Bipartisan lawmakers criticize DOD over failure to comply with information requests

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers are coming together to request that the Department of Defense (DOD) comply with congressional requests for information. Senators Rick Scott and Elizabeth Warren are leading the charge, having recently written a letter to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel Gilbert Cisneros, requesting follow-up on several information requests made by Congress members on the Senate Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee.

The lawmakers’ concerns were previously discussed during a subcommittee hearing, which saw a lack of cooperation from the DOD. However, the senators utilized the letter to underline the importance of such requests, stating that their fulfillment is crucial not just for the sake of constitutional oversight responsibilities but also as a means by which both branches of government can work in collaboration for better policy on behalf of taxpayers.

Several requests made by both Democratic and Republican senators over the last three months have been ignored by the DOD. For instance, Senator Ted Budd requested information from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin regarding his reproductive healthcare directives in the military. Similarly, Senators Mark Kelly and Tim Kaine requested information from the DOD on the Brandon Act, a bill seeking to protect service members struggling with mental health emergencies. However, neither request has been fulfilled to date.

Lawmakers have expressed their concerns over a lack of compliance by the department, with some requests having been issued multiple times. While the letter urges the DOD to fulfill the requests as soon as possible, lawmakers did not threaten any action if the department does not comply.