PSR Statement on House Vote Against Pentagon Budget Cuts July 15, 2022

CONTACT: Isabella Javidan , ijavidan@psr.org , 612-812-3231

On July 13, the House of Representatives voted on two amendments to cut the Pentagon budget put forward by Representatives Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.).  PSR and our allies in the People Over Pentagon coalition supported both amendments as a means to begin the process of reprioritizing the federal budget to meet human needs.

The House ultimately voted against both amendments.

The first would have reduced the overall Pentagon topline amount by $100 billion. The second would have rolled back $37 billion in additional military spending that the House Armed Services Committee added to President Biden’s already astronomical topline military spending request. We’re grateful to Representatives Lee and Pocan and the others who voted ‘yes’ on these amendments. More than a dozen Republicans and an overwhelming majority of the Democratic Caucus showed some backbone and opposed the $37 billion increase.

PSR views security with health in mind, and we are appalled that the House of Representatives defeated these amendments. Along with our allied organizations, we are more determined than ever to change the status quo. We cannot support thriving communities while subscribing to a “national security” system that robs communities of resources and at the same time puts their very existence at risk.

Representative Lee stated prior to the vote,  “More guns and tanks are of no use to Americans without housing, education or health care. The Pentagon budget is running amok.”

“It’s security theater and contractor profiteering,” added Representative Pocan during the debates.

PSR will redouble our efforts to prioritize the federal budget and free up funds to support:

• stronger public health infrastructure
• equitable access to health care
• access to clean water
• better pandemic preparedness
• vast investment in combating climate change
• equitable access to educational opportunities