunity to travel with my family in the Black Hills. We made stops in Spearfish Canyon, Hill City, Keystone, Lake Pactola, and Spearfish, among other places.
This summer was also notable for the successes of South Dakota's athletes. It was great to see two South Dakotans competing in the Olympics and Paralympics this year. Sioux Falls native Taryn Kloth competed in beach volleyball, and Miles Krajewski, a Yankton native and freshman at the University of South Dakota, made history as the first American to medal in badminton at the Paralympics, bringing home a silver medal in mixed doubles.
The Sioux Falls Little League All Star Team made it to the Little League World Series this summer, and by all accounts, they played well in Williamsport. They should be proud of their success, and I am glad to hear they were able to befriend fellow players from across the country and the world along the way.
It was great to be in Brookings this past weekend for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits' home opener, as they look to defend their back-to-back national titles this season.
Summer is a wonderful time in South Dakota, and it is a privilege to be able to spend part of it exploring our great State. The sunshine on the open prairie, the smell of the ponderosa pine, and the good people I meet along the way remind me how lucky I am to be a South Dakotan and what an honor it is to represent this special place in the U.S. Senate.
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