CDC: $11 Billion vs. Pentagon: $738 Billion
From the time we started CODEPINK almost 20 years ago, we have been saying, “Fund Healthcare, Not Warfare.” The spread of COVID-19 has exposed a rot at the center of American society: that we siphon 55% of our discretionary budget into the Pentagon — $738 billion — while we allocate only 1.5% of that — $11 billion — to the Centers for Disease Control.
ACTION: Tell Congress to double the CDC’s budget by cutting money to the Pentagon.
(March 17, 2020) — The coronavirus pandemic is sweeping across America, and our public health system is totally unprepared and underfunded. Meanwhile, our government keeps pouring more money into the military to wage endless wars. This week marks 17 years since the US military has been in Iraq. Rather than putting all our energy into fighting coronavirus, the US just carried out another round of senseless airstrikes in Iraq and is increasing tensions with Iran — a country wracked by coronavirus.
If there was ever a time to bring our troops home, use diplomacy and work together to fight this tragic pandemic, it is now!
In 2018 the Trump administration disbanded its global health security team and in 2020 it cut the CDC’s center for animal-to-human transmitted infectious diseases by 20 percent. As the CDC’s budget was being slashed, the US military budget increased by $82 billion in 2020.
We spend $738 billion on the Pentagon (even before the Trump administration, enormous military spending was the order of the day), while the CDC budget languishes with only $11 billion — 1.5% of what the military receives. Join us in telling Congress to double the CDC’s budget by bringing our troops home from Iraq and implementing other actions to reduce military spending.
Representative Ro Khanna isn’t holding back and neither should we. “We have underfunded our public health system for decades, directly leading to the mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis. We need to step up and support our doctors + scientists so they can save lives,” he said Wednesday, March 11.
The CDC’s budget is 1.5% of the defense budget. We should double it. We have underfunded our public health system for decades, directly leading to the mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis. We need to step up and support our doctors + scientists so they can save lives.
Out of concern for public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps is bringing all its volunteer workers home. So why is the US continuing to fight never-ending wars that have no military solution? Why do we continue to operate 800 US military bases in 70 countries around the world at an estimated cost of $156 billion a year?
The Iraqi parliament voted overwhelmingly for US troops to leave Iraq, the American public wants US troops to leave Iraq, and if there was ever a time that the US should be using all of its resources to care for its people at home, it is now! By pulling our troops out of Iraq, hundreds of millions of dollars could be moved to address coronavirus in the US Contact Congress right now and tell them to double the budget for the CDC by cutting the Pentagon budget.
The coronavirus situation in Iran is dire: Infections are now over 14,500, there are over 850 deaths, and the virus is far from contained. Decades of US war and interventions have devastated the Middle East, creating a tinderbox for the coronavirus pandemic. Now, more than ever, it is time for the world to come together to care for each other. Let’s start this at home by moving our budget from war to health care. Contact Congress now.
Overseas Supporters Can Sign This Petition:
Dear Congress:
In 2018 the Trump administration disbanded its global health security team. At the same time, the Administration asked for a 10 percent budget cut to the CDC’s center for animal-to-human transmitted infectious diseases in 2018, a 19 percent cut in 2019, and a 20 percent cut in 2020.
As the CDC’s budget was being cut, the US military budget increased by $82 billion in 2020. While we spend $738 billion on the Pentagon (even before the Trump administration, enormous military spending was the order of the day), the CDC budget is ridiculously small.
I ask to immediately double the CDC’s budget and to take that money from the Pentagon. Additionally, we must immediately remove US troops from Iraq. The Iraqi parliament wants the US military out of their country and the US public wants the US military out of Iraq. The money and resources we use for the military only feeds endless wars and wrecks havoc overseas. Now, with COVID-19, it is putting the US public, and the world’s health in peril.
Thank you, Towards peace, Medea, Jodie, Ariel, Ann, Asia, Ayanni, Camille, Carley, Caty, Cody, Emily, Jodie, Kelsey, Leonardo, Makena, Medea, Michelle, Nancy, Paki, Teri, and Yousef
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
