Tell Congress: stop runaway military spending July 11, 2023

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This week, as the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) is considered on the floor of the House, Representatives Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) have offered an amendment to cut Pentagon spending by $100 billion and make the federal budget better serve the needs of the American people.

It is nonsensical that the recent debt deal sees cuts to domestic programs across the board, and yet the Pentagon budget is set to rise to $886 billion dollars. That is more than the military spending of the next TEN nations combined — and it’s also $28 billion more than last year.

At these levels, the Department of Defense will receive more money than the Departments of State, Justice, Education, Transportation, Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency combined.

PSR firmly supports the Lee-Pocan Amendment and the broader People Over Pentagon initiative to which it is linked. The amendment would not reduce spending on military personnel or defense health care, nor would it impact national security. It simply seeks a fairer allocation of the federal budget, away from waste and towards the programs that matter to you.

Write today and urge your representative to support the amendment. Stop lining the pockets of military contractors, and start building a society that works for all.

Around half of Pentagon spending goes to for-profit military contractors who have inflated prices and grown their own profits at the expense of the American people. The CEOs at these contractors take home an average annual salary of $20 million. These tax dollars are not supporting national defense, they are  propping up a system of waste and greed. Reinvested wisely, this money could transform the life of you and your neighbors.

Every year billions of dollars are thrown into the military-industrial black hole. Indeed, the Pentagon is still yet to pass an audit, only being able to account for 39% of its spending. One hundred billion dollars could transform our schools, fund 1 million new elementary teachers, accelerate the green transition, power every household with solar energy, cover medical care for 7 million veterans, or provide free tuition for 2 out of 3 public college students. In short, it could transform communities.

In the words of Rep. Pocan, “We can no longer afford to put these corporate interests over the needs of the American people. It’s time to invest in our communities and make meaningful change that reflects our nation’s priorities.”

Please urge your representatives to support the Lee-Pocan amendment. It is time to curtail waste, and reinvest in the American people.