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^Jarliani* (Observer
October 29, 2014
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Pentagon Won’t Tell Where the Money Goes
Taxpayers are
still waiting
by
M edea B en
jamin
President Barack
O bam a
proudly
signed the law that
rep ealed
the
P e n ta g o n ’s D o n ’t
Ask, Don’t Tell policy, freeing
lesbian, gay, and bisexual Ameri
cans (although not trans people)
to openly serve in the military
four years ago.
But when it comes to budget
ing, the concept lingers on. “Don’t
ask us how we spend money,”
the Pentagon basically says. “Be
cause we can’t really tell you.”
Every taxpayer, business, and
government agency in America is
supposed to be able to pass a
financial audit by the feds, every
year. It’s the law, so we do our
duty. There’s one exception: the
Pentagon
Year after year, the non-par
tisan Government Accountabil
ity Office declares the Penta
gon budget to be un-auditable.
In 2013, for example, the GAO
found that the Pentagon consis
tently fails to control its costs,
m easure its perform ance, or
prevent and detect fraud, waste,
and abuse.
Congress thankfully, did give New York Times investigative B arbara Lee, D -C alif., Jan
the Pentagon a deadline to get journalist James Risen reported Schakowsky, D-I1L, Michael Bur
itself in better financial shape — that more than $1 billion in funds gess, R-Texas, and Dan Benishek,
25 years ago. Taxpayers are still intended for Iraq’s reconstruc R-Mich., wants to push the Pen
waiting.
tion may have wound up in a tagon further. Their Audit the
The Chief Financial Of Lebanese bunker. Or not. U.S. Pentagon Act of 2014 (HR5126)
ficers Act of 1990 requires investigators couldn’t get to the calls for cutting any “un-
every federal agency to pass bottom of that one.
auditable” Pentagon operation by
a routine financial audit not
Former Pentagon boss Robert one-half of 1 percent. It will be an
once, not twice, but every M. Gates once described the U.S. uphill battle to get majority sup
year. All the other agencies military as a semi-feudal system port for even that slap on the
do it.
— “an amalgam of fiefdoms with wrist, given how lawmakers have
What does the Pentagon de out centralized mechanisms to failed to get the Pentagon to carry
liver instead? Promises. The De allocate resources, track expen through with the audit they first
fense Department always swears ditures, and measure results rela demanded more than 20 years
it will conduct an audit — and tive to the department’s overall ago.
then requests five more years to priorities.”
I find this particularly amazing
do it.
Gates also complained that it due to my own personal experi
How has Congress responded? was nearly impossible to get ac ence as the co-founder of a small
By doubling the Pentagon’s bud curate information and answers and scrappy feminist peace group
get between 2000 and 2010. Many to basic questions, such as “How called Codepink. In 2008, the In
members are now railing against much money did you spend?” ternal Revenue Service singled us
“cuts” that will still keep military and “How many people do you out for an audit. We underwent a
spending at stratospheric levels have?”
tedious, energy-draining account
over the next decade.
Congress, charged with over ing of every dollar spent and com
How bad could things be? Well, sight, is afraid of stepping on the plied with every bit of minutiae
the most recent scandals may Pentagon’s powerful toes. The the IRS requested. It wasn’t fun,
help answer this question.
House did, to its credit, pass an but it was our duty and we did it
In Afghanistan, the Air Force amendment to the National De — and passed. And every year
bought the Afghan government fense Authorization Act a few we’re prepared to do it again.
20 Italian transport planes for months ago that would require
If Codepink can handle an au
$486 million. When it found out the Pentagon to rank its depart dit, why can’t the Pentagon? It’s
the planes didn’t work, it crushed ments in order of how auditable high time- the Defense Depart
them into scrap metal, recouping they are.
ment fulfilled its commitment to
just $32,000.
The am endm ent, how ever, account for every taxpayer dollar
Other examples of disastrous lacks any penalties for recalci in its $555-billion budget.
post-9/11 spending abound. In trant divisions.
Medea Benjamin is a co
his new book Pay Any Price,
A bipartisan group led by Reps. founder of Codepink for Peace.