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RESOLUTION No. 5040 A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL'S DESIRE THAT FUNDS To CONTINUE THE IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN WARS BE DIRECTED To DOMESTIC PRIORITIES, INCLUDING PRESSING NEEDS IN THE CITY OF EUGENE, The City Council of the City of Eugene finds that: A. The severity of the nation's ongoing economic crisis requires that the government of the United States use its financial resources to rebuild our society, aiding state and local governments in maintaining and restoring public services, social services, and programs, including education, health care, the social safety net, and public safety; support environmental clean -up and alternative energy programs; rebuild our physical infrastructure, and take urgent measures to support job creation in both the private and public sectors. B. More than 6,000 members of the U.S. armed forces have died in these wars — including at least 128 from Oregon—and more than 120,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq and. Afghanistan since the coalition operations began, thousands more U.S. military personnel and Iraqi and Afghan civilians have suffered devastating physical and mental injuries, and those countries have experienced destruction and environmental degradation. C. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost the United States more than $1.1 trillion and cost Eugene more than $341 million. D. The Pentagon's budget has increased significantly since 1998 to a staggering $725. billion —not including indirect military spending by other agencies —more than all other discretionary spending combined. E. The more than $341 million spent by Eugene taxpayers to date on the Iraq and Afghan wars could have provided one year's Head Start for nearly 22,821 Eugene children; or one year's low- income health care for more than 66 Eugene children; or one year's salary for more than 2,000 public school elementary teachers in Eugene; or one year of VA medical care for 16,159 military veterans in Eugene; or more than 17,000 one -year scholarships for university students, according to the National Priorities Project. Now, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EUGENE, a Municipal Corporation of the State of Oregon, as follows: Section 1. The Council of the City of Eugene, on behalf of the people of Eugene, urge President Obama to speed up the ending of these wars by beginning withdrawal of forces in a safe, rapid and orderly fashion that fully protects American troops from harm and to support efforts led by international organizations to rebuild both countries. Resolution - Page 1 of 2