FCNL Executive Committee Minute and Call to Action

FCNL Executive Committee Minute

Encouraging Friends to Act to Reduce Pentagon Spending

The FCNL Executive Committee is laboring under a concern for the critical decisions on the federal budget that must be made by the end of this year (2012). Growth of U.S. spending on war threatens our ability to address essential human needs. Current law–the Budget Control Act of 2011–requires a reduction in projected Pentagon spending of $1 trillion over 10 years, providing a momentous opportunity to shift budget priorities. This prospect faces powerful opposition that could persuade Congress to restore Pentagon funding by making major reductions in budgets for the peaceful prevention of deadly conflict and other human needs.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation has identified this Pentagon budget reduction as a means to realign national priorities and now urges active engagement and lobbying efforts from Friends across the nation. The Executive Committee urges Friends meetings and churches to embrace this historic opportunity and take action, such as the following:

• Minute endorsement of the reduction in projected Pentagon spending and the preservation of federal budgets which support the peaceful prevention of deadly conflict and other human needs.
• Encourage Friends to communicate their support for these budget priorities to the public and to Congress.
• Encourage Friends within the meeting to contact their elected officials to report this message.

This is a holy time, a time of great possibility, great testing. May we respond bravely and faithfully to the task before us.

Has your meeting or church passed a minute like this?

The following meetings and churches have passed minutes similar to the FCNL Executive Committee minute:

• North Pacific Yearly Meeting
• Western Yearly Meeting

Is your meeting or church missing from this list? Tell us about it! Write to Annie Boggess at annie@fcnl.org to let us know that your community has taken action on this important issue. Then send a copy of the minute to your members of Congress to let them know what your priorities are when it comes to federal spending!