Press Releases
Rounds Meets with Army Corps to Discuss Snowpack Levels Along Missouri River Basin
WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, today met with delegates from the Army Corps Omaha District to discuss snowfall levels and future precipitation predictions for the Missouri River in 2017. The Omaha District is tasked with managing the Missouri River basin, which underwent serious flooding in 2011. "South Dakotans remember all too well the 2011 Missouri … Continue Reading
01.09.17
Rounds Accepting Summer 2017 Internship Applications
WASHINGTON- U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he is currently accepting internship applications for summer 2017. The deadline to apply for internships in his Washington, D.C., Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls offices is February 17, 2017. College credit is available. Duties in the Washington, D.C., office may include tracking legislation, researching bills, attending committee hearings and briefings, leading tours of the U.S. Capitol, handling constituent phone calls, sor… Continue Reading
01.06.17
Delegation Statement on VA Decision to Close Hot Springs Facility
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today issued the following joint statement after U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald announced that the VA would close a large portion of the Hot Springs facility: "We are deeply concerned by the Obama VA's decision, which is the direct result of a flawed process and continued data discrepancies," said Thune… Continue Reading
01.05.17
Bicameral Legislation to Authorize Permanent Land Transfer for Expansion of Black Hills National Cemetery Reintroduced in First Week of 115th Congress
WASHINGTON - Members of the South Dakota congressional delegation, which includes U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.), were joined today by U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) in reintroducing companion versions of the Black Hills National Cemetery Boundary Expansion Act, legislation that would facilitate a permanent land transfer of approximately 200 acres of Bureau of Land Management land to expand the Black Hills National Cemetery outside of Stu… Continue Reading
01.05.17
Rounds Statement on Meeting with General James Mattis
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement following his meeting with Gen. James Mattis, whom President-elect Trump announced he will nominate to be Defense Secretary. "I thank Gen. Mattis for taking the time to meet with me today to discuss a range of issues, from cybersecurity to the F-35 and B-21 aircraft ," said Rounds. "Gen. Mattis understands the need to wisely invest more in our defense and has a keen geostrategic awareness that is crucial to rebuildin… Continue Reading
01.04.17
Rounds Statement on Meeting With Scott Pruitt
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement following his meeting with Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, who President-elect Trump announced he will nominate to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). "I thank Mr. Pruitt for taking the time to meet with me today to discuss our shared goals of reining in an overly-expansive EPA," said Rounds. "During our meeting, Mr. Pruitt and I discussed our frustrations with the current administr… Continue Reading
01.04.17
Rounds Statement on Meeting with SBA Nominee Linda McMahon
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement following his meeting with Linda McMahon, President-elect Trump's nominee to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA). Rounds is a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which has jurisdiction over the nomination of the SBA Administrator. "I thank Ms. McMahon for taking the time to meet with me today to discuss the importance of small businesses in America," said Rou… Continue Reading
01.03.17
Rounds Secures Five Key Committee Assignments for 115th Congress
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that he will maintain his membership on four key committee assignments in the 115th Congress: Armed Services; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Environment and Public Works (EPW); and Veterans' Affairs. Additionally, he will serve on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, which has jurisdiction over the Small Business Administration and researching and investigating all problems relating to small business enterprises. … Continue Reading
12.26.16
Rounds Urges Attorney General Pruitt to Restore Order at EPA
PIERRE-U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today wrote to Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President-elect Trump's intended nominee to be the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, urging him to correct many of the current administration's damaging protocols at the EPA. Rounds is a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and Chairman of the EPW Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight, which has oversight of the EPA. In the … Continue Reading
12.22.16
Members of Tri-State Delegation Asks VA for Answers About Reduction of Hot Springs Services Despite Superior Rating
PIERRE - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Reps. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) and Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) today wrote U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald to ask about the VA's preferred alternative to drastically cut services at the Hot Springs VA facility despite it being rated by the VA as one of only 14 "five star" facilities across the country. "As you continue to overhaul the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) through th… Continue Reading
12.22.16
Rounds Announces U.S. Service Academy Nominations
