US CONGRESS · SITTING

John Thune

Senator for South Dakota · Republican · United States

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

“Around this time last year, during Democrats' record-long government shutdown, Senate Democrats were working to end this program. I am curious if the Democrat leader would like to claw back the $212 million that rural healthcare providers in New York are going to receive from this program this year.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗

“Well, perhaps the Democrat leader should check in with his State's Governor, who said of a recent $76 million investment from this program: These investments will bring rural hospitals, health centers and community providers together to strengthen regional health care networks and make it easier for New Yorkers to get the care they need c…”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗

“This funding will help expand crisis services and build out our State's workforce in behavioral healthcare, and it comes after another announcement in August of funding to modernize technology and strengthen cyber security at rural healthcare providers in South Dakota, an initiative that will not only modernize care in my State but also s…”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗

“Mr. President, we are coming to the end of the first year of the Rural Health Transformation Program. This multiyear initiative created in Republicans' Working Families Tax Cut legislation will invest $50 billion in all 50 States to put rural healthcare providers on a more sustainable footing for the future.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗

“In the words of South Dakota Secretary of Health Melissa Magstadt, ``the initiatives that we've developed came strictly from the assessments we had, the expert input we garnered, and what citizens themselves said they needed in the community.'' That is exactly how the Rural Health Transformation Program is supposed to work, and it is not…”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗

“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now proceed to the en bloc consideration of the following resolutions, which are at the desk: S. Res. 922, S. Res. 923, S. Res. 924, S. Res. 925, S. Res. 926, S. Res. 927, and S. Res. 928. There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolutions en bloc. Mr.”
Senate29 September 2026Source ↗

