WHERE YOUR INCOME TAX U.S.

FEDERAL BUDGET 2024 FISCAL YEAR

MONEY REALLY GOES

total outlays MILITARY: 43% AT $2,297 BILLION
( fy 2024 f e d e r a l f u n d s )

$5,303 billion $1,171

BILLION
Total DoD $862 B:
• Personnel $194 B
• Op. & Maint. $346 B
• Procurement $156 B
$1,126 • Research & Dev. $147 B
BILLION
21% 22% • Construction $15 B
• Family Housing $1.7 B
• Veterans’ Benefits
$320 B
• Interest on national debt PAST CURRENT • adjustments $2.3 B
Non-DoD Military:*
$806 B (80% est. to be
created by military) MILITARY MILITARY • Army Corp. (mil.) $152 B
• DoE nuke weapons $32 B
• NASA (50%) $13 B
• Internl. Security Asst. $19 B
• Homeland Sec. (mil.) $63 B
• State Dept. (partial) $10 B
$318 • Justice/FBI military $15 B
• Treas/Sec Serv/other $5 B
BILLION 6% PHYSICAL *based on coding and the military
• Treasury, incl. 20% inter- nature of activities, such as armed
est on debt ($201 B) 6% GENERAL RESOURCES border control, DoD space flights
• Govt. personnel
• Justice Dept.
GOVERNMENT
• State Dept. (partial)
• Homeland Sec. (partial)
• Int. Sec. Asst. (partial) $316
• Judicial BILLION
• Legislative
45% • Agriculture
• Interior
• Transportation
HUMAN • Homeland Sec. (partial)
• HUD (partial)
$2,373 RESOURCES • Commerce
BILLION • Energy (non-military)
• NASA (50%)
• Health & Human Ser. • Environmental Protection
• Soc. Sec. Admin. • Nat. Science Fdtn.
• Education • Army Corps Eng. (civil)
• Food/Nutrition progs • FCC and other
• HUD
• Labor Dept.
• Earned Inc/Child Credits
• Health Insurance Credits
• Clean energy credits

NON-MILITARY: 57% AT $3,007 BILLION

HOW THESE FIGURES

WERE DETERMINED
*Analysts differ on how much of the debt stems from the military; other groups
“C urrent military” includes Dept. of Defense ($862
billion) and the military portion ($309 billion)
from other departments as noted in current military box
estimate 50% to 60%. We use 80% because we believe if there had been no
military spending, most of the national debt would have been eliminated.
above. “Past military” represents veterans’ benefits plus
80% of the interest on the debt.* For further explana-
tion, please go to warresisters.org. Government Deception Social Security,
retirement,
Medicare 29%
These figures are from the Analytical Perspectives The pie chart (right) is the government
book of the Budget of the United States Government, view of the budget. This is a distortion of
Fiscal Year 2024. The figures are Federal funds, which how our income tax dollars are spent be- Social
cause it includes Trust Funds (e.g., Social Se- programs
do not include Trust funds — such as Social Security — curity), and most of the past military spend- 33%
which are raised and spent separately from income taxes. ing is not distinguished from nonmilitary
What you pay (or don’t pay) by April 18, 2023, National
spending. For a more accurate representa- defense,
goes to the Federal funds portion of the budget. The tion of how your Federal income tax dollar veterans,
government practice of combining Trust and Federal is really spent, see the large graph. Net interest 5% foreign
funds began during the Vietnam War, thus making the affairs 15%
Physical, human, community
human needs portion of the budget appear larger and Source: 1040 Instructions 2022 development 13% Law enforcement &
the military portion smaller. Federal Outlays for FY 2021 general gov. 5%

WAR RESISTERS LEAGUE 30 E. 125 St. #229 • NY, NY 10035 • 212-228-0450 • www.warresisters.org
STOP THE NEXT WAR
BEFORE IT STARTS
“ The last ‘war to end war’ should have taught MILITARY SPENDING (2021)
U.S. & NATO versus China and Russia
us that we can’t end war that way. Wars pave (billions of U.S. dollars)
$1,200
the way for more war.
” JEANNETTE RANKIN, 1935
Only congressperson to vote against both World Wars I and II $1,000 NATO
$357
$800

T he massive militaries of the United States and

NATO did not prevent Russia from attacking
Ukraine. In fact, United States and NATO presence
$600
U.S.
$400 $801
surrounding Russia fueled Putin’s aggression.
Tensions rise with China and North Korea as the $200 China
$293 Russia
United States adds more bases in Asia, including four $0 $66
in the Philippines. In Okinawa, Japan, there is strong Source: SIPRI.org

local opposition to the 31 U.S. military installations. called “War on Terror,” all failed in their goals of peace
About two-thirds of current conflicts involve one or and stability. The need is urgent to change priorities. A
more sides armed by the United States. Pew Research poll in 2019 found that people around
the world viewed the climate crisis as biggest threat —
Diplomacy Not Militarism a crisis that cannot be solved by the military. In fact,
Major U.S. wars, from Korea to Vietnam to the so- the U.S. military is the world’s biggest polluter.
We must stop the next war before it starts. Demand
COUNTRIES WITH MOST U.S. BASES
Japan 120 drastic cuts to the military budget and a shift in U.S.
Germany 119 foreign policy from militarism to diplomacy.
South Korea 73
Guam 54
Italy 44

“
Puerto Rico 34
Britain 25 I think that people want peace so much
Portugal 21
Turkey 13
MILITARY BASES ON FOREIGN SOIL
that one of these days government had better
Bahrain 12
get out of their way and let them have it.
”
Belgium 11 United States 750 in 80 countries
Panama 11 Russia 36 in 9 countries (mostly former USSR republics)
Marshall Isl. 11 China 8 in 1 country & S. China Sea islands PRESIDENT DWIGHT EISENHOWER, 1959
Kuwait 10 worldbeyondwar.org/militarism-mapped
Saudi Arabia 10
inkstickmedia.com/when-it-comes-to-defense-money-isnt-everything; nationalpriorities.org; aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/10/infographic-us-military-presence-around-the-world-interactive pewresearch.org,

W H AT YO U C A N D O
• Leaflet with this flyer year-round and on • For more about refusing to pay • WRL is celebrating its 100th anniversary in
Tax Day, April 18, 2023, and throughout the for war, brochures, and other 2023. For info and events, see warresisters.
Global Days of Action on Military Spending, resources, contact the National org/100years.
April 13 - May 9, 2023, https://demilitarize.org. War Tax Resistance Coordinat-
• Write elected officials, letters-to-the-editor, ing Committee, (800) 269-7464 LOCAL CONTACT
and posts online. Send and share copies of or see nwtrcc.org.
this flyer. Explain your budget priorities for a
better world. RESOURCES
• Divest from war! Refuse to pay all or part • Additional copies of this leaflet are available
of your federal income tax. Though illegal, for 17¢ each (20-199), 15¢ each (200 - 499), 13¢
each (500+) plus 20% postage. Order online at WAR RESISTERS LEAGUE
thousands of people openly participate in this 30 E. 125 St. #229
form of protest. Whatever you choose to warresisters.org/store, or mail orders to the
WRL address on this flyer. New York, NY 10035
refuse—$1, $10, 43% or 100%—send a letter Tel (212) 228-0450
Mar. 2023: 15,000

to elected officials and tell them why. Contact • War Tax Resistance: A Guide to Withholding Your [email protected]
us for information or referral to a counselor Support from the Military, 144-page handbook www.warresisters.org
near you. Contribute resisted tax money to with history, methods and resources. $5 plus
groups that work for the common good. 20% postage at warresisters.org/store.