Northeast South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) appeared on The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox Radio to discuss recent legislative efforts and challenges in the Senate.

Thune highlighted the focus of a new bill, which he described as being oriented toward working families. He said, “[T]his [bill] was really geared and oriented toward working families, from the tax policy to the childcare policy, school choice, you know, these accounts for newborns. I mean, there’s so many things in here that are designed to give the American people and working families in this country more incentives to do more for their families and to send less to Washington.

“So I think it’s really a function of us now having and being unified and being out there delivering the message about this, and then I think the American people are going to start feeling it.”

He also noted that the bill would primarily benefit those earning under $400,000 annually, with particular gains for lower-income earners. “[T]he One Big Beautiful Bill is going to be felt by people who make less than $400,000 a year, and the people who actually [earn less than $50,000] a year get the biggest proportionate benefit from the tax cuts that are included there.”

Addressing issues with Senate confirmations, Thune criticized what he called historic obstruction by Democrats regarding presidential nominees. “This is the first president in history who has never had, at this point in his presidency, a civilian nominee approved either by unanimous consent or voice vote in the Senate, which is a way of expediting nominees that you know are broadly supported.

“[Democrats] … are delaying, obstructing, blocking at every point in the process, and so I totally appreciate the president’s frustration with what’s happening on the nominee front.”

Thune said Republicans would continue pushing nominations forward despite delays: “[Senate Republicans] are still going to grind it out on these noms in the coming weeks. [W]e’re about double the rate of where the Trump administration was in 2017 and we’re getting no cooperation from the Democrats. But as we head into next week and then beyond that, the month of August, we will do what’s necessary to ensure that we get the people across the finish line that the president wants to get into those positions.

“We got the Cabinet through at the fastest pace in 20 years. We’ve kept the Senate in session [for]10 consecutive weeks for the first time in 15 years, and we’ve put up more votes at this time in a legislative session than any Congress going back at least to 1989. I mean, and a lot more votes.

“We’re keeping people here. We’re working them. We’re just not getting any cooperation [from the Democrats]… and that’s … unprecedented and … why we’re going to have to just grind it out and wear [the Democrats] down.”

On economic policy, Thune expressed optimism about future growth: “I think we’re poised for some really exciting things in terms of the economy. [T]he president, ... with his policies and working with the Congress, has provided some powerful incentives for people to do business in this country and a lot of our businesses that have … a footprint, multinational businesses are reinvesting in the United States, bringing supply chains back home.

“[T]he tax policies we enacted with the One Big Beautiful Bill will further that, along with regulatory policy, energy policy. I think the president and his team are doing all the right things to ensure that America continues to be the place where people want to invest and do business. And I think that has huge upside for the country economically.”