Defund War, Invest in our Communities

We need to defund war and invest in our communities. 

Since 2001 we have spent $6.4 trillion on total military spending, meaning that in the past 19 years Americans have spent $23,386 each on war and underinvested in the needs of our communities. We need to defund the Pentagon, end the militarization of our police, and end military aid to human rights abusers around the world NOW.

In 2020, the Pentagon budget was $740 billion-- about half of which went directly into the hands of private contractors, not our troops. Since 1990, the Pentagon has sent over $7.4 billion worth of “surplus” military equipment to local police departments, bringing the full force of the U.S. military home to terrorize people of color and the working class. On top of our bloated Pentagon and municipal police budgets, we also send billions of our tax dollars in military aid to human rights abusers around the world.

Historic protests in cities across the US have created a growing awareness that in order to address systemic racism, an ongoing climate crisis, and the needs of working people we must defund the police and defund war. Now is the time to follow their leadership and work towards creating a society which addresses security by investing in human needs, not endless war and militarization. 

Did your Congressional Representative vote to cut the Pentagon Budget by 10%?

Earlier this year, our representatives had an opportunity to vote for historic legislation which would have cut the Pentagon budget by 10%. If your representative failed to vote to cut the Pentagon Budget by 10%, it’s time to hold them accountable. A report out from Sludge showed that members of Congress who voted against the 10% cut to the Pentagon budget received 3.4X more campaign contributions from weapons manufacturers. We need to demand that they stop taking campaign contributions from weapons manufacturers.

How did your representative vote? Find the final list of YES and NO votes below, then take action!

Did your Congressional Representative vote to cut the Pentagon Budget by 10%?

✅If yes, thank them for their support and ask that they join the newly formed Defense Spending Reduction Caucus here.

❌If not, they have blood on their hands! Take action to demand that they stop taking campaign contributions from weapons manufacturers and hold them accountable here. 

These Representatives voted to cut the Pentagon Budget by 10%. Contact them here to thank them and ask that they join the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus to continue to build power in Congress! 

These Representatives voted against a 10% cut to the Pentagon Budget. This is unacceptable and they have blood on their hands! We need to hold them accountable. Click here to demand that they stop taking campaign contributions from weapons manufacturers.

Here are educational resources about defunding war:

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