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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(107,080 posts)
Fri Apr 9, 2021, 07:23 PM Apr 2021

Bernie Sanders expresses 'serious concerns' over Biden proposal for modest increase in Pentagon

spending

The Biden administration is requesting $753 billion in spending on the US military in its first, $1.5 trillion budget blueprint, disappointing progressives and prompting "serious concerns" from the chairman of the Senate committee that will ultimately decide just how much to appropriate.

In a proposal released Friday, the White House requested a 1.7% increase in national security spending, including $715 billion for the Department of Defense. Accounting for inflation, that is roughly the same amount that Congress approved in 2020.

But liberal Democrats had been hoping for more. Last year, members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus pushed for a 10% cut in defense spending, arguing that the money - over half of US discretionary spending - could be put to better use funding social programs, especially amid a pandemic.

Sen. Bernie Sanders said the request bothered him.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/bernie-sanders-expresses-serious-concerns-over-biden-proposal-for-modest-increase-in-pentagon-spending/ar-BB1fuoLh
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WA-03 Democrat

(3,017 posts)
5. Great idea!
Fri Apr 9, 2021, 08:09 PM
Apr 2021

For some reason this is the only government agency that I know to never have had an audit. I think it is way past time.

tirebiter

(2,520 posts)
3. This Progressive sees continued threats from the Communist bloc
Fri Apr 9, 2021, 08:05 PM
Apr 2021

Eastern Europe, the Arctic, the Pacific, the Cape of Hope, The Middle East, and this hemisphere all need to be watched, especially the last in terms of dealing with the response to climate change which is already happening

betsuni

(25,126 posts)
8. "Modest increase" -- "A large chunk of that increase is to pay for the pay raise for men and women
Fri Apr 9, 2021, 08:37 PM
Apr 2021

in uniform and the civilians that support them." The budget is roughly the same amount approved last year. A more detailed spending proposal will be revealed by the administration in the coming months.

That doesn't sound like anything to be seriously concerned over. Minimizing the military budget is a long-term goal and this is a first budget, the pay raise was announced last December.

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