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To require amounts used to pay the costs of the renaming the Department of Defense to be derived from the travel budget of the Secretary of Defense, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill establishes procedures for funding the costs of changing the name of the Department of Defense to the Department of War on signage, websites, stationery, and other government materials. The bill requires that any such costs be paid by reallocating the travel budget of the Secretary of Defense, and if necessary, reallocating travel budgets of military department secretaries. The bill affirms that the name of the Department can only be changed by Act of Congress and requires the Secretary to submit a report to Congress within one year documenting total costs obligated or expended for such renaming.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
3 cosponsors
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ)
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD)
Actions (2)
- Sep 17, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. · senate
- Sep 17, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 17 (legislative day, September 16), 2025
Ms. Alsobrooks (for herself and Mr. Van Hollen) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services
A BILL
To require amounts used to pay the costs of the renaming the Department of Defense to be derived from the travel budget of the Secretary of Defense, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Department of Defense’s Cost of ‘War’ Act of 2025” or the “DoD COW Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. DESIGNATION OF FUNDS TO PAY COSTS OF RENAMING DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
(a) Finding.—Congress finds that—
(1) title II of the National Security Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 499, chapter 343) established the National Military Establishment to replace the Department of War; and
(2) the National Military Establishment was subsequently renamed the Department of Defense, by an amendment to the National Security Act of 1947 made by section 4 of the National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 578, chapter 412).
(b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that, as the Department was established and named by an Act of Congress, the name of the Department can be changed only by an Act of Congress.
(c) Designation of Funds.—
(1) In general.—The Secretary shall pay covered costs by reallocating amounts available to the Secretary for travel expenses to pay such costs.
(2) Additional funds.—If the total amount of covered costs exceeds the total amount available to the Secretary for travel, the Secretary shall pay the remaining amount of covered costs by reallocating amounts available to the secretaries of the military departments for travel to pay such costs.
(d) Report Required.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the total amount obligated or expended to pay covered costs.
(e) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Covered costs.—The term “covered costs” means costs accrued by the Department and associated with the changing of “Department of Defense” to “Department of War” on physical signage, websites, stationary, printed media, and digital media owned or operated by the United States Government.
(2) Department.—The term “Department” means the executive department established by section 111 of title 10, United States Code.
(3) Secretary.—The term “Secretary” means the official established by and appointed under section 113 of such title. <all>
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