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WASHINGTON – Win Without War and Public Citizen released the following statement regarding President Biden’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 federal budget, which would significantly increase Pentagon spending by $31 billion over the previous year:

Robert Weissman, President of Public Citizen:

“More money for the Pentagon will make America more insecure. It certainly won’t make us safer. The United States already spends more than 10 times what Russia does on the military. Pentagon spending didn’t help mitigate the Covid pandemic. It hasn’t helped prevent or mitigate the threat of catastrophic climate change. On the other hand, more money for the Pentagon does steal money from other priority needs that would make America stronger, safer, and more just.

“Why should an agency famous for mismanagement, cost overruns, and fraud – and which cannot pass an audit – be gifted even more money?

“It’s past time to reallocate funding away from military-industrial greed and to meet urgent human needs.”

Stephen Miles, President of Win Without War:

“There is no better testament to the horrifically misplaced priorities of our federal budget than yet another massive increase in spending for the Pentagon coming as our nation closes in on one million deaths from the Covid pandemic.

“There is no doubt that the 21st century is a dangerous time. From deadly pandemics to a climate in crisis to the rise of global authoritarianism, people in the United States and around the world desperately need our governments investing in genuine safety and security. Yet too many in Washington wrongly believe that buying more bombs is the only solution.

“Now is the time to reject this failed thinking and start investing in a new security paradigm for the threats of today and tomorrow.”

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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.

Public Citizen is a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power.