South Dakota will be playing an increasingly more important role in the nation’s defense

U.S. Army Europe

WASHINGTON, DC (KELO.com) — Senator Mike Rounds says South Dakota is treated well in the new National Defense Authorization Act, which just passed the Senate Armed Services Committee.  He says South Dakota will be playing an increasingly important role in the nation’s defense, and that’s reflected in the spending plan.  The Authorization Act includes 378-million dollars for construction at Ellsworth Air Force Base to prepare for the arrival of the new B-21 Raider Bomber group.  It also includes 28-million dollars for construction of a National Guard facility in Watertown, and it provides a 3.8-percent pay raise for U.S troops.