Central South Dakota News

U.S. Senator Mike Rounds from South Dakota recently questioned Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding a mining research grant for the South Dakota School of Mines during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), under the jurisdiction of HHS, is responsible for making recommendations related to occupational health and safety. NIOSH’s Spokane Mining Research Division, which has been supporting research at SDSMT in Rapid City, faced layoffs that have affected a grant aimed at enhancing underground mining safety.

Senator Rounds expressed concerns stating, “This is not just a missed opportunity, it undermines our ability to meet national security goals tied to mineral independence and supply chain resilience.” He further questioned Secretary Kennedy on the reasons behind the shutdown of the Spokane Mining Research Division given its role in supporting accredited mining schools amidst directives to boost American mineral production.

In response, Secretary Kennedy assured collaboration with Senator Rounds saying, “I will work with you… I’ve spent a lot of time, as you know, in your state and have many friends who are working at the mine up in Deadwood and Lead, South Dakota. I’ve been myself to the bottom of that mine many times. I understand the health concerns and how brave you have to be to undertake that kind of work. We need to protect our miners because they are the future of our country.”

Additionally, Senator Rounds sought information about artificial intelligence research being conducted at the National Institutes of Health.