Senators Push to Penalize Pentagon Over Persistent Audit Failures

The Pentagon remains the only major federal agency that has never cleared an independent audit, a trend that critics argue encourages systemic waste. Senator Bernie Sanders, who reintroduced the legislation alongside Chuck Grassley, contends that Congress consistently provides a blank check to the military despite documented mismanagement. The push arrives as the Trump administration seeks a record $1.5 trillion in military spending for fiscal year 2027, even as the Pentagon faces scrutiny over unauthorized costs related to the conflict with Iran.

Legislators point to high-profile procurement failures as evidence of the need for oversight. These include a Northrop Grumman ballistic missile project that ballooned to $141 billion while falling seven years behind schedule, and a General Dynamics submarine program that exceeded its budget by $17 billion. With 10 Senate co-sponsors backing the bill, supporters aim to force transparency upon an agency that has struggled to explain its expenditures for nearly a decade. A version of this measure was previously attached to the House's National Defense Authorization Act, signaling growing legislative appetite for fiscal discipline.