What could we do with $74 billion? What we could do with $350 billion?
Time to move the money from “defense” to human needs—call on Congress to do what’s right! We hope this message finds you and your families and friends as safe as can be and surviving all the challenges of the political moment.  Today you have a chance to speak out for amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that will reduce the military budget by 10%. Call Congress and tell them to take a start on putting human needs first.
Please—don’t wait to take action. Call your Representative and Senators now.
The House of Representatives and the Senate return to Congress today, July 20 and will debate and vote in the House on H.R. 6395, the National Defense Authorization Act. The military budget goes nowhere but up, and this year the request is a record-breaking $742 billion, for more bombs, nuclear bombs and warheads, missiles, tanks, submarines, and much more—including Trump’s new “sixth branch” of the armed forces, the Space Force. This is a more than $20 billion increase over last year. Meanwhile, - Our hospitals and clinics are stretched to the breaking point by Covid-19.
- Millions of us are out of work, without health insurance, and facing the threat of eviction or foreclosure.
- Our schools, which were woefully underfunded even before the pandemic, are under pressure to open, though where will they find the money to do so safely, no one knows.
In short, there has never been a better time to transfer our tax dollars from military spending to human needs. On July 1, the House Armed Services Committee reportedly “argued” its way through its version of the NDAA, approving a $742 billion budget by unanimous vote. Even Democrats on the committee agreed—bi-partisanship in action! Here’s how you make “sausage” out of the NDAA. But amendments have been filed to trim spending and they deserve your support. Today, call your members of Congress and ask that they support House or Senate amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would cut military funding by 10%. That’s $74 billion we can put to work keeping people safe, healthy, housed, and on the job. The House amendment is sponsored by Reps Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Mark Pocan (D-WI). The Senate amendment is sponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in the Senate. Thousands of voters have called or emailed their support, a push that has led Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to sign on as well. Call the Congressional switchboard at 1-202-224-3121. Ask to be connected to one of your member's offices. Urge your Representative to support an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act by Reps Barbara Lee and Mark Pocan. Urge your Senators to support the National Defense Authorization Act amendment filed by Senator Sanders, Markey, and Warren. Is your representative already a sponsor? Check here, and if so, thank them!
BACKGROUND:
Each year, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provides authorization of appropriations for a range of Department of Defense (DOD) and national security programs and related activities.
This is an authorization bill which directs how funds should or should not be used, the final line-item dollar amounts are in the appropriations bill.
Key points of contention in the debate in the House Armed Services Committee debate this year were whether to remove U.S. troops from Germany, rename bases honoring Confederate figures, and the President’s authority to command National Guard. Discussed at length were Ground-based Strategic Deterrent nuclear missiles, sexual assault in the armed forces, and cleaning up the PFAS “forever chemicals” that are contaminating drinking water on military bases and surrounding communities. Here is the 1428-page July 9th bill text.
Meanwhile, Sen Jim Inhofe (R-Okla), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is working on coming up with a bi-partisan bill that will pass the Senate. It will take some time for the two houses to pass a final bill. Thank you for taking action. We have to begin now and 10% is a start. Nancy Price and David Delk
Co-Chairs | 
We are about to send our new Justice Rising to the printer. It's titled "System Change in the Era of Transition: Revolutionizing Our Economy, Politics and Relations with Each Other and Nature." 
