Background

20 organizations of the Pentagon Budget Campaign sent a letter to Congress opposing the unrequested $3.2 billion for the Pentagon in the FY17NDAA conference report. Win Without War drafted the letter, TCS supplied edits, Win Without War and PBC collected signatures, and Win Without War, National Taxpayers Union, and POGO sent the letter to the Hill Dec 1.

Russia and the United States have started rebuilding their Cold War nuclear arsenals, putting us on the threshold of a new and dangerous arms race. But we don’t have to replay this drama.

See the text of this legislation.

Adapted from a talk given by William D. Hartung at FCNL’s Annual Meeting, November 12, 2016.

Over the next 30 years, the United States is likely to spend one trillion dollars on the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Approximately one third of that expense will be on the design and construction of unnecessary new nuclear weapons.

A detailed report by Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee on the challenge Native Americans face in securing reliable access to sufficient and clean water.

The Army Corps of Engineers wrote to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, Energy Transfer Partners, and the Dakota Access company to say that it would engage in further talks with the tribe before work on the pipeline could go forward.

Here’s a chart that compares the spending proposed by the House and Senate appropriators, compared to what each program is likely to receive under a continuing resolution.

Issues raised by the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies weave through many of the interactions between the federal government and Native peoples in the U.S. and define and describe the flawed relationship between the U.S. and Indian nations. Tribal leaders who have come to the prayer camps to pledge the support of their tribes to the Standing Rock Sioux recount their own examples of land takings, water pollution and deprivation. Here are some current and recent issues from across Indian Country.

The beginning is knowing — really knowing — and acknowledging the history we share as Indians and non-Indians on this continent. Useful action flows from that place of recognition of how we stand with each other. Here are three sets of recommendations for your next steps.