Budget Matters Blog

Category: Military & Security


Who Won and Lost in Today's Budget Deal

Senate Budget Chair Patty Murray, and her House counterpart Rep. Paul Ryan, yesterday reached a deal determining federal spending for the next two years. But who won and who lost?


Lawmakers Called Cancer Treatment for Children "Nonessential"

The government shutdown allowed us to glimpse our lawmakers' values, and what we saw was ugly.


The Cost of Military Intervention in Syria

U.S. forces would use Tomahawk Cruise Missiles to attack Syria. On our brand-new Cost of National Security site, you can see the real-time cost of the Tomahawk Cruise Missile program. In 2013, the program is projected to cost U.S. taxpayers $320 million – or $36,563 every hour.


Recess is Over. Now, About That Budget and Debt Ceiling...

Congress returns to Washington next week, and they have a lot of work to get done. Use our fact sheets to brush up on the issues.


NPP's Numbers in the Wild: Cost of the Modern Soldier

Saul Page used NPP's numbers to create an infographic about the cost of the modern soldier. If you use our data in your work, let us know!


August Recess: Time for Home District Meetings with Congress

What's happening in Congress right now could alter this nation for years to come. NPP's new, easy-to-use fact sheets will help you understand contentious issues like taxes and Obamacare so you can decide for yourself and make your voice heard while lawmakers are close do home during the August recess.


Food Stamp Cuts Would Pull Benefits from 5,000 Military Families

When lawmakers in the House passed an agriculture bill last week that effectively eliminated funding for the food stamp program, they were pulling nutrition assistance from millions of at-risk families.


Cost of War Will Tackle New Terrain

For more than a decade National Priorities Project's Cost of War site has been keeping track of real-time federal spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But now the Cost of War site is going to tackle new terrain.


How Much Foreign Aid Does the U.S. Give Away?

Back in October I wrote a blog post here about how much the U.S. spends on diplomacy and foreign aid. "Very little," I wrote back then.


Top Five Things To Know About the Pentagon’s Budget Request

Last week the Obama Administration released its long-overdue budget request for fiscal year 2014. As part of the request, the administration is seeking $526.6 billion for the Pentagon. This amount does not including funding for wars or the nuclear weapons activities at the Department of Energy.  Here are five things ...