[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 142 (Thursday, September 12, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S6009]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           August Work Period

  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, like many of our colleagues, I spend a lot 
of summer days on the road in my home State of South Dakota. The longer 
summer recesses give me the opportunity to travel the State far and 
wide, and with so much going on in South Dakota during the season, it 
is a great time for me to see familiar faces and to meet new folks as 
well.
  I spend a lot of these summer days listening because what I hear from 
South Dakotans informs a lot of the work that I do here in the U.S. 
Senate.
  In Howard, SD, I heard from healthcare professionals about some of 
the important programs that help them provide healthcare in rural 
areas.
  Homebuilders in the Sioux Falls area told me about the headwinds they 
face from the Biden-Harris administration's overregulation, which has 
made building new homes more difficult and expensive.
  At a Dakotafest in Mitchell, agricultural producers expressed their 
frustration that Congress has still not passed an updated farm bill--a 
frustration that I share. I have been pushing hard for Congress to take 
up a bill and will continue to do everything I can to advance this 
legislation. Another extension is no substitute for the certainty an 
updated farm bill would give farmers and ranchers as they make plans 
for the future, and getting it done should be a priority for Congress.
  Traveling around South Dakota also gives me the chance to meet the 
people who keep our communities going.
  I dropped in to hear from local officials in Leola and Eureka.
  I got to learn about some of the things happening at Black Hills 
State University, and I toured South Dakota State's nursing simulation 
center in Brookings.
  I visited the Liberty Center in Box Elder and saw the great work the 
Black Hills community does to make the area a welcoming place for 
servicemembers stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base and for their 
families.
  Whether it is Kuchen in Eureka, a quick bite at Ricky's Restaurant in 
Roscoe, or, of course, the Tubby Burger at the Brown County Fair, I 
know I can always find some good food to keep me fueled wherever I am 
traveling in South Dakota.
  What would the summer be without a few celebrations? I was out in 
Rapid City for the annual Military Appreciation Barbecue, I joined the 
Fort Pierre 4th of July Parade, and I was back in my hometown of Murdo 
celebrating the 70th anniversary of the legendary Pioneer Auto Show and 
honoring the life of longtime museum owner Dave Geisler, who passed 
away earlier this year.
  I had the opportunity to travel with my family in the Black Hills. We 
made stops in Spearfish Canyon, Hill City, Keystone, Lake Pactola, and 
Spearfish, among other places.
  This summer was also notable for the successes of South Dakota's 
athletes. It was great to see two South Dakotans competing in the 
Olympics and Paralympics this year. Sioux Falls native Taryn Kloth 
competed in beach volleyball, and Miles Krajewski, a Yankton native and 
freshman at the University of South Dakota, made history as the first 
American to medal in badminton at the Paralympics, bringing home a 
silver medal in mixed doubles.
  The Sioux Falls Little League All Star Team made it to the Little 
League World Series this summer, and by all accounts, they played well 
in Williamsport. They should be proud of their success, and I am glad 
to hear they were able to befriend fellow players from across the 
country and the world along the way.
  It was great to be in Brookings this past weekend for the South 
Dakota State Jackrabbits' home opener, as they look to defend their 
back-to-back national titles this season.
  Summer is a wonderful time in South Dakota, and it is a privilege to 
be able to spend part of it exploring our great State. The sunshine on 
the open prairie, the smell of the ponderosa pine, and the good people 
I meet along the way remind me how lucky I am to be a South Dakotan and 
what an honor it is to represent this special place in the U.S. Senate.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHATZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Lujan). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.