Support budget priorities for the common good, not war

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March 2003

FCNL: support budget priorities for the common good, not war
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FCNL: support budget priorities for the common good, not war
The following action items—a focus on federal policy issues currently before Congress or the Administration—are courtesy of the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL).

House and Senate
Budget Committees are moving rapidly to set the President's budget priorities in place for the coming year (Fiscal Year 2004). The committees are expected to mark up their versions of the budget resolution soon, setting priorities for revenues and expenditures. There are a number of skeptics in both parties who question the President's proposed tax cuts, the costs of the President's proposed war against Iraq, and the frozen or reduced spending the President is demanding for most other federal programs. These critics need to be encouraged to ask hard questions and to speak out against budget priorities that will undermine efforts to advance human security at home and abroad for years to come.

ACTION: Please contact your representative and senators. Urge them to speak out against wasting precious humanity, blood, and treasure on war against Iraq. Urge them to oppose more tax cuts for the wealthiest, to oppose more wasteful military spending, and to support increased investment in programs that advance human security at home and abroad.

COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IS EASY: Start with the sample letter posted at the FCNL Legislative Action Center, personalize the language, then email or fax your message directly from our site. You can also print it out and mail it.

BACKGROUND: The threat of war and its potential costs, deepening deficits, and the president's budget priorities are threatening to cause a fiscal train wreck that could easily derail prospects for advancing human development, economic security, energy alternatives, and environmental protection at home and abroad for years to come. The President's budget priorities include dramatic new and accelerated tax cuts ($1.4 trillion over ten years), another huge increase in military spending ($16.9 billion or 4.4 percent), increases in aid to allies in the war on terror and homeland security spending, and frozen or reduced budgets in most other areas of government activity. The cost to the Pentagon of fighting the war on terror ($28 billion so far) and a potential war in Iraq (approaching $100 billion in the first year alone) is extra-not counted in the President's budget proposal. Nor does the budget include any funding for humanitarian relief and reconstruction in a post-war Iraq, which will certainly be in the tens of billions.

Combined, these budget and policy priorities will deepen the federal deficit in FY03 alone to over $300 billion (or much more if the U.S. goes to war). These priorities will also undermine the capacity of the federal government to address growing human security challenges at home and abroad for years to come.

These are the wrong priorities for the country, especially at this time. The economy is staggering. There are growing numbers of people without jobs, in poverty, and without health insurance. Most states are on the verge of bankruptcy. Economic disparity is growing at home and abroad. The UN is predicting that the HIV/AIDS pandemic is likely to claim another 49 million victims this decade. The fear of war, the potential costs of war, and deepening deficits are all making matters worse, dragging the economy down, further reducing revenues, and undermining the government's capacity to address these growing needs. These budget priorities will hasten the day when the Social Security and Medicare trust funds become insolvent, threatening the future economic security for our aging population.

THE COSTS OF WAR VS. MEETING HUMAN NEEDS: CONSIDER THE CHOICES

$682 billion. The estimated total cost of potential war against Iraq, occupation, nation-building, reconstruction, humanitarian aid, claims and reparations (worst case scenario). OR Fill the gap between human development needs around the world and current funding levels for humanitarian and international development assistance for six years.
$105 billion. Occupy Iraq for five years with 150,000 troops in the first year, 100,000 in the second year, and 70,000 in years 3-5. OR Fully fund international efforts to meet World Health Organization treatment and prevention goals for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other common preventable and treatable diseases in the poorest countries for over three years.
$105 billion. Reconstruct Iraq after bombing and destroying it. OR Extend primary education to all children around the globe who are not currently enrolled for eight years.
$80 billion. Wage war against Iraq for six months with 350,000 troops. OR Fill the anticipated combined revenue shortfall for state governments in the U.S. this year.
$12 billion. Impose martial law on Iraq and support nation-building for five years. OR Extend access to clean water to the 960 million people who do not currently have access (about $9 billion). OR Expand school lunch programs to reach 300 million children and expand nutrition programs to 450 million women, infants, and pre-school children in the poorest countries for two years.
$1.3 billion. Operate an aircraft carrier battle group for one year (routine, non-war, operating cost). OR Provide health coverage for 950,000 children in the U.S. for one year.

For more information and sources, click here.

NEW IRAQ RESOLUTION INTRODUCED: On February 25, Reps. Brown (OH), Hoeffel (PA), and Tauscher (CA) introduced H.J. Res. 24, which would require the President to report to Congress and answer a number of troubling unanswered questions, prior to launching an invasion in Iraq. Has the Administration exhausted all reasonable diplomatic efforts? What are the potential costs and consequences - economic, political, and humanitarian, of a U.S.-led invasion and occupation? What are the risks related to potential terrorist attacks and national security? Is there sufficient international support for war?

Please ask your representatives to cosponsor H.J. Res. 24. For further information see the Legislative Message from February 21, 2003.

View the resolution: The world is questioning this war, Congress should too.

VIRTUAL MARCH SUCCEEDS, CONGRESS QUESTIONS WAR: On February 26, over one million calls, faxes, and emails calling for continued inspections and no war on Iraq poured into the Senate and White House (Win Without War coalition). Thank you for joining in this remarkable effort!

CONTACTING LEGISLATORS Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 or 800-839-5276

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Information on your members is available on FCNL's web site.

CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION White House Comment Desk: 202-456-1111 FAX: 202-456-2461 E-MAIL: president@whitehouse.gov WEB PAGE: http://www.whitehouse.gov

President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

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