Sign up for our next deep canvass phonebank and join the Fight For Our Future! In 2024, we’re having deep, compassionate, and impactful conversations with over 450 thousand voters to drive people to the polls and defend democracy.

Contact: Johanna Kichton, press@peoplesaction.org, 202.660.0605

WASHINGTON, D.C.—People’s Action today released the following statement by Director of Federal Affairs Megan Essaheb as the Senate debates the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act:

“It’s rich that some senators will soon greenlight a bill, written and lobbied for by defense contractors and corporations who profit off forever wars, while failing to fully fund critical housing, pre-K, and paid leave programs in President Biden’s Build Back Better Act. That’s on top of their blatant refusal to include live-saving and life-changing programs like dental and vision for older seniors, clean energy for utilities, and free community college.

“This NDAA gives $768 billion to military and national security programs for this year alone, while only $550 billion was allocated to combat climate change over time in the Build Back Better Act in the House–and that might be slashed further in the Senate. We’ll spend more in a single year on defense than we will over 10 years on climate action.

“We will face profound threats that will impact all of us, especially frontline communities hit first and worst by climate catastrophe and generations of disinvestment. We need to invest in sustainable housing, climate infrastructure, and quality health care now instead of bloating our military budget further to win wars that should have never been started.”

###

People’s Action is a national network of 40 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations in 30 states, united in fighting for justice. We operate the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. People’s Action and its member organizations coordinated one of the biggest distributed organizing programs in rural areas this past election season.

###
Press Contact
Johanna Kichton

(202) 660-0605

About People’s Action

People’s Action is a national network of 38 state and local grassroots, power-building organizations united in fighting for justice. Our organization recently released a vision for a national Homes Guarantee that has already prompted major legislation from champions including U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib. We operate the largest progressive rural organizing project in the country. Prior to endorsing Sen. Bernie Sanders for president, we completed a national forum series that The Nation called “the most in-depth, people-powered forum” of the 2020 cycle.”

Copy Link