Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Armed Services Committee conducted a markup of legislation that would give the Department of Defense an additional $150 billion above and beyond its current spending of more than $1 trillion annually. Although the Pentagon’s spending makes up around 50% of the total discretionary spending of the United States and its physical assets account for more than 80% of the total physical assets of the federal government, the Department of Defense has never obtained a “clean” audit and has failed seven financial audits in recent years.
Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander introduced an amendment requiring the Department of Defense to conduct and pass a full independent audit, or have its additional funding withheld.
The Armed Services Committee has a long history of strong bipartisan support for DoD’s audit, including the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act’s creation of a statutory deadline of December 31, 2028, for DoD to achieve an unmodified audit opinion. The reconciliation package under consideration by the Committee currently designates $150 billion to the Department of Defense. Goodlander’s amendment would allow the DoD to spend $100 billion, in line with the House reconciliation position. But, in order to spend the last $50 billion, as written in the Senate budget resolution, the Department has to adhere to the statutory deadline of December 31, 2028, for its audit.
Read the full text of Goodlander’s amendment here.
“If you’re serious about cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse, requiring the Pentagon to pass a clean audit should be a top priority. It is completely unacceptable that the Pentagon has failed seven financial audits in recent years, and that it continues to stand alone as the only federal department that has never obtained a clean financial audit,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “A clean audit is essential for any organization that depends upon the public’s trust – and the Department of Defense is no exception. That’s why I introduced this common-sense amendment today, which will protect our national security and military readiness while also strengthening our economic security and fiscal responsibility. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I will keep fighting to ensure that the days of the Pentagon’s failed financial audits become history.”
Goodlander cosponsored other amendments considered by the House Armed Services Committee today, seeking to improve the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, including:
- Limiting funding until completion of the review of laws and Department of Defense policies on classified information and certification by the Secretary of Defense
- Limiting the termination of Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) and childcare workers
- Limiting the termination of civilian health care providers
- Limiting the termination of employees from the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General
- Prohibiting the use of funds to destroy or censor any historical artifact or document on the basis of ideology without expert review and approval, and written notice to Congress
- Prohibiting the use of funds for the consolidation or elimination of the United States Southern Command and the United States Northern Command
- Limiting the availability of funds pending certification on the readiness impact of Department of Defense coordination with the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service
- Limiting the availability of funds pending information on Department of Defense coordination with the United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service
- Delaying the effective date of provisions until the removal of Peter Hegseth as Secretary of Defense
- Allocating $300M for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative
A member of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Goodlander has dedicated her life to serving New Hampshire and our country and has long advocated for a full audit of the Pentagon. Before taking the oath to represent the Second District in the People’s House, she served as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve for over a decade.
