U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, has announced key provisions for South Dakota and national defense in the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. This marks the 11th NDAA that Rounds has contributed to as a committee member, and the 65th consecutive NDAA approved by the Senate.
“The NDAA is an important piece of legislation passed annually to authorize funding for national security programs, as well as support for our servicemembers and their families,” said Rounds. “This year’s NDAA authorizes funding for construction projects at Ellsworth Air Force Base and funding for a facility for the Watertown Army National Guard. It also authorizes a 3.8 percent pay raise for troops and has a total topline of $900.6 billion in defense spending. This keeps our military ahead of the curve, making certain they never enter a fair fight and always have the advantage over our adversaries.
“The NDAA is a great example of what we can accomplish when we work together. I’m grateful to have worked on this legislation from beginning to end for the 11th year in a row. I look forward to President Trump signing the NDAA into law.”
Rounds highlighted several initiatives benefiting South Dakota, including full authorization of the B-21 Raider program with over $2.59 billion allocated for procurement and $862 million for advanced procurement. The act also approves $378 million in construction projects supporting B-21 operations at Ellsworth Air Force Base, such as flight simulators, alert facilities, environmental protection shelters, and aprons.
Additionally, $28 million is authorized for constructing a vehicle maintenance shop at Watertown Army National Guard. The Department of Defense is directed to seek partnerships with local communities, universities, and industry to establish Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities—a measure aimed at supporting South Dakota’s academic institutions and defense sector.
The legislation updates programs affecting state military partnerships and infrastructure grants while requiring clearer information about relocation resources for military families.
On national defense issues, Rounds secured measures such as funding advanced materials research for hypersonic weapons, supporting cold regions research labs, directing Cyber Command to collaborate with industry on AI-enabled cyber capabilities, creating an Artificial Intelligence Futures Steering Committee within DOD leadership, maintaining joint leadership between U.S. Cyber Command and NSA, enhancing protections against unauthorized entry into intelligence community facilities through new criminal penalties, and improving cyber workforce policies.
Additional provisions include full support for modernization of nuclear deterrence systems like the B-21 Raider bomber fleet; increased investment in technology innovation; restrictions on diversity-related offices within DOD; prohibitions on men participating in women’s sports at military academies; requirements that promotions be based solely on merit; reductions in climate change-related spending; cuts to Pentagon bureaucracy; expanded family housing construction; continued Impact Aid assistance; strategies addressing cost overruns in shipbuilding using AI tools; creation of an AI Task Force within DOD; among other reforms focused on personnel flexibility and operational efficiency.
Senator Rounds was recognized earlier this year as one of the most effective members of Congress on defense issues during the 118th Congress.