As of early April, the Pentagon has mostly released its Unfunded Priority Lists (UPLs) for Fiscal Year 2025, which total at least $25 billion for defense spending unconstrained by the normal annual budgetary process. These UPLs are nearly always funded and are on top of the roughly $900 billion for defense spending already included in the budget.
What could taxpayers receive for $25 billion? As one example, the federal budget includes about $128 million to help low-income families pay for child care in Washington, about one-half of a percent of the UPL amount. Imagine how much money could help struggling Americans if Congress took action to end the allowance for UPLs, which have received increasing criticism from both political parties due to their attendant secrecy and placement outside of the normal annual budgetary process.
I urge Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez to support and co-sponsor the Streamline Pentagon Budgeting Act (H.R.4740), which will repeal the current statutory requirements to provide UPLs, enhance civilian oversight over the budgetary process and begin realigning our nation’s spending priorities away from endless war and toward more pressing needs that impact our communities.
