Legislative path ahead for acquisition reform still unclear.

The Senate permanent subcommittee on investigations published a 211-page report described as a "comprehensive record on shortcomings in the acquisition process," although no specific solutions are offered to fix these problems. Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., and Carl Levin, D-Mich.--ranking member and chairman of the permanent subcommittee on investigations--are longtime critics of the Pentagon's procurement process. The report, which took about six months to compile, seems to reinforce the senators' conviction that further reforms are needed, even though they did not endorse any particular expert's take.

How exactly the acquisition process might be overhauled is still unknown. On the House side, the presumptive future chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, has been leading the charge. The committee convened many hearings on the topic and solicited input from Pentagon acquisition executive Frank Kendall and from several industry associations.

The release of the Senate's subcommittee on investigations compendium is a dear sign that McCain intends to be a strong voice in the debate when Congress takes this up next year. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Levin is retiring, and he would be succeeded by Sen. Jack Reed, of Rhode Island, if...