May 9, 2012

As The Daily Republic reported in Monday’s edition, Kristi Noem is a Republican congresswoman, wife, mother, rancher, farmer and hunting lodge owner.

Add one more title to Noem’s résumé: college graduate.

Noem, a Republican from Castlewood, walked across the stage Saturday in Brookings and received a degree during South Dakota State University’s 2012 spring commencement.

She was one of 1,591 graduates at the event, but stood out because of her status as South Dakota’s only member in the U.S. House and also because of her unique backstory.

Noem, 40, went to Northern State University after graduating from Hamlin High School. Two years later, her father died in a farming accident. She also was pregnant with her first child.

She opted to return to her family farm to help out.

As she said Saturday, “life happened.”

But Noem persevered. Later, as she was a mother of three and member of the state Legislature, she resumed her college career, taking courses and fitting in homework whenever she had a spare minute. She was elected to the U.S. House in 2010.

She said she wanted to set an example for her children.

She has. And when she received her degree in political science, she also has set an example for anyone who has heard her story.

Life does happen, and curve balls do tend to be lobbed in everyone’s direction.

But, as Noem said during a speech she gave Saturday, “your journey is determined by how you react.”

We don’t always agree with Noem politically. But all politics aside — after all, she is in a race to retain her seat in Congress — we appreciate that Noem finished this improbable journey, setting an example not only for her own children but also for many others who may feel they can’t finish what they started.
 

Thursday, April 26, 2012

S.D. producers applaud extension of disaster relief

Rep. Kristi Noem said Thursday she plans to introduce legislation in the House that will fund through the remainder of this year livestock disaster programs that expired last October.

Her support for farm programs at a Thursday news conference was heralded by heads of a couple of South Dakota livestock producer groups.

But Noem also addressed other topics at the event. She said her support of the House version of reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act runs counter to “some in Congress who are attempting to politicize this important piece of legislation with unnecessary, polarizing language,” and she said a scheduled doubling of the Stafford subsidized student loan interest rate in July “is a problem because of a 2007 bill Democrats put forward.”

Noem backs Rep. Sandy Adams, R-Fla., who wants to reauthorize the 1994 Violence Against Women Act in its present form. A competing Democratic proposal would specifically name tribal members on reservations, gays and undocumented immigrants as women who would be protected by the act.

“We can have these debates. But it’s not part of this legislation,” she said. “A victim is a victim.”

Noem also said she is likely to support a Republican proposal to prevent the student loan interest rate hike by diverting $6 billion from another federal fund. She echoed House Speaker John Boehner when she referred to it as “a slush fund in the health care bill.”

Congress is scrambling to maintain the 3.4 percent loan interest rate that is the result of a bill proposed by Democrats in 2007 that passed with bipartisan support. It gradually stepped down the student loan interest rate from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent in 2011.

But it keeps the low rate until only July. Some Republicans agree with Rep. John Kline, R-Minn., who characterized that as a ticking time bomb planted by Democrats and set to go off in a presidential election year.

Noem’s efforts to revive the Livestock Indemnity Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish fund and extend them through the duration of a new farm bill was saluted in South Dakota.

My Voice by Rep. Kristi Noem

Anyone who has turned on the TV, listened to the radio or read the news in the past few weeks has undoubtedly heard about the Republican Party’s supposed War on Women. So many hours have been wasted on this topic that folks actually might think it’s a real issue. It’s not.

The truth is our nation’s political leaders are using women as a means of manipulation to try to win an election. This means real issues are taking a back seat to a political sideshow. Instead of talking about how we are going to get Americans back to work or lower gas prices, talking heads on TV are bickering over whether being a stay-at-home-mom is an occupation.

I know a number of smart, generous and kind women. Whether they stay at home to raise their children, run a corporation, work in their communities or hold elected office, each and every one of them care more about the real challenges our country is facing, such as our $15.6 trillion debt and unsustainable health and retirement programs, than some fictitious war. The Democratic Party is trying to distract the American people from the fact that this president has had his head in the sand and done nothing to balance our federal budget, increase our domestic energy security or create an environment for robust job growth in America.

