On Thursday, June 9, the Senate rejected an amendment by John McCain to increase the Pentagon budget by $18 billion. The vote was 56-42 in favor; 60 votes were needed to pass. McCain’s amendment tried to violate a bipartisan budget accord that increases in Pentagon spending must be matched by increases in domestic spending. 31 Democrats and 11 Republicans voted no on McCain’s amendment; 44 Republicans and 12 Democrats and voted yes on McCain’s amendment. McCain’s amendment was opposed by groups who disagree with diverting our tax dollars from human needs to the bloated Pentagon budget, including Just Foreign Policy. So: a VICTORY! Hooray!
But Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin, who is widely seen as a “progressive Democrat,” was one of the 12 Democrats who supported McCain’s amendment to pad the Pentagon budget by $18 billion.
Urge Senator Baldwin to defend and explain her vote for McCain’s amendment by signing our petition at MoveOn.