from United for Peace and Justice
[NOTE: Pax Christi USA Executive Director Sr. Patrica Chappell, SNDdeN has signed onto this statement.]
Congress is poised once again to sacrifice domestic security in the service of unnecessary wars and the profits of defense contractors. The FY 2013 Defense Appropriations bill, which includes $519 billion for the Pentagon’s base budget and$88.5 billion for the war in Afghanistan is expected to reach the House floor this week. This represents 57% of all federal appropriations for the coming year. Click here for a more detailed account.
Under the Budget Control Act passed last August, if military funding is approved at this level it will mean significant cuts to vitally needed social programs, including nutrition, education, housing, job training and health care for the poor.
Since 2001, the Pentagon budget, including the wars, has grown almost three times as fast as appropriations for domestic programs.* These choices have cut or reduced the “safety net” for millions of Americans, weakened our domestic institutions, sacrificed the lives and well-being of our own soldiers, and brought immense suffering to people in other nations. New funding caps have squeezed domestic priorities even more. For example, adult job training, children’s mental health, substance abuse treatment, home heating assistance for the poor, community development funds and grants for adult education have all been cut from 2010 to 2012…