Representatives Lee and Pocan Announce Representative Ilhan Omar as Next Co-Chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-12) and Mark Pocan (WI-02), co-founders and co-chairs of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, today announced that the next co-chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus will be Representative Ilhan Omar (MN-05). Omar will take place of departing Lee as co-chair in the 119th Congress and will continue to serve alongside Pocan.
Lee and Pocan have worked on numerous bills together to reduce defense spending, including the People Over Pentagon Act. The People Over Pentagon Act would cut $100 billion from the Defense budget and reallocate the funds to the American people's most urgent needs. Lee and Pocan have also consistently voted against yearly increases to the Pentagon budget.
“Year after year, this country pours billions into our already-astronomical defense budget without stopping to question whether the additional funding is actually making us safer,” said Congresswoman Lee. “Our country has put profits ahead of its people time and time again and nowhere is that more apparent than in our Pentagon budget. I am confident that Congresswoman Omar will work to realign our priorities to reflect the urgent needs of communities across this country. Throughout her career, Congresswoman Omar has fought for a national security that truly centers on the safety of the American people, not weapons industry profits. Our movement is in good hands with her leadership.”
“It’s been a privilege to work with Barbara for years fighting to raise awareness about our bloated, unaccountable Pentagon budget,” Congressman Mark Pocan said. “She’s been an invaluable leader in this space and a wonderful person to work with. As Barbara passes the torch to Ilhan, I look forward to working with Ilhan to continue to draw attention to the Pentagon's waste, fraud, and abuse and highlight opportunities to reallocate otherwise wasted federal dollars for critical programs that benefit our constituents.”
“Congresswoman Barbara Lee has been an incredible leader in the fight to end exorbitant Pentagon waste,” said Congresswoman Omar. “I am honored to follow in her footsteps as the next co-chair of the Defense Spending ReductionCaucus. I have always said that our spending priorities should reflect our values. It is shameful that we continue to spend more money on a wasteful Pentagon budget than we do on priorities like education, health care, and housing combined. This caucus will be an important avenue to push the prioritization of working families, not military contracts.”