HERSETH
SANDLIN ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $3.5M IN FUNDING FOR TRIBAL TRANSPORTATION
PROJECTS
Washington, DC-Today,
Rep. Herseth Sandlin announced four tribal transportation projects have
received $3.5625 in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
Rep. Herseth Sandlin has made funding requests for two of these projects
through annual appropriations bills. The other two are the recipients of grant
funding from the DOT. Rep. Herseth Sandlin has requested further funding for
these ongoing projects
as part of the upcoming Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009, or
highway bill.
The projects receiving
funding at the request of Herseth Sandlin include:
·
$ 475,000 for Reconstruction of BIA Route 15, Marshall
County, Lake Traverse Indian Reservation
·
$ 237,500 for Kenel Road (BIA Route 3) Rehabilitation
and Resurfacing, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Corson County
The projects receiving
grant funding from the DOT include:
·
$ 1,900,000 for Resurfacing of Cuny Table Road (BIA
Route 2), Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
·
$ 950,000 Improvements to SD 73 from US 18 to Jackson
County Serving Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservation
“These projects are
critical priorities in Indian Country and the improvements to the roads will
improve access, safety, and connectivity for tribal and nontribal members,”
Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. “I’m pleased that these projects will receive
this critical funding, and I will continue to work closely with each tribe to
support continued funding for these and other tribal transportation priorities
in the upcoming highway bill reauthorization.”
Reconstruction of Cuny
Table Road on Pine Ridge will provide a vastly improved roadway that provides
an east to west connection between two major north/south Bureau of Indian
Affairs highways (BIA Rt. 41 and BIA Rt. 27). The road serves numerous
ranches, a store and café plus a campground. This route is part of the Oglala
Sioux Tribe's proposed Scenic Byway system. The current gravel surface on BIA
Route 2 is not as conducive to travel as the proposed changes. Negotiating the
existing gravel road presents challenges to motorists, including Tribal law
enforcement personnel. The benefits would be to provide safer travel with less
vehicle maintenance to the traveling public and would probably help the local
economy by increasing the users at the café/campground. The improvements will
enhance access to lands administered by the Tribe, the Bureau of Indian
Affairs, and the National Park Service.
Improvements on BIA 15
will benefit all those living along BIA Route 15 including Tribal and
non-tribal members. The project will provide improved access to lands
administered by the Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The project will
also alleviate excessive maintenance requirements that currently exist.
SD 73 serves residents
of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and Bennett County with major north/south
access for goods and services. The present roadway pavement condition has
declined and is in need of resurfacing. Children residing in this area are
transported to school on this roadway. The highway also functions as a farm to
market road, and US mail route that serves the area. Access to lands
administered by the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and the Bureau of
Indian Affairs will be enhanced as a result of project implementation.
Kenel Road improvements
will provide a safer roadway for vehicles and reduce high maintenance costs.
The existing paved roadway has seen extreme deterioration in recent years at
various locations. The roughness of the roadway alone in many areas makes
travel hazardous. The paved roadway requires frequent spot patching to keep it
somewhat smooth and safe. The new paved surface will greatly reduce the cost
necessary to maintain the roadway. A rehabilitated surface with appropriate
centerline and edge striping will also make the roadway safer for the
traveling public. Access to adjacent lands administered by the Standing Rock
Sioux Tribe and the Bureau of Indian Affairs will be greatly improved.
###
HERSETH
SANDLIN OPPOSES PAY RAISE FOR CONGRESS
Washington, DC-Rep.
Herseth Sandlin announced today that she is a cosponsor of a bipartisan bill
to stop a Congressional pay raise in 2011. The
bill, which was introduced by Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) and Ron Paul (R-TX),
is H.R. 4255, the Stop the Automatic Pay Raise for Members of Congress in
Fiscal Year 2011 Act. The Congresswoman
also supported legislation last year to block a pay raise for Congress in
2010. This legislation passed and members of Congress will not get a pay raise
this year.
"With budgets tight
and South Dakotans tightening their belts, I don’t think Congress should get
a pay raise," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "That's why I worked to
successfully block a pay raise for 2010 and am proud to cosponsor legislation
that prevents a pay raise for 2011."
