Skip navigation
CODEPINK
    • ACTION ALERT: Check out our activities for the Week of January 18, 2021
    • ACTION ALERT: CODEPINK Statement on White Supremacist Attack on the Capitol, January 6 2021
    • ACTION ALERT: CODEPINK in the News Round-Up: January 2021
  • Codepink Store
  • Donate
  • Get Involved
  • Act Now
    Action Calendar Action Alerts Follow CODEPINK Volunteer: Be a Peacemaker CODEPINK Store Donate to CODEPINK Recommended Movies Recommended Books
  • Issues & Campaigns
  • Pink Updates (current)
    Last Week at CODEPINK Action Alerts PINK Tank ~ Blog CODEPINK Webinars Press Releases In the News Blogs from Iran Local Peace Economy Daily
  • About
    Founders & Staff What is CODEPINK Jobs and Internships Our Allies CODEPINK Advisory Board Contact Us
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
  1. HOME
  2. ACTION ALERTS

CDC: $11 billion vs. Pentagon: $738 billion

From the time we started CODEPINK almost 20 years ago, we have been saying, “Fund Healthcare, Not Warfare.” Now we see the results of pouring 55% of our discretionary budget into the military—$738 billion— while allocating a mere 1.5% of that — $11 billion — to the Centers for Disease Control. Tell Congress to double the CDC’s budget by cutting money to the Pentagon.

Dear Supporters,

The coronavirus pandemic is sweeping across America, and our public health system is totally unprepared and underfunded. Meanwhile, our government keeps pouring more money into the military to wage endless wars. This week marks 17 years since the U.S. military has been in Iraq. Rather than putting all our energy into fighting coronavirus, the U.S. just carried out another round of senseless airstrikes in Iraq and is increasing tensions with Iran—a country wracked by coronavirus. If there was ever a time to bring our troops home, use diplomacy and work together to fight this tragic pandemic, it is now! Join us in telling Congress to double the CDC’s budget and free up billions to fight coronavirus by bringing our troops home from Iraq.

In 2018 the Trump administration disbanded its global health security team and in 2020 it cut the CDC's center for animal-to-human transmitted infectious diseases by 20 percent. As the CDC’s budget was being slashed, the U.S. military budget increased by $82 billion in 2020. We spend $738 billion on the Pentagon (even before the Trump administration, enormous military spending was the order of the day), while the CDC budget languishes with only $11 billion — 1.5% of what the military receives. Join us in telling Congress to double the CDC’s budget by bringing our troops home from Iraq and implementing other actions to reduce military spending.

Representative Ro Khanna isn’t holding back and neither should we. “We have underfunded our public health system for decades, directly leading to the mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis. We need to step up and support our doctors + scientists so they can save lives,” he said Wednesday, March 11.

Out of concern for public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps is bringing all its volunteer workers home. So why is the U.S. continuing to fight never-ending wars that have no military solution? Why do we continue to operate 800 U.S. military bases in 70 countries around the world at an estimated cost of $156 billion a year?

The Iraqi parliament voted overwhelmingly for U.S. troops to leave Iraq, the American public wants U.S. troops to leave Iraq, and if there was ever a time that the U.S. should be using all of its resources to care for its people at home, it is now! By pulling our troops out of Iraq, hundreds of millions of dollars could be moved to address coronavirus in the U.S. Contact Congress right now and tell them to double the budget for the CDC by cutting the Pentagon budget.

The coronavirus situation in Iran is dire: Infections are now over 14,500, there are over 850 deaths, and the virus is far from contained. Decades of U.S. war and interventions have devastated the Middle East, creating a tinderbox for the coronavirus pandemic. Now, more than ever, it is time for the world to come together to care for each other. Let’s start this at home by moving our budget from war to health care. Contact Congress now.

Towards peace,
Medea, Jodie, Ariel, Ann, Asia, Ayanni, Camille, Carley, Caty, Cody, Emily, Jodie, Kelsey, Leonardo, Makena, Medea, Michelle, Nancy, Paki, Teri, and Yousef

Continue Reading

Welcome Gift?

Make History

Reverse the "Terrorist" Designation on the Houthis!

Who is Censoring the Truth?

Show all posts

Be the first to comment


Sign in with

Facebook Twitter


Or sign in with email

    or Create an account


    Create an account

      or Sign in with email
      Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account.
      CODEPINK - Women for Peace
      seach
      • ACT NOW
      • ACTION CALENDAR
      • ACTION ALERTS
      • FOLLOW CODEPINK
      • VOLUNTEER: BE A PEACEMAKER
      • CODEPINK STORE
      • DONATE TO CODEPINK
      • RECOMMENDED MOVIES
      • RECOMMENDED BOOKS
      • ISSUES & CAMPAIGNS
      • DIVEST FROM THE WAR MACHINE
      • PALESTINE
      • ACCOUNTABILITY: EXPOSING WAR CRIMES
      • IRAN
      • SAUDI ARABIA
      • PRESIDENT FOR PEACE
      • LATIN AMERICA
      • THE PEACE COLLECTIVE
      • THE FEMINIST FOREIGN POLICY PROJECT
      • PINK UPDATES
      • LAST WEEK AT CODEPINK
      • ACTION ALERTS
      • PINK TANK ~ BLOG
      • CODEPINK WEBINARS
      • PRESS RELEASES
      • IN THE NEWS
      • BLOGS FROM IRAN
      • LOCAL PEACE ECONOMY DAILY
      • ABOUT
      • FOUNDERS & STAFF
      • WHAT IS CODEPINK
      • JOBS AND INTERNSHIPS
      • OUR ALLIES
      • CODEPINK ADVISORY BOARD
      • CONTACT US
      © 2021 CODEPINK | All Rights Reserved | Created by Code Nation on NationBuilder