Do you know the Pentagon’s wish list is $16.4 billion over the $886 billion defense budget request?
As a child I experienced firsthand the stress of missing a meal and moving frequently; I dropped out of college due to the strain of waitressing and growing student debt. This impacted my ability to find a stable home, occupation and income. So, what if $16.4 billion was used to support people’s basic needs to help them thrive?
- 1 in 7 children face hunger in our state; 1 in 10 people are food insecure (Feeding Washington).
- 46 percent of renters spend 30 percent of their income on housing; 88 percent of families can’t afford a median-priced house (Washington House Republicans).
- Washington’s five largest school districts reported enrollment dips with 10,000-plus students disappearing from the public school system (state records).
My gratitude to Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez for advocating for working families. I urge you to support bills like Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act (H.R. 7024) and Streamline Pentagon Budgeting Act (H.R. 4740) to begin realigning our nation’s spending priorities away from endless war and toward more critical needs impacting our communities.
