Lawmakers boost Pentagon test office slashed by Hegseth

Congress is pushing back against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s plan to gut a key Pentagon testing office, backing $839 billion in defense spending while warning that deep staff cuts risk “catastrophic failure” of U.S. weapons systems.

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National News

January 21, 2026 - 3:24 PM

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's office has posted videos of war Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images/TNS

WASHINGTON — Congressional lawmakers green-lighting $839 billion in U.S. defense spending voiced strong support for an embattled test office at the Pentagon that was slashed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, highlighting its value at preventing the “catastrophic failure” of U.S. weapons and military equipment.

The test office ensures key national security priorities, including the planned “Golden Dome” missile defense system, are safe and effective, lawmakers wrote in a statement accompanying a defense spending measure that’s part of a larger package the U.S. House…

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