U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S. Dak.)
U.S. Government: Agencies/Departments/Divisions | U.S. Senator
Recent News About U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S. Dak.)
-
Rounds Issues Statement on “Product of USA” Voluntary Labeling Rule
Washington – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) expressed his satisfaction with the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new ruling regarding the "Product of USA" labeling on meat, poultry, and egg products. The rule specifies that these labels can only be applied to products that have been entirely sourced and processed within the United States.Senator Rounds stated, "Integrity has been restored to the ‘Product of the USA’ label." He emphasized the importance of this ruling for American consumers and producers, highlighting the end of misleading labeling...
-
Rounds Secures Wins for South Dakota in First of Two FY2024 Appropriations Bills
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has successfully secured $149.5 million in funding for various projects in South Dakota as part of the first of two appropriations bills passed by the United States Senate. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, which funds six areas of government through the end of the fiscal year, received a 75-22 vote in the Senate and is now awaiting the President's signature to become law.Rounds expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating, "From housing to transportation to water services, the Consolidated Appropriations Act...
-
Rounds Presses Fed Chair on Basel III Proposal’s Negative Impact on Housing Affordability
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) raised concerns about the potential negative impact of the Federal Reserve's Basel III Endgame proposal on housing affordability during a recent hearing. The discussion took place as part of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs hearing titled, “The Semiannual Monetary Policy Report to the Congress.”Rounds expressed his apprehensions, stating, "I’ve weighed in several times with the concerns I have with the Basel III Endgame. I’m concerned that the proposal will make buying a home harder than it already is for many, and...
-
Black Hills Forest Resource Association Endorses Rounds-led Legislation to Increase Timber Sales in the Black Hills National Forest
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that the Black Hills Forest Resource Association has endorsed his Timber Harvesting Restoration Act, legislation that would require the United States Forest Service (USFS) to improve timber sales numbers in the Black Hills National Forest. The Black Hills Forest Resource Association is an organization made up of local businesses, manufacturers, and foresters dedicated to improving forest management in the Black Hills National Forest."We appreciate this legislation from Senator Rounds which would help the US...
-
Rounds, Tester Introduce CRA to Overturn Biden Administration Decision Allowing Beef Imports from Paraguay
U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) have taken a stand against the recent decision made by the Biden administration to lift a long-standing ban on beef imports from Paraguay. The Senators officially filed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution in an effort to overturn this decision.Rounds expressed his concerns, stating, “South Dakota farmers and ranchers work tirelessly to produce the safest, highest quality and most affordable beef in the world. Paraguay, on the other hand, has historically struggled to contain outbreaks of foot and mouth...
-
Rounds, Cantwell Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Hold IHS Accountable to 30-Day Timeline for Outside Care Reimbursements
U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) have introduced the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at ensuring that the Indian Health Service (IHS) reimburses tribal members for care sought outside of IHS in a timely manner. The purpose of this legislation is to prevent tribal members from incurring wrongfully charged medical debt when IHS fails to reimburse them for Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) claims within a reasonable timeframe.The PRC program is an important resource for eligible tribal members, providing...
-
Rounds and Hagerty Introduce Legislation to End Counting of Illegal Immigrants in Electoral College Votes and Congressional District Apportionment
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) have proposed a new legislation called the Equal Representation Act, aimed at ensuring that only legal citizens are taken into account when determining congressional districts and the Electoral College map for presidential elections. The current practice of counting illegal immigrants for representation purposes is seen as a way to manipulate political power and incentivize open border policies.Rounds expressed concern about the influx of illegal migrants in major cities and how liberal politicians...
-
Rounds, Tester Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Ban Fake Meat Products from School Lunches
U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) have introduced the School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024, a bipartisan legislation that aims to ban fake meat products from being served in school lunches. The bill would specifically prohibit the use of cell-cultivated meat under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).In recent years, there has been an increase in the development and production of fake meat products, which are created using cell-cultivated protein. These products are being touted as a way to eliminate the...
-
Veterans Service Records Request Backlog Eliminated Following Rounds and Tester Efforts
The backlog of requests for military service records at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has been eliminated, thanks to the efforts of U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), member and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. The NPRC, operated by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), holds military service records that veterans rely on to access their earned Department of Veterans Affairs-administered (VA) programs, including health care, education, disability, pension, and burial benefits.In 2022,...
