Garamendi, Gimenez Lead Bipartisan Bill to Cut Defense Spending Waste, Fraud, and Abuse

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08), alongside Congressman Carlos Gimenez (FL-28) and Reps. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Chris Deluzio (PA-17) have introduced the Nunn-McCurdy Reform Act of 2025—a bipartisan bill aimed at cutting waste in defense spending by targeting programs with egregious cost overruns and missed reporting deadlines. The legislation strengthens the original Nunn-McCurdy Act, requiring the Department of Defense (DoD) to report cost overruns in major defense acquisition programs (MDAPs) and improves Congressional oversight of high-cost, underperforming defense projects.

“For years, far too many wasteful projects have gone forward without accountability, costing taxpayers billions of dollars—even though the law clearly requires reporting cost overruns to Congress. This needs to stop, and finally, we have a bipartisan solution,” said Congressman Garamendi.

“The Nunn-McCurdy Reform Act finally does what the original law was meant to do. It sets stricter timelines for cost reporting and cancels projects that have gone too far, wasted too much taxpayer money, and failed to properly account for ballooning costs.”

“No one in their right mind would buy a car without knowing the final price—and they certainly wouldn’t buy one if they couldn’t afford to put gas in it. So why does the government do this with your money?”

“As the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, I’ve worked on this issue for over a decade. This bill is a critical reform to ensure Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars go toward real national security—not bloated, unnecessary programs.”

"I’m proud to join Congressman John Garamendi in introducing bipartisan legislation to reform how the Department of Defense addresses cost overruns in major acquisition programs,” said Congressman Carlos Gimenez. “The Nunn-McCurdy Reform Act will strengthen congressional oversight, enhance accountability, and accelerate the reporting process for budget breaches. It requires detailed reports and places caps on projects when costs spiral beyond their value. This commonsense reform supports the House Armed Services Committee’s efforts to rein in wasteful spending and ensures the American people get a real return on their hard-earned tax dollars."

“For decades, the Pentagon has treated taxpayer dollars like Monopoly money, with weapons programs doubling or tripling in cost while systems are delivered years behind schedule,” said Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, Acting Vice President of Policy & Government Affairs at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO). “The current version of the Nunn-McCurdy Act, which is meant to deter overspending and inefficiency, is good in theory. But in practice, it has become an exercise in simply checking a box.”

“New provisions in this legislation will finally give Congress real teeth to hold the Pentagon accountable. When programs spiral out of control, it shouldn’t be left solely to the Secretary of Defense to decide whether to continue wasting billions. Under this bill, programs get no more than two chances to keep their costs in check—or they face termination.”

“This bill will force difficult but necessary decisions about programs that should have been canceled years ago—and that’s the point. With bipartisan support, it’s clear this isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue—it’s a matter of common sense. Congress should pass this bill immediately to restore accountability to Pentagon spending and ensure every tax dollar is spent defending America, not enriching defense contractors.”

You can read the full bill text here.

Key Provisions of the Nunn-McCurdy Reform Act of 2025:

• Ends Costly Overruns: Requires the termination of any defense program that experiences two critical cost breaches, ensuring failing programs no longer drain taxpayer funds.  
• Speeds Up Transparency: Shortens cost overrun reporting timelines, so Congress is notified sooner and can intervene more effectively.
• Adds True Cost Visibility: Includes operations and support costs in total cost estimates, providing a complete view of a program’s long-term financial burden.
• Breaks Down Multi-System Projects: Requires DoD to report on subcomponents of large acquisition programs (over $500 million), improving transparency for complex platforms like aircraft fleets or missile systems.
• Ends the Shell Game: Prevents the Defense Secretary from delegating certification authority and bars spending or obligations for any program terminated due to a second critical breach.
• Promotes Public Accountability: Mandates that cost growth reports be posted publicly online, allowing taxpayers and watchdog groups to track program performance in real time.

Organizations Supporting the Bill:

• Project On Government Oversight (POGO)
• National Taxpayers Union (NTU)
• Taxpayers for Common Sense (TCS)
• Peace Action
• Council for a Livable World  
• National Taxpayers Union  
• Peace Action  
• Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft  
• Taxpayers for Common Sense  
• Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility

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