{"id":98944,"date":"2017-10-02T12:00:21","date_gmt":"2017-10-02T11:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=98944"},"modified":"2017-09-22T11:37:31","modified_gmt":"2017-09-22T10:37:31","slug":"us-senate-overwhelmingly-approves-record-700-billion-military-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2017\/10\/us-senate-overwhelmingly-approves-record-700-billion-military-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"US Senate Overwhelmingly Approves Record $700 Billion Military Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"

20 Sep 2017 – <\/em>Demonstrating the bipartisan support of Democrats and Republicans for militarism and war, the US Senate voted 89 to nine on Monday [18 Sep] to authorize $700 billion in spending for the military and intelligence agencies, an $80 billion increase from 2016 and $26 billion more than President Donald Trump requested earlier this year.<\/p>\n

The House of Representatives has already adopted a similar version of the bill, called the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The House and Senate versions will now be reconciled, and a final version approved by both houses of Congress and presented for Trump to sign into law.<\/p>\n

The NDAA is a clear sign that the US is preparing to launch major wars of aggression, potentially involving nuclear weapons. The bill provides $200 million to upgrade nuclear launch facilities, $8.5 billion for missile defense systems in the US and in outer space, and $6.4 billion for Virginia class offensive nuclear submarines.<\/p>\n

Trump hailed the bill\u2019s $700 billion price tag in his warmongering speech to the United Nations on Tuesday [19 Sep], citing it as proof that \u201cour military will soon be the strongest it has ever been.\u201d<\/p>\n

The bill passed with 42 Democrats and 47 Republicans voting \u201cyes\u201d and six Democrats and three Republicans voting \u201cno.\u201d Supporters included supposed \u201cleft\u201d Democrats Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California.<\/p>\n

The bill\u2019s total of $700 billion per year equals $80 million in military spending per hour and $22,000 per second<\/em>. The latter figure is considerably greater than the median pre-tax yearly<\/em> individual income for the bottom half of the US population\u2014just $16,200, according to 2016 data compiled by economists Thomas Piketty, Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman.<\/p>\n

The US now spends more than the 10 next largest militaries combined. It spends over three times more on its military than China and over 10 times more than Russia.<\/p>\n

On the initiative of the Democratic Party, the budget measure was sharpened to target Russia. The bill authorizes millions of dollars to militarize Russia\u2019s western border, including $500 million to provide weapons to the Ukrainian government and $100 million to \u201cdeter Russian aggression\u201d in the Balkans. In all, the bill mentions Russia 72 times. One amendment attached by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen blocks the Russian computer security company Kaspersky Lab from contracting with the government.<\/p>\n

The House of Representatives\u2019 version of the bill includes an amendment titled the \u201cFostering Unity Against Russian Aggression Act,\u201d introduced by New Hampshire Democrat Carol Shea-Porter and co-sponsored by 21 Democratic representatives. This measure paves the way for censorship of the Internet in the name of combating \u201cfake news.\u201d<\/p>\n

In introducing the measure, Shea-Porter said, \u201cRussia\u2019s aggressive actions make clear the need for a comprehensive US deterrence strategy.\u201d She added that that the NDAA will \u201cjumpstart needed improvements to our own and our allies\u2019 readiness to counter unconventional modes of aggression, including propaganda and cyberattacks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aside from $60 billion for ongoing US wars and military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Pakistan and elsewhere, the Senate bill includes $705 million for Israeli missile programs, a move aimed primarily against Iran. The Senate version authorizes the following expenditures for facilities and equipment:<\/p>\n