Today from his hometown of Vermillion, Senator Tim Johnson announced his retirement at the end of his term in 2014.
His retirement will conclude 28 years in Washington and eight years in Pierre putting South Dakota first. That was his brand, and he lived it everyday he served South Dakota. Tim always shied away from the limelight, keeping his head down and working hard for our state. Whether he was fighting for family farms, rural water systems, or renewable energy and economic development, Johnson delivered without pomp, and that’s why South Dakotans trusted him for so long to do the people’s work in Washington.
Join us today in remembering his accomplishments and sharing your own memories of Sen. Johnson by filling out our form here or tweeting us with the #SDFirst hashtag. We’ll share your responses with Senator Johnson next week.
In the mean time, here’s a short list of Sen. Tim Johnson’s accomplishments we’ve put together. We look forward to hearing your memories and accomplishments that mean the most to you!
Chaired Senate Banking Committee during largest financial reform since Great Depression #SDFirst
Led creation of @CFPB to protect consumers from Wall Street corruption. #SDFirst
Opposed constitutional amendment on same sex marriage #SDFirst
Expanded definition of hate crimes to include sexual orientation #SDFirst
Long time advocate of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) to strengthen SD livestock producers. #SDFirst
Passed mandatory price reporting of packing industry to protect SD livestock producers #SDFirst
Fought for passage of Renewable Fuel Standards that opened up national markets for SD ethanol #SDFirst
Long time Champion of Indian country, streamlining federal housing programs & investing in public-private partnerships #SDFirst
Voted for Affordable Care Act, expanding access to affordable healthcare for all Americans #SDFirst
Secured federal funding for creation of deep underground science lab at the Homestake Mine #SDFirst
Strong advocate for water projects across SD, including Lewis & Clark #SDFirst
Established VA rural health initiative to better take care of veterans in underserved areas, including reservations #SDFirst