WASHINGTON, DC?— Following the Pentagon’s refusal to explain massive cuts to the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), the independent military weapons testing office, and the Pentagon’s decision to remove even more weapons programs from DOT&E’s oversight list, Representative Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) and U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees, wrote to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to press for more information and urge the Department of Defense (DoD) to reverse its cuts and restore oversight to the nearly 100 programs cut from the DOT&E oversight list.

“We remain concerned these reckless decisions undermine readiness and will result in substantial waste of taxpayer dollars while putting servicemembers’ lives at risk,” said the lawmakers.

In June, Senator Warren raised concerns about Secretary Hegseth’s decision to cut DOT&E’s budget by nearly 80% and its staff by about 74%.

“The cuts and reductions to this office created fears that…they would cut so deep the office would no longer be able to even meet its basic statutory functions,” the lawmakers said.

In August, the Pentagon responded to Senator Warren, saying the cuts were based on a “comprehensive internal review,” but failed to provide any study or analysis to justify the cuts or any cost savings associated with the move.

The Pentagon also responded with a list of the office’s “current oversight” list, listing 251 programs on the list. But two days later, the DOT&E’s quietly updated its website and eliminated 94 programs, a 37% reduction that cuts testing for at least $74.5 billion of weapons systems, while backdating the list to late July. The lawmakers said the move raises concerns that the Pentagon was “purposely inaccurate” in its response to Congress.

DOT&E plays an important role in helping the military complete vigorous testing for safety, survivability, and suitability for programs like the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program, which would phase in the UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter fleet. The program was cut from DOT&E’s oversight list in the purge, even though the Army is attempting to accelerate the fleet’s implementation.

Other top DoD priorities that have been inexplicably removed from DOT&E’s oversight list are the Enterprise Space-Based Missile Warning and Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, which could enable the Golden Dome architecture.

“If homeland missile defense is truly a top priority for the Department, rigorous testing and oversight is vital to ensure the systems are integrated and that funding is not being wasted on systems that do not tie into the broader architecture,” said the lawmakers.

“The decision to further purge the DOT&E office by cutting nearly 100 programs from its oversight list jeopardizes military readiness, puts the safety of our servicemembers at risk, and increases the risk of waste and abuse of hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars. We ask that you reverse these cuts,” concluded Representative Norcross and Senator Warren.

The lawmakers asked the Defense Department to provide, by October 30, 2025, answers to their questions, including the Pentagon’s plan for ensuring that taxpayer funds are not wasted due to deficiencies in programs removed from the oversight list, a justification for each program removed from DOT&E’s oversight list, and whether the Department consulted with the defense industry on which programs to cut from the list.

Text of Letter (PDF)  

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