
Democratic presidential hopeful Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders participates during the fourth Democratic primary debate of the 2020 presidential campaign. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
'Not What Resistance to Trump Looks Like': Bernie Sanders Rips Senate for Passing $738 Billion Pentagon Budget
"We need to fundamentally change our priorities as a nation," said the 2020 Democratic candidate as military spending bill heads to president's desk.
Sen. Bernie Sanders condemned passage of a massive $738 billion Pentagon spending bill in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, declaring: "this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like."
The final vote in the Senate was 86 in favor, 8 voting against, and 6 members--including Sanders, out on the campaign trail--who did not vote. Also not voting were the other three U.S. Senators still running as 2020 presidential candidates: Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Amy Klobuchar. Having already cleared the U.S. House, the bill is now head to President Donald Trump's desk where he is expected to sign it.
"Congress just passed a $738 billion defense package," tweeted Sanders following the vote, along with a video denouncing the enormous sums devoted year after year to military expenditures. "We spend more on defense than China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, the U.K., France, Japan, Germany, South Korea, and Brazil ...combined. We need to fundamentally change our priorities as a nation."
\u201cCongress just passed a $738 billion defense package. We spend more on defense than:\n\nChina\nSaudi Arabia\nRussia\nIndia\nUK\nFrance\nJapan\nGermany\nSouth Korea\nBrazil\n\n...combined.\n\nWe need to fundamentally change our priorities as a nation.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1576616947
Following the vote, Sanders also shared a video featuring Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) who condemned the passage of the NDAA in the U.S. House last week. In the wake of the House vote, Khanna called the NDAA's approval "an astonshing act of moral cowardice" and a "complete capitulation to the White House" by Democrats. Khanna has endorsed Sanders in his 2020 presidential bid and acts as national co-chair for the campaign.
In his tweet of the video, Sanders said, "Rep. Ro Khanna is right--this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like."
\u201cThe United States Congress just passed a $738 billion giveaway for arms manufacturers, Pentagon lobbyists, and unconstitutional wars. \n\n@RepRoKhanna is right\u2014this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1576614228
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. The final deadline for our crucial Summer Campaign fundraising drive is just days away, and we’re falling short of our must-hit goal. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Sen. Bernie Sanders condemned passage of a massive $738 billion Pentagon spending bill in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, declaring: "this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like."
The final vote in the Senate was 86 in favor, 8 voting against, and 6 members--including Sanders, out on the campaign trail--who did not vote. Also not voting were the other three U.S. Senators still running as 2020 presidential candidates: Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Amy Klobuchar. Having already cleared the U.S. House, the bill is now head to President Donald Trump's desk where he is expected to sign it.
"Congress just passed a $738 billion defense package," tweeted Sanders following the vote, along with a video denouncing the enormous sums devoted year after year to military expenditures. "We spend more on defense than China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, the U.K., France, Japan, Germany, South Korea, and Brazil ...combined. We need to fundamentally change our priorities as a nation."
\u201cCongress just passed a $738 billion defense package. We spend more on defense than:\n\nChina\nSaudi Arabia\nRussia\nIndia\nUK\nFrance\nJapan\nGermany\nSouth Korea\nBrazil\n\n...combined.\n\nWe need to fundamentally change our priorities as a nation.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1576616947
Following the vote, Sanders also shared a video featuring Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) who condemned the passage of the NDAA in the U.S. House last week. In the wake of the House vote, Khanna called the NDAA's approval "an astonshing act of moral cowardice" and a "complete capitulation to the White House" by Democrats. Khanna has endorsed Sanders in his 2020 presidential bid and acts as national co-chair for the campaign.
In his tweet of the video, Sanders said, "Rep. Ro Khanna is right--this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like."
\u201cThe United States Congress just passed a $738 billion giveaway for arms manufacturers, Pentagon lobbyists, and unconstitutional wars. \n\n@RepRoKhanna is right\u2014this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1576614228
Sen. Bernie Sanders condemned passage of a massive $738 billion Pentagon spending bill in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, declaring: "this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like."
The final vote in the Senate was 86 in favor, 8 voting against, and 6 members--including Sanders, out on the campaign trail--who did not vote. Also not voting were the other three U.S. Senators still running as 2020 presidential candidates: Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Amy Klobuchar. Having already cleared the U.S. House, the bill is now head to President Donald Trump's desk where he is expected to sign it.
"Congress just passed a $738 billion defense package," tweeted Sanders following the vote, along with a video denouncing the enormous sums devoted year after year to military expenditures. "We spend more on defense than China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, India, the U.K., France, Japan, Germany, South Korea, and Brazil ...combined. We need to fundamentally change our priorities as a nation."
\u201cCongress just passed a $738 billion defense package. We spend more on defense than:\n\nChina\nSaudi Arabia\nRussia\nIndia\nUK\nFrance\nJapan\nGermany\nSouth Korea\nBrazil\n\n...combined.\n\nWe need to fundamentally change our priorities as a nation.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1576616947
Following the vote, Sanders also shared a video featuring Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) who condemned the passage of the NDAA in the U.S. House last week. In the wake of the House vote, Khanna called the NDAA's approval "an astonshing act of moral cowardice" and a "complete capitulation to the White House" by Democrats. Khanna has endorsed Sanders in his 2020 presidential bid and acts as national co-chair for the campaign.
In his tweet of the video, Sanders said, "Rep. Ro Khanna is right--this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like."
\u201cThe United States Congress just passed a $738 billion giveaway for arms manufacturers, Pentagon lobbyists, and unconstitutional wars. \n\n@RepRoKhanna is right\u2014this is not what resistance to Donald Trump looks like.\u201d— Bernie Sanders (@Bernie Sanders) 1576614228