Priorities beyond health care

Indian safety, energy also on minds of S.D. delegation

LEDYARD KING • Argus Leader Washington Bureau • September 14, 2009

WASHINGTON - Health care reform is hogging the congressional spotlight these days, but that doesn't mean there aren't other issues South Dakota lawmakers want to tackle.

Measures dealing with renewable energy, Native American justice and banking reform are among the priorities that members of the state's delegation say they want accomplished by year's end - provided the legislative calendar isn't filled up with President Obama's top domestic priority.

"We need to make sure the health care reform debate isn't crowding out productive work on these other fronts," said Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, D-S.D., who has shared her concerns with House leaders.

Health care remains a partisan divide both nationally and within the delegation. Democrats Herseth Sandlin and Sen. Tim Johnson generally support the president's plan, while Republican Sen. John Thune doesn't like it.

But they agree that other issues important to South Dakota require action this year:

Native Americans: All three are sponsoring measures to improve public safety on Indian reservations, a chronic problem that has gotten worse as federal funding for police dries up. Law-and-order legislation, which passed the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on Thursday, also would give tribes more power to arrest and prosecute offenders.

Herseth Sandlin also has sponsored a bill to improve health care for Native Americans that is separate from the large health care reforms being discussed.

Energy: Thune and Herseth Sandlin want to expand the use of cellulosic biofuels and increase the amount of ethanol that can be blended into gasoline. They are ready to support legislation if they think the Environmental Protection Agency is slow in addressing those standards.

Johnson, a senior member of the Senate Energy Committee, is pushing for greater use of wind power and other renewable fuel sources, though one activist in the state worries the issue has disappeared under the shadow of health care and other priorities.

"Energy always gets the back seat," said Steve Wegman, who runs the South Dakota Wind Energy Association. "It's not sexy. It's the ugly cousin."

Banking reform: Johnson sits on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which is looking to update regulations that govern the country's financial institutions. Any changes could have a large effect on South Dakota, which has a relatively significant banking presence.

Spending: As a small state, South Dakota relies heavily on federal funding for energy, water and transportation projects. Johnson sits on the Appropriations Committee, which doles out federal aid.

Already, money is wending its way through Congress that would go toward a host of state programs, such as a $14.5 million deployment center at Ellsworth Air Force Base, a $3 million Advanced Electronics Rosebud Integration Center for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and millions more for rural veterans, including those in South Dakota.

One of Thune's priorities would be to shrink the federal footprint.

He's sponsored a Government Ownership Exit Plan that would require the Obama administration eventually to withdraw its stake in areas where taxpayer subsidies have been used to prop up struggling industries or businesses.

"I'm really concerned about the spending and borrowing and this government intervention and expansion we're seeing in so many different areas," he said. Thune cited financial services, insurance companies and auto manufacturers.

Thune also is worried about a House bill that would eliminate private college lending as of July 1 and turn it over to the federal government, which already handles some of the lending.

Proponents say it would ensure less-expensive loans for college students. But Thune opposes further government expansion and said eliminating private loans would cost South Dakota as many as 3,000 jobs in the financial industry.

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