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community that serves so many of them deserves a proper hearing. That's why I sent a letter to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki requesting a meeting in Hot Springs. Senators Johnson and Thune, as well as representatives from Nebraska and Wyoming, joined me in this request and we hope to hear back from the Secretary soon with proposed times and dates. It is critically important that the Secretary hear the concerns of the larger community firsthand, just as I have, when considering what action to take.
I have visited Hot Springs twice this year to meet with the veterans and members of the community on this issue. Each time, I have been awed by their passion for the VA facility and the veterans it serves. This facility represents more than great veterans care and the heart of a rural economy, it represents a community identity that is as strong as it is proud.
The Hot Springs community represents the tenacity and commitment that defines so many South Dakotans, and I will not stop fighting to make sure Secretary Shinseki and the VA give this community, its counterproposal and our veterans the fair shake it deserves.
Rep. Kristi Noem is South Dakota's lone U.S. Representative, elected in November 2010. She serves on the Agriculture, Education and Workforce and Natural Resources Committees.