II 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 2054 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES June 20, 2023 Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Grassley , Mr. Wyden , Mr. Lee , Ms. Warren , Mr. Braun , Mr. Merkley , Mr. Paul , Mr. Markey , and Ms. Baldwin ) 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 2023 . 2. Department of Defense spending reductions in the absence of an unqualified audit opinion If during any fiscal year after fiscal year 2024, 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).