S. 2848: Department of Defense’s Cost of ‘War’ Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Department of Defense’s Cost of ‘War’ Act of 2025, proposes specific funding mechanisms for the costs related to renaming the Department of Defense back to the Department of War. The key details of the bill are as follows:

Purpose of the Bill

The primary aim of the bill is to ensure that the costs associated with the renaming of the Department of Defense are covered using designated funds. It emphasizes that any change in the department's name, which was established by acts of Congress, should be funded appropriately through existing budget allocations.

Funding Mechanism

The bill outlines how the Secretary of Defense is required to allocate funds for the renaming costs:

• Travel Budget Reallocation: The Secretary of Defense will pay for the renaming costs by reallocating funds available for travel expenses. This means that money typically used for traveling will instead be used to cover costs associated with the name change.
• Additional Funding Sources: If the renaming costs exceed the travel budget available to the Secretary, additional funds will be reallocated from the travel budgets of the military departments to cover the remaining costs.

Cost Reporting

The bill mandates that the Secretary of Defense submit a report to Congress within one year of the bill's enactment detailing the total expenses incurred for the renaming process. This aims to provide transparency and accountability regarding the financial implications of such a legislative change.

Definitions of Terms

The bill provides specific definitions for certain terms used throughout:

• Covered Costs: This term refers to expenses incurred by the Department related to changing the name on various government materials, such as physical signage, websites, and printed materials.
• Department: This refers to the executive department established under U.S. law known as the Department of Defense.
• Secretary: This refers to the Secretary of Defense, the highest-ranking official of the Department of Defense.

Congressional Sense

The bill expresses the sense of Congress that since the Department was established and named by an Act of Congress, only Congress has the authority to change its name.

Relevant Companies

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