After the Democrat-controlled House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a $740.5 billion budget for the Pentagon for fiscal year 2021, Rep. Ilhan Omar slammed the warped priorities that have led lawmakers to pass with few objections a "bill to appease defense contractors and special interests" while skimping on badly needed coronavirus relief.
"We should be investing our resources here at home—not increasing our already exorbitant Pentagon budget."
"It is unconscionable to pass a Pentagon budget that continues to fund unnecessary projects and endless wars during a time of widespread suffering across our country," the Minnesota Democrat said in a statement. "Thousands of Minnesotans are struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. We should be investing our resources here at home—not increasing our already exorbitant Pentagon budget."
Omar was one of just 37 House Democrats to oppose the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed by a vote of 335-78—a veto-proof majority. The legislation is expected to easily clear the Senate despite President Donald Trump's threats to veto the measure over objections unrelated to the size of the proposed Pentagon budget.
See the full roll call for the House vote here.
"This bill further commits our servicemembers to escalations abroad—including a now-two-decade old unpopular war in Afghanistan," Omar said. "Every dollar we spend on endless wars is another missed opportunity to invest in our communities. Shamefully, this bill does nothing to stop arms sales to some of the most corrupt and brutal regimes in the world, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates."
If Congress can afford to spend $740.5 billion on a Pentagon Authorization bill, we can afford stimulus checks for the American people. Congress should focus on responding to the urgent needs of the American people—not passing a bill to appease defense contractors. pic.twitter.com/ib705TRddY — Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) December 9, 2020
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Passage of the sprawling defense bill came as congressional leaders and the White House continued to negotiate the details of a coronavirus relief package that progressive lawmakers have decried as woefully inadequate to address the needs of countless sick, hungry, and eviction-prone Americans.
A $908 billion bipartisan relief framework unveiled last week would not provide direct stimulus payments to U.S. households, while an $916 billion offer put forth by the White House late Tuesday would not provide a weekly boost to unemployment benefits. Both plans fall well short of the $3-4.5 trillion stimulus that experts say is needed to relieve widespread suffering and prevent a prolonged economic recession.
"That we can find the money for war but not for coronavirus relief exposes the moral rot at the center of U.S. politics, a rot that must be dug out and expunged if we are to get through this crisis."
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) joined Omar in voting against the NDAA on Tuesday, declaring that Congress "should be cutting down the Pentagon's budget—not increasing it... again."
"Let's put the priorities of the American people above the profits of defense contractors," Pocan added.
Pocan over the summer led an effort with Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) to cut the bloated Pentagon budget by 10% and invest the savings in housing, healthcare, and education. As Common Dreams reported at the time, the amendment ultimately failed thanks to opposition from 139 House Democrats and 185 Republicans. A similar amendment led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was voted down in the Senate.
Earlier this month, Sarah Lazare of In These Times contrasted the ongoing "stalemate over coronavirus relief with bipartisan support for the U.S. war machine," which reliably receives an injection of hundreds of billions of dollars in funding each year with little opposition.
"We should not allow bipartisan agreement on military spending to simply fade into the background, as an unremarkable and immutable fact of U.S. politics," wrote Lazare. "That we can find the money for war but not for coronavirus relief exposes the moral rot at the center of U.S. politics, a rot that must be dug out and expunged if we are to get through this crisis."
beall49 on December 9th, 2020 at 14:03 UTC »
The budget was 500b in 2015. Gone up almost 50% in 5 years.
TormundSandwichbane on December 9th, 2020 at 14:03 UTC »
For those of you wondering, this is enough money for about 3.5 stimulus checks per adult in the US.
Edit: Given approximately 127 million stimulus checks went out, the money allocated would allow for approximately 5 more rounds of checks.
Thanks to the people who pointed this out.
QuickAnything on December 9th, 2020 at 13:34 UTC »
I read something the other where they quoted lawmakers saying something along the lines of: “we’ve never not passed a defense budget. It’s a thing of pride that we always get it done” etc.
They’re more concerned with their American ideal of the American military might than the actual American people who desperately need their help.