It’s no surprise to anyone that the president doesn’t want to talk about his record. The president has added more than $5 trillion to the national debt since taking office (more than the debt racked up by all the presidents from George Washington through George H.W. Bush combined). Under his direction, gas prices have gone up while oil production on federal lands and waters has declined 14 percent, our once gold-star credit rating has been downgraded, and just over 1 in 4 Americans think our country is on the right track.

As we get closer to November, Democrats will ramp up their efforts to hide behind manufactured crises such as the War on Women so they don’t have to answer for the direction they’ve sent our country. But the women in our country — mothers, wives, small-business owners, lawyers, ranchers and doctors — don’t want partisan politics, they want answers. We want to know that our kids and grandkids will have even greater opportunities than we had, and that the free and prosperous America we grew up in is still there for them.

The Republican Party has been working nonstop to try to implement policies that will secure that kind of future for our kids. The GOP-led House has passed policies to cut spending and get our debt under control; reforms to save and preserve our vital health and retirement programs; tax reforms to make America more competitive and close special-interest loopholes; and efforts to get the government out of the way of private-sector job creation.

It’s time to put this nonsense behind us, talk about real issues and move forward for a better America.
 

Argus Leader April 19, 2012

Tax legislation approved by the U.S. House on Thursday that would help more than 20,000 small businesses in South Dakota is unlikely to pass in the Democratic-led Senate, Rep. Kristi Noem told reporters.

The legislation, which was approved through a party-line vote of 235-173, would provide up to a 20 percent tax deduction to businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Republicans say their $46 billion small-business tax cut would help jumpstart the economy by giving companies the cash to hire more workers and buy new equipment.

Democrats argue the measure would grant relief to businesses that already are thriving and might not necessarily be interested in expanding their work force. The legislation has little chance of passing the Senate where Democrats hold the majority.

“The Senate certainly hasn’t been willing to take it up or look at it, so we can’t let the Senate decide what is best for this country because they’ve shown us that they’re unwilling to take any action at all,” said Noem, who co-sponsored the bill.

“We’re lucky in South Dakota to have fewer folks unemployed than in other states, but that doesn’t change the fact that this tax cut would bring a big benefit to South Dakota and our local communities,” she said.

In March, South Dakota’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.3 percent, the state Department of Labor & Regulation announced Thursday. That’s almost half of the national unemployment rate, which was 8.2 percent.

As recently as 2009, there were 20,832 small businesses in South Dakota that collectively employed 201,600 people, according to the Small Business Administration. The workers were heavily concentrated in three industries: health care and social assistance; accommodation and food services; and retail trade.

Thursday’s vote marks the second tax-related measure to be taken up by lawmakers this week, and further illustrates the growing divide between Republicans and Democrats over “tax-fairness” reform.

Earlier this week, Senate Republicans were instrumental in blocking approval of the so-called Buffett rule, named after famed billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

The legislation would collect more revenue from the wealthy by placing a minimum tax of at least 30 percent on millionaires, bringing their taxes more in line with middle class Americans.

“It’s getting uncomfortably close to the election and nothing substantive is going to come out of Congress under these circumstances,” said Bill Richardson, head of the political science department at the University of South Dakota.

“And while there is some posturing going on, there appears to be genuine disagreements (in Congress) about what the best solutions or resolutions are for the economic problems that we’re having, above all the problems that we’re having with this enormous deficit we’re running.”

Sen. John Thune, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, said the Buffett rule was nothing more than “election year political games” and was not a real solution to create jobs, reduce the national deficit or lower gas prices.

Democrats have promised to press ahead with President Obama’s plan. Even if the Senate passed the Buffett rule, it is likely to be rejected in the House.

 

Kevin Woster Journal staff | Posted: Thursday, April 12, 2012 6:00 am

Sen. John Thune and Rep. Kristi Noem have introduced federal legislation to streamline regulations and speed up work to control pine beetles and reduce the threat of wild fires in the Black Hills National Forest.

The South Dakota Republicans will have a news conference today in Rapid City to discuss the details of their plan, which they have introduced to the Senate and House in companion pieces of legislation.

“This legislation will give forest officials in the Black Hills a very powerful tool in their fight against the pine beetle that is devastating the Black Hills National Forest,” Thune said in a statement released Wednesday. “The fire season has also started with thousands of acres of dead and dying trees, and with infestations rapidly spreading we are bracing for even greater challenges in controlling pine beetles in the Black Hills.”

