Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks during a hearing on March 22, 2023.
Sanders NDAA Amendments Would Cut US Military Budget by 10%, Target Rampant Fraud
One of the Vermont senator's amendments would require the Pentagon to return a portion of its budget if it fails another audit.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has filed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act that would cut the U.S. military's historically large budget by 10%, penalize the Pentagon if it fails another audit, and spotlight fraud committed by defense contractors.
The Vermont Independent's efforts to rein in Pentagon spending come after the Republican-controlled House passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)—but not before loading it with right-wing amendments that would roll back service members' access to abortion and gender-affirming care.
The Senate is expected to begin considering its own NDAA on Tuesday afternoon. Once the Senate completes its bill, the two chambers will conference and reconcile the differences.
Sanders' budget-reduction
amendment—backed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)—proposes an $88.6 billion cut to the $886 billion in total U.S. military spending set to be authorized by the NDAA.
The amendment states that "the total amount of funds authorized to be appropriated by this act is hereby reduced by 10%," excluding "accounts and funds relating to military personnel, the Defense Health Program, and assistance to Ukraine," which the U.S. has sent roughly $46 billion in military aid over the past year and a half—a small fraction of the Pentagon's annual budget.
"The amount of reduction for each account and fund subject to such requirement shall be applied on a pro rata basis across each program, project, and activity funded by such account or fund," the measure reads.
House Republicans refused to allow a vote on Rep. Barbara Lee's (D-Calif.) amendment that called for a $100 billion cut to the Pentagon's fiscal year 2024 budget.
Sanders has also filed amendments aimed at cracking down on waste and fraud at the Pentagon, which has failed five consecutive audits. One of the senator's proposals, which has bipartisan support, would require the Pentagon to return a small portion of its budget to the Treasury Department's general fund if it fails an audit "during any fiscal year after fiscal year 2024."
Another Sanders-led amendment would require the Pentagon chief to "submit to the congressional defense committees a report on defense contracting fraud, including a summary of fraud-related criminal convictions, civil judgments, and settlements over the previous five fiscal years, a listing of contractors debarred or suspended from federal contracting based on a criminal conviction for fraud, and a valuation of contracts affected by fraud."
In May, Sanders urged the Pentagon to investigate rampant price gouging by military contractors after a CBS News investigation highlighted the extent to which profitable private companies are overcharging the Defense Department for weapons and other items.
"Pentagon analysts found overcharges that boosted total profits to nearly 40% and sometimes as high as 4,000%," Sanders and other senators wrote in a recent letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. "Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and TransDigm are among the offenders."
Analysts have estimated that roughly half of the Pentagon's budget each year winds up in the coffers of private military contractors—a trend that's on track to continue with the NDAA for fiscal year 2024.
"This bill continues to double down on militarism and unchecked spiraling funding, an approach that hasn't led to a more peaceful or just world," Amelia Kegan, associate general secretary for policy and advocacy with the Friends Committee on National Legislation, said of the House-passed NDAA.
FINAL DAY! This is urgent.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just hours left in our Spring Campaign, we're still falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Sen. Bernie Sanders has filed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act that would cut the U.S. military's historically large budget by 10%, penalize the Pentagon if it fails another audit, and spotlight fraud committed by defense contractors.
The Vermont Independent's efforts to rein in Pentagon spending come after the Republican-controlled House passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)—but not before loading it with right-wing amendments that would roll back service members' access to abortion and gender-affirming care.
The Senate is expected to begin considering its own NDAA on Tuesday afternoon. Once the Senate completes its bill, the two chambers will conference and reconcile the differences.
Sanders' budget-reduction
amendment—backed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)—proposes an $88.6 billion cut to the $886 billion in total U.S. military spending set to be authorized by the NDAA.
The amendment states that "the total amount of funds authorized to be appropriated by this act is hereby reduced by 10%," excluding "accounts and funds relating to military personnel, the Defense Health Program, and assistance to Ukraine," which the U.S. has sent roughly $46 billion in military aid over the past year and a half—a small fraction of the Pentagon's annual budget.
"The amount of reduction for each account and fund subject to such requirement shall be applied on a pro rata basis across each program, project, and activity funded by such account or fund," the measure reads.
House Republicans refused to allow a vote on Rep. Barbara Lee's (D-Calif.) amendment that called for a $100 billion cut to the Pentagon's fiscal year 2024 budget.
Sanders has also filed amendments aimed at cracking down on waste and fraud at the Pentagon, which has failed five consecutive audits. One of the senator's proposals, which has bipartisan support, would require the Pentagon to return a small portion of its budget to the Treasury Department's general fund if it fails an audit "during any fiscal year after fiscal year 2024."
