Susan Shaer presents ANA award to Rep. Markey

March 20, 2012

Last night, WAND Executive Director Susan Shaer presented Congressman Edward J. Markey (MA-7) with an award from the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability (ANA) in honor of his effective Congressional leadership in constraining nuclear weapons programs and championing nuclear power safety issues.

"I am honored to receive this award from the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability as it celebrates its 25th anniversary,” says Congressman Markey. “It also is with great pleasure that I will receive the award from my great friend and constituent Susan Shaer, the executive director of Women's Action for New Directions. The ANA, WAND and all of the Association's member organizations have long been powerful and effective voices for creating a world free of nuclear weapons and the damage they inflict. Their robust grassroots work is transforming the Cold War nuclear legacy from insanity to accountability. I will continue to fight to end the spread of unneeded nuclear weapons and the wasteful spending that funds Minutemen missiles ahead of Medicare, and I look forward to working with the ANA, WAND and all of these committed groups to ensure a safe, healthy, equitable future for future generations."

“If we could put the nuclear weapons genie back in the bottle, we certainly would, but we must deal with the reality,” says Susan Shaer. “Policy that will help keep the world safer can come from our own Congress, and Congressman Markey is the champion for that cause. For more than 30 years, he has sustained his drive to constrain nuclear weapons programs to protect the U.S. and the world. Especially in these times, when there are so many doubters about elected leadership doing their jobs, Ed Markey’s tenaciousness should be heralded. WAND is 30 years old this year, and our history with Mr. Markey has covered those 30 years. We are pleased to be able to present this award.”

This past week, WAND joined scores of ANA activists in Washington participating in nearly 100 meetings with Obama Administration and Congressional leaders as part of ANA’s 24th annual DC Days. The awards reception honored individuals who have been leaders in the movement to clean up radioactive waste, stop unnecessary weapons research and production, and address the needs of those contaminated by nuclear facilities. Other 2012 awardees include Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), "downwinders" advocate Mary Dickson, and Russian environmental organizer Oleg Bodrov.

ANA is a network of three dozen organizations working together on issues of nuclear weapons production and radioactive waste cleanup. As a member organization, WAND continually works to address these concerns and redirect priorities away from the military and toward unmet human needs.