The complete record

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“There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution. Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 831, which is at the desk.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I understand there are two bills at the desk, and I ask for their first reading en bloc.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 914.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 449, S. 4668.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“6500, a bill to extend duty-free treatment provided with respect to imports from certain countries in Africa under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, to extend customs user fees, and for other purposes. John Thune, Susan M. Collins, Tim Sheehy, Bill Hagerty, Bernie Moreno, Mike Crapo, John Cornyn, Marsha Blackburn, James Lankford, Jim Banks, Jon A. Husted, Tom Cotton, Alan Armstrong, Tommy Tuberville, Cindy Hyde-Smith, John Barrasso, David McCormick. Cloture Motion Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk with respect to Calendar No. 320, H.R. 6500.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“President, I ask consent that the reading be waived.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“The amendment is as follows: (To improve the bill) Strike ``5 days'' and insert ``6 days''. Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask consent that the reading be waived.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To improve the bill) At the end add the following. ``This Act shall take effect 5 days after the date of enactment.'' Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask consent that the reading be dispensed with.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Is there a sufficient second? There appears to be a sufficient second. The yeas and nays are ordered. Amendment No. 6737 to Amendment No. 6736 Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I have a second-degree amendment at the desk.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from South Dakota [Mr. Thune] for Ms. Collins proposes an amendment numbered 6732. (The amendment is printed in the Record of August 4, 2026, under ``Text of Amendments.'') =========================== NOTE =========================== On page S4448, August 5, 2026, third column, the following appears: (The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of Amendments.'') The online Record has been corrected to read: (The amendment is printed in the Record of August 4, 2026, under ``Text of Amendments.'') ========================= END NOTE ========================= Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask consent that the reading be dispensed with.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 6732.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“President, I know of no further debate on the motion to proceed.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“As I said, America's farmers and ranchers are a priority for this Senate majority, and with the Working Families Tax Cuts and now this farm bill, we are making real progress on the challenges facing our producers. But, of course, our work is never finished. There will be more to do in the future to support and strengthen American agriculture, and America's producers can be confident that their needs will always be at the top of my list. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“For many years, it has been a priority for me and for many of my colleagues here to allow E15 to be sold all year. It has taken a lot of work to get here, but I am very proud that this farm bill delivers permanent--permanent--year-round E15. This is something that is going to further help producers and help bring down fuel costs for all Americans. I want to thank Chairman Boozman as well as Senators Daines, Capito, and Fischer for all of their hard work on this issue. I am looking forward to getting it across the finish line. I spend a lot of time with farmers and ranchers back home in South Dakota, and they have talked to me about the uncertainty and the headwinds they face. I have listened to their priorities and made them my own.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“It also includes our continued effort to provide broadband in unserved communities, and I am pleased that this bill will help ensure that broadband dollars are going to communities that need it in places where 90 percent or more of the residents lack access to basic internet services. There is a lot more I could talk about with this bill--a lot more. This is a bill that will provide real support and certainty for America's farmers and ranchers. That is good news for all Americans who depend on our hard-working producers for food, fuel, and fiber. Fuel is the final thing I want to discuss this morning. For decades, the seasonal sale of E15 has been a win-win for America's farmers and for the American people. It has strengthened the agriculture economy while providing the American people with an affordable source of homegrown energy.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Another bill of my mine, the Promoting Precision Agriculture Act, will facilitate the creation of industry-led, voluntary standards for precision ag technology that will help more farmers adopt this promising tool. My Strengthening Local Processing Act gives smaller processors access to critical information and allows more meat products approved by a State inspector to be sold across State lines. The farm bill is about more than just what happens on a farm or a ranch; it also supports America's rural communities. That includes water infrastructure, rural development, and healthcare, among other critical services.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“That is why I introduced the CRP Improvement and Flexibility Act. My bill allows grazing options, including fencing and water distribution, on all CRP acres. On top of that, it increases the annual CRP payment limits for the first time in the program's 40-year history. This bill will make CRP an attractive option for more producers and open up access for livestock forage in drought conditions. The farm bill also includes a number of bills I have worked on that make it easier for producers to do business and get their products to market. It includes a bill that I worked on with Senators Grassley, Klobuchar, and Baldwin that establishes reporting requirements on fertilizer prices, which will bring more transparency to the fertilizer marketplace by helping producers to make more informed and cost- effective choices for their operations.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“As I made clear at the start of this Congress, America's farmers and ranchers are a priority for this Senate majority. That started last year with the Working Families Tax Cuts, which strengthened the farm safety net, bolstered critical farm programs, and delivered tax relief to America's agriculture producers, including relief from the unfair death tax and making the 199A deduction permanent. It continues this year with this farm bill, which builds on the important measures in the Working Families Tax Cuts in order to give farmers and ranchers certainty into the future. After the Working Families Tax Cuts raised reference prices last year, this farm bill makes further improvements to commodity programs as well as crop insurance--cornerstones of the farm safety net.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, America's farmers and ranchers got some good news at the end of last week. After a lot of hard work from members of the Agriculture Committee, Chairman Boozman released the text of a 5-year farm bill, which is slated for a markup tomorrow, and it will, I hope, be headed soon to the floor. As someone who hails from an ag State who has been part of the drafting of now five farm bills, I know how important the farm bill is and how much work goes into getting it right.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 10:21 p.m., adjourned until Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. ____________________”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 5; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that notwithstanding rule XXII, Senator Whitehouse or his designee be authorized to return the Senate to legislative session for the purposes of making a motion to proceed to Calendar No. 532, S.J. Res. 187, during Wednesday's session of the Senate.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 526, S. 494.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Hearing none, the bill having been read the third time, the question is, Shall the bill pass? The bill (S. 4472), as amended, was passed. Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 461, S. 4472.