shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com September 19, 2017 • Page 3 20 Trillion Reasons To Reform Taxes Service Academies Offer And Mandatory Payment Programs Students A Unique Opportunity To Serve By Sen. Mike Rounds The federal government’s national debt recently surpassed $20 trillion. While there is plenty of blame to go around, the majority of this debt can be attributed to the past decade, as our debt was $10.6 trillion at the start of 2009. In other words, in the past eight years, the federal government has accrued as much debt as it accrued throughout the first 230 years of our country’s existence. It’s no wonder military leaders acknowledge it as being a top threat to our national security. Even more frightening, there is no sign of it slowing down. High debt threatens economic growth by driving up interest rates and discouraging businesses and individuals from investing back into the economy. And it breeds even more debt as the interest on our debt must be paid to those who hold it – leaving fewer resources for other priorities such as roads, research and education. Our broken tax system also plays a role by limiting our ability to collect revenues. Our current tax rates create a disincentive for companies to do business here in the United States, which then leads to fewer high-paying jobs for American workers, and encourage businesses to keep their profits overseas. Lowering tax rates would incentivize companies to repatriate that money and invest it back into our economy. Earlier this year, I introduced a proposal in the Senate to lower the tax rate in each bracket. It is but one step we can take to overhaul the tax code that will provide direct, immediate relief to hardworking families, jolt our economy and increase federal revenues. While I do believe tax cuts are an important step to con- trolling our debt, the biggest driver of our debt is the rapid, unchecked growth of mandatory payments on safety net programs including Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. If we continue down our current path, in less than ten years 99 percent of all federal revenue will have to be spent on mandatory payments and interest on our sky-high debt. No amount of cuts to defense and other programs such as crop insurance, education, highways and bridges will have a meaningful effect on debt reduction without also controlling the cost of these mandatory payment programs. Mandatory payments already account for nearly threefourths of our total federal spending today. This is because Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security have never been properly managed and Congress does not currently appropriately oversee them. They run on auto-pilot. Given that they are our largest federal expenditures every year, it is time for Congress to take an active role in managing their funding levels on a regular basis. This does not necessarily mean making cuts - it simply means giving Congress the authority to review them to make them as efficient as possible and to make sure they are available for individuals who need them, both now and in the future. Surpassing $20 trillion in debt should be a wake-up call to Washington, which for decades has failed to own up to their responsibility to balance its checkbook. I continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to shake up the budget process in Congress, and open up the entire budget to congressional review – including mandatory payments. It is the only way to slow down the fiscal train wreck. Simply delaying action and looking the other way is not an option. By Sen. John Thune President Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” For nearly 250 years, America has been blessed because from each new generation of Americans have come leaders and warfighters who have not only protected freedom and liberty on their watch, but have helped ensure those pillars of American democracy are preserved and strengthened for those to whom they’ve passed the torch of freedom. South Dakota has been home to many of these leaders over the years – it still is today – and I’m humbled to play a small role each year in helping South Dakota’s future leaders take the next step in life by nominating them to one of the service academies throughout the country, including the Military Academy, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, and Merchant Marine Academy. Any South Dakotan who meets the requirements (age, marital status, etc.) can apply for a nomination through my office. There are many well-known leaders and pioneers in their field who graduated from one of America’s service academies. Astronauts like Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, who both flew to the moon, graduated from the Military Academy, as did U.S. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who I’m fortunate to serve with in the U.S. Senate, graduated from the Naval Academy. Generations of other Americans who went on to serve in countless other fields, including business, academia, and athletics, have all gone through the ranks of one the Social Security Administration every 30 days or so. Let’s academy or another. be clear: taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to make payments to If you’re interested in beginning your career at a service people who are running from the law. Period. academy, now is the time to act. You can find more informaI’ve introduced legislation to stop these payments, which is making quick progress in the House. This is not simply a tion on my website, www.thune.senate.gov, under the “serfairness issue either. Staci Ackerman, the Executive Director vices” tab. Once there, you’ll be able to determine if you’re for the South Dakota Sheriffs’ Association points out: “This eligible to apply. You can also write, email, or call any of my bill will also limit [wanted felons and parole violators’] ability offices for more information or to discuss this opportunity to avoid justice using taxpayer dollars to evade capture.” On with a member of my staff. top of it all, the legislation is estimated to save more than $2 The class of 2018 has already been selected, but the billion. deadline to apply for the class of 2019 is on October 31, I’ve also introduced legislation to bring greater integrity 2017, which is right around on the corner. I’ll review all of to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) prothe applicants and will announce my selections early next gram, ad here. country’s primary assistance program for your which is the year. low-income individuals and families. Today’s program often The men and women who choose to pursue this path perpetuates poverty, rather than opportunity. With my legisladeserve our respect and gratitude, and those who are tion, we realign TANF with its core mission: offering upward selected will have their names etched among some of the mobility and the opportunity for greater financial independwww.missourivalleyshopper.com most prominent leaders our nation has known. I want to ence to hardworking Americans. thank all of the young South Dakotans in advance who will Additionally, I’m fighting to make sure the Indian Health consider this opportunity, and I look forward to hearing Service (IHS) is held responsible for the care it delivers. Whether it’s a drug testing program for employees or strength- from you soon. Visit our Web site at ening fiscal accountability measures, greater accountability will better keep the IHS focused on serving tribal communities. www.missourivalleyshopper.com I’ve also voted to expand whistleblower protections within the VA and streamline the process required to fire any VA employee, reforms President Trump signed into law. All of this only scratches the surface of what’s being done, which highlights just how broken the federal government is. Visit our As we continue to work toward fixing agencies across Web site at the board, I encourage you to reach out to my office if you Weekly Column: Real, Genuine Accountability By Rep. Kristi Noem Trust in government is at an all-time low – and who could blame folks? Fraud, mismanagement, and abuse are rampant within government agencies. Taxpayer dollars are too often misspent by bureaucrats. And many people aren’t given basic courtesies when they interact with some federal employees. We need accountability in government – and I mean real, genuine accountability. A few weeks ago, after speaking to the Watertown Rotary, a local radio commentator summarized my remarks like this: “If you don’t like the IRS, it probably doesn’t compare to Rep. Kristi Noem’s disgust with the agency.” It’s true – and the agency’s lack of accountability has a lot to do with thatplace Call 665-5884 to disgust. This should be a “service first” agency, but customer service at the IRS is appalling. During 2015, only 38 percent of callers could reach an IRS representative. Meanwhile, they targeted conservative groups and wasted millions of dollars Call 665-5884 to on conferences and “Star Trek” parody videos. place yourHouse, we’ve passed legislation to prevent the Through the ad here. IRS from targeting taxpayers for political gain. We’ve passed a Taxpayer Bill of Rights. And we’ve passed legislation I wrote to stop the IRS from rehiring employees who have already been fired for misconduct. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats and President Obama blocked much of this agenda from moving forward. Thankfully, we turned a new leaf with President Trump’s election. Alongside the previously mentioned reforms, one of the best ways to hold the IRS accountable is by drastically reducing its role. By simplifying the tax code, we’re hopeful most Americans’ tax returns could fit on a postcard once tax reform goes through. That leaves little room for the IRS to take Call of hardworking advantage 665-5884 to South Dakotans. But I have a problem with federal agencies beyond the IRS place your ad here. too. Today, a wanted felon can evade prosecution for months – even years – and yet somehow still receive a check from Interested in this spot? 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