###
HERSETH SANDLIN BILL PROMOTES
USE OF RENEWABLE BIOMASS FROM BLACK HILLS NATIONAL FOREST
Legislation Supports Job
Creation; Encourages Renewable Electricity and Cellulosic Biofuels
Washington, DC- Rep. Herseth Sandlin
joined with Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA) to introduce the bipartisan Renewable
Biomass Fairness Act. By providing energy produced from renewable biomass
an equal tax incentive as for wind and solar, this legislation would promote
use of renewable biomass, foster job growth in the Black Hills, and help move
the nation toward energy independence.
The legislation improves the Renewable Energy
Production Tax Credit (PTC) and the Farm Bill’s Cellulosic Biofuel Tax
Credit. The bill would extend the PTC for five years for open and closed-loop
biomass facilities; increase the credit for renewable biomass electricity from
.9 cents/kWh to 1.8 cents/kWh, to provide rate parity with other renewable
energy sources such as wind and solar; and eliminate a loophole in the 2008
Farm Bill. That loophole allows paper manufacturers to reap a windfall by
claiming a $1.01-per-gallon cellulosic biofuel tax credit based on their use
of a byproduct of the paper manufacturing process known as “black liquor”
to produce energy.
The PTC provides a tax credit for the
production of electricity from renewable sources such as wind, solar, solid
waste, hydro, geothermal, marine, landfill gas, and closed and open-loop
biomass. The definition of open loop biomass includes forest slash, trimmings,
and agricultural waste, while closed loop biomass consists of plant materials
grown exclusively for the production of energy. The PTC for renewable biomass
is currently set to expire in 2014. This legislation would extend the credit
to 2019, and also provide a five year extension of the credit period for
open-loop biomass power plants placed in service on or before August 8, 2005,
which will expire at the end of this year. The Farm Bill Cellulosic biofuel
tax credit was designed to incentivize the production of innovative biofuels.
Paper manufacturers than burn black liquor can already claim an alternative
fuels tax credit established by the 2005 Highway Bill.
“This legislation recognizes the great
potential for woody biomass to contribute to our energy independence and to
job creation in rural states. Despite this great potential, electricity
produced from renewable biomass does not enjoy the same tax incentives as
other sources of renewable energy. The Renewable Biomass Fairness Act remedies
this discrepancy, by ensuring that the production of electricity from
renewable biomass receives the same tax credit as wind and solar energy,”
Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. “The latest figures indicate that unemployment in
South Dakota remains steady at 5%, with losses in the logging industry helping
to drive those numbers. This legislation will provide improved tax credits for
electricity generation from home-grown biomass and support job-creation in the
energy and forest resource industry in the Black Hills.”
This bill is part of the Congresswoman’s
broader efforts to promote healthy forests, renewable energy, and rural jobs.
Last week, Rep. Herseth Sandlin joined with a bipartisan coalition to
introduce the Healthy Forests Restoration Amendments Act, common-sense
legislation that will strengthen the existing tools available to federal
forest managers to bring the most diseased and fire prone forests back to
health, and the Incentives to Increase Use of Renewable Biomass Act of 2009,
which would establish a program at USDA to provide interest-free loans for
converting existing equipment or installing new equipment to use renewable
biomass for energy generation, heating, or cooling at an institution of higher
education; a public or private elementary or secondary school; a hospital; a
local government building; a governmental, community, or health building, and
tribal buildings.
"This package of bills seek to reduce
wild fire risk, incentivize sound forest management and the use of woody
biomass as a source of renewable energy, and create jobs in rural communities
in western South Dakota," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "These common
sense policies will not only result in healthier forests and reduce wild fire
risk, but complement efforts in the 2007 Energy Bill and jump start our
nation's effort to become truly energy independent."
These three bills follow
on the congresswoman's efforts to broaden the definition of cellulosic
biofuels in the Renewable Fuels Standard through the Renewable Biomass
Facilitation Act (H.R. 1190). Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin added, “Since
2008, I have worked to broaden the definition of cellulosic ethanol under the
new Renewable Fuel Standard to include woody biomass gathered from national
forests, including the Black Hills National Forest. These three bills build on
those efforts.”
###
HERSETH SANDLIN ANNOUNCES
$20M TELECOMMUNICATIONS GRANT FOR SDN
Washington, DC-Today, Rep. Herseth
Sandlin announced that South Dakota Network (SDN), a partnership of 27
independent telecom providers, is the recipient of a grant in the amount of
$20,572,240 for Project Connect South Dakota. Provided through the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or stimulus legislation, and administered by
the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) at the
U.S. Department of Commerce, this grant will enable and improve
telecommunications for more than 500 public and health care institutions
across the state.
