ICYMI: At Hearing, Nominee to Lead Weapons Testing Office Commits to Exposing the Truth About Whether Weapons Work and Are Safe, But Won’t Commit to Reviewing Weapons and Programs Flagged by Congress
Senator Warren: “[I]t would be your job to make sure that [safety] problems are brought to light and fixed. This is important, because service members' lives are at stake here.”
Washington, D.C. — At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questioned Dr. Amy Henninger, nominee for Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E), about her commitment to the independence of the weapons testing office.
Dr. Henninger committed to report weapon safety and effectiveness concerns “to the maximum extent possible and to “always come before [Congress] and tell the truth.” She stopped short, however, of accepting Congress’ requests for oversight on certain programs or weapons.
“[S]ervice members' lives are at stake here,” Senator Warren pushed back.
“Ensuring the safety of our service members means standing up for transparency and against any pressure that would compromise the integrity of the testing process,” she said.
In May 2025, Secretary Hegseth issued a memo directing DOT&E to “immediately eliminate any non-statutory” functions of the office, reducing the office’s staff by 74 percent and slashing its budget by almost 80 percent. The office is credited with finding issues with military vehicles like the V-22 Osprey, concluding it “was not operationally suitable” due to multiple safety issues. Despite the office’s warning, the Pentagon continued to fly the aircraft, which eventually killed 64 service members, including two Massachusetts constituents, Air Force Staff Sergeant Jake Galliher and Marine Corps Captain Ross A. Reynolds.
In June, Senator Warren sent an oversight letter criticizing Secretary Hegseth’s cuts to the office and demanded an explanation.
Transcript: Hearing to consider the Nomination of Dr. Amy E. Henninger to be Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, Department of Defense
Senate Armed Services Committee
July 31, 2025
Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and congratulations to all of our nominees. In 1983, Congress created the Director of Operational Testing and Evaluation Office to provide the Secretary of Defense and Congress with the unvarnished truth about the weapons we buy and whether they actually work. The reason for that bill was because the military had been caught trying to cover up major problems, like that the Bradley Fighting Vehicle would “burn its crew to death” if it were hit by a single Soviet antitank missile.
Now, Dr. Henninger, if you're confirmed to lead the testing office, it would be your job to make sure that similar problems are brought to light and fixed. This is important, because service members' lives are at stake here. But Secretary Hegseth has issued a memo reducing the staff by 74% and its budget by 80%. This is a dangerous decision, and I have serious concerns about whether you will have the resources you need to accomplish your safety mission.
Dr. Henninger, will you promise to come to this committee and tell the public if your test results show that a system is unsafe or doesn't work? Or if you don't have the resources to tell one way or the other about whether a system is safe and operational or not?
Dr. Amy Henninger, nominee for Director of Operational Test and Evaluation: Thank you for that question, Senator Warren. Our reports will always reflect any limitations or assumptions that we encountered in operational testing and evaluation. And of course, I will always come before you and tell the truth. So, all those things taken together, that is an affirmative yes.
Senator Warren: I appreciate that. Having the courage to speak truth to power is a big part of what this office is all about. This is very personal for me, Dr. Henninger. This office is the one that raised the alarm about safety concerns on the V-22. Those warnings were ignored and two of my constituents died. You need to be the watchdog that barks.
Now, one of your major tools is your annual report. Under the Biden administration, there was pressure on the testing office to hide problems through designations like “controlled unclassified information.” The information isn’t classified, but the blank spots — blackouts — in the report keep the public in the dark about a tank that gets so hot that it burns soldiers' hands, or the risk that a pilot ejecting from an F-35 will have their neck snapped.
So, Dr. Henninger, if you are confirmed, do you promise to ensure that the testing office's reports inform the public as much as possible about the problems that we need to fix in order to make sure that our weapons are safe?
Dr. Henninger: Yes, Senator. To the maximum extent possible.
Senator Warren: Okay, I will hold you to that. One of the other tools is the oversight list which identifies which programs should receive scrutiny from your office.
Congress plays a key role in providing oversight of these programs as well, as you know. And in the past, your office has agreed to add programs that Congress identifies to your list so they would be sure to be scrutinized. Dr. Henninger, if you are confirmed, will you commit to continue to support your office conducting oversight on programs that Congress requests?
Dr. Henninger: Thank you, Senator Warren. I will always conform with all of the laws and regulations that govern my role if confirmed. If Congress legislates the oversight list, then I will absolutely --
Senator Warren: Okay, I have to say that’s the wrong answer. This is not one where the question is: if we legislate, will you follow the law? Well, like, yes, I mean that should be a given. I don't think that I should have to ask that. The question is, if we request oversight of a particular company or a particular effort that is going forward — our constitutional responsibility is oversight, and in many ways you are our eyes and ears out there. I want a commitment from you that if we are requesting oversight that you will, in fact, put that company or put that program on your oversight list. Can I get that commitment?
Dr. Henninger: Senator, we all want the oversight list to reflect the programs and records that will best serve our missions and keep our war fighters safe and our taxpayers apprised. And I will take all suggestions with a wide net. I will cast a wide net, take everyone's suggestions who have something to offer and do an analysis of what should be on the oversight list, yes.
Senator Warren: Okay, that’s a better answer than the first one, but not a great answer here. Look, ensuring the safety of our service members means standing up for transparency and against any pressure that would compromise the integrity of the testing process. That’s all I'm looking for here.
The Senate National Defense Authorization Act goes a long way to push back on misguided efforts to reduce essential oversight. I look forward to working with the Chairman and all of my colleagues on getting that done. But we really need you committed to overseeing and being transparent about what you have seen in the testing programs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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