FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 18, 2024
Media Contact: Melissa Garriga | [email protected]
CODEPINK’s Statement on the Passage of the 2025 Pentagon Budget
CODEPINK is disappointed in the passage of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which allocates nearly $1 trillion in taxpayer dollars to weapons and warfare while essential services like healthcare, education, food, and housing remain underfunded. Half of the budget will go directly to the pockets of private military companies in the form of contracts and weapons deals. On top of the massive topline and the large allocation to private companies, the Pentagon has never been able to pass an audit. Much like every Pentagon budget before, this money will be largely unaccounted for, with very little transparency. This budget is a huge slap in the face to working-class families who are struggling to make ends meet.
The FY2025 NDAA prioritizes war over peace, including $9.9 billion for a potential war with China, $600 million for Israel’s genocide in Palestine, $300 million for Ukraine, and $49.2 billion for nuclear weapons. A vast majority of Americans want to stop sending money and weapons to Israel and Ukraine – this budget is blatantly going against the will of the public. Meanwhile, nearly 40 million Americans live in poverty, 45,000 die annually from lack of healthcare, and climate disasters cost us $150 billion a year.
The Pentagon called “people” its most “valuable asset” in this year’s request, promising to take care of soldiers by giving some a 14.5% raise. Meanwhile, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, real average hourly earnings in the U.S. increased just 1.3% from 2023 to 2024. Not to mention when soldiers who are receiving these raises come home, they are met with meager veterans benefits. Over 30,000 veterans in the United States are homeless and even more struggle to access the healthcare they need. And if our government truly cared about the people, they would be passing bills that actually meet the people’s needs. As people struggle to find work, we should be investing in education, training programs, and green jobs. The “defense” budget could instead create 5.34 million clean energy jobs annually.
People are fed up with endless war and poverty, it’s time the pentagon budget starts reflecting that reality. It’s also beyond time for our government to start investing in the futures of its people instead of death and destruction all over the planet. CODEPINK will continue to advocate for investments in life-affirming programs and divestment from war.
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