"This critical investment in
telecommunications infrastructure will not only advance our efforts to improve
health care delivery to South Dakotans living in rural communities, but also
create education opportunities and improve efficiency in our state and local
governments," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "I look forward to
continuing to work with South Dakota Network to improve telecommunications
across our state."
Specifically, this funding will assist SDN
with the implementation of its proposed Project Connect South Dakota, which
will add 140 miles of backbone network and 219 miles of middle mile spurts to
its fiber-optic network. This improvement in the network proposes to enable
the delivery of at least 10 Mbps service to more than 220 existing anchor
institution customers in rural and underserved areas of the state.
The network also intends to connect more than
300 new anchor institutions, including public middle and high schools,
libraries, universities, hospitals, clinics, public safety agencies,
courthouses, government buildings, and National Guard facilities. Patients and
hospitals are expected to benefit from the network through the use of
telemedicine to update medical records, to conduct remote testing, and to
provide diagnostic services. School children in sparsely populated areas are
expected to benefit through improved participation in distance-learning
programs.
Project Connect South Dakota proposes to:
·
Provide improved services to more than 300 existing anchor institutions and
more than 200 new anchor institutions.
·
Work with Avera Health Care Systems and Sanford Lab healthcare providers to
support telemedicine in rural areas.
·
Assist the South Dakota Research Education Economic Development Network to
connect the state government, state universities, and the Earth Resources
Observation and Science Data Center.
·
Provide state-of-the-art equipment and technology for use at the Mitchell
Technical Institute in training students for careers in broadband applications
and deployment.
###
HOUSE
PASSES DEFENSE BILL WITH FUNDING FOR B-1, AIR GUARD, RESEARCH
December 16, 2009,
Washington, DC-Today,
an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the House, including Rep. Herseth
Sandlin, voted to approve the Defense Appropriations Act, which funds the
Department of Defense and related programs for Fiscal Year 2010. This
legislation includes funding requested by Rep. Herseth Sandlin that supports
the B-1 Bomber Fleet, South Dakota Air Guard and research at universities in
South Dakota, along with other critical priorities.
"South Dakotans
make critical sacrifices and contributions for the defense of our
country," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "The funding approved today
recognizes these sacrifices and contributions, ultimately improving the safety
of our men and women in uniform, investing in the armaments and equipment that
will support them in their missions, and enhancing our national
security."
Funding requested
Rep. Herseth Sandlin included in the legislation approved today:
B-1 Upgrade
- $2 million, B-1 AESA Radar
Operational Utility Evaluation
South Dakota Air
Guard F-16s
- $2 million, LITENING
Generation 4 Pod Kit Upgrades for Air National Guard
South Dakota School
of Mines and Technology
- $7.2 million, Multi-Utility
Materials (MUM) for Army Future Combat Systems
- $2.5 million, Life
Extension of Navy Weapon System Structures Through Application of
Advanced Materials Processing Technologies
- $2.4 million, Accelerated
Materials Development and Characterization for Army Cannon Systems
- $1 million, Smart
Integrated Systems (SIS): Materials, Manufacturing Methods, and
Structures (M3S)
- $1 million, Energy
Efficiency, Recovery and Generation – ENERGY
South Dakota State
University:
- $3.2 million, Alternative
Power Technology for Missile Defense
- $2.4 million, Renewable Jet
Fuel from Lignocellulosic Feedstocks
University of South
Dakota
- $288,000, Center for
Engineered Biomedical Devices at the University of South Dakota
Rosebud Sioux
Tribe:
Aerostar
IKOR
- $1.2 million, Stabilized
Hemoglobin Wound Healing Development Project
Black Hills
Nanosystems:
Dakota Power
- $1.6 million, Next
Generation Lightweight Drive Systems for Army Weapon Systems
Lloyd’s Systems
- $1.2 million, Advanced
Robot and Sensor Technology for Surveillance and Energy Efficiency
Applications
EMCC
- $480,000, Development,
Optimization, and Transfer of a Reliable Testing Technology for
Materials Designed to Protect War-fighters Against Toxic Chemical
Warfare Agents
H.F. Webster
- $1.2 million, Aging and
Battle Damaged Weapon Systems Repair
###
HERSETH
SANDLIN SUPPORTS LEGISLATION TARGETING IRANIAN NUCLEAR CAPACITY
December 15, 2009,
Washington, DC-Today, the House of
Representatives passed H.R. 2194, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, by
a strong bipartisan margin. This legislation, which was co-sponsored by Rep.
