On the Bright Side
Fall Quarterly 2018
The print version of this article has been corrected here to include the actual nuclear weapons infrastructure rebuild cost of $1.7 trillion. Thank you Vic Hummert!
On August 28, 2018 California’s State Senate adopted both Assembly Joint Resolutions 30 and 33. AJR 30 urges Congress to pass legislation restricting the US President’s power to launch a nuclear attack or to okay the first use of nuclear weapons without any consultation. AJR 33 calls for ratification of the new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted by 122 countries at the United Nations in 2017. Both measures previously passed the State Assembly.
California is the first state to pass a bill like AJR 30 which specifically supports legislation introduced by Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif. and Senator Ed Markey, D-Mass., and the action is expected to embolden cities and other states to pass similar measures.
AJR 33 describes the catastrophic health and environmental consequences of detonating nuclear weapons, and calls on the US to undertake a series of key nuclear disarmament measures, such as signing and ratifying the new Ban Treaty, renouncing first use of nuclear weapons, ending the “alert status” for nuclear launch systems, and cancelling the planned 30-year, $1.7 trillion nuclear weapons infrastructure rebuild.
California’s action helps assure that nuclear disarmament remains part of the national discussion. Support similar campaigning underway in your state.
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