February 01, 2019

Wyden Joins Bipartisan Effort For Timely DoD Audit

“It is imperative that subsequent, annual audits continue as planned.”

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined 25 of his colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan requesting his commitment to timely completion of a full audit of the Department of Defense (DoD) in FY2019.

“We commend Mr. Norquist and the Department of Defense for finishing its first-ever complete audit required by the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990. This was a critical first step to bring greater transparency and accountability to the Pentagon; however, more progress must be made to reach a clean opinion,” wrote the senators.

“It is important to note that the benefits of the audit go beyond good stewardship of the taxpayer dollar,” continued the senators. “Not only will it improve business operations, but also it can enhance national security by ensuring accuracy in inventory and by identifying vulnerabilities in our cybersecurity. Ultimately, because only 5 of the 24 individual audits conducted received a passing grade, it is imperative that subsequent, annual audits continue as planned to properly measure progress.”

Wyden has long fought to hold the DoD accountable for irresponsible use of taxpayer funds. He led a bipartisan group of Senators in 2015 to introduce legislation that would establish strict penalties should the DoD not meet its legal obligation to be audit-ready.

Joining Senator Wyden on the letter are U.S. Senators David Perdue, D-Ga., Angus King, I-Maine, Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Mike Braun, R-Ind., Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Tim Kaine, D-Va., John Kennedy, R-La., Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Doug Jones, D-Ala., Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Mike Rounds, R-S.D., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rick Scott, R-Fla., Jeanne Shaheen. D-N.H., Dan Sullivan. R-Alaska, Pat Toomey, R-Pa., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass..

A copy of this letter is available here.

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