Audit the Pentagon Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced
Summary
Automatically cut funding by 2.0 percent for any Defense Department component that fails to earn an unqualified audit opinion. The bill ties clean financial audits to funding and directs withheld money into the Treasury for deficit reduction.
Show full summary
- If a department, agency, or element of the Department of Defense does not receive an unqualified opinion for the calendar year ending during a fiscal year after fiscal year 2024, its available funding for that fiscal year would be reduced by 2.0 percent.
- The amount withheld would be applied on a pro rata basis across every program, project, and activity of that department, agency, or element.
- The Secretary of Defense must deposit the withheld amounts into the general fund of the Treasury for the purpose of reducing the federal deficit.
*This would channel withheld Defense funds into the Treasury to reduce the deficit.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
2% cut for unaudited Defense units
If enacted, the bill would let the Secretary of Defense reduce by 2.0% the amount available to any Defense department, agency, or element that did not receive an unqualified opinion on its full financial statements for the calendar year ending during that fiscal year. The 2.0% reduction would be taken from the amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated for that fiscal year. The reduction would be applied pro rata across each program, project, and activity of the affected entity in that fiscal year. The Secretary would deposit all withheld amounts into the Treasury general fund for deficit reduction. This rule would apply for any fiscal year beginning after fiscal year 2024 when the Secretary makes that finding.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Cosponsors
Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
UT • R
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Paul, Rand [R-KY]
KY • R
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 7/30/2026
Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 8/7/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov