President Trump approves largest military budget in history

Today, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act, which allocates over $900 billion for weapons and war. Combined with additional military funding in the recently passed budget bill, the U.S. will spend over $1 trillion on the military this year-the largest military budget in history for any country. This comes at the expense of funding for education, health care, infrastructure, and other lifesaving programs.

There is one bright spot, though. Congress finally repealed two authorizations for the use of military force (AUMFs) from 1991 and 2002. This is a step that AFSC has been demanding for two decades. These authorizations allowed presidents to launch military operations without approval from Congress. For over 20 years, the 2002 AUMF has been used as legal cover for the U.S. "war on terror"-which has killed hundreds of thousands of civilians, destabilized entire regions, and made the world less safe. Thank you to the many people whose tireless congressional advocacy on this issue finally came to fruition.

As the Trump administration escalates military threats against Venezuela, Congress must act now to avoid another endless war. People in both the U.S. and Latin America cannot endure decades of bloodshed because Congress refuses to act until it's too late. Tell Congress: Stop illegal attacks and prevent another endless war.

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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) promotes a world free of violence, inequality, and oppression. Guided by the Quaker belief in the divine Light within each person, we nurture the seeds of change and the respect for human life to fundamentally transform our societies and institutions. We work with people and partners worldwide, of all faiths and backgrounds, to meet urgent community needs, challenge injustice, and build peace.