Audit the Pentagon Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-1707
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced: 2021-05-19
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
Subjects: Accounting and auditing

Budget deficits and national debt

Defense spending

Department of Defense

Executive agency funding and structure
Latest action: action_date: 2021-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-05-19
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><strong>Audit the Pentagon Act of 2021</strong></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to reduce spending for any department, agency, or other DOD element that DOD determines has not achieved an unqualified opinion on its full financial statements for the calendar year ending during that fiscal year.</p> <p>Specifically, the amount available to such department, agency, or element for the fiscal year when the determination is made must be 1% less than the amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated. Amounts unavailable to such department, agency, or element must be applied on a pro rata basis against each program, project, and activity.</p> <p>DOD must deposit such unavailable amounts in the general fund of the Department of the Treasury for purposes of deficit reduction.</p>

tv_txt: II 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1707 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 19, 2021 Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Grassley , Mr. Wyden , and Mr. Lee ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To ensure that the Department of Defense achieves a clean audit opinion on its financial statements.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Audit the Pentagon Act of 2021 . 2. Department of Defense spending reductions in the absence of an unqualified audit opinion If during any fiscal year after fiscal year 2022, the Secretary of Defense determines that a department, agency, or other element of the Department of Defense has not achieved an unqualified opinion on its full financial statements for the calendar year ending during such fiscal year— (1) the amount available to such department, agency, or element for the fiscal year in which such determination is made shall be equal to the amount otherwise authorized to be appropriated minus 1.0 percent; (2) the amount unavailable to such department, agency, or element for that fiscal year pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be applied on a pro rata basis against each program, project, and activity of such department, agency, or element in that fiscal year; and (3) the Secretary shall deposit in the general fund of the Treasury for purposes of deficit reduction all amounts unavailable to departments, agencies, and elements of the Department in the fiscal year pursuant to determinations made under paragraph (1).