Tim Johnson for South Dakota: News Articles

Johnson Continues Campaign Sweep in South Dakota

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

STURGIS - Sen. Tim Johnson has been storming the state during his campaign for the 2008 election.

Monday afternoon he made stops in Rapid City and Sturgis.

The first stop was in Rapid City, where Johnson honored the Canyon Lake All-Stars for being the first South Dakota team to qualify for the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn.

Then it was on to Sturgis, where he was guided on a “windshield tour,” with Mayor Maury LaRue driving the senator around town to show how the city is growing.

City manager David Boone, council member Bernadette Usera and Johnson staffer Matt Varilek also accompanied the pair as they viewed the Sturgis Industrial Park. While the tour was going on, Barbara Johnson, the senator's wife, toured the Crisis Intervention Shelter Services facility on Sherman Street.

The senator commented on how his campaign has been going.

“It's been going well. I have criss-crossed the entire state of South Dakota. I have skipped the Democratic convention to spend more time with South Dakotans,” he said.

He stated that every region has its own concerns. For instance, in East river there is the Lewis and Clark water system, corn and beans. But in west river there is interest in the military and tourism that is unique to the Black Hills and western South Dakota.

Being a chairman of military construction of the VA subcommittee, Johnson has a say in how military construction comes along as well as the VA hospitals. “I have a warm spot in my heart for Sturgis. The VA has an excellent hospital along with the clinic in Rapid City,” he said. In addition, he feels there is room for improvement at Camp Rapid and Ellsworth Air Force Base.

Johnson feels Congress should have a comprehensive plan when it comes to gas prices.

“It ranges from getting after speculators to common sense personal conservation initiatives to efficient automobiles, and trucks such as hybrids,” he said.

He stressed that Republicans and Democrats alike must stop fighting and quit worrying about who gets the credit for solving the crisis.

Johnson felt good about the Obama-Biden presidential ticket.

“It's a very good one and it will be a close election. South Dakota historically is a Republican state. The last Democrat to carry the state was LBJ in 1964. But it will be close. But the main thing is that we get rid of that partisanship and start concentrating on the American people,” he said.

Senator Johnson's aphasia is no handicap in this election

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Sen. Tim Johnson suffers from aphasia and doesn’t do a very good job of orally communicating his thoughts, which are a direct reflection of his intellect, which in turn is unaffected by aphasia.

So what’s the big deal? For obvious reasons his handicap makes debating his Republican opponent, state Rep. Joel Dykstra, a virtual impossibility, as the quick give-and-take of a spirited debate is beyond the incumbent senator’s grasp for the time being. Naturally, that compels more than a few people around the state to question his ability to function as their representative in the United States Senate, and probably with some reason. I suspect that the most vocal complainers about the senator’s decision not to debate just happen to be Republican supporters of Dykstra, who are taking this opportunity to turn Johnson’s impairment into a political asset that might be of some value to their man Dykstra come November.

Whether my suspicions are unfounded or not, though, I can’t think of a more irrelevant factor in comparing the merits of the two opponents, who should be judged on the basis of experience and political inclinations, not physical handicaps. After reading up on the literature of aphasia, I’m convinced — as anyone who studies up on it would be — that the condition has no affect on the intellect and judgment of those unfortunate enough to suffer from it, and I have absolutely no problem with Johnson’s decision to stay off the debate platform.

For one thing, his halting speaking manner would only take attention away from the content of the senator’s utterances, making a debate, for all practical purposes, meaningless. For another, even when the senator is on top of his rhetorical game, he’s neither a tower of charisma nor a gifted orator, certainly not remotely comparable to the quick-witted Tom Daschle or the charm-laden John Thune.

Some might even say that the senator is doing himself a favor by not debating, and I’d be one of them. Kidding aside, his dull style notwithstanding, Johnson has been a competent, even courageous (and extremely so, when you consider what it took to buck his party and senior colleague Tom Daschle by voting for the Bush tax cut) representative, taking that word seriously even when it meant crossing political swords with his party’s national establishment.

Though it’s true that Johnson has no hope of keeping up with many of the prima donnas in the United States Senate when it comes time to discuss issues on the floor of the Congress, most of us should be politically sophisticated enough to understand that virtually all of that rhetorical posturing has more to do with political grandstanding than doing the actual work of analyzing and discussing the merits of legislation.

That work is done with staff experts and political advisors, and gets accomplished in the quieter reaches of senatorial offices and chambers. In that setting, Sen. Johnson’s impairment will have no bearing on his ability to function. As to debating, South Dakota media are perfectly capable of preparing policy issues and submitting them to the campaigns, then publishing or airing the respective responses and positions — which is probably a much more thoughtful and rational way of getting at the differences among the candidates than putting them under the pressure of a televised confrontation, where points are scored more on the basis of personality and telegenisis than actual approaches to policy.

No doubt the Dykstra campaign can take the lead on this by issuing specific policy points and challenging Johnson to respond, point by point. The Republican is probably in such tough political shape at this point that he’ll have to do something dramatic to get people’s attention. If he or his surrogates continue to make some hay off Johnson’s aphasia, the campaign might as well concede that it can’t win on the issues.

I have yet to make a decision on this race, but I know that physical impairment won’t be part of the process that determines my vote. To that extent, South Dakota as a whole should be able to take some pride in the fact that its voters aren’t swayed by physical handicaps when it comes time to choosing their elected officials.

John Tsitrian is a Rapid City businessman and writer. Contact him at tsitrian@rap.midco.net.

Editorial: Reviving Pipeline Money - Again

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It might sound like the song that never ends at this point, but once again a South Dakota congressional delegate has come through for the Lewis & Clark Regional Water Project.

Sen. Tim Johnson, from his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, pushed $30 million for the pipeline through to a vote of the full Senate. The House already has approved $25 million, and it's not clear yet what the final appropriation will be.

Next year didn't always look so bright for Lewis & Clark. Only a few months ago, President Bush zeroed out the allocation for the critical water pipeline, despite the federal government's commitment to pay for 85 percent of the project.

Even by the up-and-down historical standards of this project, $0 was a new low.

Lewis & Clark has been under fire since its inception. Some say it's wasteful pork - evidence of the broken process known as earmarking. Hardly. It's a massive multistate undertaking which, as a practical matter, only could be paid for at the federal level. It guarantees a vital resource - water - for a broad swath of the country.