Herseth Sandlin, targets Iran’s reliance on foreign refining capacity to
impel the country to abandon its uranium enrichment program.
Rep. Herseth Sandlin
said. "This legislation diminishes the ability of Iran to acquire the
resources necessary to continue developing nuclear weapons, and sends a clear
message to the international community that the United States is serious about
forcing Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment program.”
While rich in oil, Iran
lacks domestic refining capacity and currently imports more than 25 percent of
its supply of gasoline and other refined petroleum products. This legislation
strengthens existing laws by giving the President the power to impose
sanctions against companies that supply Iran with – or support its domestic
production of – gasoline and other refined petroleum products. Such
companies would be denied access to the U.S. market. Limiting Iran’s
ability to acquire gasoline and other refined petroleum products will have a
direct effect on Iran’s economy, limiting the country’s ability to acquire
or develop nuclear weapons.
The legislation does not
require the President to implement these sanctions, but gives him the
authority to do so if he feels it is necessary.
Specifically, the bill
amends and reauthorizes the Iran Sanctions Act (PL 109-293). In amending
the Iran Sanctions Act (ISA), this bill mandates that any company be barred
from the U.S. market if it:
- Sells, leases, or provides
Iran any goods, services, technology, information or support that
would allow Iran to maintain or expand its domestic production of
refined petroleum products; or
- Provides Iran with refined
petroleum products or engages in an activity that could contribute to
Iran’s ability to import refined petroleum resources.
Under H.R. 2194, the
President could choose to waive sanctions, just as he can under current ISA
law.
This bill also closes
existing loopholes in the Iran Sanctions Act regarding investigations of
sanctionable activities and subsequent determinations. It requires the
President to investigate a company upon receipt of credible information that
such company is engaged in sanctionable activity and to make a determination
within 180 days of commencing such an investigation as to whether the company
is, in fact, engaged in sanctionable activity. Currently, the President is not
required to commence or conclude an investigation, or even to make a
determination regarding sanctionable activities.
“Our nation must be
realistic when dealing with countries such as Iran, and respond to the growing
threat from the spread of weapons of mass destruction and their means of
delivery,” Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. “This includes support for
nonproliferation efforts and missile defense programs, diplomatic efforts, and
appropriate economic tools such as the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions
Act."
Under current law, the
Iran Sanctions Act (PL 109-293) would expire on December 31, 2011. The
legislation passed today extends the Iran Sanctions Act through December 31,
2016.
###
HERSETH SANDLIN TO TESTIFY
BEFORE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRIBAL LAW AND ORDER ACT
Washington, DC-Tomorrow, Rep. Herseth
Sandlin will testify on her legislation, the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009,
before House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.
Reintroduced by Rep. Herseth Sandlin this year, the Tribal Law and Order Act is
a bipartisan and bicameral initiative to improve coordination between tribal,
state and federal law enforcement agencies and increase accountability
standards. President Obama endorsed this legislation at the White House Tribal
Nations Summit held last month.
The hearing will be held at 10 A.M. Eastern Time
in room 2237 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Rep. Herseth Sandlin is
scheduled to be the first witness to testify. To watch a video webcast of the
hearing on the Judiciary Committee website, click here
or follow this link: http://www.judiciary.house.gov/hearings/calendar.html.
In addition to Rep. Herseth Sandlin, other
witnesses providing testimony include Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli;
Marcus Levings, Great Plains area vice president for the Native American Justice
Committee, New Town, N.D.; Tova Indritz, chair of the National Association of
Criminal Defense Lawyers' Native American Justice Committee, Albuquerque, N.M.;
Scott Burns, executive director of the National District Attorneys Association,
Alexandria, Va.; and Barbara Creel, associate professor in the Southwest Indian
Law Clinic at the University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, N.M.
###
HERSETH
SANDLIN HELPS PASS TAX RELIEF FOR SOUTH DAKOTA MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES,
BUSINESSES
Fiscally
Responsible Bill Extends Sales Tax Deduction; Supports Employment of National
Guardsmen and Women and Reservists; Provides Incentives for Renewable Energy
Production
Washington, DC-Today,
the U.S. House of Representatives approved with Rep. Herseth Sandlin's support
H.R. 4212, the Tax Extenders Act of 2009. This legislation includes a range of
tax cuts to provide relief for South Dakota families and businesses.
