Liberal myth: Most new spending is on defense

Liberal myth

The increase in federal spending in the past five years has been largely in the areas of defense and homeland security.

The facts

Defense and homeland security spending is responsible for just over a quarter of the $845 billion increase in spending since 2001.

• Defense spending has increased by $231 billion since 2001
• Non-defense spending has increased by $614 billion since 2001

Non-defense spending has increased dramatically

Rather than contain new spending to vital national security priorities, lawmakers have increased spending since 2001.

• Outside of defense, homeland security and Hurricane Katrina relief spending, discretionary spending has increased by 34 percent (23 percent after adjusting for inflation)
• Education spending is up 137 percent
• International affairs spending is up by 111 percent
• Housing and commerce spending is up by 58 percent
• Community development spending is up by 342 percent
• Health research and regulation by 78 percent
• Veterans’ benefits are up 56 percent

Perhaps most egregiously, the number of annual pork projects jumped from 6,333 in 2001 to 13,999 in 2005.

No cuts to pay for defense

Rather than set priorities and offset important wartime spending, today’s lawmakers treat defense spending as if it’s not part of the budget.

This was not true in the past.

• During World War II, lawmakers reprioritized their budgets and cut non-war spending in half—even eliminating many of President Roosevelt’s New Deal programs.
• During the Korean War, Congress cut one-fourth of all non-war spending in just one year.

Related Heritage research

• Brian M. Riedl, “Federal Spending: By the Numbers,” February 6, 2006
• Brian M. Riedl, “Senate Leader Defends Spending Spree Rather Than Enacting Reforms,” October 19, 2005