It's always gratifying to see our congressional representatives working together, but facing that kind of critical budget decision, it was particularly needed this year.

Bush might not have a chance to cut the funding again. Whatever figure congress agrees on probably will need approval from the next president. We hope both Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama take a more generous view of Lewis & Clark.

But even if the best Congress can do as it reconciles the House and Senate figures is a continuation of last year's money - $26.5 million - that's a $26.5 million improvement.

Bill calls for $30 million for water project

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.
A Senate spending bill that passed out of a subcommittee Tuesday would provide $30 million to the Lewis and Clark regional water system, a project designed to pipe Missouri River water to Sioux Falls and other communities, said Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D.

President Bush's budget proposal earlier this year requested no new money for the project, which is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Johnson, a member of the energy and water appropriations subcommittee, said the money will keep the taps running in three states and economic development thriving.

The House Appropriations Committee late last month approved $25 million for the project, according to Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D.

Differences in funding levels between the chambers are typically worked out in conference committees.

The Lewis and Clark system is a partnership of 15 cities and five rural water districts in South Dakota, Iowa and southwestern Minnesota that would get treated water from wells near the Missouri River through 337 miles of underground pipe.

The project received almost $27 million last year after Bush proposed $15 million. He left the project out of this year's proposal, which outlines spending for the 2009 budget year starting Oct. 1.

Senator makes quick tour of Mitchell hospital

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Sen. Tim Johnson on Saturday said the current presidential administration worries too much about war and not enough about health care.

Johnson, D-S.D., spent an hour in Mitchell, touring Avera Queen of Peace Hospital and discussing issues with hospital employees. He repeatedly expressed how impressed he is with the facility, but expressed doubt at the adequacy of health care funding available from Washington, D.C.

“The problem is that the expense will outrun the need,” he said. “Besides, our president has a priority on fighting wars and too little serving the people who need it.”

Johnson and his wife, Barbara, and two staff members toured portions of the hospital, including the maternity ward, intensive care unit and cancer center. Johnson said the purpose of his visit was to see the upgrades and improvements that had been made in the approximately three years since his last visit.

He said he was impressed with “the entirety of the hospital (and) the comprehensive health care that the people of Mitchell receive from the cancer center to the medical center.”

After the tour, Johnson said the facility could serve as an example for other communities.

“It’s a model for what the nation and South Dakota could use,” Johnson said. “It’s a marginally small city, but the service you get here is a combination of good technology, good care skills and personal skills. I think that this community is well served by the people here.”

For Charlene Berke, director of Radiation Oncology, the visit was a good chance to show Johnson the facility’s technological progress.

“I’m glad he was able to come and see all the changes that we’ve done since he’s been here last,” Berke said. “I think it went great.”

Johnson addresses state Democrats

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

OACOMA, S.D. (AP) - Democrat Tim Johnson says his health continues to improve and he wants to win a third term in the U.S. Senate so he can accomplish things for South Dakota and the nation.

Johnson spoke briefly during a luncheon Saturday at the Democratic State Convention in Oacoma.

He says he continues to recover from the bleeding in the brain that he suffered in December 2006. The injury has affected his mobility and slowed his speech.

Johnson says he believes Democrat Barack Obama will be elected president and that he wants to remain in the Senate to pass legislation that's been blocked by Republican President Bush the past eight years.

Johnson is being challenged by Republican Joel Dykstra of Canton.

Johnson pushing mortgage relief bill

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

With help from South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson, the Senate is poised to pass legislation this week that would give banks and some homeowners relief from troubled mortgages

Johnson, a Democrat, will vote for the measure, which would allow banks to voluntarily trade defaulted mortgages for new ones guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration and taxpayers.

The deal would require banks to forgive part of the mortgage debt. In exchange, banks would get paid for much of the bad mortgage debt now on their books, and future losses would be limited. Homeowners on the verge of foreclosure would get new 30-year fixed mortgages, in amounts no larger than 90 percent of their home's appraised value.

The housing crisis is affecting the rest of the economy, including the credit and energy markets, and Congress must act to limit the damage, Johnson's spokeswoman, Julianne Fisher, said Wednesday.

"Something has to be done," Fisher said. "It won't come without a cost to lenders. It's a very painful lesson to learn."

Sen. John Thune, a Republican, has yet to decide how he will vote on the bill, spokesman Kyle Downey said.

South Dakota's foreclosure rate was 47th in the nation in May, according to RealtyTrac, the online real estate information service. Nevada, California and Arizona reported the most foreclosures last month. Nationwide, an estimated 2.2 million borrowers with subprime and other risky mortgages are expected to face foreclosure during the next three years.

The mortgage rescue plan is not supposed to cost taxpayers anything. It will be financed with a new fee imposed on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, private companies set up by Congress to buy mortgages from banks and other lending institutions and, in some cases, resell them.

However, a report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the two companies' tax write-offs for the new fee will cost the Treasury $2.25 billion between 2009 and 2018.

Critics say the mortgage rescue bill is a sweetheart deal for the banks.

Because banks will decide which mortgages to trade, they'll bring the worst of the worst to the Federal Housing Administration to refinance, said Dean Baker, co-director of the liberal-leaning Center for Economic and Policy Research. Some homebuyers still could get stuck with oversized mortgages because appraisals in a falling real estate market often are not accurate or change six months later, Baker said.

"The banks are sitting on a lot of junk right now, and this gives them an opportunity to take somewhat smaller write-downs," Baker said. "Obviously, under the formula here, they'll still lose here, but they'll lose less."

Johnson Secures Funding for Tribal Police

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

WASHINGTON — Concerned about law enforcement in Indian Country in South Dakota, U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced funding levels he secured in the Senate Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill for 2009. The bill, which includes $3.85 million in projects Johnson requested for Indian Country, was passed by the full committee Thursday and now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

“Crime in Indian Country continues to increase at an alarming rate, and the majority of the funding I secured will go toward improving law enforcement and emergency response on our reservations,” Johnson said. “Though there are still many steps before this bill becomes law, I will defend the funding levels for each of these projects, which will fund many areas of law enforcement including first responder systems that continue to feel the increasing crunch of tight budget and increased costs." Area projects Johnson secured in the report include:

$750,000 for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s Criminal Justice System — funds will be used for law enforcement, court operations, prosecutors, public defender’s office, and detention equipment and operations on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.

