Oregon Senators tackle “Audit Pentagon” bill

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon
OregonWatchdog.com

The Audit the Pentagon Act of 2023 would require any Department of Defense department that is unable to properly complete a clean audit opinion would then be subject to returning 1% of its budget.   It is backed by both Oregon U.S> Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley.

It is supported by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Mike Lee, R-Utah, Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Rand Paul, R-Ky., Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis. as well as these groups; Demand Progress Action, Just Foreign Policy, National Taxpayers Union, Project On Government Oversight, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and Win Without War.

Senator Wyden stated “Last year, the Department of Defense failed its fifth audit and was unable to account for over half of its assets, which are in excess of $3.1 trillion, or roughly 78 percent of the entire federal government.“Taxpayers can’t keep writing blank checks – transparency from the Pentagon is long-overdue to curb wasteful defense spending,” Wyden said. “If the Department of Defense cannot conduct a clean audit, as required by law, Congress should impose tough financial consequences to hold the Pentagon accountable for mismanaging taxpayer money.”“We can’t effectively rein in wasteful defense spending without a full and complete audit of the Pentagon,” Merkley said. “There’s bipartisan agreement, so let’s get it done to responsibly direct taxpayers dollars to programs that keep our nation safe while investing more in health care, housing, education, and living-wage jobs that give families and workers the opportunity to thrive.”