In just a few short years, the U.S. military budget will exceed the $1 trillion mark. It’s an astonishing sum, given the Pentagon has never been able to pass an audit or properly account for the billions it already receives.
Currently, the U.S. spends $858 billion on the military. That’s 10 times Russia’s military budget, more than 2.5 times that of China, and greater than the next nine countries combined. And more than half of it—about $452 billion—will go straight into the pockets of big corporate weapons contractors.
Meanwhile, Americans are repeatedly told that the national debt is too high to prioritize human needs. Or worse, we're told to choose between ensuring health care for all and ending childhood poverty, between ensuring clean drinking water and air and mandating a living wage.
Additionally, the Pentagon is consistently gifted more money than it requests—despite being unable to explain how funds are spent. It's outrageous.
Sign the petition: Redirect Pentagon spending to invest in human needs.
It’s time to stop misdirecting hundreds of billions of dollars away from domestic and human needs to pad unnecessary budget lines for endless wars, failed weapons, and the Pentagon’s corporate handouts.
The People Over Pentagon Act, led by Democratic House Reps. Barbara Lee of California and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, would cut $100 billion from the Pentagon budget, reducing waste and encouraging lawmakers to divert that funding to the true needs of their constituents instead.
The $100 billion figure is inspired by a 2021 CBO report demonstrating how money could be cut from the Pentagon without impacting national security. The bill also exempts troop pay and the Defense Health Agency.
Instead of funding outdated ships, malfunctioning planes, dangerous nuclear weapons, and giveaways to corrupt defense contractors, imagine if we could redirect that money towards critical domestic priorities—like feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, protecting our planet, supporting our seniors, funding education, and so much more.
Add your name: Tell Congress that we need to prioritize the well-being of Americans. Reduce the Pentagon's bloated budget and redirect those funds to invest in human needs.