Annie Comes Home: this is NOT a time for business as usual

Saturday, September 13, 2025

this is NOT a time for business as usual

Pamela: This is urgent. Right now, the Senate is finalizing its 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Congress often rubberstamps this "must-pass" bill, but this year, as Trump uses the military to target U.S. cities and push for mass deportations, momentum is building to say NO. Days ago, over a dozen Senators, including two Republicans, voted against starting debate on the NDAA — a stunning break from business as usual.[1]

The final votes are coming up soon, and we're planning to use every second to pile on the pressure. Together, we can show Trump that we won't allow Congress to greenlight his misuse of the Pentagon's trillion-dollar budget to militarize our streets, terrorize immigrant families, and drag us into endless wars abroad without a huge fight.

To seize the momentum that's already building, we need to act fast. At Win Without War, we know just one determined Senator can make a difference. That's why we're working to seize the momentum that's building and urge more senators to speak out. Because believe us, they'll be hearing from all the special interest groups and lobbyists from the other side.

Lobbying lawmakers and driving grassroots pressure around the clock requires resources. Will you chip in $5, $25, or whatever you can to help us remind Congress that people across the United States need them to refuse Trump's attempts to hijack our troops to serve his political agenda by rejecting the FY26 NDAA?

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As Trump weaponizes the military against people here at home by sending thousands of armed troops to Los Angeles and DC and threatening deployments to Memphis, Baltimore, New Orleans, and beyond, people across the country are worried and outraged.

Fear in the face of Trump's violence-first policies is being felt beyond our borders, too. He's continued a devastating policy of sending U.S. weapons to be used by the Israeli military against starving people in Gaza. In June, he pushed us terrifyingly close to the brink of all-out war in the Middle East after ordering strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities.

And earlier this month, Trump ordered an unauthorized, lethal strike in the Caribbean, murdering 11 people without due process or any evidence supporting the attack.[2]

Stuffing the Pentagon's coffers with another TRILLION dollars won't make anyone, anywhere safer. But it will perpetuate a system that assumes violence-first intervention is the way to solve our problems — and give Trump carte blanche to proceed down this horrifying path.

Luckily, it's fights like this that Win Without War was built for.

Here's where it gets interesting, Pamela: A bipartisan group of 14 Senators has shown they're willing to throw up roadblocks against the FY26 NDAA. These cracks in the process mean our team, together with movement partners, has a crucial chance to break this year's negotiations wide open and push back on Trump's blatant power grab. The clock is ticking. Will you join in?

The most important part of any legislative strategy is the final negotiation phase. This final moment is also where the donations must come in to ensure we have the resources on hand to go BIG — and that's why we're asking for your support. Our team is mobilizing our movement partners and activists, lining up calls with members of Congress, and raising the alarm in the media. Please donate ${ask_amount} now to keep it all going.

Let's send Trump an unmistakable signal that people across the country stand united against his reckless and destructive brand of governance.

Thank you for working for peace,
The Win Without War team

1. U.S. Senate, "Roll Call Vote 119th Congress - 1st Session"
2. The Guardian, "Venezuela says 11 killed in US boat strike were not gang members amid reports vessel was returning to shore"