• With Father's Day a few weeks ago, I got to thinking about my parents. My mom and dad took pride in self-reliance and taught me the value of hard work. They both worked hard on our family farm, and when the farm went upside-down financially, they both took jobs as janitors at Augustana College to make ends meet.
• Mom and Dad were also both deaf, but their inability to hear did not prevent them from working to support my sisters and me. They taught us that all work has dignity and that idleness is not an option. Their disability led them to develop higher levels of determination and persistence.
• People with disabilities work hard for themselves and their families, and I am encouraging South Dakota employers to give them opportunities to prove themselves as employees.
• During the past several months, I have worked with Governor Jack Markell of Delaware, the chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), to hold several

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