"Middle-class
families across our state are working harder than ever to make ends
meet," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "This targeted tax relief will
make sure that South Dakotans can keep more of their hard-earned money, help
families afford college tuition, benefit military reservists, and help
students through a deduction for classroom expenses."
Specifically, this
legislation:
- Benefits 12 million
families through the State and local sales tax deduction
- Helps 4.5 million families
better afford college with the tuition deduction
- Saves 3.4 million teachers
money with a deduction for classroom expenses
In addition, this bill
takes
steps to make sure that activated military reservists do
not suffer a pay cut. This bill does this by providing a tax credit for small
businesses that continue to pay their National Guard and Reserve employees
when they are called up to serve. More than 550,000 Reserve and National Guard
members that have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since September 2001
and 55 percent of married Guard members and reservists suffer a loss of income
when being called to active duty. Rep. Herseth Sandlin added, "The
contribution of South Dakota's guardsmen and women and reservist to our
country's missions abroad is critical to our success, and it's important that
we support them and their families on the home front."
Farmers and ranchers and
biodiesel producers will also benefit from provisions included in the tax
extenders bill. Specifically, this legislation:
- Extends through 2010 the
five year depreciation schedule for certain farming equipment and
machinery, instead of allowing it to revert back to a seven year
schedule.
- Extends through 2010 the $1
per gallon credit for producing biodiesel, the $1 per gallon credit
for producing diesel from biomass, and the 10% credit for small
agri-biodiesel producers.
Importantly, the
legislation is fiscally responsible and does not add to the national deficit.
It is fully offset through two provisions. First, it closes unfair tax
loopholes that allow investment fund managers to pay a lower tax rate than
other Americans. Under the bill, investment fund managers would be taxed at
ordinary income rates for the service income they receive as compensation
(known as “carried interest”). Many economists and tax and economic
advisers, including those that served in both Bush Administrations as well as
under President Reagan, have said that carried interest should be taxed at the
same rate as other compensation for such services.
Second, this bill cracks
down on Overseas Tax Havens. The bill provides the U.S. Treasury
Department with significant new tools to find and prosecute U.S. individuals
that hide assets overseas from the Internal Revenue Service. Recent
events have highlighted the growing use of foreign financial institutions,
foreign trusts, and foreign corporations by U.S. individuals to evade U.S.
tax. In order to prevent this tax evasion, the bill would require new
reporting by foreign financial institutions to give the IRS more data to
detect fraud and tax evasion.
###
HERSETH
SANDLIN STATEMENT ON FUNDING TO COMBAT PINE BEETLE INFESTATION
Washington, DC-
Today, Rep. Herseth Sandlin praised the announcement by Secretary of
Agriculture Tom Vilsack that the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) will commit an additional $40 million to address public safety concerns
and forest health needs arising from the millions of acres of dead and dying
trees from pine beetle infestations in Region 2, the Rocky Mountain Region,
which includes the Black Hills National Forest.
"The damage done by
pine beetles dramatically increases the risk of catastrophic wildfires,
ultimately endangering the safety of rural communities, inhibiting economic
growth in these communities and diminishing the role forests play in
addressing climate change," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "This
funding, in combination with the Healthy Forests
Restoration Amendments Act I am introducing in the House today, will help to
ensure that forest managers have tools available to keep our forests healthy
for generations to come."
In South Dakota’s
Black Hills, pine beetles have affected over 200,000 acres since the 1990s,
killing over 100,000 new trees each year. Nationally, federal land managers
estimate that approximately 190 million acres of federal forest lands are at
unnaturally high risk of catastrophic wildfire and large-scale insect and
disease outbreaks due to unhealthy forest conditions.
The Rocky Mountain
Region manages 17 national forests and 7 national grasslands throughout
Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and most of South Dakota and Wyoming.
###
BILLS PROMOTE HEALTHY
FORESTS, RENEWABLE ENERGY, RURAL JOBS IN SOUTH DAKOTA
Herseth Sandlin, Bipartisan
Coalition Introduce Legislation to Improve Forest and Energy Policy
Washington, DC- Today, Rep. Herseth
Sandlin joined with a bipartisan coalition of her colleagues including Reps.
