42 Percent

That is the percentage of your federal income taxes that went to pay for past wars and the military in fiscal year 2005 (FY05), the year for which we are now filing our income tax returns.

FCNL estimates the U.S. spent $783 billion in FY05 for past and present military activities. This includes funding for the Defense Department, Energy Department nuclear weapons programs, military-related activities of other agencies, foreign military financing and training, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, mandatory spending for military retirement and health care, veterans programs ($69 billion), and the estimated portion of interest paid on the national debt which can be attributed to past wars and military spending ($170 billion).

The time period leading up to April 15, when federal tax forms and payments are due, is an excellent time to raise questions about federal government spending priorities with other people in your community and your members of Congress. Please start by forwarding this email to five of your friends who pay taxes. For more information on the federal budget, visit our web site, http://www.fcnl.org/redir/0606budget/

How We Arrive At this Number

FCNL makes this annual computation of the percentage of our tax dollars that go to the military based on an analysis of federal government spending that is paid for with general revenues from individual and corporate income taxes, excise taxes, estate and gift taxes, customs duties and other sources. In the language of the federal budget, these expenditures are categorized as “federal funds outlays.” In FY05, federal funds outlays totaled $1,865 billion.

The federal funds budget includes spending for all discretionary programs (for which Congress appropriates funds each year) and for all mandatory programs such as Medicaid, food stamps, earned income tax credit, and other programs and services for which benefits are provided to all who meet certain eligibility requirements established by law.

The federal funds budget does not include revenues or expenditures for trust funds. Social Security and Medicare trust fund revenues come from separate, dedicated payroll taxes--not income taxes, and benefits are paid from the trust funds, not general revenues.

These calculations are based on figures in the White House Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year 2007.
More Information

Find our more about how FCNL calculates the 42% figure at http://www.fcnl.org/redir/0806fy05taxes/

The upcoming March issue of the FCNL Washington Newsletter will also include extensive background on these issues.

For more information on the federal budget, and federal budget choices see http://www.fcnl.org/redir/0606budget/

Read Col. Dan Smith’s (USA Ret) analysis of the federal budget, “Reclaiming the City on the Hill”,at http://www.fcnl.org/redir/0706reclaiming/

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Friends Committee on National Legislation
245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795
fcnl@fcnl.org * http://www.fcnl.org
phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330

We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
We seek a society with equity and justice for all
We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
We seek an earth restored.