Thune Applauds passage of defense bill which will keep Ellsworth Air Force Base in strong position

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Thune Applauds passage of defense bill which will keep Ellsworth Air Force Base in strong position

“This bill rejects President Obama’s call for another round of BRAC closures, which would actually cost more money in the short term.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) issued the following statement after the Senate passed bipartisan legislation, H.R. 1735, the National Defense Authorization Act:

“Passing the NDAA is welcome news for South Dakota’s active-duty military and their families, our wounded warriors, and our veterans. This reform bill provides for our nation’s heroes while simultaneously eliminating wasteful spending. Not only does it ensure that our B-1 fleet is maintained, our airmen and women are trained, and the long-range strike bomber moves forward, but this bill rejects President Obama’s call for another round of BRAC closures, which would actually cost more money in the short term.

“By allocating taxpayer dollars wisely, the NDAA provides savings in an era of tighter budgets and bolsters the readiness of our military. This bill is only one step in the process. In order to deliver this important funding to our troops, Democrats must abandon their threats of a ‘filibuster summer’ and join Senate Republicans in the appropriations process.”

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