[haw-info] Act Now! Oppose New Pentagon Spending!

Unchecked Military Spending Threatens National Security!

Call Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121 or email your Representative today! For contact information: http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/

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 will reach the House floor for a vote possibly as early as today. This represents 57% of all federal discretionary spending for the coming year. For more detailed account: http://armscontrolcenter.org/policy/securityspending/articles/fy13_hac/.

What's different: 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.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee -the only member of Congress to vote against the war in Afghanistan in 2001--will be working with colleagues to introduce amendments that would end the fighting there and cut the overall Pentagon budget:

In contacting your representative, please urge them to:

*Support amendments by Lee and others, which would end the war in Afghanistan and reduce the military budget.

*Oppose the FY 2013 Defense Appropriations bill containing $603.5 billion.

Among the many reasons to deny passage of the bill:

• It insures that the costly and ineffective military approach to the threat of "terrorism" will be perpetuated -that Americans and Afghans will continue to die in the service of a failed military policy.
• It continues the use of "drones," Special Operations and the illegal policy of assassination, which is killing civilians and making new enemies around the world.
• It deprives our states and cities of the funds they need to insure that all of their residents have access to adequate food, shelter, education and health care.
• It comes at the expense of investing in our future and funding infrastructure and public programs that are the most effective form of job creation.

Please forward this message widely and quickly to family and friends.

To let us know you made the call and any feedback: hiscze@aol.com

 

Carolyn Eisenberg and Edrene McKay for the HAW Steering Committee.