No Equipment Left Behind Act of 2026

Key Points

• The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a detailed report to Congress within 60 days of any major troop withdrawal or repositioning, including a full inventory of military equipment, cost estimates for different options, and plans to prevent gear from falling into enemy hands.
• The legislation responds directly to billions of dollars in U.S. military equipment captured by hostile groups during past withdrawals. The findings cite over $7.1 billion in equipment left in Afghanistan and roughly 2,300 Humvees seized by ISIS in Iraq.
• Top Pentagon leaders must personally approve, in writing, any decision to abandon, destroy, or lose equipment worth more than $10 million in total replacement value. This creates a clear chain of accountability for high-value gear.
• The bill requires the military to explore remote disablement technology for equipment that might be captured, and to have plans ready to secure, retrieve, disable, or neutralize gear if an allied government collapses or experiences regime change.
• If U.S. equipment is used in a terrorist attack, the Defense Department must notify Congress within 30 days with details including what equipment was used, who carried out the attack, and the total number of casualties caused.
• The GAO is directed to review the Pentagon's compliance with these new requirements, including checking whether inventories are complete, cost comparisons are valid, and risk mitigation plans are adequate. A briefing to Congress is due within one year.