Greg Walden (R-OR), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Brian Baird (D-WA), and Cathy
McMorris Rodgers (R-WA.) to announce a bipartisan package of legislation that
represents an innovative way forward in forest and energy policy. As part of
the package, Rep. Herseth Sandlin introduced the Healthy Forests Restoration
Amendments Act, common-sense legislation that will strengthen the existing
tools available to federal forest managers to bring the most diseased and fire
prone forests back to health. The other piece of legislation in the
package is the Incentives to Increase Use of Renewable Biomass Act of 2009.
This bill would establish a program at USDA to provide interest-free loans for
converting existing equipment or installing new equipment to use renewable
biomass for energy generation, heating, or cooling at an institution of higher
education; a public or private elementary or secondary school; a hospital; a
local government building; a governmental, community, or health building, and
tribal buildings.
"The bills introduced today seek to
reduce wild fire risk, incentivize sound forest management and the use of
woody biomass as a source of renewable energy, and create jobs in rural
communities in western South Dakota," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "These
common sense policies will not only result in healthier forests and reduce
wild fire risk, but complement efforts in the 2007 Energy Bill and jump start
our nation's effort to become truly energy independent."
In 2003, Congress passed the bipartisan
Healthy Forests Restoration Act, or “HFRA,” to enable managers of public
lands to mitigate the risk posed by wildfire to local communities. This law
represented a critical first step in updating federal forest management
policy, but as the limitations of this law have revealed themselves over the
past few years, it has become increasingly clear that HFRA needs to be
improved.
By making important clarifications to existing
law, the Healthy Forests Restoration Amendments Act will make certain that
federal forest managers have the tools they need to proactively address the
threat of wildfire, disease, and insect infestation to forests and the local
communities that depend on them. This bill ensures land managers can use
expedited HFRA procedures to protect infrastructure in rural communities from
the threat of wildfire and to address infestation of disease or insects, such
as the mountain pine beetle, through fuels reduction projects. It also
improves efficiency by allowing land managers to conduct necessary connected
actions such as weed management, tree planting, road work, and other important
projects, when using the HFRA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process
for fuels reduction projects.
The bill also removes the arbitrary 20-million
acre limitation included in HFRA, while protecting existing HFRA withdrawn
areas and designated wilderness, so these tools can be utilized wherever they
are needed. Finally, the bill improves HFRA procedures for fuels reduction in
areas where a community wildfire protection plan is in place.
Rep. Herseth Sandlin added, "Written in
the same bipartisan spirit as the original HFRA law, the bill I have
introduced today takes another important step towards improving the management
of federal forests and halting the growing crisis in our forests and
forest communities. It is my hope that the House will act quickly to approve
this legislation."
Rep. Herseth Sandlin will also introduce a
third bill that would improve the Production Tax Credit, including by
extending the credit for open and closed loop biomass for five years and
providing rate parity with other renewable energy sources such as wind and
solar. Rep. Herseth noted her previous work on legislation to broaden the
definition of renewable biomass in the 2007 Energy Bill. She added,
“Renewable biomass from our forests has tremendous potential to contribute
to our country's efforts to move toward energy independence. Since 2008, I
have worked to broaden the definition of cellulosic ethanol under the new
Renewable Fuel Standard to include woody biomass gathered from national
forests, including the Black Hills National Forest. These three bills build on
those efforts.”
###
HERSETH SANDLIN LEADS
VETERANS EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION OF POST 9/11 GI BILL
Washington, DC-Rep. Herseth Sandlin,
Chairwoman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economy Opportunity,
recently hosted an education roundtable to discuss the ongoing implementation
of the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The goal of the roundtable was to have an open
dialogue on technical fixes to the VA’s education programs to help
streamline the delivery of benefits.
In addition to members of the Subcommittee on
Economic Opportunity, participants of the roundtable included
officials from the VA and the Department of Defense, key
stakeholders such as the National Association of Veterans’ Program
Administrators as well as Veterans Service Organizations such as the Student
Veterans of America and the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
"This roundtable allowed members of the
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity and representatives of key veteran
organizations the opportunity to discuss the successes and challenges of
implementing the Post 9/11 GI Bill," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said.
"Going forward, these conversations will be critical as we seek to
streamline the delivery of VA education benefits while providing the
Department of Veterans Affairs’ with the resources needed to successfully
implement these programs in a timely and successful manner."
