STATEMENT: Biden Budget more of the same

June 1, 2020

Contact: Corey Greer, Communications Director | cgreer@wand.org | 202-459-4769

Washington, DC - On May 28th, President Biden released his FY2022 Budget Request, “Budget of the U.S. government.” In response, WAND’s Executive Director, Nancy Parrish, released the following statement:

“The proposed Biden defense budget is a disappointing continuation of Trump-era defense spending hikes. At a time when America’s resources are so desperately needed to rebuild our country from the economic disaster caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing spending on weapons and war is wasteful, unsustainable, and imprudent.

“The Pentagon has failed every audit it has conducted. Increasing their budget defies logic and the most basic principles of good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. We absolutely cannot continue to pour money into a department that cannot account for where all the money goes.

“We know that the Biden Administration cares about leading on the international stage, educating our future generations, and building infrastructure that will serve as the backbone of our country for years to come. A Biden budget should be a visionary move away from Trump-era policy priorities. Instead, the proposed budget invests billions in redundant nuclear weapons systems.

“Why is the proposed Pentagon budget more than the previous year, when the Biden administration has committed to withdrawing personnel from the U.S.’s longest war? The federal government should be looking to establish stability by investing in the State Department and USAID, not preparing for another war.

“It is now up to Congress to make the responsible choice: address our nation’s toughest challenges by increasing funding for education, clean energy, and healthcare, sectors that we know create sustainable jobs, and decreasing our reliance on military might. We urge them to make the prudent choice.”

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