"At a time when the U.S. already spends more on the military than the next 12 nations combined, it is time for us to take a serious look at the massive cost over-runs, the waste and fraud that currently exists at the Pentagon," Sanders said.
Sanders's words carry extra weight given his position at the head of the Budget Committee and as a progressive leader in the Democratic Party.
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He joins a slew of progressives in speaking out against the proposed 1.7 percent boost in defense spending.
"We need a fundamental shift in how we address national security issues and invest in climate action and pandemic response," said Rep. Ro Khanna