Time and again, South Dakota is ranked as a top state to start and run a business. We have more than 83,000 small businesses in the state, and I’ve always been proud to have contributed to it. I’ve run our farm and ranch, started a hunting lodge, helped manage a restaurant my mom had, and pursued a handful of other ventures along the way. I’m grateful for those experiences and now use them to write better policy.

One of the reasons so many small businesses succeed in South Dakota is that we have an extremely favorable tax environment – something I fought to replicate through tax reform.

Through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we offer small businesses a new 20% deduction, expand expensing tools, preserve interest deductibility, double Death Tax exemption levels, and more. Additionally, for those small businesses that file as individuals, we double the standard deduction, keep popular retirement savings options, and double the Child Tax Credit and other family credits.

These things will help small businesses grow and create more jobs for those looking to join the workforce.

Additionally, I’ve worked closely with the Trump administration to roll back harmful regulations that have stopped companies of all sizes from expanding. Month after month, we’ve seen the impact of those changes. Just a year into the new administration, the economy is strong, jobs are coming back to America and the unemployment rate is at a 16 year low.

While the momentum of regulatory relief and tax reform are helping to grow the economy, the next step is to focus on another area: our workforce.

One of the bills I’ve fought for on this front is the Strengthening Career and Technical Education Act, which lifts some of the barriers that discourage strong partnerships between job creators and educators. This legislation helps to train students with the tools needed to join the workforce ready.