In preparation for the roundtable, the
Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity asked for all participants to provide
recommendations to consider that would help to better address the education
needs of our nation’s veterans while providing the Department of Veterans
Affairs with the resources to succeed in implementing education benefits in a
timely manner. Several proposals were strongly supported by
participants, including providing a housing allowance to full-time distance
learners and expanding opportunities through the GI Bill to provide for
on-the-job-training programs, apprenticeship programs and vocational programs.
Shortly after an October oversight hearing of
the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity on educational benefits, Rep. Herseth
Sandlin and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) recognized the need to address
the concerns of thousands of student veterans and submitted a formal list of
recommendations to Secretary Eric K. Shinseki to begin addressing these
concerns. These proposals included:
·
Improving communication with veterans, including mass media outreach on the
Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and other federal programs for students;
·
Prioritizing applications from veterans who intend to use benefits in the
current or upcoming term; and
·
Enhancing the VA Web site with interactive features to provide more
information.
Rep. Herseth Sandlin added, "The VA has
taken firm action and shown a commitment to addressing the ongoing backlogs in
the distribution of education benefits. I share this commitment and
applaud them for their actions to address these difficulties. However, we have
received feedback from VA officials that approximately 26,000 students have
yet to receive their payments, which greatly concerns me. This is troubling as
we consider that the fall semester will end in two weeks for most schools and
the spring semester is less than a month away. I hope the Secretary gives
serious consideration to these proposals which do not require Congressional
action."
###
INTERIOR-ENVIRONMENT
APPROPRIATIONS BILL PASSES HOUSE
Legislation
Includes Critical Funding for Preventing and Fighting Wildfires; Robust
Funding Increase for IHS, BIA
Washington, DC-Today,
Rep. Herseth Sandlin joined a majority of her colleagues in the House of
Representatives in voting for the conference report for the Interior and
Environment Appropriations bill which funds programs administered by the
Department of the Interior the Forest Service, and other agencies for the
upcoming fiscal year. This legislation includes $5.39 million requested by
Rep. Herseth Sandlin for important priorities in South Dakota that help fight
wild fires, conserve natural resources and wildlife habitat, and protect the
environment.
"This legislation
helps ensure the conservation of South Dakota's vast resources and diverse
wildlife, ensuring our state's natural treasures can be enjoyed for
generations to come," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "I'm happy that
projects across South Dakota will receive funding through this legislation and
am pleased to lend my support."
Funding requested by
Rep. Herseth Sandlin includes:
- $1.9 million to relocate
the Northern Great Plains Dispatch Center, which will ensure that this
facility continues to provide critical fire dispatch services;
- $300,000 to install
collector and interceptor wastewater sewers in Rapid City to ensure
protection of the city’s water supply from contamination caused by
failing septic systems;
- $1.69 million for the
Forest Service to acquire 2,400 acres of the Lady C Ranch from willing
sellers to preserve critical range habitat of wild elk, mule deer,
white-tail deer, and other wildlife;
- $1 million for the Dakota
Tallgrass Prairie Easement Program, to purchase conservation easements
that will protect some of the best waterfowl production areas in the
Dakotas;
- $500,000 for the Cheyenne
River Sioux Tribe Prairie Management Program, which supports
sustainable cattle production on the reservation and protects natural
resources and endangered species.
Additionally, this bill
includes $3.5 billion for the Forest Service and Department of Interior to
prevent and fight wildfires, including $474 million for a reserve fund created
by a provision attached to the bill - the Federal Land Assistance, Management
and Enhancement Flame Act, or FLAME Act- of which Rep. Herseth Sandlin is a
cosponsor. This legislation improves the ability of federal agencies to
prevent and fight catastrophic wildland fires, including fires that could
occur in South Dakota.
Finally, under the
agreement, programs administered by the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Bureau
of Indian Affairs (BIA) will receive $6.7 billion, a $705.7 million increase
over last year. The bill boosts funding for clinical services, domestic
violence and substance abuse prevention initiatives, health facilities
construction, tribal education programs, public safety and justice programs,
as well as for law enforcement, detention center staffing, and tribal courts
–acute needs in Indian Country in South Dakota.
The bill was passed by
the House in June and the Senate in September, and differences in the two
versions were worked out in a conference committee. Following House passage,
it is anticipated that the Senate will agree to the conference report and send
it to the President for his signature.
###
10/29/09
HERSETH SANDLIN URGES
FLEXIBILITY WITH CROP INSURANCE DEADLINES FOR FALL HARVEST
Washington, DC—This week, Rep.
