A group of 50 House lawmakers has asked President Biden to reassess spending priorities by reducing the Department of Defense’s budget to help pay for public health, research and other activities.
“Hundreds of billions of dollars now directed to the military would have greater return if invested in diplomacy, humanitarian aid, global public health, sustainability initiatives and basic research,” the lawmakers wrote in a March 16th letter to the president.
“We could cut the Pentagon budget by more than ten percent and still spend more than the next ten largest militaries combined,” they added.
They urged the president to consider their request as the administration prepares its budget proposal for fiscal year 2022. The House lawmakers who signed the letter include Reps. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., Mark Pocan, D-Wis., and Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass.