Western South Dakota News

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune addressed the media at a press conference alongside Senate Republican leadership, focusing on the upcoming budget resolution. The resolution is set to be advanced by the Senate Budget Committee under Senator Graham's leadership.

Thune emphasized three main areas of concern: border security, military readiness, and energy policy. "Starting with securing our southern border, we desperately need resources to make sure that our leaders... have the resources that they need to do the job that the American people expect us to do," he stated.

He criticized previous budgets for not keeping pace with inflation regarding military funding. "So there are things that need to be done to ensure that America is ready to face whatever threats exist in a very dangerous world," Thune said.

On energy policy, Thune noted challenges faced due to current policies and expressed a goal of achieving energy dominance. He remarked on efforts "to undo some of those policies and put policies in place that will encourage American energy production."

The budget resolution process is intended to unlock budget reconciliation, which Thune described as essential for addressing these priorities. Senator Graham was present to discuss further details and answer questions about this process.