DoD COW Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 2848
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-01-28T12:03:16Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of S. 2848: Department of Defense's Cost of 'War' Act of 2025
Purpose
This bill aims to specify how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) would fund any costs associated with renaming itself from "Department of Defense" to "Department of War." It emphasizes that such a name change can only occur through congressional action and directs that funding come from specific travel budgets rather than general appropriations, while requiring a report on those costs.
Key Provisions
- Historical Findings: The bill notes that Congress originally created the National Military Establishment in 1947 to replace the Department of War, and renamed it the Department of Defense in 1949.
- Sense of Congress: It states that only Congress has the authority to change the department's name, as it was established by law.
- Funding Requirements:
- All costs for updating signage, websites, stationery, printed materials, and digital media to reflect "Department of War" must be paid by reallocating funds from the Secretary of Defense's travel budget.
- If those funds are insufficient, additional costs must come from the travel budgets of the secretaries of the military departments (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Space Force).
- Reporting Obligation: Within one year of enactment, the Secretary of Defense must submit a report to Congress detailing the total amount spent or committed for these renaming costs.
- Definitions:
- Covered costs: Expenses for changing "Department of Defense" to "Department of War" on government-owned or operated physical and digital materials.
- Department: Refers to the executive department under 10 U.S.C. § 111.
- Secretary: The Secretary of Defense, appointed under 10 U.S.C. § 113.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This bill introduces a new funding mechanism tied specifically to travel budgets for any potential renaming, which is not addressed in prior laws like the National Security Act of 1947 or its 1949 amendments.
- It does not directly rename the department but creates a conditional framework assuming such a change, reinforcing congressional control over the department's name without altering its core structure or operations.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The DoD and military departments would face reduced travel funding, potentially limiting official trips, conferences, or personnel movements unless supplemented elsewhere. This could strain operational efficiency without increasing overall budgets.
- On Citizens: Minimal direct effects, though it might indirectly influence military readiness or resource allocation if travel cuts affect training or oversight.
- On International Relations: None explicitly, but a name change to "Department of War" could symbolically alter perceptions of U.S. military posture abroad, emphasizing aggression over defense in diplomatic contexts.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Department of Defense and Secretary of Defense: Directly responsible for implementing changes and reallocating funds, bearing the primary financial and administrative burden.
- Military Departments (Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force): Their travel budgets serve as a backup funding source, potentially impacting service-specific operations.
- Congress: Gains oversight through the required report and asserts authority over departmental naming and budgeting.
- U.S. Taxpayers: Indirectly affected via reallocation of appropriated funds, though no new spending is authorized.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces that departmental names and structures are statutory (under Title 10 of the U.S. Code), requiring legislative action for changes, which aligns with separation of powers but could invite legal challenges if enacted without broader consensus.
- Constitutional: Upholds Congress's constitutional authority under Article I to control appropriations and organize executive departments, preventing unilateral executive renaming.
- Political: The bill's title and focus on "War" carry symbolic weight, potentially critiquing the post-World War II shift from "War" to "Defense" as a softening of military identity; it may spark partisan debate on militarism versus restraint, though its funding restrictions add a layer of fiscal accountability or irony.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- 2025-09-17: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Department of Defense’s Cost of ‘War’ Act of 2025 — issued 2025-09-17 — PDF (3 pages)