Another Sanders-led amendment would require the Pentagon chief to "submit to the congressional defense committees a report on defense contracting fraud, including a summary of fraud-related criminal convictions, civil judgments, and settlements over the previous five fiscal years, a listing of contractors debarred or suspended from federal contracting based on a criminal conviction for fraud, and a valuation of contracts affected by fraud."
In May, Sanders urged the Pentagon to investigate rampant price gouging by military contractors after a CBS News investigation highlighted the extent to which profitable private companies are overcharging the Defense Department for weapons and other items.
"Pentagon analysts found overcharges that boosted total profits to nearly 40% and sometimes as high as 4,000%," Sanders and other senators wrote in a recent letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. "Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and TransDigm are among the offenders."
Analysts have estimated that roughly half of the Pentagon's budget each year winds up in the coffers of private military contractors—a trend that's on track to continue with the NDAA for fiscal year 2024.
"This bill continues to double down on militarism and unchecked spiraling funding, an approach that hasn't led to a more peaceful or just world," Amelia Kegan, associate general secretary for policy and advocacy with the Friends Committee on National Legislation, said of the House-passed NDAA.
- Sanders Leads Senate Call for DOD Probe Into Price-Gouging Military Contractors ›
- Sanders Unveils Bill to Force Pentagon to Pass an Audit—or Return Part of Its Budget ›
- Sanders Says He Opposes $886 Billion in Military Spending Amid Healthcare and Climate Crises ›
- Sanders 'Disappointed, But Not Surprised,' as Senate Rejects 10% Military Spending Cut ›
- $400,000 Per Missile? Sanders Rips War Profiteers 'Fleecing' US Taxpayers ›
Sen. Bernie Sanders has filed amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act that would cut the U.S. military's historically large budget by 10%, penalize the Pentagon if it fails another audit, and spotlight fraud committed by defense contractors.
The Vermont Independent's efforts to rein in Pentagon spending come after the Republican-controlled House passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)—but not before loading it with right-wing amendments that would roll back service members' access to abortion and gender-affirming care.
The Senate is expected to begin considering its own NDAA on Tuesday afternoon. Once the Senate completes its bill, the two chambers will conference and reconcile the differences.
Sanders' budget-reduction
amendment—backed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.)—proposes an $88.6 billion cut to the $886 billion in total U.S. military spending set to be authorized by the NDAA.
The amendment states that "the total amount of funds authorized to be appropriated by this act is hereby reduced by 10%," excluding "accounts and funds relating to military personnel, the Defense Health Program, and assistance to Ukraine," which the U.S. has sent roughly $46 billion in military aid over the past year and a half—a small fraction of the Pentagon's annual budget.
"The amount of reduction for each account and fund subject to such requirement shall be applied on a pro rata basis across each program, project, and activity funded by such account or fund," the measure reads.
House Republicans refused to allow a vote on Rep. Barbara Lee's (D-Calif.) amendment that called for a $100 billion cut to the Pentagon's fiscal year 2024 budget.
Sanders has also filed amendments aimed at cracking down on waste and fraud at the Pentagon, which has failed five consecutive audits. One of the senator's proposals, which has bipartisan support, would require the Pentagon to return a small portion of its budget to the Treasury Department's general fund if it fails an audit "during any fiscal year after fiscal year 2024."
Another Sanders-led amendment would require the Pentagon chief to "submit to the congressional defense committees a report on defense contracting fraud, including a summary of fraud-related criminal convictions, civil judgments, and settlements over the previous five fiscal years, a listing of contractors debarred or suspended from federal contracting based on a criminal conviction for fraud, and a valuation of contracts affected by fraud."
In May, Sanders urged the Pentagon to investigate rampant price gouging by military contractors after a CBS News investigation highlighted the extent to which profitable private companies are overcharging the Defense Department for weapons and other items.
"Pentagon analysts found overcharges that boosted total profits to nearly 40% and sometimes as high as 4,000%," Sanders and other senators wrote in a recent letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. "Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and TransDigm are among the offenders."
Analysts have estimated that roughly half of the Pentagon's budget each year winds up in the coffers of private military contractors—a trend that's on track to continue with the NDAA for fiscal year 2024.
"This bill continues to double down on militarism and unchecked spiraling funding, an approach that hasn't led to a more peaceful or just world," Amelia Kegan, associate general secretary for policy and advocacy with the Friends Committee on National Legislation, said of the House-passed NDAA.
- Sanders Leads Senate Call for DOD Probe Into Price-Gouging Military Contractors ›
- Sanders Unveils Bill to Force Pentagon to Pass an Audit—or Return Part of Its Budget ›
- Sanders Says He Opposes $886 Billion in Military Spending Amid Healthcare and Climate Crises ›
- Sanders 'Disappointed, But Not Surprised,' as Senate Rejects 10% Military Spending Cut ›
- $400,000 Per Missile? Sanders Rips War Profiteers 'Fleecing' US Taxpayers ›