As we prepare to observe Just Peace Sunday this weekend, we do so under the ongoing fog of war. The genocide in Gaza continues without end, and a war with Iran has killed hundreds of civilians and wreaked havoc on both the environment and global economy for over six months. All the while, our administration touts "peace through strength" even as it spends billions on weapons that fuel violence year after year.

That's why we're calling on Congress to reject historic increases in military funding. Earlier this year, the House passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would cumulatively give the Pentagon a record $1.5 trillion budget. The Senate blocked it, but there's every reason to expect another attempt.

A $1.5 trillion budget would mark the first time the US has accounted for more than half of total global military spending. A Pentagon budget increase of this magnitude is not a response to genuine security needs; it is a moral failure. Instead of giving the Pentagon a blank check, we as a nation we must reinvest in development and diplomacy which are both key elements in sustaining a just and lasting peace.

The United Church of Christ has been dedicated to the work of just peace for decades. As we witness the atrocities and injustices in the world that are undermining efforts of peace, we must look at the ways we can recommit to the promise of God's peace. Our just peace pronouncement proclaimed, “Just Peace is grounded in hope. Shalom is the vision which pulls all creation toward a time when weapons are swept off the earth and all creatures lie down together without fear, where all have their own fig tree and dwell secure from wont. As Christians, we offer this conviction to the world: peace is possible.”

Join us in urging Congress to recognize that peace is possible. Contact your elected officials and urge them to vote NO on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).