Noem joined Thune in the news release, saying that federal regulations and bureaucratic requirements slow the response to problems like the pine beetle, which threatens the “South Dakota treasure” of the Black Hills.

“Our legislation will help change that by cutting red tape and getting boots on the ground faster while working closer with the state and private landowners,” Noem said. “This is a big step in the right direction.”

Black Hills National Forest Supervisor Craig Bobzien of Custer said that the Forest Service has improved its response time to urgent forest management needs while still operating within environmental laws. But there might be ways to further improve that response, he said.

“We’re making a lot of progress,” Bobzien said. “But when you have a situation like the pine beetle that moves so quickly, I think there’s an ongoing interest in looking at ways to streamline it.”

Bobzien planned to join Thune and Noem for the news conference at 3 p.m. today at the Outdoor Campus West in Rapid City. Also attending will be Tom Troxel of Rapid City, director of the Black Hills Forest Resource Association, which represents the timber industry.

Troxel said the logging industry in the Black Hills is ready to take on more projects if a streamlined regulatory process can get them approved more quickly. Work being done to slow the spread of the beetles includes removing or sanitizing infested trees to keep newly hatched beetles from attacking other trees this summer. It also includes thinning the forest ahead of the beetles to slow their spread and decrease wildfire threats.

The logging industry in the Black Hills is busy but not at full work capacity, Troxel said.

“There’s a point where we’re maxed out. But we’re not there yet,” he said, estimating the industry is working at about 75 percent capacity.

Thune and Noem introduced the National Forest Emergency Response Act in the Senate and in the House. Their intent is to begin the legislation in the Senate and have it included in forestry title under the 2012 Farm Bill, potentially improving its chances for passage and expediting its implementation.

Rep. Kristi Noem

Monday, March 26, 2012

Friday marked the two-year anniversary of the president’s health care law, and South Dakotans and Americans alike are beginning to see what the impacts and ramifications will actually be.

Our health care system is broken, but increasing costs to taxpayers and implementing constitutionally questionable regulations doesn’t do anyone any favors.

Last week, I joined with the majority of my colleagues in the House to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a 15-member panel of unelected bureaucrats authorized by the Affordable Care Act to make decisions about Medicare with zero accountability.

It was nearly a year ago that Congress also repealed the burdensome 1099 tax compliance component of the health care law, which would have meant a mountain of new paperwork for South Dakota’s small businesses.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi infamously said during the health care debate, “We have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it.”

Well, the bill did pass, and what we are finding in this bill is not good for South Dakota’s people, small businesses or our health care system.

As premiums have gone up, not down, opposition to the law continues. Americans of all political stripes believe the centerpiece of this health care law — the requirement to purchase health insurance even if they can’t afford it, or face a penalty or tax — is inherently unconstitutional. Seventy-two percent believe this provision is unconstitutional, with over 50 percent of Democrats agreeing, according to a recent Gallup poll.

Furthermore, the law’s regulations and taxes are a continued concern to America’s small business owners. Seventy-four percent of small business owners say the health care law makes it harder for their business to hire more employees, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Many of the businesses I’ve visited in South Dakota are facing the tough decision of whether to continue offering coverage to their employees or simply to end coverage and pay the penalty.

House Republicans have voted 26 times to fully repeal, defund or dismantle parts of this job-destroying health care law, but our work is not done.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on the law, and in an historic decision, will allow six hours of oral arguments compared to the usual one hour.

Whatever the outcome, I will keep fighting to fully repeal this law and replace it with commonsense reforms that empower patients and promote competition to bring costs down and increase quality.

Rep. Kristi Noem,  R-S.D., is South Dakota’s sole member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

March 9, 2012

South Dakota Congresswoman Kristi Noem is calling on the Obama Administration to reverse it's decision on explorative drilling for oil on federal lands.
Noem tells KSFY rising gas prices pose a threat to the budgets or families and small businesses.
But there is also a toll on non-profit groups who are trying to help as many people as they can while watching their bottom line.

Congresswoman Noem is not shy about her concern over gas prices, saying the constant increases are posing a near constant threat to the U-S economy. "It's the number one issue our office hears about right now is gas prices. I mean they've just jumped....they've more than doubled in the last two years. We're expecting this summer and spring they'll go even higher. People are asking us why."

