1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

As your constituent, I urge you to reject the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), defense appropriations legislation, and any budget reconciliation package that advances President Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion military budget at the expense of human needs. The House and Senate NDAAs would authorize approximately $1.15 trillion for national defense, including nearly $1.1 trillion for the Pentagon. This authorization is the first step in a months-long process that will also require Congress to pass regular appropriations bills. Republican leaders are also considering a budget reconciliation package with $73 billion in additional Pentagon spending. House conservatives have made clear that they want this enormous increase paired with offsetting spending cuts. Congress must not pay for military contractors, weapons systems, and Pentagon expansion by cutting Medicaid, SNAP, the Affordable Care Act, housing assistance, education, public health, or services for children, older adults, people with disabilities, and low-income families. Congress has already made historic cuts to health care and nutrition assistance. Millions of people are losing benefits while struggling with high costs for groceries, rent, utilities, and medical care. The responsible response is to reverse those cuts and strengthen programs that help people meet their basic needs. The Pentagon has never passed an audit, and more than half of its budget goes to corporate military contractors. Providing another massive increase while cutting programs that keep people healthy, housed, and fed would be fiscally reckless and morally indefensible. Please vote against the FY 2027 NDAA and any appropriations or reconciliation package that advances the $1.5 trillion military budget. Reject all attempts to fund Pentagon increases – and push back on attempts to “pay for” those increases through cuts to human needs.