What does America stand for? Opportunity and equality? Or imperialism and greed?

The fact is that every year, without fail, our elected representatives hand the Pentagon more than half of the entire discretionary budget, or more than half a trillion dollars each year – leaving less than half for education, health care, the environment – and everything else we care about.

Set aside for a moment concerns about political gridlock on Capitol Hill. Think about the actual gridlock that could await lawmakers and citizens on their way to Capitol Hill.

Earlier in March, Washington area residents learned that one of the major bridges in the city – one that carries about 70,000 vehicles a day past the iconic Lincoln Memorial to either downtown Washington or the Virginia suburbs – will have to be shut down in five years without a $250 million reconstruction. It’s a federal bridge, but Republicans who control Congress so far aren’t appropriating the money for the needed reconstruction.

The water crisis in Flint, Michigan is the perfect case for why our country needs more funding for infrastructure, not less.

The Peoples Budget is a comprehensive alternative Federal Budget which reflects the values of our different social movement groups across the country. It is filed each year by the members of Congress most supportive of our efforts who make up the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) (http://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/the-peoples-budget-prosperity-not-austerity-invest-in-america/)