Tim Johnson for South Dakota | News | Latest News | Sen. Tim Johnson celebrates second year back at work by trumpeting achievements

In the midst of his promising re-election bid, South Dakota's senior senator celebrated his second year back on the job after a life-threatening brain injury with a party and a 151-page report on his work.

A bit more than a year ago, Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., returned to the U.S. Senate after nine months recovering from an AVM, arteriovenous malformation. The bipartisan fanfare that greeted Johnson seemed as much a reflection of the Senate's well known collegial tradition as of Johnson's recovery from his initial grave condition.

The mainstay of Johnson's campaign message has been that, despite his ongoing recovery, he's on the job and hasn't missed any votes. This hefty report might seem to be a bit of overkill on that front. Besides listing bills that he has sponsored recently, it includes a sprinkling of efforts that pre-date his December 2006 illness. It also includes many bills that Johnson has signed on to co-sponsor, a much easier feat than leading the way on legislation. And, it includes several items that Johnson “supported,” “fought for” and “joined his colleagues in passing.”

Nonetheless, it is a comprehensive look at Johnson's legislative work. I've chosen to focus here on items where he led the way.

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Another year on, Johnson's speech and mobility might not be back to his previous levels, but he and his staff have fully returned to their tradition of issuing detailed accounts of his efforts on Capitol Hill - with emphasis on his role on the Appropriations Committee. I've compiled a summary of the highlights of the 151-page report, issued by his campaign staff.

- Country-of-origin meat labeling

Perhaps Johnson's biggest victory comes in work he started even before his last re-election bid in 2002. This year's Farm Bill appears to include a COOL provision that will finally go into practice. In the report, Johnson cites it as one reason he's calling this past year “the most successful of his career.”

- Veterans' health care funding

In another arena where Johnson's work started years ago, the senator says his chairmanship of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs was the key to fully funding veterans' health care “for the first time in decades.” The budget topped President Bush's recommendation by about 8.5% and allows for better care for rural veterans, more money to treat returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan for traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder.

- More veterans' health care funding

In February, Johnson introduced the Assured Funding for Veterans Health Care Act. The bill would make the VA's budget “mandatory” rather than the moving target it now is as a “discretionary line item.” And the bill would calculate the VA's budget on the number of veterans it must serve and the estimated cost to serve them. Congress has yet to take action on this bill.

- Water pipeline funding

After alarm bells sounded loudly across South Dakota's entire congressional delegation when Bush zeroed out the Lewis and Clark water pipeline funding for fiscal year 2009, Johnson's seat on the Appropriations Committee no doubt was key in restoring funding. Johnson's report reads: “Tim was able to secure over $26 million for Lewis and Clark, and in FY 2009 Tim has secured in the Senate energy and water spending bill $30 million dollars.”

- More water pipeline funding

The mammoth Mni Wconi water pipeline project in western South Dakota harkens back to 1988, and officials now estimate it will take until 2013 to complete. Johnson has worked with Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., to keep the money flowing until then. In the near term, Johnson reports this success: “Tim secured $38 million for The Mni Wiconi Water Project for FY 2008. And recently Johnson secured $37 Million for Mni Wiconi's operation and construction in the 2009 Senate Energy and Water funding bill.”

This list of highlights just scratches the surface of the 151-page report, which includes topics not listed here that range from health care to education to American Indian tribes. To read the full report visit, https://secure.democratsenators.org/o/20/images/ThankYouTim.pdf.

Denise Ross has covered South Dakota politics and government since 1999. She publishes Hoghouseblog.com and can be heard weekly on South Dakota Public Radio's Dakota Mid-day show as the political junkie guest. Her column appears weekly. Write to her at denise@hoghouseblog. com.