Dear Friends,
 Later this week, Congressional budget leaders are set to make a deal that may preserve the Pentagon's massive and wasteful warmaking budget. Or they can decide to restore food stamps for hungry families and many other social programs.
FOR has joined more than 100 organizations that will present petitions tomorrow - International Human Rights Day - to Senate Budget Committee chair Patty Murray and Rep. Paul Ryan, to fund critical social needs, protecting Social Security, and expanding Medicare coverage for all by cutting military spending by 25 to 50%.
Sign the petition today that we will deliver to Capitol Hill tomorrow for substantial cuts in military spending and restoring and protecting programs for health, education, green investment, and social security.
Second, call Sen. Patty Murray's office (202-224-2621) to urge cutting Pentagon spending. If you live in Oregon, Wisconsin, Michigan, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Delaware, Virginia, or Florida, we strongly urge you to call the Senate Democrats from those states on the budget conference committee that will cast key votes on a budget deal. (see below)
An overall budget resolution is expected to be adopted by Congress this Friday, according to the deal ending the government shutdown. Please join us in calling for long overdue reductions in military spending in order to meet dire needs at home and reinvest in our future.
"Money in itself is morally neutral, but what we do with money has ultimate moral significance," says FOR Executive Director Rev. Kristin Stoneking. "Our runaway military spending impairs and diminishes the very soul of our country as we ignore needs for food, jobs and health care among our citizens, and perpetuate a culture of violence abroad. Redirecting millions away from exporting violence and toward creating a culture of peace at home by responding to the basic needs of Americans is not only wise but right."
The groups have launched a petition for individuals and sign-on letter for organizations calling for cuts of 25-50% in the trillion dollar military budget that accounts for 53% of all discretionary federal spending. We also call on Congress to stop the massive waste and fraud in Pentagon spending, war profiteering by military contractors, and the revolving door between government and military industries.
Groups initiating the campaign include peace, human service, economic and environmental justice organizations, food sovereignty and green energy groups, and grassroots community organizations.
The biggest challenge isn't convincing voters - it is convincing Congress to side with taxpayers rather than campaign contributors. A poll by The Hill found that 49% of respondents support cutting military spending, while just 23 percent said they would support slashing Social Security and Medicare. Americans on average want to reduce military spending by 18 percent, despite the barrage of propaganda to the contrary.
"It is time to heed the warning of former President Eisenhower about the Congressional-military-industrial complex. We can either feed the Pentagon, or feed, house, educate and serve the American people," says Mark Dunlea, Director of the Hunger Action Network of New York.
Please join this growing call now for cutting military spending, so that our society - and the world - may live.
If you live in any of the following states, please call the offices of Senate Democrats in budget conference committee:
Delaware - Sen. Chris Coons - 202-224-5042
Florida - Sen. Bill Nelson - 202-224-5274
Maine - Sen. Angus King - 202-224-5344
Michigan - Sen. Debbie Stabenow - 202-224-4822
Oregon - Sen. Ron Wyden - 202-224-5244
Oregon - Sen. Jeff Merkley - 202-224-3753
Rhode Island - Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse - 202-224-2921
Virgnia - Sen. Mark Warner - 202-224-2023
Virginia - Sen. Tim Kaine - 202-224-4024
Vermont - Sen. Bernie Sanders - 202-224-5141
Washington - Sen. Patty Murray - 202-224-2621
Wisconsin - Sen. Tammy Baldwin - 202-224- 5653
Urge Members of Congress to focus on:
- Adequately funding critical social needs, including food stamps, Social Security, improved and expanded Medicare for all, and public education including college
- Cutting the bloated and war-inducing Pentagon budget
- Rebuilding vital infrastructure
Thank you for joining thousands of others in taking action today.
In peace,
The FOR-USA Staff
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