Sponsors (4)
The bill increases transparency and avoids new appropriations by requiring the Department to fund a renaming from existing travel budgets, but it shifts costs onto taxpayers and DoD resources—potentially disrupting official travel and reducing funds available for other defense priorities.
Taxpayers and Congress avoid an immediate increase in federal spending authorization because the Department will pay renaming costs from existing travel budgets rather than seeking new appropriations.
Taxpayers, Congress, and the public gain greater transparency because the Department must report to Congress within one year disclosing the total cost of the renaming.
Military personnel and taxpayers may face reduced funding for other Defense priorities or operations because renaming costs are required to be covered from existing DoD budgets, potentially harming readiness and capabilities.
Taxpayers will indirectly bear costs for signage, websites, and printed materials to implement the renaming, diverting funds from other public priorities.
Federal employees—particularly the Secretary and military department secretaries—may experience reduced travel budgets and disrupted official travel because travel funds are being reallocated to cover renaming costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Secretary of Defense to pay for changing the Department's name on government-owned signs, websites, and materials by reallocating existing travel funds and report costs to Congress within a year.
Introduced September 17, 2025 by Angela Deneece Alsobrooks · Last progress September 17, 2025
Requires the Secretary of Defense to pay for changing the Department’s name on government-owned signs, websites, stationery, and other printed or digital materials by using existing travel funds first from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and, if needed, from the travel funds of the military department secretaries. The Secretary must report to Congress within one year on the total amounts obligated or spent for those renaming costs. The bill also includes a non‑binding statement that only Congress can change the Department’s name.