$500,000 for the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe’s Criminal Justice System — Funds will be used for law enforcement, court operations, prosecutors, public defender’s office, and detention equipment and operations on the Lower Brule Indian Reservation.

$250,000 for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s 911 system — Funds will be used for upgrades and maintenance to the 911 system.

$600 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services Program, which funds grants for law enforcement equipment, training and hiring officers. This program includes funding $15 million for Tribal Law Enforcement Grants

$61 million to state and local law enforcement programs to combat methamphetamine production and distribution.

USd Receives 1.9M in Research Funding

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

WASHINGTON — The University of South Dakota in Vermillion has received a $1,951,668 federal grant through the Department of Health and Human Services, the office of Sen. Tim Johnson announced Tuesday. The funding will support research efforts in improving cardiovascular health.

“This funding is essential to improve our knowledge of cardiovascular conditions and to give our students and doctors every opportunity to contribute to the field of medicine,” Johnson said. “South Dakota has proven that it can be an important and viable center for medical research and education. A key part of my Hometown Prosperity Plan is investing in the public good, and this funding is a wonderful example of an investment.”

The Cardiovascular Research Institute at USD was founded in 1998 in order to improve the lives of those with cardiovascular disease. The institute employs faculty members, researchers and various levels of students who conduct basic and clinical research to learn more about the disease.

Dad believed in the value of a good education, senator says

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

As the son of a teacher, coach and school administrator at both the secondary and college levels, Sen. Tim Johnson learned plenty about the value of a good education.

He was largely on his own with politics, however. Johnson's dad, Van, stayed clear of active campaign involvement or advocacy during his professional years, figuring he should focus on education rather than politics.

"He believed that politics would just get in the way of things," Tim Johnson said.

And Van Johnson managed to raise a son who would excel both in education and in politics, the second at both the state and national level. A Phi Beta Kappa as an undergraduate at the University of South Dakota, Tim Johnson went on to get a master's degree in public administration as well as a law degree, both from USD.

That was about the time he began to recognize his dad's subdued political philosophy, which tended to match his own.

"I think we had similar beliefs in life. And it worked out that we had similar beliefs in politics," Tim Johnson said. "He's a Democrat, a moderate Democrat, like me."

Van Johnson is 94, and living with his wife, Ruth, at an assisted living center in Michigan. They ended up there because Van Johnson concluded his educational career at Michigan State University.

Tim Johnson calls his dad regularly. And up until recently, his parents came to visit in the Washington, D.C., area where Tim Johnson and his wife, Barbara, reside.

They don't often talk politics. But Van Johnson has grown more connected to the political world through his son's successful political career, which began with his election to the South Dakota House in 1978, led to Congress in 1986 and continues as he seeks his third term in the U.S. Senate.

"He's been proud of me, and approving," Tim Johnson said. "And he said at one time that my grandpa would have been proud of me, as a strong (former Republican Sen.) Karl Mundt supporter."

Johnson also knows, however, that even his substantive political accomplishments can't measure up in his father's eyes to even more important accomplishments.

"My dad's most proud of my kids, and grandkids," Johnson said.

Bill Coming to Help Home Health Care Providers Cover Gas Costs

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Saying he's become aware of the "terrible effects" that soaring gas prices are having on home health care providers, Sen. Tim Johnson on Thursday announced he will introduce a bill to allow providers to be reimbursed for the rising costs.

On Wednesday, Robert Dockter, CEO of Eureka Community Health Services, joined Johnson on a call with reporters and told how high gas prices are hurting the industry.

He said fuel expenses average more than $14 per visit and that his facility has had to cut back on the area it serves because of lower reimbursement rates and higher fuel costs.

Dockter said Medicare pays home health care agencies a predetermined base payment, with some adjustments. Before 2000, the agencies were reimbursed on a cost-based system and used to be able to count mileage costs, he said.

Returning to that system would really help, Dockter said.

Johnson said he wants reimbursement rates changed back to a cost-based plan, covering the true cost of the service provided.

"Cost-based payments would allow home health care providers to receive a settlement payment at the end of the year for the actual cost" and would be easier and fairer, he said in an interview.

"This will close the gap between the current Medicare reimbursement and rising gas prices."

After hearing Dockter on Wednesday, Johnson said it's clear that the current "one-size-fits-all approach" is not working.

The senator said the legislation will be introduced "just as soon as my staff gets all the I's dotted and the T's crossed. Pretty soon," he said.

Johnson said he doesn't know how much more it would cost. The Congressional Budget Office should be able to figure that out, "and it's not likely to be very much in the larger scheme of things," he said, adding that cost-based reimbursement didn't cost much more than the current system.

When asked, Johnson said he thinks the cost-based system would allow home health care agencies to start serving areas they've had to abandon because of the higher transportation costs.

He said the Office of Management and Budget likely will "oppose anything that will cost more money."

"My contention is that we actually save money in keeping people out of nursing homes and intensive care."

On Wednesday, Johnson, D-S.D., said he was writing to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to ask for an investigation of the effects higher gas prices are having on home health service delivery.

Happy Birthday, Crazy Horse

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

As Crazy Horse Memorial turns 60 this year, we are reminded, once again, just how much can be accomplished with perseverance, patience and promotion. The monument to the great Lakota warrior Crazy Horse that sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began blasting into a mountainside near Custer in 1948 celebrated its 60th anniversary with twin blasts on June 3 — one small commemorative blast to honor the past and a larger one designed to further progress on the world’s largest mountain carving.

As his 81-year-old widow, Ruth, watched from the viewing terrace below, she explained the story of Crazy Horse Memorial this way: “... you can do anything if you stick with it and don’t quit.”

Hard work, combined with a talent for attracting international publicity, has been the Ziolkowski family credo, and the memorial’s formula for success, for the last 60 years. Most recently, NBC news personality Ann Curry broadcast a “Today Show” report while hanging from the carving.

This week’s anniversary program included a tribute to Ziolkowski’s dream from Lakota Olympic gold medal winner Billy Mills and a congressional resolution sponsored by Sens. Tim Johnson and John Thune praising the sculpture.

