U.S. Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued a statement after the Senate passed a package of five appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2026.
The approved legislation covers appropriations for Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS); Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (T-HUD); Financial Services and General Government (FSGG); and National Security, Department of State and Related Programs. The bill also includes a continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 13.
Rounds stated: “The appropriations process is one way we work to deliver real results for South Dakota. After years of continuing resolutions that reflect a Biden budget under Democrat leadership, we’ve now passed 11 of the 12 appropriations bills that fund 96% of government programs with President Trump’s priorities. This batch of appropriations bills includes several million dollars for projects in South Dakota that aim to improve in our rural health care facilities, expand our regional airports and invest in affordable housing. The bill also provides partial funding for the construction of an elementary school in Box Elder to support the influx of families from the bed down of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber.”
Rounds continued: “I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to pass the Homeland Security appropriations bill. DHS houses a number of agencies that are critical for operations in our nation, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In addition, the men and women of Customs and Border Protection and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement continue to carry out the hard work of enforcing our immigration laws in this nation. I urge my colleagues to come to an agreement as soon as possible to prevent a lapse in funding for DHS operations.”
Senator Rounds has served on the Senate Appropriations Committee since January 2025. He serves on six subcommittees, including LHHS. According to his office, over $147 million was directed toward projects in South Dakota through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) included in these bills. While CDS is not allowed under Defense Appropriations Act rules, $88.5 million was secured for defense-related activities in South Dakota.
For defense programs, $88.5 million will go toward companies and universities working with the Department of Defense on product improvement programs for weapons, advanced materials manufacturing—including cold regions applications—hypersonic weapons development, surveillance enhancements, rapid maintenance capabilities using additive manufacturing, upgrades for Army equipment such as self-propelled howitzers, refurbishment efforts related to naval systems like Aegis Combat System components, small business assistance through APEX Accelerators, Civil Air Patrol support, STEM education initiatives like STARBASE for children in South Dakota, and research grants outside major hubs.
In LHHS allocations totaling $20.21 million across seven CDS requests: funds will provide cancer care equipment at Avera Health; expand nursing education at South Dakota State University; support hospital expansion at Bennett County Hospital & Nursing Home; fund early childhood enrichment at Boys & Girls Club; modernize infrastructure at Coteau des Prairies Hospital; integrate artificial intelligence into university curricula; and replace chiller systems at Sisseton hospital facilities. Additional provisions increase discretionary funding for brain research initiatives via NIH grants and support programs such as Impact Aid.
The T-HUD portion includes $124.8 million across seven projects: new elementary school construction in Douglas School District linked to B-21 bomber deployment; expansions at Sioux Falls Regional Airport; reconstruction work on SD Highway 44’s Platte/Winner bridge; security upgrades at Rapid City Regional Airport; planning funds for Box Elder transportation improvements; affordable housing development by Crow Creek Housing Authority; rehabilitation facility funding for women exiting prison.
The FSGG section contains $750,000 earmarked for a sallyport at Pierre Federal Building plus $324 million nationally allocated to Community Development Financial Institutions Fund with targeted native initiatives.
Senator Rounds represents South Dakota in Congress since joining the U.S. Senate on January 6, 2015 [source]. He previously served as governor of South Dakota before entering federal office [source]. His committee assignments include Appropriations and Armed Services [source], focusing on issues ranging from national security to agriculture [source]. Offices are maintained throughout South Dakota—in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen—as well as Washington D.C [source].