Dear John,

Military spending is out of control. An obscene amount is spent on the Pentagon
-- and Congress is poised to authorize a massive $741 billion military budget!

Senators Sanders, Markey, and Warren in the Senate and Representatives Lee and
Pocan in the House have introduced an amendment to the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) that would cut the topline Pentagon budget by 10
percent, bringing the total down by $74 billion dollars.

Decreasing the military budget could mean shifting resources toward a more just
and sustainable society. Funding could be directed towards communities on the
frontlines of climate disaster, a just transition for fossil fuel workers and
communities, and a shift toward 100 percent renewable energy -- in addition to
much needed investment in healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.

Tell C on gress: Support the proposed cut to t he Pentagon budget!

Take Action
[[link removed]]The United States military is one of the largest polluters and consumers of
fossil fuels in the world. In 2017, the US military purchased over 269,000
barrels of oil a day. Endless wars in the period following 9/11 have emitted the
equivalent of over 1.2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide.

By reducing wasteful military spending, we can prioritize peoples’ and planetary
health by shifting our economy off fossil fuels, dedicating resources to climate
crisis mitigation.

The amount spent on the military budget is more than the entire discretionary
federal budget -- including what we spend on education, federal courts,
affordable housing, and local economic development combined. It is also more
than what the next 11 countries spend combined. This is money that should be
invested in local communities, supporting a Green New Deal, and supporting
workers during a time of crisis.

Currently, the military budget is 90 times higher than the budget for the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the face of the COVID-19
pandemic, it has never been more urgent to fund education, housing, and
healthcare for communities hit the hardest.

Demand Congress cut military spending and reinvest in communities!

Take Action
[[link removed]]In total, the United States has spent $6.4 trillion dollars on fighting
unnecessary and ill-advised wars abroad. Despite the massive sums of money spent
on the military, the Pentagon has never passed a financial audit. It is time to
cut the Pentagon budget and reallocate those funds to address the needs of
communities facing ecological and societal crisis -- instead of senseless wars.

The connection between militarism and environmental destruction, which
communities of color disproportionately bear the brunt of, cannot be ignored. As
the United States reckons with its long history of violence against Black and
Brown communities -- and calls to defund the police echo across the country --
demilitarization is another tangible step toward addressing historical and
ongoing injustices.

Congress must cut the bloated military budget and prioritize protecting basic
human rights and the planet. Defunding the war economy is a necessary step
toward building a society rooted in values of equity and justice for all.

John, call on Congress to prioritize people and the
planet over wasteful Pentagon spending!

Take Action
[[link removed]]For people and planet,
Gaurav Madan,
Senior economic policy campaigner,
Friends of the Earth

Contact Us:Friends of the Earth U.S.

Washington, D.C. | Berkeley, CA

1-877-843-8687

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