National Security and Veterans

I emphasize the need to maintain peace and security at home and abroad through diplomacy whenever possible, and I remain committed to ensuring Wisconsin's 400,000 veterans get the benefits they have earned. When our brave men and women return from foreign conflicts and retire from the military, the U.S. has a duty to provide them the support and care they deserve. I am committed to ending the VA backlog and support efforts that would allow the VA to streamline its services and serve veterans most in need.
I believe our country must maintain a proper balance between security and liberty. I am committed to protecting the privacy, security, and wellbeing of all Americans, and that means defending Americans from all types of threats. I founded the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus with Representative Barbara Lee, because our defense budget continues to grow without addressing real, everyday threats like cybersecurity attacks, pandemics, and climate change. If we want to address national security, we must reduce waste, fraud, and abuse, and expand our definition of defense to include all types of threats.
More on National Security and Veterans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), co-chair and co-founder of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, released the following statement after voting against final passage of the $890.6 billion FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill’s topline does not reflect the additional $150 billion added to the Pentagon’s budget through the Big Ugly Law this past July, pushing total military spending over $1 trillion for the first time. Rep. Pocan continues his streak of never having voted in favor of an NDAA since being elected to Congress in 2012.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan (WI-02) and Barbara Lee (CA-12), co-chairs and co-founders of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, released the following statement after voting against the final passage of the $895 billion FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), an annual bill neither member has voted for since being elected to Congress:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02), spoke on the House Floor about the ongoing war in Gaza after the Israeli military targeted a World Central Kitchen humanitarian aid convoy killing seven, including an American citizen.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Mark Pocan (WI-02), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) and 37 of their colleagues sent a letter to President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken asking them to withhold pending offensive weapons transfers to Israel after seven humanitarian aid workers from World Central Kitchen, including one American, were killed in an Israeli airstrike, and to place conditions on future weapons assistance.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, celebrated the House passage of six of the twelve appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). These six bills include all twelve of Rep. Pocan’s earmarks, totaling $11,568,717.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) released the following statement after voting against final passage of the $886 billion FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a bill he has never voted in favor of since being elected to Congress: