July 30, 2026
Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, Mr. Booker, Ms. Smith, Mr. Markey, Mr. Lee, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Paul, Mr. Murphy, and Ms. Baldwin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
To provide for auditing of the Pentagon.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Audit the Pentagon Act
.
Sec. 2. Auditing the Pentagon
If during any fiscal year after fiscal year 2024, the Secretary of Defense determines that a department, agency, or other element of the Department of Defense has not achieved an unqualified opinion on its full financial statements for the calendar year ending during such fiscal year—
(1)
the amount available to such department, agency, or element for the fiscal year in which such determination is made shall be equal to the amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated minus 2.0 percent;
(2)
the amount unavailable to such department, agency, or element for that fiscal year pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be applied on a pro rata basis against each program, project, and activity of such department, agency, or element in that fiscal year; and
(3)
the Secretary shall deposit in the general fund of the Treasury for purposes of deficit reduction all amounts unavailable to departments, agencies, and elements of the Department in the fiscal year pursuant to determinations made under paragraph (1).