CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

Audit the Pentagon Act

S. 5185 · Senate bill Armed Forces and National Security

A bill from an independent · See all 13 cosponsors

Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill, titled the "Audit the Pentagon Act," aims to provide for auditing of the Pentagon. It establishes a financial penalty if the Secretary of Defense determines that a Department of Defense element has not achieved an unqualified opinion on its full financial statements. In such cases, the available funds for that element would be reduced by 2.0 percent. These funds would be applied proportionally against each program, project, and activity within that element. The resulting unavailable funds are to be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury for deficit reduction.

Yes· 3 of 4

  • Scored +7

    Does this make the government pay for what it commits to?

    The bill enforces financial accountability and audit compliance within the Department of Defense.

  • Scored +6

    Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?

    The bill mandates stricter financial auditing and transparency for the Department of Defense.

  • Scored +5

    Does this reduce what the federal government owes?

    The bill directs that funds lost due to failed audits be deposited into the Treasury for deficit reduction.

The opposite

  • Scored -4

    Does this reduce what is spent on the military?

    The bill imposes a 2% budget reduction on defense elements that fail financial audits.