Administration’s Attacks on Pentagon Oversight Will Enable Wasteful Spending and Endanger Troops 

Washington, D.C. — The administration is dealing yet another blow to government accountability by erasing annual reports from the website of the Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, which evaluates what weapons the Pentagon should be spending money on. In response, Greg Williams, director of the Center for Defense Information at the Project On Government Oversight, issued the following statement:

“The American people want a Pentagon that handles their money responsibly and invests it in programs that make their lives safer. The Office of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation fulfills this purpose by ensuring that the Pentagon is spending taxpayer dollars on programs that are ready for prime time. The office also prevents the Pentagon from wasting money developing weapons that just drain the budget.

“After drastic staff cuts at the department earlier in the year, it appears that the administration is further gutting this office and therefore keeping Congress in the dark about the Pentagon’s spending. Not only are they making it easier for the Pentagon to waste money — they’re also putting the lives of service members at risk. The office was developed in response to horror stories of rifle malfunctions in the Vietnam War. Since 1983, it has worked to protect the lives of American military personnel by ensuring that weapons will actually work in combat zones.

“Lawmakers need to maintain critical oversight into our Pentagon budget and functions, especially as the administration’s massive request for the Iran war moves through Congress. It seems the Pentagon is looking to obstruct that oversight, especially if you pair this move with the Pentagon's recent proposal to give itself more power to deny public records requests. Lawmakers should demand the restoration of the DOT&E’s records.”