WASHINGTON, D.C. (KELO.com) -- South Dakota had input into the historic tax reform plans in Congress, way out of proportion to its population and electoral impact.
The state's lone U.S. Representative Kristi Noem (R) helped craft the House version, as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and U.S. Senator John Thune (R) has his stamp on the Senate version as a member of the Finance Committee.
The House version made it out of committee on Thursday, the same day, the Senate Finance Committee unveiled its version. There are major differences between the two plans.
The Senate version would delay for a year corporate tax rate cuts that the House version would start immediately. The Senate version also would fully repeal the state and local taxes deduction, but would leave the mortgage interest deduction untouched.
Noem says the House version is the most significant step toward comprehensive reform in more than 30 years and she looks forward to the debate in the full House. She says it was a "privilege of a lifetime" to be part of the process.