“The Crazy Horse Memorial is a symbol of the rich history and culture of South Dakota,” Johnson said in a press release. “It is fitting that we should honor the decades of hard work that have gone into constructing this memorial, as well as honoring the Lakota people for their contribution to the great state of South Dakota.”

The birthday party will continue all year with a series of special events, starting with the 2008 Crazy Horse Memorial Volksmarch on Saturday and Sunday, June 7-8. Once a year, the public is invited to hike to the top of the mountain carving. It’s a unique opportunity and one we urge everyone to take advantage of at least once in their lifetime.

A less taxing way to celebrate the carving’s 60th birthday would be at the Black Hills Playhouse debut production of “Dreams Carved in Stone,” that runs June 5-8 and June 10-15.

Congratulations to everyone at Crazy Horse Memorial on the accomplishments of the first 60 years and our best wishes for the next 60.

U.S. ethanol production benefits consumers, increases energy security

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It is time to recognize the many accomplishments of the renewable fuels industry. Through continued growth of ethanol production, the United States is not only addressing its most pressing need of improving its energy security, but also helping to moderate record gasoline prices by as much as 50 cents per gallon and creating economic opportunities in rural America. To hear detractors speak, advocating the expanded use of renewable fuels is worse than remaining dependent on foreign oil and continuing to eliminate our precious oil reserves.

We simply disagree.

Today, the United States produces approximately 8.5 billion gallons of ethanol, which is blended in more than 50 percent of all U.S. gasoline. This significant, nationwide use of ethanol not only serves to extend our nation’s gasoline supply, but also plays a significant role in keeping gasoline prices from skyrocketing even higher. Francisco Blanch, a Merrill Lynch analyst, estimated that the use of renewable biofuels keeps gasoline prices 15 percent below what they might be. Iowa State University recently confirmed Mr. Blanch’s estimations with a study that showed ethanol has reduced gasoline prices from 29 to 40 cents per gallon. This is a meaningful savings, which is ignored or discounted by those who criticize ethanol.

Beyond this, ethanol plays a key role in reducing our reliance on foreign sources of fuel. Today, the United States imports about 12 percent (16.9 billion gallons) of the total refined gasoline consumed nationwide. When all ethanol facilities currently under construction are completed, the United States will have approximately 13 billion gallons of ethanol capacity. This will displace 77 percent of the total amount of gasoline imported into the United States each year.

Still, the renewable fuels industry is in its infancy and we can do more. United States farmers produced 13.1 billion bushels of corn in 2007, averaging 151.1 bushels per acre. The Agriculture Department estimates we will produce 178 bushels per acre by 2015. Additionally, many experts predict that we will produce 300 bushels per acre by 2030. If these projections are accurate, the United States will be able to produce 60 billion gallons of ethanol from corn in 2030 without diverting corn from other uses and without expanding planted acreage in the United States. Moreover, this projection does not take into account increased efficiencies that will be realized through new technologies.

Unfortunately, some ethanol detractors are blaming corn-based ethanol and higher prices for corn as the reason for driving up the cost of food worldwide. Despite all the rhetoric, the White House has recently stated that “production of corn-based biofuels is estimated to account for only 3 percent of the 43 percent increase in global food prices” and "U.S food prices have increased far less than global food prices and a similarly small percent of the increase is attributed to biofuels production."

While critics speculate about corn ethanol’s impact on food prices, several studies have found that new ethanol demand is not the driving factor for higher food prices. An April Texas A&M report found it’s fair to conclude that “corn prices have had little to do with rising food costs.” Informa Economics has found that the marketing bill, particularly rising energy and transportation costs, is having a more significant impact on U.S. food prices than farm-level prices for commodities. Likewise, a recent report published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City concludes that marketing costs now make up 80 percent of the retail food dollar, with rising energy and labor costs featuring prominently in recent years.

Importantly, worldwide corn production increased by 2.7 billion bushels from 2006 to 2007 and during this period ethanol demand for corn increased by 600 million bushels — 2 percent of the total. This has left 2.1 billion new bushels of corn production available for feed, food and exports.

Critics also contend that ethanol is driving up the price of feed for livestock. What they do not acknowledge is that ethanol facilities are set to produce 31 million tons of distillers grains that provide superior livestock feed at a more economical price for dairy, beef and swine producers. The ethanol process only uses the starch of the corn kernel to make ethanol. The remaining protein, fat, fiber, vitamins and minerals are passed on to the feed market. Distillers grains provide more concentrated levels of protein and more total digestible nutrients than whole corn. Today, distillers grains are $66 per ton cheaper than feeding with corn. With corn at $5.56 per bushel, cattle feeders would pay $268 per ton of total digestible nutrients (TDN) for corn while only paying $201 per ton of TDN for distillers grains.

Not only is expansion of the renewable fuels industry reducing our dependence on foreign oil and helping to moderate gas prices for consumers nationwide, it is playing a key role in economic revitalization in rural America. In 2007, the ethanol industry added $47.6 billion to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, created nearly 240,000 new jobs in all sectors of the economy, and added $12.3 billion to American consumers’ incomes.

The results are clear. Without ethanol, consumers would be paying more for gas at the pump and more for food at the store. Given record prices for oil, now is not the time to back off of ethanol production in the United States. It is time to ensure that we increase the amount of homegrown energy used in our economy. If we back away now, we will discard an essential tool in the effort to wean ourselves off dependency on foreign oil.

Johnson sits on the Senate Energy Committee and Thune is a member of Agriculture. Herseth Sandlin serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

Sen. Johnson optimistic about COOL regulations, farm bill

Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A new farm bill has a new country of origin stipulation, and this time Tim Johnson wants the requirement to take effect.

Johnson, a Democrat and South Dakota's senior U.S. senator, was in Aberdeen Thursday to discuss the new farm bill during a round-table discussion with four local ag producers. He also had a meet-and-greet event with Brown County supporters.

As the 2002 Farm Bill was being authored, Johnson championed mandatory country of origin labeling, often referred to as COOL, for meat. It was included in the farm bill but never funded. Congress delayed its implementation a couple of times, and it has yet to be required. Johnson said he thinks that will change this time around. He said he's optimistic that the stipulation will be funded this year.

Johnson said the new COOL provision is better than the one in the 2002 Farm Bill because it includes more meats, specifically goat and chicken.