So what's the answer to why?
Noem believes it is the continuing uncertainty over the Middle East, led by nuclear fears in Iran and continued civil unrest in Syria.
Those issues may seem a world away but they are contributing to the pain at the pump right here at home.
And they are hurting non-profit programs like "Meals on Wheels"; the group depends on volunteer drivers to deliver hundreds of meals to those who can't get out and get them for themselves.

"They deliver meals but they use their own vehicles, their own time, their own gas...it's all volunteer." Rhonda Behrens with "Meals on Wheels" worries higher gas prices will financially pinch her volunteers and reduce their numbers.

Congresswoman Noem tells us more sources of oil must be found and decries the Obama Administration's recent decision to deny permits to the Keystone X-L pipeline...which would have brought more Canadian oil into the U-S market. "Right now we have Canada having conversations with China to get their oil to help them be more competitive in the world."

Noem believes our loss with be China's gain...all the while, she says, we will watch our gas prices continue to rise.

And here's a check of average gas prices across our tri-state area for this Friday; according to AAA, a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.68 in Iowa. South Dakota is next at $3.62 a gallon with Minnesota at $3.61 a gallon.

By Perry Groton  March, 2012

SIOUX FALLS, SD - The high price of fuel not only affects families and businesses, but non-profit agencies as well. Volunteer drivers who deliver food to low-income elderly people are looking for answers from members of Congress.

Meals On Wheels driver Gayle Sagmoe has a VIP riding shotgun on her route: South Dakota Congresswoman Kristi Noem.

"It's the number-one issue that our office hears about right now, is gas prices," Rep. Kristi Noem, R-South Dakota said.

The 500-plus volunteer drivers with Meals On Wheels furnish their own vehicles and pay their own gas.

"I go probably average of 12-15-18 miles a day for a route; at $4 a gallon that's not going to go very far," Sagmoe said.

Drivers like Sagmoe worry that if gas prices climb too high, she may have to cut back on deliveries or stop volunteering altogether.

"I hope it doesn't because volunteering for me is the joy of my life, so I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that somebody will fix something and we can get prices back down," Sagmoe said.

Meals On Wheels hopes lawmakers like Noem can do the heavy lifting toward finding a solution to high prices.

"People are asking us, 'Why?' And simply, it's the uncertainty in the world and that we've got a lot of resources out in the country that we're not accessing," Noem said.

Because so many elderly rely upon these hot meals, drivers say rising gas prices shouldn't have to put the brakes on the volunteer spirit.

The coordinator of Meals On Wheels says if gas prices reach a level where she starts losing volunteers, she'll have to re-configure some routes to ensure that all clients still receive their daily meals.

U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., said Monday in Mitchell that more oil exploration and development is needed, and federal regulations should be eased to encourage production.

She listened to comments and complaints about high fuel prices during an afternoon meeting at Cabela’s.

Noem, a freshman congresswoman from rural Hamlin County who is seeking a second term, said she came to Mitchell in order to have “a real casual conversation” with people and find out what they think should be done.

Noem said she favors increased production in the United States.

“We really haven’t done much to tap into the resources we have,” she said, in part because of government red tape. She said 85 percent of the offshore oil resources are not being developed.

“We’ve had a tough time getting permits approved,” Noem said. “The regulations are stifling what the businesses are able to do.”

She said small oil companies need improved access to oil. “I think we need a level playing field,” Noem said.

But she said tax increases for big oil companies aren’t the answer, since they would just be passed along to consumers. And they’re paying plenty right now.

In South Dakota, the average price for a gallon of gas rose 6.1 cents per gallon in the past week and 28.3 cents in a month, averaging $3.63 a gallon Sunday. That’s 15.1 cents higher than it was March 12, 2011. The national average is $3.75 a gallon. Each cent increase is the equivalent of pulling $1 billion out of the economy, Noem said she has read. A 50-cent increase could actually drain $70 billion from the economy, she said.

“Everybody is very concerned about the trend we have,” she said. “What could we do to maybe bring some relief to everybody?”

South Dakota’s agriculture industry has enjoyed boom times, Noem said, but that could be slowed by high transportation costs.

