Washington, Take Note of South Dakota

Statement

This last week was another incredible reminder of all that South Dakota is doing right to create a healthy, growing economy. Nationally, our economy continues to struggle. The unemployment rate remains around six percent, millions have left the workforce, and those who haven't left are finding it tough to get a job. Despite all national indications, South Dakota is thriving.

Early in the week, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced that South Dakota saw the fifth highest growth in personal income during the second quarter of 2014. This 2.3 percent growth shows in very real numbers that the state's healthy economy is directly impacting our families. Notably, the growth wasn't limited to just one sector. We saw increases for farmers, manufacturers, retailers and those in the construction industry.

On Thursday, I had the chance to sit down with a dozen or so retailers. These are the people from whom we buy our groceries, our farm supplies, our televisions, washers and dryers. They operate the restaurants in our hometown and the gift shops when we're on vacation. They employ about 127,000 people across the state and are directly or indirectly responsible for about 17 percent of South Dakota's GDP.

Every retailer or small business starts with an idea. What I've come to know -- and what the folks I sat down with last week explained -- is that South Dakota has created an environment where ideas are actively fostered. Our state tax policy makes it cheaper to run a business. The workforce is one of the most dedicated and talented in the country. We put our heart into everything we produce. And we are surrounded by communities that generously support each other during the good times and pull together like a family would during the hard times.

It's probably no wonder then that I joined Governor Daugaard on Friday to welcome a new manufacturer to Brookings. In addition to 3M and Daktronics, Brookings is now home to a new Babybel cheese manufacturing facility. It was an honor to welcome them to our state.

I've worked hard to replicate South Dakota policies on the federal level because they've proven time and again to work. I've focused on increasing support for job training, leveling the playing field for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and reducing the burden of taxes and regulations on all of us. At times, we've been successful. The EPA's talks of further regulating dust and farm chores have been thwarted. Job training programs were put in place for veterans. We've started to cut down on government spending by, among other things, enacting the strictest deficit control provisions since President Reagan.

There's still a lot more to be done. But I won't stop fighting for hardworking taxpayers until you get a government that you deserve -- a government that does more with less, is accountable to taxpayers, and doesn't put regulations or taxes or poorly thought out policies between you and your American dream.

South Dakota's doing it right. Washington ought to take note.

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