Cynthia Bartel, an agriculture legislative assistant for Johnson, also said the outlook for COOL looks good. Mandatory COOL is scheduled to take effect Sept. 30. Regulations need to be published, but it appears that all is ready to meet the deadline.

Other aspects of the farm bill will be sorted out and details sent to Farm Service Agency offices for implementation.

The new farm bill also ensures emergency financial assistance for farmers and ranchers in the event of an emergency. Doug Sombke, of Conde, said that's better than in the past, when ag producers have had to wait to see if Congress passed ad hoc emergency assistance bills. He said the more crop insurance an ag producer has, the more beneficial the disaster safety net is.

Sombke is head of the South Dakota Farmers Union.

Some people see ag payments as a case of more money going to rich farmers. But Terri Traxinger, who lives in the Houghton/Claremont area, said crop input costs are also increasing rapidly. She crunched the numbers on her family's operation and found that prices are significantly higher than a year ago:

-- Chemicals: 60 percent.

-- Fertilizer: 51 percent.

-- Feed costs: 44 percent.

-- Diesel fuel: 41 percent.

-- Rent: 36 percent.

-- Seed: 18 percent.

While farm income should be good this year, "2009 will be a year when we're not sure that we can pencil in the profits," Traxinger said.

Johnson said the new farm bill also includes an energy measure that calls for an increase in the development and use of cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol can be made from corn stalks, corn cobs, wood chips and other items. Its production is something the grain-based ethanol industry backs, said Bill Paulsen of Heartland Grain Fuels.

Johnson said claims that corn-based ethanol production is responsible for higher food prices are unjust.

Paulsen said 25 percent of the corn produced in the United States goes to make ethanol. But, he said, corn yields have increased by 40 percent, so there is still more corn than there used to be for other purposes. And, he said, ethanol production helps gas prices. If not for ethanol, he said, gas would be another 50 cents to $1 per gallon.

Johnsons hosts health care roundtable

Thu, 29 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

More work needs to be done by the state and the federal government to prevent possible worker shortages in South Dakota, health care professionals told Sen. Tim Johnson on Wednesday.

While almost all health care professions in South Dakota are projected to show double-digit percentage growth during the next decade, worker shortages are expected across the spectrum of professions. That includes dentists to nurses to home health care workers.

It's a problem, especially in rural areas, because fewer workers could mean decreased access to health services for people.

"I want to use my second chance at life to improve access to quality health care," Johnson told people gathered at a health care roundtable meeting.

Mel Thaler, a pediatric dentist at Children's Dental Center in Sioux Falls, said South Dakota is facing a crisis in not enough dentists, particularly in rural parts of the state. The state and federal government can help by increasing programs that reimburse dentists' student loan bills in exchange for service, Thaler said.

The state also could benefit from a pediatric dentist training program, he said.

"As hard as we work, just a little over one-third (of children) are getting dental care," Thaler said.

Part of the worker shortage problem is an aging work force, said registered nurse Anna Attebury.

The average age of a nurse in South Dakota is in his or her mid-40s. And the state's nursing schools are graduating about 280 too few nurses annually to keep up with demand, Attebury said.

"That doesn't sound like much, but when you compound it ..." she said.

Paula Johnson of Sioux Falls shared her experiences finding a qualified person to help care for her elderly mother.

"I had to find someone who I trusted in my home," Johnson said. "That kind of person is irreplaceable."

The Johnson health care roundtable was the second discussion this week between health care professionals and South Dakota's Congressional delegation.

On Tuesday, Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin toured the Dougherty Hospice House on the Avera Prince of Peace retirement community campus in Sioux Falls. Herseth Sandlin this month voted to pass legislation delaying the implementation of Medicare reimbursement cuts for hospices.

"We need to do what we can to ensure that health care facilities like Dougherty Hospice House have the resources they need to operate smoothly and continue providing access to care," Herseth Sandlin said in a statement.

Ethanol is not the problem

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Record energy costs and rising food prices are taking a painful toll on consumers' pocketbooks. Fuel and food are basic necessities, and there is a limit to how much Americans can tighten up their family budgets. As Congress considers how to turn the U.S. economy around, some suggest the choice we must make is to surrender our commitment to renewable fuels such as ethanol. That would be a mistake, costing Americans dearly by squandering our long-term economic and national security, while doing little to affect the food supply or prices.

Those calling for biofuels to take a back seat in our energy plan have waged a relentless campaign of misinformation, blaming U.S. policies in support of ethanol and biodiesel for inflation in the grocery aisle. Frightening Americans by arguing that ethanol made from corn is somehow taking food from the world's hungry might be sensational, but it is not supported by the facts.

Ed Lazear, chairman of President Bush's council of economic advisers, estimates that ethanol has accounted for just 2 percent or 3 percent of the overall increase in global food prices. The reason, he recently explained, is that while ethanol has increased corn prices about 33 percent, corn accounts for only 30 percent of all grain, and grain is only 20 percent of all food.

Lazear noted that there has been 4.5 percent food price inflation in the United States this year. Without ethanol, he said food prices still would have gone up 4.25 percent.

The primary factors contributing to food price increases today are triple-digit oil prices, burgeoning demand for richer diets in China and India, and weather-related disasters. Consider these examples of how petroleum prices impact the production, processing, distribution, marketing, and price of food items.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the price of nitrogen fertilizer (which is made with natural gas) is up a record 168 percent since 2000, making it considerably more expensive for farmers to grow crops. Additionally, the American Trucking Association says record diesel prices have multiplied the costs to plant and harvest crops, and ship food products to the retail level — dramatically increasing the price of food. It now costs $560 in fuel just to deliver grapefruit from Florida to Washington, D.C., up $158 in the last twelve months.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reports that food prices have historically surged during times of high crude oil prices, and high energy prices tend to quickly transfer to higher retail food prices. In fact, retail prices rise 0.52 percent for every 1 percent rise in energy prices. As a result, a 10 percent gain in energy prices could contribute 5.2 percent to retail food prices.

Further, as oil prices hit new record highs — far in excess of $100 per barrel — the United States transfers more than $1 billion per day to foreign oil suppliers, effectively paying a tax that hurts every sector of the American economy.