The Cabela’s conference room was packed with about 50 people for the meeting, with every chair taken. Attendees included State Sen. Mike Vehle, R-Mitchell; state Rep. Lance Carson, R-Mitchell; state Rep. Tona Rozum, R-Mitchell; Mitchell Mayor Lou Sebert; Mitchell School District Superintendent Joe Graves; Davison County Commissioner John Claggett; several area county commissioners; and representatives of numerous local companies.

Claggett said 45 percent of the Mitchell workforce comes from outside the community. As fuel prices increase, they are directly hit, he said.

“That’s going to be a direct impact for us,” Claggett said.

Sebert said it makes it difficult for local governments to budget properly. “It seems we’re always constantly supplementing fuel costs,” he said. “We’re fortunate we have a pretty good reserve in the city. Not every city has that.”

Sebert said the lack of price stability is especially bothersome. He said prices drop 10 cents and then go back up 20 cents. It’s also difficult on employees, Sebert said, since those who live in rural areas have to spend more money commuting.

Vehle said Mitchell is partly dependent on tourism, with the Corn Palace and a large number of motels, so high gas prices mean a drop in the local economy.

Hannah Walters, director of the Mitchell Convention & Visitors Bureau, seconded that concern. She said it wasn’t just the extra $75 it would cost to drive to a destination, but the $500 or so less money families would have to spend during the year due to high gas prices.

“The less money they have to spend on vacation, it’s going to have an impact,” Walters said.

Vehle said coal should be used to create electricity, since it is “the cheapest way to make power.” Several people agreed with that.

Noem asked how people felt about the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, which has been in the middle of a battle between opposing sides for more than a year. Most people in the room favored building the pipeline, which would pass through western South Dakota.

The pipeline, which would carry heavy crude oil from Canada’s Alberta province to production facilities along the Gulf Coast, could not be completed until 2014 at the earliest.

She said while she hadn’t discussed the pipeline with President Obama, she feels environmentalists are working to block the pipeline from being built.

She said more oil in the marketplace is better for the country and may serve to lower prices. However, numerous recently published reports have said that may not be the case.

If built, the pipeline would move 1.1 million barrels per day to the Gulf Coast, where there is a need for oil to be refined. There is a glut of crude oil in the Midwest, although producers are not passing that savings along to consumers.

Noem said she realizes the crude oil might not end up in the American market, but said more oil in the world has to help at some point.

Noem also said the pipeline could bring property taxes to counties and schools.

“We can’t afford to delay this another three or four years and think this oil is still going to be there for us,” she said.

Paul Muth, of Muth Electric, said the pipeline would be a valuable asset for local governments. Muth said he heard of a school district that will receive $500,000 in taxes from a pumping station located within in its boundaries.

Other people asked why big oil companies get tax credits and why they aren’t preparing their plants to deal with the oil that would come from Canada.

Don Meyers, co-owner of Meyers Oil Co., said the money isn’t ending up in the pockets of the people who sell the gas to drivers. “Local businesses are struggling,” he said.

Meyers said most convenience stores make 10 to 13 cents profit per gallon, with 10 cents being common. Meanwhile, state and local governments collect 42.6 cents a gallon in taxes. Large oil companies are getting out of the convenience

Chris Huber/Republic U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., talks about rising gas prices Monday afternoon in a conference room at Cabela’s in Mitchell.

By:  Brian Matthews

U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem took a break from the stress of Washington, D.C., on Friday and got a chance to see some young faces as she visited schools in Hayti, Madison and Brookings as part of Read Across America Day and Pride Days.

Noem’s first stop was the Hamlin Education Center, where she read books to elementary students who were celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Read Across America Day.

Noem read “If You’re Not From the Prairie,” a book by David Bouchard that describes the variety of weather the prairie brings. Noem also read “House Mouse Senate Mouse,” written by Peter Barnes, a book she gave to the school to teach children about how laws are made in Congress.

“In the House gift shop, they have this book and I thought it was a good explanation of how a bill gets presented. At least little kids can kind of start to grasp the process of how laws get made in kind of a fun way.”

After her visit to Hayti, Noem visited Madison High School to talk to junior and senior government classes about government and its role in their lives and give them a chance to ask her questions. Her trip wrapped up with reading to students at Hillcrest Elementary School.

“This is fun. This is the kind of stuff that does your heart good especially after spending a week in Washington, D.C., discussing controversial topics,” Noem said.