Section 809 Panel - Recommendation #23 - Establish a Permanent, Automatic 5 year Sunset Provision for Department of Defense Congressional Reporting Requirements

Abstract

As a result of the recurring problem posed by excessive congressional reporting requirements directed at the Department of Defense, as well as Congress's struggle to restrain the growth of reporting requirements over time, the notion of an automatic sunset has periodically entered the debate. Advocates for greater discipline in the imposition of reporting requirements have argued that automatic sunsets can be an effective means to encourage Congress to regularly assess the value of a report.