There is little doubt that the economy is slowing, and the effects of high food and fuel prices are forcing many to rebalance their family budgets. We have choices to make to get our economy back on track and tackle runaway energy prices. We can continue our status-quo dependence on expensive fossil fuel, or seek cost-effective, clean burning, homegrown alternatives. There is broad, bipartisan consensus in Congress that the cost of the status-quo far exceeds the price of developing alternatives to wean the United States of its risky addiction to foreign oil.

And despite the attack campaign against ethanol in the media, my colleagues and I in Congress are dedicated to pursuing a balanced energy security policy that continues to support ethanol and biodiesel, because the United States cannot import its way out of our energy security problem.

Unlike some alternative energy options, ethanol is readily available now — and it is already making a difference for consumers. Researchers at Iowa State University estimate that gas prices in the United States would be $0.29 to $0.40 higher per gallon if we were not extending the fuel supply with ethanol.

As far as food prices are concerned, calls to abandon corn-based ethanol are misguided exploitations that do not provide any meaningful relief in the grocery aisle. Our nation would be much better served by adopting a new farm bill, ensuring a safe and stable supply of domestic food and international food aid for years to come, and by taking further steps to reduce the use of petroleum, increase our support for renewable fuels and ensure energy conservation.

Tim Johnson is the senior senator from South Dakota. He currently serves on the Appropriations Committee, Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Indian Affairs Committee.

Johnson says he's working to keep state safe

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In a conference call with reporters today, U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) reiterated his commitment to working to restore the deep cuts President Bush has proposed to Justice Department programs that keep South Dakota communities safe, according to a news release from his office.

A senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Johnson is uniquely positioned to reverse the President's FY2009 budget proposal, which eliminates crucial programs and redirects dollars away from the state, the release said.

“A tightening of the belt is necessary during tough economic times, but programs that keep our communities safe shouldn't be the first on the chopping block,” said Johnson. “The President's budget proposal is shortsighted and puts all South Dakotans at risk. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will fight to keep South Dakotans safe and critical justice programs adequately funded.”

Rural South Dakota is particularly hard hit in the President's budget, according to the release. The proposal eliminates funding for the COPS program and the Byrne/Justice Assistance Grants and redirects money away from South Dakota.

Those programs have funded the hiring of more 118,000 local police officers across the country and provided critical assistance to law enforcement across South Dakota. The Rural Policing Institute, which provides essential training to officers across the state, also receives a $5 million cut.

“It will cost us far less to prevent crime than it does to fight it once it hits our local communities. Fiscal responsibility involves cutting the fat, but the President's proposal cuts these programs to the bone,” Johnson said.

Johnson is already working with his colleagues to protect the $2.02 billion Crime Victims Fund and restore $1.03 billion to programs under the Violence Against Women Act. He is also fighting to restore $40 million for the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program, reversing a 100 percent cut, and funding $52.7 million for the Regional Information Sharing Systems Program. The program allows law enforcement personal to share information and help catch criminals.

High-profile ex-general joins veterans discussion

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., has been a longtime reliable ally for South Dakota's veterans.

Saturday, though, when Johnson and veterans organization leaders reiterated their ongoing concerns about veterans health care funding during a roundtable discussion, a new voice added resonance to the conversation.

Wesley Clark, retired four-star Army General and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, Wesley Clark, took part in the forum at the Disabled American Veterans headquarters. He was there at Johnson's invitation.

"I have the greatest admiration for Sen. Johnson," Clark said, and "it means a lot to me to hear with these groups have to say."

Clark, a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Democratic presidential candidate in 2004, has great familiarity with the U.S. volunteer military and the stress it is under in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I knew when we built the Army it was not a war-fighting army, it was a deterrent army," he said.

The expectation was any war the military would be involved in would be brief or the draft would be reinstituted. He said of soldiers who have served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan

"I'm impressed they've held on and made it work," Clark said.

But Clark said returning veterans face mental health issues, and "it's not something you can talk out with mom and dad."

Soldiers often need professional mental health care to deal with the sights, sounds, smells, fear, guilt and anger of war.

"You have to keep talking about it until you can live with the feeling. The sooner, the better," he said.

Also, GI Bill education benefits are inadequate to pay for a college education to allow veterans to return to civilian life. That will require several billion dollars annually, Clark said.

Johnson pointed out "to put that in perspective, it costs $12 billion a month" to fight the war in Iraq.

Johnson, head of the Senate Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs subcommittee, said despite a record $43 billion in VA funding this year "much more remains to be done." He has introduced legislation to make VA funding a recurring expense rather than a discretionary item in the federal budget.

"We need funding that is sufficient, timely and predictable," Gene Murphy, DAV adjutant, told Johnson and Clark. The VA, Murphy said "runs the largest health care system in the world. But the budget is always at least three months late."

Rick Barg, Veterans of Foreign Wars state adjutant, referred briefly to his own service as a Navy medical corpsman working with Marines in Vietnam.

"As a medic, I unfortunately got to see everybody who got hurt. For many, the last words they heard were mine, and I was lying to them."

Soldiers now who do repeated combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan face a high probability of being killed or injured, Barg said.

For those who return with mental health problems "our VA is doing everything possible. But we need to make sure the mental health needs and facilities are there."

Kranz: GOP faces Senate blues

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The debate is not as loud as it once was, but there is still interest nationally in who South Dakotans will elect to the U.S. Senate in 2008.

National observers say the discussion is not so much about Johnson's health and his success in seeking a third term but more about the strength, or lack thereof, of the Republican Party being able to overcome high negatives that bring gloomy forecasts for U.S. Senate, House and even White House races.

Larry Sabato, director of The Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, says there is no longer much talk among analysts about Johnson being in a high-risk position.

Sabato is someone who offers a fair look at political matchups. There is, he said, "no more uncertainty as to the health or return of Democratic incumbent Johnson. This seat should be a solid Democratic hold in 2008. After his December 2006 brain hemorrhage, it was unclear whether or not Johnson would regain anything resembling full health, much less return to the Senate."

But, Sabato writes, "Less than a year later he was able to return to the floor of the Senate and has resumed his full duties as a senator."

He points to another problem for Republicans, saying that - given all of their time to get a candidate - they were unable to secure a big-name candidate.

Sabato looks at Johnson's near 70 percent approval rating and more than $2 million cash on hand as an advantage over his closest challenger.

"Having fought his way through two remarkably close elections in 1996 and 2002, Johnson should win by a more comfortable margin this time around," Sabato said.

