August, 26 2015, 12:00am EDT
MONETA, Va.
Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, issued the following statement after the on-air shooting of three people during a live WDBJ broadcast.
"So often we hear and see stories about gun violence in America, but today Americans watched in horror as it played out on live television. While there are still a lot of questions to be answered about this tragedy - the fact remains that 89 people die every day from gun violence - often at the hands of people who have no legal business owning firearms in the first place. That's why Brady is committed to doing everything we can to keep guns out of dangerous hands and off our streets by expanding Brady background checks to cover all gun sales and shutting down the small number of "bad apple" gun dealers that sell virtually every crime gun in our nation. Our deepest sympathies go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of Alison Parker and Adam Ward and everyone affected by this horrific tragedy. We want you to know that all of us at Brady will not rest until senseless tragedies like this no longer happen."
Brady United formerly known as The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and its legislative and grassroots affiliate, the Brady Campaign and its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, is the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence. We are devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.
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Led by US, Global Military Spending Surged to Record $2.4 Trillion Last Year
The United States was by far the largest military spender at $916 billion in 2023, up 2.3% compared to the previous year. The next biggest spender was China, which poured an estimated $296 billion into its military last year—three times less than the U.S.
"Can we get some healthcare please, or maybe feed some of the 40 million+ Americans who can't get enough food?" asked the watchdog group Public Citizen in response to SIPRI's report, which found that the U.S. accounted for 37% of the world's total military spending last year.
A separate analysis of U.S. military spending in 2023 found that 62% of the country's federal discretionary budget went to militarized programs, leaving less than half of the budget for healthcare, housing, nutrition assistance, education, and other domestic priorities.
Together, SIPRI found, the top five biggest military spenders last year—the U.S., China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia—accounted for 61% of global military outlays.
"The unprecedented rise in military spending is a direct response to the global deterioration in peace and security," Nan Tian, senior researcher with SIPRI's Military Expenditure and Arms Production Program, said in a statement. "States are prioritizing military strength but they risk an action-reaction spiral in the increasingly volatile geopolitical and security landscape."
In the Middle East, military spending jumped by 9% last year—the highest annual growth rate in the past decade. Israel, which relies heavily on weapons imports from the U.S., spent 24% more on its military last year than in 2022, according to SIPRI, an increase fueled by the country's devastating assault on Gaza.
SIPRI found that NATO's 31 member countries dumped a combined $1.3 trillion into military expenditures in 2023, accounting for 55% of the global total.
U.S. military spending, which is poised to continue surging in the coming years, made up 68% of NATO's 2023 total.
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