Debt Limit Approaches Senator John Thune talks with FOX News' Greta Van Susteren about the ongoing debt negotiations on July 26, 2011. With just days left until the August 2nd deadline given to Congress by Treasury Secretary Geithner to raise the debt ceiling, Congressional leaders and the White House have not yet reached an agreement that will cut spending and make sensible budget reforms. While Congressional Republicans have put forward a commonsense plan to address our nation's debt crisis, the path forward remains unclear. What is certain, however, is that the current status quo in Washington of unrestrained federal spending and growing federal debts and deficits simply is not sustainable. Unfortunately, last week the Senate missed an opportunity to pass the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2011, previously passed by the House of Representatives, which would have enacted responsible spending cuts, instituted caps on total federal spending, and approved an increase in the debt ceiling once Congress had approved a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. This legislation, which Senator Thune strongly supported, received a procedural vote in the Senate on July 22, 2011, but it failed to receive the votes necessary to move forward. The Cut, Cap, and Balance Act would have cut spending by $101 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 compared to FY 2011 spending. It would have also established spending caps for FY 2013 through FY 2021 as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The problem Congress is now faced with is not only the short-term issue of raising the debt ceiling, but the long-term problem of finding solutions to runaway federal spending. Senator Thune believes raising the debt ceiling without significant spending reductions and budget and entitlement reforms would be yet another missed opportunity for Congress to begin to return to an era of fiscal responsibility. Thune Requests Senate Hearings on Missouri River Flooding Senator John Thune attends the Missouri River Working Group meeting on July 13, 2011. Earlier this month, Senator Thune led a bipartisan group of 14 Missouri River Senators in sending a letter to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to request hearings into the management of water levels along the Missouri River prior to the ongoing record flooding. While South Dakotans and others along the Missouri River continue to deal with flooding conditions, Senator Thune and his colleagues believe that many tough questions will need to be asked of those who were in charge of the Missouri River management in the lead up to the flooding. Additionally, Senator Thune believes Congressional hearings are warranted to help determine future water management policies, including reevaluating the Army Corp of Engineers' Master Manual, so that this flooding does not occur again. You can view Senator Thune's letter HERE. Additionally this month, Senator Thune joined his Missouri River colleagues in forming the Missouri River Working Group. The Working Group met for the first time on July 13th, with Corps officials present to answer the Senators' questions. While each state along the Missouri River has varying priorities regarding water management, the members of the Working Group all agreed that flood prevention must be a top priority for the Corps. The Working Group's next step will be to follow up on Senator Thune's request for a Senate hearing on river management. In the meantime, Senator Thune will continue to be engaged with all levels of the Corps' management, particularly as individuals, homeowners, and businesses continue to deal with the uncertainty regarding high releases from the dams along the Missouri River. Thune Sends Letter to Obama Administration Expressing Concern over Implementation of Obamacare Program On July 14th, Senator Thune along with Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius that raised concerns about the implementation of the new entitlement program known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program. The CLASS program is a long-term health insurance entitlement created by the Affordable Care Act that has already been acknowledged by the administration to be "totally unsustainable." In both testimony by Secretary Sebelius and public comments by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Chief Actuary Rick Foster, concerns have been raised about the sustainability of the program. Foster has labeled the CLASS program as "unworkable" due to adverse selection and warned that "ignoring 200 years of actuarial principles has consequences." While experts continue to raise flags about the negative consequences of moving forward with this program, HHS continues to push ahead with implementation, using taxpayer dollars from an Obamacare implementation slush fund to finance a promotional campaign for the program. However, Congress has yet to appropriate funds for the CLASS program. Senator Thune's letter requests that HHS provide details about taxpayer dollars that are being used for the implementation of the CLASS program. Senator Thune believes HHS owes the American taxpayer some honest accounting of where the administration is in the implementation process of the CLASS program, and why they continue to ignore all of the red flags raised about the massive new entitlement program they are implementing. Thune Reaches Bipartisan Agreement on Path Forward for Biofuels Agriculture is, and will continue to be, South Dakota's number one industry. Adding to the success of agriculture production has been the rise of the biofuels industry, which supports farmers, creates jobs, and provides economic growth to rural communities. Additionally, ethanol currently provides 10 percent of America's gasoline fuel supply, which is important in reducing our nation's dependence on foreign oil. Senator Thune understands the important role biofuels plays in ensuring America's energy independence, but also recognizes the difficult fiscal situation facing the nation. Because of that, Senator Thune led a bipartisan effort in the Senate to craft a commonsense way forward for the biofuels industry. The proposal would phase out the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit on July 31, 2011, while dedicating $1.3 billion of the savings to deficit reduction and provide $668 million to support renewable energy infrastructure and small ethanol producers. Senator Thune was joined by Senator Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, in drafting this proposal, which aims to support the growing biofuels industry while balancing the need for fiscal discipline. To read a joint op-ed from Senator Thune and Senator Klobuchar, click HERE. While the path forward for this bipartisan agreement is uncertain due to the ongoing debt negotiations, Senator Thune is in regular contact with leaders in both the House and the Senate and is hopeful this agreement can be adopted. Thune Welcomes Ellsworth Air Force Base's New 28th Bomb Wing Commander Senator John Thune meets with Col. Mark Weatherington, the new commander of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base, in his Washington, D.C. office on July 28, 2011. On July 28, Senator Thune had the pleasure of welcoming Colonel Mark Weatherington to his Washington, D.C. office. Col. Weatherington is the new commander of the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base and is in command of more than 4,300 military service members and civilians. A former B-1 pilot himself, Col. Weatherington commands the largest B-1 bomber combat wing in the Air Force. The 28 aircraft under his leadership at Ellsworth are essential to our national security as components of our long-range strike capabilities, and having them at Ellsworth is a source of pride for all South Dakotans. The men and women who maintain and operate the B-1 bombers have distinguished themselves in the war on terror and have been deployed on important missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Ellsworth is also an economic engine for South Dakota, and has significant value to our military retirees and the west river region. Adding to this dedicated service, Col. Weatherington will oversee the establishment of the new Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) mission at Ellsworth early next year. RPAs are being used with increased frequency for surveillance and strike operations in remote and dangerous airspace, extending the operational reach of our military. Along with this new mission, Ellsworth is slated to expand its airspace by adding the Powder River Military Operations Area. An Environmental Impact Statement, detailing possible environmental consequences of the expansion, is expected to be released this fall. Senator Thune was honored to sit down with Col. Weatherington and discuss his goals and plans for Ellsworth. Senator Thune wishes him and all of the service members and civilians under his leadership at Ellsworth continued success as they serve our country and defend our freedoms. ### Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on MySpace Share on Digg Read Senator Thune's Weekly Columns for July 7/22: South Dakota's Budget: An Example for the Federal Government 7/21: JOINT OP-ED: A New Way Forward for Biofuels 7/15: Missouri River Senators Unite to Prevent Future Flooding 7/8: Legacy of All-School Reunions Continues 7/1: Congress Needs a Balanced Budget Amendment







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Senator John Thune shakes hands with residents at the Kranzburg Fourth of July parade. Senator John Thune stands with members of the South Dakota Corn Growers Association after a meeting in his Washington, D.C. office on July 14, 2011.

Senator John Thune meets with South Dakota FFA president Paul Dybedahl of Colton and vice president Jamie Flint of Viborg in his Washington, D.C. office on July 27, 2011. Senator John Thune meets with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Maj. General John McMahon in his Washington, D.C. office on July 29, 2011, to discuss decreases in water releases along the Missouri River.