[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 38 (Tuesday, April 12, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                          CONSTITUENTS' VIEWS

  Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, last week I had one of the best 
experiences that a U.S. Senator has. I went home to see my 
constituents. I know the occupant of the chair is a great historian of 
the Senate. He well knows that we come and go here fairly quickly. 
However, it is a job that brings us back among our constituents 
frequently.
  I know South Dakota may seem far afield to some, but the issues of 
concern to my State are of concern to the Nation. During my visit, I 
held health care meetings; I went riding with the Harding County Riding 
Association, real ranchers; I went to a sale barn, in Lemmon, SD, and 
saw beef cattle selling for $90 a hundredweight; I held my 20th Annual 
Senior Citizens Seminar, I held a joint discussion with my colleagues, 
Senator Daschle and Congressman Johnson, on statewide television, about 
issues facing the United States; I took part in an event honoring one 
of my professors from the University of South Dakota; I visited 
hospitals to discuss health care reform. The mood of our people in 
South Dakota is, generally speaking, good. We have a prosperous State 
at this moment, but there are many problems.
  I tended to conclude from my visits with constituents that some sort 
of bipartisan compromise will be needed in the health care area. There 
is a divergence of views. The general thinking in my State is to take 
care of that 20 percent of Americans who have a problem, and to try to 
preserve the best parts of our present system.
  In terms of agriculture, there is great concern about trade and lost 
income to farmers due to the fact that Canada is dumping its wheat into 
South Dakota and other States. Our small businessmen are concerned 
about Government regulation and the fact that subchapter S corporations 
are paying a higher rate of taxation than are large corporations.
  Telecommunications--it is interesting that many towns I visited 
wanted an updated digital switch. This is my 20th year in Congress, and 
many things have changed since I first came to Congress. I find it 
fascinating when the mayors and city councilmen ask help to get fiber 
optics into our towns; help to get an upgraded digital switch; to be 
sure if the telephone companies are sold we are assured that certain 
telecommunications services will be provided to the local community. 
This is new in the last 5 or 6 years. They want to be on the 
information highway.
  Our State has many businesses locating in South Dakota, moving there 
from California or elsewhere, because we are at the center of the 
Nation--including Citibank, with their credit card operations, and many 
other businesses. And we welcome them.
  I spoke to several of our students who are concerned about the job 
market in the United States, and about whether their skills will be 
appreciated and needed. I assured them that they will be, especially in 
the prosperous Midwest and Rocky Mountain States.
  Mr. President, I plan to provide additional views to some of my 
committee chairmen about congressional action I think we need. For 
example, South Dakota is facing many problems regarding air service. 
Major airlines want only to serve the larger hubs and are not 
interested in serving many smaller areas. While the Minneapolis and 
Denver airports are doing well, jet service is being reduced at South 
Dakota's airports in Rapid City and Sioux Falls. This trend in service 
reduction must be addressed. Therefore, I will be submitting some 
recommendations to the chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation Committee regarding initiatives to improve air service 
to smaller cities and rural areas.

  In the area of surface transportation, I talked with railroad 
officials about the important role short line railroads play in South 
Dakota's transportation system. I also spoke with some of our Indian 
people about their concerns with the Indian Health Service and care for 
fetal alcohol syndrome disease.
  Mr. President, I wanted to report to the Senate on my State travels 
during the Easter recess. I visited with my constituents. I listened 
mostly, but I also reported on congressional actions. Perhaps in no 
other job in the world does one go from Washington, DC, to horseback 
riding with a group of ranchers in Harding County, SD, near the Montana 
border, to a sale barn in Lemmon, SD, to hospitals, and to universities 
across the State, listening and talking about many varied subjects from 
telecommunications to aviation, to agriculture and health care. It is a 
privilege to represent South Dakota here in the Senate.

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