Arkansas WAND » Congress

Speak up! Military Spending cuts at risk!

JoAnne — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:52:51 +0000

Dear WAND Supporter,

There are some in Congress who want to keep us from bringing military spending under control. Don’t let them do it!

Under last year’s deficit deal, military and domestic programs are supposed to be cut equally over the next ten years. So far, the Pentagon has barely been nicked. The Defense Department put out its budget plans for the next five years showing the Pentagon budget shrinking modestly for one year and then growing again. Meanwhile domestic programs needed to strengthen our struggling economy have suffered massive cuts.

Now some in Congress want to stop the clock, suspend next year’s cuts, and establish the principle that military spending cannot be touched. It’s up to us to say “NO!”

Congressional supporters of the military industrial complex are rejecting limits on military spending. They’ve churned out a distortion-packed video, Congressman Buck McKeon has filed “stop the cuts” legislation in the House, and now Senator McCain is promoting similar Senate legislation. They’ve even released an “ Economic Impact Report” on Pentagon cuts that is at odds with the very sound University of Massachusetts analysis showing that far more jobs are created when we invest federal dollars in other sectors like education and clean energy.

It’s the Pentagon or us. Let’s help Congress make the right choice. Tell them to speak out for real Pentagon cuts and real domestic spending increases.

Write your Senators. Click here to send an automatic email to your Senators.

Write your Representative. Click here to send an automatic email to your Representative.

We need to cut Pentagon spending and prevent it from eating up more of the federal budget. There is no way we can recover from the recession if we don’t cut military spending and shift hundreds of billions of dollars to the jobs and services we need in our communities.

Support the SANE act, a Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures

JoAnne — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:20:24 +0000

Congressman Ed Markey (D-MA) has introduced the Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures (SANE) Act, H.R. 3974, to reduce nuclear weapons spending.

It’s time for us to cut excessive, out of control and frankly insane spending on nuclear weapons. As Congressman Markey says, “America’s nuclear weapons budget is locked in a Cold War time machine.”

Our country now has pressing economic concerns and 21^st century security needs that won’t be met with Cold War spending and strategy. It’s time for a smarter strategic approach to the nuclear weapons budget. The SANE Act offers concrete areas where we can stop spending on nuclear weapons. A copy of the bill is available here for your review. Please urge your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3974, the SANE Act, to reduce nuclear weapons spending.

See Congressman Markey as he introduces the SANE Act .

The 37 Members of Congress who have already co-sponsored the SANE Act are listed below.

If your Representative is not listed, please click here and urge them to co-sponsor today!

(in alphabetical order)

Tim Bishop (NY),

Robert Brady (PA),

Bruce Braley (IA),

Earl Blumenauer (OR),

Donna Christensen (VI),

Hansen Clarke (MI ),

John Conyers (MI),

Peter DeFazio

Keith Ellison (MN),

Anna Eshoo (CA),

Sam Farr (CA)

Bob Filner (CA),

Barney Frank (MA),

Raul Grijalva (AZ),

Alcee Hastings (FL),

Maurice Hinchey (NY)

Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC),

Mike Honda (CA),

Rush Holt (NJ),

Jesse Jackson, Jr (IL),

Marcy Kaptur (OH),

Dennis Kucinich (OH),

Barbara Lee (CA),

John Lewis (GA),

Carolyn Maloney (NY),

Jim McDermott (WA),

James McGovern (MA),

Jerrold Nadler (NY),

John Olver (MA),

Donald Payne (NJ)

Jared Polis (CO),

Charles Rangel (NY)

Laura Richardson (CA),

Louise Slaughter (NY),

Pete Stark (CA),

John Tierney (MA),

Lynn Woolsey (CA)

691 Massachusetts Ave. | Arlington, MA 02476 US

New START wins in the U.S. Senate!

Arkansas WAND — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 02:00:43 +0000

In a dramatic show of bi-partisan support for national security, the United States Senate voted today to give its advice and consent to pass the Resolution of Ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) by a vote of 71 to 26. A roll call vote is available here.

“This holiday, the Senate gave up partisan bickering and agreed with civilian and military leaders, activists, religious and state elected leaders, as well as a long list of former administrations’ experts. It was the perfect gift of security for the nation,” stated Susan Shaer, Executive Director of WAND, Women’s Action for New Directions.

The New START Treaty replaces the 15-year-old treaty that expired in December of 2009. A 2/3 vote of those present and voting was needed for passage. In the days leading up to the vote on December 22^nd, WAND watched as Republicans, one by one, declared first their support to bring up the treaty, then vote to end debate (cloture), and finally committed that they would vote in favor of the treaty itself.

We continued to work vigilantly for this treaty’s ratification until all votes were counted. With this decisive victory, all WAND and WiLL^*members let out a collective sigh. “Nice. Peace on earth, good will to all and a real step forward for security,” commented Kathy Robinson, WAND’s Public Policy Director.

WAND sent out countless alerts, trained activists from targeted states, led meetings with Senators, coordinated with state-based organizations, placed op-eds and letters to the editor, spoke on the radio, circulated petitions and sign on letters, placed ads, made thousands of phone calls, and re-energized those who know in their hearts and heads that contemporary challenges need a contemporary response- and that the Cold War is over.

To the WAND Chapters and WiLL members who stepped up and took on this subject with vigor, and to the new partners and friends we made along the way: Congratulations!

We couldn’t have done it without you.

Best,

The WAND/WiLL Team

Susan, Nan, Sharon, Kathy, Adzi, Sara, Maureen, Elizabeth, Elaina, Franck, and Julie

P.S. - We’re happy to help if you’d like to write a letter to the editor about New START’s success. Please contact Kathy Robinson at krobinson@wand.org. We also encourage you to write a note of thanks to Senators who voted to ratify this essential treaty. Read the voices of women who have spoken out for START here.