House of Representatives must reject Pentagon increases in FY22 Budget
WAND strongly opposes any increases to the Pentagon budget above the FY 2021 enacted level. We are disturbed by the bipartisan vote on the Senate Armed Services Committee to increase President Biden’s proposed Pentagon topline by $25 billion. Additional attempts have been made to include $50 billion in Pentagon spending into the bipartisan infrastructure package. We are grievously concerned by reports that House leadership may also be considering an increase to appropriations for the DOD.
As the letter states: "Most of the life-threatening challenges our country faces – the climate crisis, pandemic disease, and nuclear catastrophe – cannot be solved and could be exacerbated by increasing funding for the military. Endless wars and new arms races make Americans less safe by diverting funds from domestic needs, stoking instability, and entrenching defense contractors’ outsized influence over Congress.”
We, the undersigned organizations, urge you to oppose any increases to the Pentagon budget above the FY 2021 enacted level. We are alarmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee’s decision to increase the Pentagon topline by $37 billion ($25 billion above the Biden budget request), attempts to include another $50 billion for the military in the bipartisan infrastructure package, and reports that House leadership may be considering increases to the DOD appropriations bill reported by the House Appropriations Committee.
Funding for the Pentagon and related nuclear programs has been skyrocketing for years, with President Trump adding $130 billion over the course of his presidency and President Biden requesting more than $12 billion on top of that amount. Most of the life-threatening challenges our country faces – the climate
crisis, pandemic disease, and nuclear catastrophe – cannot be solved and could be exacerbated by increasing funding for the military. Endless wars and new arms races make Americans less safe by diverting funds from domestic needs, stoking instability, and entrenching defense contractors’ outsized influence over Congress.
As long as the majority of Congress accepts the false notion that national security requires U.S. global military dominance, no amount of Pentagon spending will ever be enough. It is time not only to begin winding down spending on weapons and wars, but also to re-envision the role we ask our military to play in keeping Americans — and others around the globe -- safe.
Given the urgent need to address pandemic disease, the climate crisis and economic and racial justice, domestic programs require increases that have no reason to be matched by hikes in defense spending. We therefore strongly urge you to stand firm against calls for “parity” and reject any increase to the Pentagon budget for FY 2022.