John,

As soon as tomorrow, the House is scheduled to vote on an amendment to next year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would reinvest 10% of the massive military budget to meet critical human needs.

That's $74 billion, out of a proposed $740 billion — higher than at almost any point since World War II, even though the greatest threats we face, like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and growing economic crisis, have no military solutions.

The Pentagon could blink and not even notice if 10% disappeared from its budget.

But that same $74 billion would make a massive difference to any number of social priorities that currently receive fractions of military spending. It could effectively end homelessness, turbocharge public education, and help contain the coronavirus within months.

Progressive champions in Congress, led by Senators Bernie Sanders, Ed Markey, and Elizabeth Warren, and Representatives Barbara Lee, Mark Pocan, and Pramila Jayapal, have been busy whipping votes for a sane reinvestment in domestic needs.

But it won't get through without your help.

Email your Senator and Representative TODAY and urge them to vote “yes” on the amendment to cut 10% of the Pentagon budget.

You can play around with NPP’s Trade-Offs calculator to see just how much your state or local government could do with just 10% of the 2019 military budget. 

If there was ever a time to look after our neighbors and say no to military contractor greed, it’s now.

Congress will vote on the amendment this week, so this is our time to make a difference.

Email your representatives, and then feel free to contact them by phone tomorrow, or on Facebook or Twitter, with talking points from this social media guide.

It's a simple, sensible step in the right direction to reinvest 10 percent of the Pentagon budget to fund healthcare, kickstart a Green New Deal jobs recovery, or reinforce public housing and education — away from metastasizing military expansion, and toward healing a society reeling from coronavirus. 

Most Americans agree. It's time for us to let them know that, this week, members of Congress should follow our lead.

In solidarity,

Lindsay, Ashik, Lorah, and the NPP team at IPS