Senate Passes 2026 Defense Bill Featuring Major Funding for Watertown and Ellsworth

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The United States Senate has passed the final National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. This comprehensive security package includes significant investments for South Dakota’s military infrastructure and a 3.8 percent pay raise for service members.

The legislation, which represents the 65th consecutive year the NDAA has passed the Senate, carries a total defense spending topline of $900.6 billion. U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who serves as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, helped author the bill for the 11th year.

Local and Regional Impact

For the Watertown community, the bill authorizes $28 million specifically for the construction of a new Watertown Army National Guard Vehicle Maintenance Shop. This facility is part of a broader effort to modernize National Guard infrastructure across the state.

In Western South Dakota, the NDAA provides robust support for the B-21 Raider program at Ellsworth Air Force Base. The bill authorizes $378 million for military construction projects at the base, including:

·        $71 million for a B-21 Alert Facility.

·        $63 million for a second B-21 Flight Simulator.

·        $81 million for a West Alert Apron and environmental protection shelters.

·        $2.59 billion for the overall procurement of the B-21 Raider program.

“This keeps our military ahead of the curve, making certain they never enter a fair fight and always have the advantage over our adversaries,” Rounds said. “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.”

Policy and Personnel Reforms

Beyond infrastructure, the 2026 NDAA implements several personnel and social policy shifts within the Department of Defense (DOD). The bill requires that all military promotions be based strictly on merit and demonstrated performance, rather than race, ethnicity, or sex. It also repeals existing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices and programs within the DOD, redirecting $40.5 million in associated funding.

Additional fiscal measures include $6.8 billion in reductions to Pentagon bureaucracy and $1.6 billion in cuts to climate-change-related spending.

Advancements in Cyber and AI

As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Rounds secured several provisions focused on emerging technology. The bill establishes an Artificial Intelligence Futures Steering Committee to guide DOD's adoption of AI. It requires Cyber Command to develop a roadmap for industry collaboration on AI-enabled cyber capabilities.

The legislation also updates the State Partnership Program to benefit the South Dakota National Guard. It modifies the Defense Community Infrastructure Program to help South Dakota schools become more competitive for federal grants.

The bill now moves to the White House for the President’s signature.