The following opinion was submitted to blogforiowa.com by Ed Flaherty of Veterans For Peace.

We also note that President Biden signed the NDAA bill Monday with the extra $25 billion that no one seemed to want:

What if President Biden vetoed the 2022 NDAA bill that passed the House 363-70 on Dec 7th and 88-11 in the Senate on Dec. 15th?   That National Defense Authorization Act will become law unless President Biden vetoes it.  The NDAA is $778 billion, $25 billion more than the Pentagon and the Biden Administration requested.  Because there was no visible pushback from the Biden Administration when the House and Senate threw in an extra $25 billion, and because of the veto-proof majority evidenced by the lopsided vote in both houses, a Biden veto of the bill has zero likelihood. But, WHAT IF?

Set aside for the moment the message that a veto would send to lawmakers and the country as work on a 2023 NDAA begins.  Set aside for the moment the anger from  salivating military contractors, disappointed at diminished taxpayer largesse.  Set aside for the moment what a revised bill might contain, like an end to scheduled arms sales to Saudi Arabia or a recission of the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force.

Imagine what that $25 billion could be used for.  Possibilities are endless.  Extension of the Child Tax Credit for six months.  Ensure Covid vaccine for all Central and South American countries (a new twist on the Monroe Doctrine).    Provide full VA benefits to spouses and dependents of deceased veterans.  OR, just not spend it on more instruments of death and not increase our national debt and not further inflame inflation.  We are blessed with a New Year, it’s not too late, we can do better.