Sabato told me Thursday that the Republican's problems rest on the party's standing politically.

"South Dakota is typical of what is going on around the country with Republicans. They have virtually collapsed. It will be a disaster in the House or Senate," he said.

While John McCain is still in play to be elected president of the United States, there could be problems there, too, he said.

"I look at the overall situation. It couldn't be any more rotten for Republicans," Sabato said.

Sabato says GOP hopes hinge on the Iraq War and how the economy is doing. "President Bush couldn't be any more unpopular. He is as unpopular as Richard Nixon was when he resigned. That is bad, and that has to affect McCain, too," Sabato said.

But what about Dykstra?

State Rep. Joel Dykstra, R-Canton, the most viable of the GOP candidates in the June 3 primary, thinks his fundraising machine finally might be kicking in. His first and second quarter totals filed with the Federal Election Commission add up to $203,673.69.

Dykstra says he sees a trend in the federal support he is getting.

"It was good to see the pace of fundraising increase through the quarter," Dykstra said in a prepared statement. "Clearly, the momentum is growing as we approach the primary. ... We are continuing to build the campaign activities for the remaining months leading up to victory in November."

No doubt Dykstra has made progress, but when analysts look at the Johnson race, they seem to be coming up with the same conclusion, one that doesn't bode well for Dykstra or anyone else against the incumbent.

Like Sabato, Michael Barone, a conservative columnist at U.S. News & World Report, says the Johnson race shows poll numbers are very robust for him.

"In a state where most members actually meet their congressmen, people showed great sympathy for him after he suffered this cerebral event at the age of 59," Barone said.

As for Republicans, Barone says the environment for recruitment is not conducive to them getting good candidates.

"It is difficult for them to recruit, and that is true just about everywhere," Barone said.

David Kranz's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Call him at 331-2302 or write to him at the Argus Leader, Box 5034, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5034.

Johnson honored

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) was honored for his strong support of the business community today with the “Spirit of Enterprise” Award from the United States Chamber of Commerce. Johnson has been an advocate of expanding economic development opportunities around the state and growing the local economy from the federal level.

“Senator Johnson has proven to be an effective ally to the business community, supporting legislation that helps grow the economy and creates new jobs for hardworking Americans,” said Tom Donohue, Chamber president and CEO. “The Chamber is grateful for Tim's commitment to these important issues and is proud to present him with this award.”

A representative from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce presented Johnson with the award this morning.

The “Spirit of Enterprise” Award recognizes members of Congress that have shown support for the business community in several key areas. The honor recognizes legislators who take the Chamber's position on at least 70% of legislation in these areas.

"I am honored to receive this award from the United States Chamber of Commerce. Businesses play a key role in growing local economies, especially in rural states like South Dakota,” Johnson said. “I will continue to facilitate these kinds of partnerships that I describe in my Hometown Prosperity Plan and will work to create opportunities in South Dakota and throughout rural America.”

Johnson is a strong advocate for bringing greater economic development opportunities to South Dakota and has consistently supported efforts to expand opportunities throughout the state. Johnson has created his Hometown Prosperity Plan to advance the state's economy from the federal level. The four pillar plan includes strategies like "Promoting Partnerships," "Emphasizing Entrepreneurship," "Investing in the Public Good," and "Protecting Pocketbooks." The plan can be downloaded online at http://Johnson.senate.gov

Johnson supports Native American student education funding

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) today joined colleagues in fighting to fund the Johnson-O'Malley grant program after the president eliminated funding for the program his Fiscal Year 2009 budget proposal. Johnson sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior asking they continue to fund the program and provide Native American students with a quality education. Johnson is a member of the subcommittee and of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“Students and school administrators in Indian Country rely on the Johnson-O'Malley program for everything from SAT preparation and afterschool programs to athletic equipment. In zeroing funding for this program, the President has shown an unfortunate disregard for the needs of our Native population,” Johnson said. “As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I am committed to working with my colleagues to restore this critical funding and provide students in South Dakota with the resources they need to receive a quality education.”

The JOM program received a total of $19.7 million in funding in FY 07 and $21.4 million in FY 08. The President has asked for zero funding for the program under his FY 09 budget proposal.

This program affects the approximately 93 percent of Indian students who attend public schools in 23 states. The Johnson-O'Malley grant program has successfully supported schools with a commitment to meeting the needs of Indian students since 1936.

A copy of the letter is below:

Dear Chairwoman Feinstein and Ranking Member Allard:

American Indian students in public schools across the United States rely on Johnson O'Malley funding to provide supplemental assistance for academic programming and other related educational needs. Without the Johnson O'Malley program, Native students of all academic standings, both remedial and gifted, would not be able to afford things such as SAT preparation, athletic equipment, eye glasses, after school tutoring, or culturally specific education. Johnson O'Malley funding equips Indian students, most of whom living in remote and impoverished parts of the country, a chance to compete and grow within the educational system.

The President's budget request for fiscal year 2009 recommends zero funding for the Johnson O'Malley Program. We respectfully request that funding for Johnson O'Malley be restored to a total level of $24 million spread across the two separate budget activities from which it receives funding, the Tribal Government and Bureau of Indian Education line items.

The administration justifies its recommendation to cut the program by claiming that Johnson O'Malley dollars are duplicative of other programs. This is simply not true. The program's mandate does not require funding to go toward the goal of meeting certain Annual Yearly Progress standards as it was designed specifically to provide supplemental assistance to Indian students. Additionally, as the statute permits, the program allows parents to be involved with the design of the program through Local Education Committees.

Consequently, Johnson O'Malley funding addresses special educational and community needs that cannot be met by other programs serving American Indian children. Without a doubt, public school systems do better because of their ability to tap into Johnson O'Malley funds. We are very grateful for your commitment to the Johnson O'Malley grant program in the past. As we work together to improve the lives of Indian students in public schools, we remain hopeful that the Committee will fully fund the Johnson O'Malley program for fiscal year 2009.Sincerely,Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD)Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND)

Dakotas rank high on congressional pork list

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A Washington-based taxpayer watchdog group says the Dakotas rank high when it comes to pork-barrel spending.

But South Dakota's two U.S. senators defend the money South Dakota receives through earmarks as crucial to the state's infrastructure and other essential needs.