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin sent a letter to Risk Management Agency
Administrator William Murphy urging him to work with crop insurance companies
to ensure flexibility in granting extensions of fall harvest insurance
deadlines for corn and soybean producers. Extremely wet weather conditions
throughout 2009 have greatly hampered producers’ ability to harvest corn and
soybeans in a timely manner.
"I have heard from farmers
across South Dakota that this could be one of the longest and most challenging
harvests in years," Rep. Herseth Sandlin said. "With so much at
stake for our state's farmers and our agricultural economy, it’s critical
that producers are allowed adequate time to ensure the maximum possible
production from their farms."
Herseth Sandlin’s letter requests Murphy
work with insurance companies to ensure that producers are not unfairly
penalized for their long harvest due to weather conditions beyond their
control and receive ample notification regarding insurance deadlines.
The full text of the letter to Administrator
Murphy can be found below.
Mr. William Murphy, Administrator
Risk Management Agency
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20250-0801
Dear Mr. Murphy,
I’m writing to urge the Risk Management
Agency (RMA) to be as flexible as possible with authorizing additional time to
harvest past the end of the insurance period, and to work on an expedited
basis with crop insurance companies to ensure flexibility in granting
extensions of insurance deadlines for producers.
As you know, extreme wet weather conditions in
South Dakota and across much of the Midwest this spring and summer, combined
with a cool fall, have greatly hampered producers’ ability to harvest corn
and soybeans in a timely manner. The USDA National Agriculture Statistic
Survey (NASS) Crop Progress report released last week shows that the national
corn and soybean harvest is well behind schedule, with only 17 percent of corn
and 30 percent of soybeans harvested. In South Dakota, the situation is worse,
with only 6 percent of corn harvested for grain to date. I’ve heard from
farmers in South Dakota who believe this could be one of the longest and most
challenging harvests in years.
With estimates projecting a record corn and
soybean harvest this year, I believe it is important that producers are
allowed adequate time to ensure the maximum possible production from their
farms. Given that most of the delay in harvest is likely due to insured
perils, I strongly urge the RMA to be as flexible as possible with authorizing
additional time to harvest past the end of the insurance period.
Further, I encourage you to work closely with
the crop insurance companies to ensure fair notification to producers
regarding crop insurance deadlines, obligations, and options. This essential
communication, along with flexibility regarding the end of insurance period,
will be instrumental in making sure producers are not unfairly penalized for a
long harvest attributable to natural weather conditions outside their control.
Thank you for your efforts on behalf of
producers, and I look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions,
please contact Ashley Martin on my staff at 202-225-2801.
Betsy Hart
Press Secretary
Office of
Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
331 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
10/27/09
HERSETH
SANDLIN ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $9M IN RECOVERY ACT FUNDING FOR SMART GRID
TECHNOLOGY IN SOUTH DAKOTA
Washington, DC—Today,
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin announced that two utility companies in South
Dakota are the recipients of $9,608,970 in smart grid technology development
grant funding as part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act’s (ARRA)
$3.4 billion investment in Smart Grid technology.
Of this total amount of
funding, Black Hills Power Inc. in Rapid City will receive $5,592,602 to
install 69,000 smart meters, along with the communications infrastructure, IT
software, and equipment necessary to operate a fully functional Smart Grid
system in its service area.
Sioux Valley
Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc. in Colman will receive $4,016,368 to
install a smart grid network across the full customer base - 23,000 smart
meters - that will allow for automated electricity readings and additional
monitoring of the system in case of outages or disruptions.
"Modernizing
electrical grid infrastructure will improve energy efficiency, and should
lower utility bills for South Dakota consumers," Rep. Herseth Sandlin
said. "In addition, Smart Grid technology enhances South Dakota's ability
to participate in and benefit from a new energy economy by promoting the
integration of renewable sources of electricity, like wind, with the
electrical grid."
The $3.4 billion ARRA
investment will be matched by industry funding for a total public-private
investment worth over $8 billion. This is the largest single Smart Grid
modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of projects
that will ease the nation’s transition to a smarter, stronger, and more
efficient and reliable electric system.
The Department of
Energy’s Smart Grid Investment Grant Program provides grants ranging from
$500,000 to $20 million for smart grid technology deployments. It also
provides grants of $100,000 to $5 million for the deployment of grid
monitoring devices.
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10/22/09