Rounds Responds to EB-5 Critics

Posted 9.23.14

By now you’ve probably heard a thing or two about the federal EB-5 program. Simply put, it’s a federal program that allows qualified and approved foreign investors the opportunity to receive United States work visas (not citizenship) if they invest in American companies and create jobs. Applicants must be approved by the Department of Homeland Security before they are granted work visas. In 1990 Congress created the EB-5 program on a bipartisan basis, and since then the program has operated across our country. Federal reports show that more than $600 million has been invested in South Dakota companies and more than 5,000 jobs created.

Our opponents are trying to politicize and scandalize EB-5 every chance they get. Why? Because that’s all they’ve got

Mainly, they’re using the beef plant in Aberdeen, which will be operating in the near future, to create a political scandal and divert attention away from the real issues that truly affect our lives and our future. We will continue to talk about the real issues like replacing Obamacare, saving Medicare, reining in federal bureaucratic overreach, keeping your second amendment gun rights intact, and letting you keep more of your hard-earned paycheck.

I’ll work hard to address those issues as your next US Senator, while our opponents continue to champion the disappointing policies of President Obama.

In politicizing the federal EB-5 program, our opponents have used every possible avenue to spread misinformation and mistrust. Their latest attempt, using the legislature’s Government Operations and Audit Committee to investigate the federal EB-5 program is backfiring on them. It’s given me yet another opportunity to share with the voters how the federal EB-5 program actually operates and to point out the partisan flavor of their attacks.

I will continue to be transparent, open and honest with anyone looking for answers regarding the operation of the federal EB-5 program.

Here (Response 1) and (Response 2) you’ll find my responses to the questions asked by GOAC. Granted, many of these are legitimate questions about the federal EB-5 program, but others are thinly veiled attempts to discredit our campaign; regardless, I’ve answered them all. 

Thank you for your support. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.