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced his nominees to attend the nation's service academies for the fall 2017 semester. "It is an honor to nominate these young South Dakota students to become the next generation of military leaders," said Rounds. "The United States service academies are looking for the best and brightest to join their ranks, and I was fortunate to receive nomination applications from an outstanding group of students. I'm confident they possess the leaders… Continue Reading
12.09.16
Rounds, Klobuchar Lead Bipartisan Effort Urging the VA to Comply with 2010 Law that Protects Veterans from Exorbitant ER Bills
WASHINGTON- Led by U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), 22 senators, including six from the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, wrote to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald to urge him to comply with the Emergency Care Fairness Act (ECFA). The ECFA was enacted in 2010 and directed the VA to cover veterans with private health insurance when that insurance doesn't cover the full amount of non-VA emergency care. Yet since 2010, the VA has not c… Continue Reading
12.08.16
Rounds Statement on Senate Passage of NDAA
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today issued a statement following the Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill includes a number of provisions offered by Rounds, including language from his Cyber Act of War Act and his legislation requiring training for Department of Defense (DoD) officials to expedite the hiring of cyber security professionals. It also includes his legislation to require DoD to more… Continue Reading
12.08.16
Senate Air Force Caucus Members Discuss Priorities with Senior Members of Air Force
WASHINGTON - Members of the Senate Air Force Caucus met with U.S. Air Force leaders at the caucus' biannual breakfast in Washington to discuss upcoming priorities and challenges of the Air Force. Chief of Staff of the Air Force General David Goldfein; Vice Chief General Steven Wilson and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Cody were among the senior Air Force leaders at the breakfast. The session afforded Members the opportunity to talk about a wide range of topics, from modernization … Continue Reading
12.07.16
Rounds Looks Back on Time as EPW Subcommittee Chairman in Senate Floor Speech
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor about his experience chairing the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management and Regulatory Oversight during the 114th Congress. The subcommittee is tasked with providing oversight on the agencies under The EPW Committee's jurisdiction, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other agencies that have implemented excessive, overreaching regulations under this administra… Continue Reading
12.07.16
Rounds Issues Statement on Senate Passage of 21st Century Cures Act
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today issued a statement following the Senate's passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, a comprehensive bill to advance the development of medical treatments and find cures to a number of diseases that affect millions of Americans each year. It includes provisions co-sponsored by Rounds, including the Mental Health and Safe Communities Act. "Sadly, most Americans have felt the impact of devastating diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's," said Rounds. "T… Continue Reading
12.07.16
Rounds Statement on Meeting with Dr. Ben Carson
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today made the following statement following his meeting with Dr. Ben Carson, who President-elect Trump recently announced he will nominate to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): "I thank Dr. Carson for taking the time to meet with me this morning to discuss his ideas for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. During our visit, we discussed ways to streamline HUD and make it more effective, as well as … Continue Reading
12.06.16
Delegation Meets With VA Secretary in DC Following Hot Springs Visit
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, and John Thune (R-S.D.), and Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today met with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert McDonald following his Nov. 30, 2016, visit to the Hot Springs, South Dakota VA campus. During the meeting, the delegation encouraged Secretary McDonald to carefully consider input he received from veterans, staff and other community stakeholders before making any final decision… Continue Reading
12.05.16
Rounds, Thune Join Colleagues to Request President Obama Stop Issuing New Regulations
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) joined 21 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter, led by Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), to President Obama requesting the administration stop issuing non-emergency rules and regulations in the final weeks of his term. Thune and Rounds stressed to the president that the American people made it clear on November 8 that they expect regulatory relief. "Whether it is the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule unfairly burde… Continue Reading
11.30.16
Rounds Urges VA to Comply with 2010 Law that Protects Veterans from Exorbitant ER Bills
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today spoke on the Senate floor to urge the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to comply with the Veterans' Emergency Care Fairness Act. This law, enacted in February 2010, is intended to make certain that veterans with private health insurance are covered by the VA if their outside insurance does not cover the full amount of non-VA emergency care. Despite its unanimous support and clear congressional intent, the VA has continued its previous policy … Continue Reading