North Dakota ranked third and South Dakota ranked seventh in Citizens Against Government Waste's annual rankings of federal money directed to the 50 states.

Though the group criticized those states that received the most by saying it is a waste of taxpayer money, Dakotas members have typically made few apologies for federal projects. North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan and South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson, both Democrats, sit on the Senate committee that doles out federal spending.

According to the group, North Dakota raked in almost $133 million, or $208 per person, in the last budget year. South Dakota received $89 million, or $112 per person.

Thune said Citizens Against Government Waste failed to make distinctions between wasteful earmarks and those that provide fundamental services in states such as South Dakota.

"There is a big distinction between the money South Dakota receives to maintain our highways, rural water projects and other infrastructure and the truly wasteful projects that make their way into law every year," Thune said. "I wouldn't expect a Washington-based group to have a complete understanding of South Dakota's real infrastructure needs."

In a news release, Johnson responded to the report, saying it misrepresented his support of such projects through earmarks as farm subsidies and the Perkins and Lewis and Clark water projects.

"Earmarks have helped fund projects like the lab in Lead, economic development projects in Watertown, the medical school at USD and transportation projects in every corner of the state," Johnson said in the release.

"Of course, I'm against government waste, and where there is waste in government, we should eliminate it. But to lump projects like these in with wasteful ones is simply wrong and dishonest," Johnson said.

Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., agreed with her South Dakota counterparts in the Senate that earmarks pay for essentials, not waste, in the state.

"I seriously question the credibility of a report that calls safe drinking water, necessary transportation infrastructure or scientific research projects that benefit the entire country 'pork'" she said. "I'm proud to support responsible funding for South Dakota priorities."

Editorial: Banning all earmarks wasteful to worthy projects

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

There are earmarks, and then there are earmarks.

As Congress debates a moratorium on earmarks - those controversial federal spending projects inserted by lawmakers of every stripe into any bill that will have them - it's worth noting that not all earmarks are created equal.

South Dakota's congressional delegation is split on party lines over a push for a one-year moratorium on on earmarks. Democrats Sen. Tim Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin opposed the moratorium while Republican Sen. John Thune supported it.

But this idea is too wrapped up in politics to mean much. Those lawmakers who pushed for a vote to ban all earmarks for a year had little hope of actually passing such a law. Instead, they've forced those who voted against the moratorium to cast a vote for pork.

The problem is that the popular definition of earmarks implies that all federal spending on local or regional projects is unjustifiable. That might conform to the vision of government which some favor, but that vision is not ours.

That is why we must draw a distinction between projects that benefit an entire region and all the people within that region and those projects that benefit a select group of people who choose to take advantage.

In the latter category, we count projects for recreational uses and tourism purposes - bridges to nowhere, offbeat museums and the like. And the worst earmarks? They're verging on corrupt.

But in that first group, notably, we would include the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System. The project will benefit virtually every person across a broad, regional area. The federal government should help foot the bill.

So while we are sympathetic to the idea that federal spending on frivolous projects must end, an outright moratorium would mean throwing an awful lot of bathwater out with the baby.

South Dakoa receives $6.5 million grant

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) announced today that South Dakota will receive a $6,530,307 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which will be distributed to communities across the state.

The CDBG program funds housing and economic development projects. In addition, the city of Sioux Falls will receive a separate CDBG allocation of $816,097.

“These funds are crucial for economic development in communities across South Dakota. I will continue to work to fund CDBG through my seat of the Appropriation Committee,” Johnson said. “My Hometown Prosperity Plan calls for increased investments in the public good, and this funding is a wonderful example of that kind of investment.”

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Johnson has fought for the funding for this program year after year. CDBG funds have been used in previous years to upgrade local drinking water infrastructure, renovate low-income housing, construct fire halls, and fund medical clinics and libraries.

In recent years, the President has repeatedly proposed to slashing CDBG fund. Johnson has consistently joined with bipartisan groups of senators in rejecting the worst of these proposed cuts, according to a news release from Johnson's office.

In addition to the CDBG funds, South Dakota will also receive $3,432,605 for the HOME program, which helps expand the supply of affordable housing to low-income families; $27,887 for the American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI), which promotes home ownership opportunities and provides downpayment and closing cost assistance to low-income and minority households; and $347,692 from the Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) program to improve the quality and number of emergency homeless shelters.

Separately, the city of Sioux Falls will receive $816,097 in funding for improvements, and an additional $473,226 in funding for the HOME program. Rapid City is expected to receive a CDBG allocation later this year, as it is on a later annual funding schedule than the Sioux Falls and Statewide CDBG programs.

The Hometown Prosperity Plan is a four-pillar agenda for advancing South Dakota's economy from the federal level. The four pillars, or strategies, include "Promoting Partnerships," "Emphasizing Entrepreneurship," "Investing in the Public Good," and "Protecting Pocketbooks." The full plan includes specific actions related to each strategy and can be downloaded from http://johnson.senate.gov.

Earmarks benefit S.D. programs

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0700

WASHINGTON - Earmark may be a dirty word in Washington, but in South Dakota it means clean drinking water for thousands of residents, dozens of high-paying jobs at a new physics laboratory in the Black Hills and an opportunity to bring classical and Native American musicians together for a cross-cultural experience.

The Senate has been debating legislation this week that would impose a one-year moratorium on earmarking, the practice of lawmakers setting aside money for special projects in their districts.

Earmarks, also known as pork-barrel spending, have come under fire in recent years because their numbers and costs have grown and because they figured prominently in the bribery scandals that sent former Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham, R-Calif., and lobbyist Jack Abramoff to prison. This year, there are 11,612 earmarks costing $17.2 billion.

The types of projects that get funded – the $400,000 for the Teapot Museum in North Carolina, $50 million for an indoor rain forest in Iowa and the $320 million Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska – also have stirred controversy.

South Dakota’s two Democratic members of Congress, Sen. Tim Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, oppose the moratorium and are proud of their earmarks.

Republican Sen. John Thune has yet to decide how he will vote on the moratorium. The three presidential contenders - Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.; and Barack Obama, D-Ill. – have said they support it.

“Every single request I’ve ever made for South Dakota, and I stand by every one, has been important to the communities and to their economic development,” Herseth Sandlin said. She said she didn’t know whether the House would vote on the matter or leave it up to Democratic leaders to decide.