Rep. Johnson visits Ben Reifel Post Office in Rosebud

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Representative Dusty Johnson visited the newly designated Ben Reifel Post Office in Rosebud on Wednesday.

Rep. Johnson introduced the legislation in May 2019 as a way to honor Ben Reifel's legacy in the state. The legislation was signed by former President Trump in 2020.

"Ben Reifel represented South Dakota well, and his legacy will live on," Johnson said at the time. "I'm grateful to play a small role in ensuring his name is displayed throughout our great state. Our tribal communities are full of tremendous leaders and Ben Reifel is proof of that."

Former Congressman Ben Reifel was a strong proponent of the Indian Civil Rights Act and fought to ensure that tribes received proper compensation for native land transfers. He was a leader in Congress on Indian Affairs and the first person of Lakota Sioux descent in Congress.

While in Rosebud, Johnson also hosted a Vietnam War commemorative pinning ceremony for Vietnam Veterans that were not welcomed home properly the first time.