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to consideration of S. Res. 830, submitted earlier today.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“And that is not to even mention the countless hard-working Americans who were able to take advantage of the increased standard deduction and the enhanced child tax credit. Tax refunds were up this season, and it is no surprise. It is the Working Families Tax Cuts at work. I may live in Sioux Falls now, which is one of South Dakota's bigger cities, but I spent a lot of time in smalltown South Dakota. And whenever I am there, I am proud to be able to share the details of the Working Families Tax Cuts and report that Republicans are delivering for working families. And we are going to continue to build on the Working Families Tax Cuts to expand opportunity and make life more affordable for hard- working Americans. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“We also made permanent a policy I authored that allows employers to pay off a portion of their employees' student loans, without the employee having to pay taxes on the repayment amount. And on top of all that, we created the Workforce Pell Program, which will provide financial assistance to Americans in shorter term skills and career training programs, whether they are just starting out or looking to switch careers or develop new skills in their current field. This tax season, more than 35 million seniors claimed the new bonus deduction for older Americans. More than 29 million American workers were able to deduct overtime pay from their taxes, resulting in substantial tax savings. And more than 7.5 million workers deducted their tips on their taxes, ensuring they were able to keep more of their hard-earned money.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“We instituted a new $6,000 bonus deduction for seniors, and we created new tax-advantaged investment accounts to help parents save for their children's future, starting with an initial $1,000 investment from the Federal Government for babies born between 2025 and 2028. And that is far from the only thing we did to help the next generation get a headstart on their American dream. The Working Families Tax Cuts also made some significant improvements to the traditional 529 education savings plan, allowing those savings to be used for a greater variety of education-related expenses, like tutoring or home school materials and vocational and continuing education. On the higher education side, we implemented accountability and reforms and put downward pressure on the cost of college degrees.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“We wanted to do more for working families, and so that is what we did. As I said, our 2017 tax relief bill doubled the child tax credit. Well, the Working Families Tax Cuts not only made that permanent; it increased the child tax credit even further and then indexed it to inflation so its value will never go down. I said the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act nearly doubled the standard deduction. Well, the Working Families Tax Cuts boosted the standard deduction even further. And we didn't stop there. We instituted two big new tax relief measures: no tax on tips, no tax on overtime. That meant major new tax relief for a whole host of working Americans--waiters, delivery people, bartenders, Uber and Lyft drivers, nurses, factory workers, paramedics, police officers, and many others. And that still isn't all.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act cut tax rates across the board, doubled the child tax credit, and nearly doubled the standard deduction. It put more money in hard- working Americans' pockets, money that they were able to use for their particular needs--from childcare to home repairs, to medical bills, to a family vacation. And those same hard-working Americans were our focus last year when we passed the Working Families Tax Cuts. Our first aim with the Working Families Tax Cuts was making the 2017 tax relief permanent, and that is exactly what we did. We made the lower tax rates permanent. We made the increased child tax credit permanent. And we made the increased standard deduction permanent. But that was just the beginning. We weren't content with a permanent extension of the 2017 tax relief.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I understand that there is a bill at the desk that is due for a second reading.”
Senate4 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider the en bloc nominations listed in S. Res. 817.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I move to proceed to legislative session.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I send a cloture motion to the desk.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I move to proceed to executive session to consider Calendar No. 910.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“attorneys that have made it out of committee this Congress, 23 Cabinet members, and the list goes on. And we are going to continue to ensure that nominees are confirmed in a timely fashion and that the President is able to have his team in place. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“As I said, until recently, he had not had one single nominee confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote--zero. So the fact that we are standing here today with a civilian nominations calendar about to be essentially cleared is pretty impressive. But we have been on a mission to ensure that the President has his nominees in place so that he can do the job the American people elected him to do. That included taking action to restore the Senate tradition of en bloc confirmation of largely noncontroversial nominees. And, most of all, it included putting in the work--lots of work in committees, lots of work on the floor, and lots of votes--lots and lots of votes. That has paid off. We have confirmed 52 article III judges, 91 percent of the U.S.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Bush's 4 years in office and President Clinton's first 4 years, both Presidents had 98 percent of their civilian nominees--98 percent--confirmed through unanimous consent or voice vote. President George W. Bush and President Obama both had 90 percent. And then we get to President Trump's first administration. Democrats introduced an unprecedented new level of partisanship into the historically bipartisan confirmation process, forcing time-consuming votes on civilian nominees who would once have gone by unanimous consent or by voice vote. But despite this--despite this new level of partisanship--both President Trump in his first term and President Biden had more than half of their nominees confirmed by unanimous consent or voice vote. And then we get to President Trump's current administration.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“As I said, we will have confirmed 95 percent of the civilian nominees available for confirmation, meaning that we are doing better at this point than we were during President Obama's first term, President Trump's first term, or President Biden's. It didn't always look like we would be able to achieve this. From the very beginning of his second term, Democrats met President Trump's nominees with a historic level of obstruction. And when I say historic, I do mean historic. Up until extremely recently, President Trump was the only President on record--the only President on record--not to have had any civilian nominees approved by unanimous consent or voice vote. That used to be the standard way of approving these nominations. During President George H. W.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, this week, we will move our fifth block of civilian nominees, which includes 74 well-qualified individuals. By the end of the week, we will have cleared 95 percent of the civilian nominees who are eligible for floor consideration--95 percent. At this same point in President Trump's first term, there were 155 unconfirmed nominees on the calendar. This year, that number is on track to be about 10. It is the best confirmation track record in a quarter century.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I am pleased to say that the text of the continuing resolution has been released. It is a strong, bipartisan piece of legislation, and I hope it will receive overwhelming support from both parties in the Senate. I am deeply grateful to Appropriations Chair Collins for her work to produce this legislation, in consultation with Members of both parties, and I also want to thank Senator Murray, vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, for her efforts to get this done. I look forward to passing this bill in the next few days. ____________________”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate3 August 2026Source ↗

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