Budget Matters Blog


As climate change worsens, the United States under-delivers on finance promises to hardest hit countries

On the campaign trail, Joe Biden promised to “lead a major diplomatic push to raise the ambitions of countries’ climate targets.” But the U.S. continues to under-deliver on climate finance as military spending soars.  


It’s Time to Divest from Systems of Harm and Build an Infrastructure of Care

With the passage of the latest budget package Congress crudely showed us their firm and long standing commitment to inequality, corporate greed, and military spending. We won’t stand for it.


Military Aid to Ukraine Balloons — But We Need Diplomacy and Funding for Human Needs

Pentagon budget boosters are using the Russian invasion of Ukraine as an excuse for higher military spending, on top of an already record high military budget.


What's in the FY 2022 budget deal for the military?

The budget deal announced today continues a longstanding trend of overfunding the military and underfunding domestic and human needs, providing $782 billion for the miltiary and only $730 billion for domestic priorities. 


Biden's State of the Union address showcased disconnect in spending priorities

President Biden called for major new investments in people, communities, and infrastructure in his State of the Union address. But his calls fly in the face of the real spending patterns in this country, where military spending is routinely larger than spending on early childhood education, public K-12 education, job training, housing, public health, and medical and scientific research combined.


Biden may push the military budget above $800 billion. Do you feel safe yet?

It’s unconscionable to pour more money into the Pentagon while the country comes apart at the seams. There’s still time for the Biden administration to pull back and stop the endless spending, just as it made a major step toward ending our endless wars.


We Shouldn't Have to Rely on the National Guard for Basic Services

Guard members have stepped up heroically during the pandemic. If we invested in more than just the military, maybe they wouldn’t have to.


The US COMPETES with China — At What Cost?

The House passed a sweeping bill to counter China economically, the America COMPETES Act, with $52 billion for fund the production of computer chips. What else could that pay for?


Will the U.S. Stoke War in Ukraine While the World Burns?

As usual, there are no military solutions, and a heap of other dire problems are being relegated to lower priority status in the meantime. It’s time for the U.S. to evolve - to look for diplomatic solutions, and start to address all of the world’s problems.


From the Climate Crisis to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Our Militarized Budget Fuels Injustice

While climate change fuels migration, the United States hardens its southern border instead of investing in real sources of safety for people in this country and around the world.