-
Rounds, Cassidy and Colleagues Request Investigation into Biden Admin’s Botched FAFSA Rollout, Impact on Students and Schools
U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), along with 25 of their colleagues, have called for a Government Accountability Office investigation into the Biden administration's mishandling of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program. This investigation comes after the Department of Education failed to properly implement the program, leading to delays in students and families' access to financial aid for college.The FAFSA Simplification Act, a bipartisan legislation passed in 2020, aimed...
-
Rounds, King Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Fast-Track Combat Veterans’ Access to Health Care Benefits
U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Angus King (I-Maine) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at expediting combat veterans' access to health care benefits. The Combat Veterans Pre-Enrollment Act, co-sponsored by Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), would allow transitioning service members to enroll in the Veterans Health Administration's health care services on their first day as civilians, eliminating the current waiting period.Currently, transitioning service members must wait until they have left the military and received their...
-
Rounds, Thune Urge Ag Secretary, U.S. Trade Representative to Begin Trade Agreement Talks to Allow for Bird Flu Vaccine
U.S. Senators Mike Rounds and John Thune have called on Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to initiate discussions about updating trade agreements to enable the use of a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) vaccine. The senators sent a letter expressing their concern that the slow progress in updating trade agreements may hinder the implementation of the vaccine.In their letter, Rounds and Thune highlighted the ongoing efforts of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to test vaccines to combat HPAI. The avian...
-
Rounds and Sinema Propose Legislation to Increase Transparency and Accountability for Financial Regulators
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) have introduced legislation aimed at increasing transparency and accountability within the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC). The FSOC Improvement Act seeks to enhance the transparency and fairness of the systemically important financial institutions (SIFI) designation process.The proposed legislation would codify the 2019 guidance that requires the FSOC to assess whether systemic risks can be addressed through means other than designating a financial institution as a SIFI. It would...
-
Senate Passes Resolution Honoring SDSU’s Back-to-Back Football National Championship
The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution honoring the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Jackrabbits football team for their impressive achievement of winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision title for the second year in a row. Senators Mike Rounds and John Thune, both Republicans from South Dakota, announced the news and expressed their congratulations to the team.In a joint statement, Senators Rounds and Thune said, "Congratulations to the SDSU Jackrabbits football team on another remarkable season. It’s a...
-
The Christmas Spirit: Reflecting on the True Meaning of the Season
As the Christmas season is upon us, it is a time for joy, love, and togetherness. It is a time to celebrate with our loved ones and cherish the moments we share. On this Christmas Eve, let us take a moment to reflect on the true meaning of the season - the birth of Jesus Christ and the message of love and compassion that he brought to the world.The Christmas Spirit goes beyond the mere act of baking cookies or decorating a tree. It encompasses the values and teachings that Jesus Christ imparted to us - to love one another, to be grateful for our blessings, and to give...
-
Rounds, McHenry Lead 77 Colleagues in Requesting Delay for Unclear Reporting Requirements for Small Businesses
U.S. Senator Mike Rounds and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry, along with 77 colleagues, have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director Andrea Gacki, requesting a delay in the implementation of beneficial ownership reporting requirements for small businesses.The reporting requirements, set to begin on January 1, 2024, under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), would require most corporations and limited liability companies to regularly report information about their beneficial...
-
Rounds Announces Nominations to U.S. Service Academies for 2024-2025 School Year
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) has announced his nominations for students to be appointed to the nation's service academies for the 2024-2025 school year. The nominations include Ryan Fiechtner of Aberdeen as the top nominee to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Nicholas Gray of Fort Pierre as the top nominee to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and Maya Lee of Dell Rapids as the top nominee to the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. Senator Rounds also nominated Nicholas Hanson, who has received a fully qualified offer of appointment to the...
-
Rounds, Thune and Johnson Urge Interior Secretary to Address Public Safety Crisis on Reservations
Washington - U.S. Senators Mike Rounds and John Thune, along with Representative Dusty Johnson, have sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, urging immediate action to address the public safety crisis and lack of law enforcement resources on reservations in South Dakota. This comes after a previous letter in June 2023 requesting additional support for tribal law enforcement agencies.In the letter, the delegation emphasizes the severity of the situation, stating, "the shortage of law enforcement personnel in South Dakota tribal communities continues to...