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• The most important element of the bill for South Dakota, he said, was including language that expresses Congress' support for building long-range bomber aircraft in the future. He said that is critical because it's a part of Ellsworth's core mission.
• "There are so many different weapons systems and priorities that people have when it comes to a defense bill," Thune said. "The capability for a long-range strike is something we think will be critical with the threats that are over the horizon."
• The bill doesn't authorize funding for new bombers, but Thune said an expression of congressional support will send an important message.
• Johnson has said he supports the bill for much the same reasons. Johnson said the long-range bomber program is crucial for South Dakota and the country's strategic defense.
• For Noem, the defense bill contains a personal legislative victory: She worked on language included in the final bill that addresses military sexual assaults, one of the most important pieces of the legislation.
• Noem drafted provisions that would strengthen investigations when they deal with sexual offenses, require a review of training on preventing sexual assaults and require defense officials to develop and define qualifications for people who are working internally on preventing sexual assault.
• They are included in the final bill.
• Noem said she was troubled by the military's inability to deal with sexual assaults, and said she hoped the new defense bill would take important steps toward slowing the epidemic.
• "The women and men who voluntarily serve in our Armed Forces understand that they may be called to serve in dangerous places, but they should never face the threat of harm from their fellow service members," Noem said. "The sexual assault provisions included in the National Defense Authorization Act are not the silver bullet, but they do move us a few steps closer to winning the war against sexual assault in the military."
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• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard says Kim Malsam-Rysdon will leave her job as secretary of the state Department of Social Services to join his staff.
• Malsam-Rysdon has been head of the Department of Social Services since 2011. She will become senior adviser to the governor in March, replacing Deb Bowman, who is retiring at the end of the 2014 session of the South Dakota Legislature.
• Malsam-Rysdon joined state government in 1995, working for the state Depart

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