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Congress Moves to Force Golden Dome Budget Transparency in Defense Spending Bill

The spending package ties oversight to new disclosure mandates after months of limited visibility into the $23 billion program.

Overview

  • Pending enactment, the bill directs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Golden Dome director Gen. Michael Guetlein to deliver within two months a detailed spend plan for fiscal years 2025–2027 that breaks out discretionary and mandatory funds and aligns to the program architecture.
  • The measure requires quarterly reports from Gen. Guetlein on budget execution and progress toward demonstrating initial capabilities by 2028, with submissions unclassified and eligible for a classified annex.
  • House and Senate appropriators say they still have not received a master deployment schedule, cost and performance metrics, or a finalized system architecture for Golden Dome.
  • Beginning in fiscal 2028, the Pentagon comptroller would have to submit a standalone budget-justification volume identifying Golden Dome programs, funding projections, activities, and an integrated test plan.
  • The Missile Defense Agency has advanced industry engagement through its SHIELD vehicle, approving 2,440 of 2,463 applicants to compete for work even as core program details remain undisclosed.