Rising Resistance to Supporting the US War Budget

Gar Smith / Environmentalists Against War

(December 13, 2020) — On December 8, Congress voted on H.R. 6395, the House version of National Defense Authorization Act. This year’s NDAA — approaching three-quarters of $1 trillion — consumes more than half of the nation’s entire discretionary budget. The NDAA included a 3 percent increase in military pay. That is more than double the 1.3 percent Cost of Living Increase granted to retired civilians.

Typically, a vote on funding the Pentagon passes with near-unanimity. Not so this year. According to House Roll Call 238, 78 Representatives cast a “Nay” vote for passing the Pentagon’s $740 billion budget. The bill was supported by 140 Republicans and 195 Democrats. More Republicans (40) voted against the massive spending bill than Democrats (37)

Here Is the List of House War Resisters

Justin Amash [I] Michigan

Brian Babin [R] Texas

Nanette Diaz Barragán [D] California

Andy Biggs [R] Arizona

Dan Bishop [R] North Carolina

Earl Blumenauer [D] Oregon

Suzanne Bonamici [D] Oregon

Brendan Boyle [D] Pennsylvania

Ken Buck [R] Colorado

Ted Budd [R] North Carolina

Tim Burchett [R] Tennessee

Judy Chu [D] California

Yvette Clark [D] New York

Michael Cloud [R] Texas

Warren Davisdon [R] Ohio

Diana DeGette [D] Colorado

Mark DeSaulnier [D] California

Michael F. Doyle [D] Pennsylvania

Jeff Duncan [R] South Carolina

Adriano Espaillat [D] New York

Russ Fulcher [R] Idaho

Tulsi Gabbard [D] Hawaii

Jesus Garcia [D] Illinois

Louis Gohmert [D] Texas

Lance Gooden [R] Texas

Paul Gosar [R] Arizona

Morgan Griffith [R] Virginia

Andy Harris [R] Maryland

Jody Hice [R] Georgia

Clay Higgins [R] Louisiana

Jared Huffman [D] California

Pramila Jayapal [D] Washington

Jim Jordan [R] Ohio

Joe Kennedy [D] Massachusetts

Ro Khanna [D] California

Dan Kildee [D] Michigan

Barbara Lee [D] California

Andy Levin [D] Michigan

Billy Long [R] Missouri

Carolyn B. Maloney [D] New York

Massie [R] Kentucky

Brian Mast [R] Florida

Tom McClintock [R] California

Jim McGovern [D] Massachusetts

Grace Meng [D] New York

Alex Mooney [R] West Virginia

Gwen Moore [D] Wisconsin

Jerry Nadler [D] New York

Joe Neguse [D] Colorado

Norman [R] South Carolina

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [D] New York

Ilhan Oman [D] Minnesota

Greg Pence [R] Indiana

Scott Perry [R] Pennsylvania

Mark Pocan [D] Wisconsin

Bill Posey [R] Florida

Ayanna Pressley [D] Massachusetts

Jamie Raskin [D] Maryland

Tom Rice [R] South Carolina

David Rouzer [R] North Carolina

Chip Roy [R] Texas

Steve Scalise [R] Louisiana

Jan Schakowsky [D] Illinois

David Schweikert [R] Arizona

José Serrano [D] New York

Jason Smith [R] Missouri

Adrian Smith [R] Nebraska

Tom Tiffany [R] Wisconsin

Rashida Tlaib [D] Michigan

Nydia Velázquez [D] New York

Watson Coleman [D] New Jersey

Peter Welch [D] Vermont

Ted Yoho [R] Florida

Here Is the List of Senate War Resisters

On December 11, the US Senate voted to approve S.4049, the National Defense Authorization Act. According to the US Senate Roll Call, 84 Senators voted for the massive package while 13 cast a “Nay” vote. (Three senators did not vote.)

The Senators who voted against the huge transfer of wealth to the military included seven Republicans, five Democrats, and one Independent:

Cory Booker [D] New Jersey

Mike Braun [R] Indiana

Tom Cotton [R] Arkansas

Ted Cruz [R] Texas

Josh Hawley [R] Missouri

John Kennedy [R] Louisiana

Mike Lee [R] Utah

Ed Markey [D] Massachusetts

Jeff Merkley [D] Oregon

Rand Paul [R] Kentucky

Bernie Sanders [I] Vermont

Elizabeth Warren [D] Massachusetts

Ron Wyden [D] Oregon

Not voting: Lindsey Graham [R] South Carolina, Kamala Harris [D] California, and Mike Rounds [R] South Dakota