The Congress-approved fiscal 2017 defense authorization bill contains a provision that would require the Defense Department and Internal Revenue Service to publish data on U.S.’ war-related expenditures online, Military Times reported Sunday.Leo Shane III writes Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia) authored the provision in an effort to spark discussions among the public about how much the government spends on combat missions.
The bill would require the defense secretary and IRS commissioner to report the cost of wars that have occurred over the last 15 years in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, according to the report.
The report said the Bureau of Economic Analysis would help compile data before the information is posted on the IRS website.
The $619 billion defense authorization bill for fiscal 2017 awaits President Barack Obama’s signature.
