Bulletin Board - September 2 Issue »
- Nuclear Notes
HIGHEST PRIORITY: The Nuclear Bunker Buster
Upcoming floor vote in the Senate. Please call your senators.
ACTION. Call, fax, or e-mail your Senators, urging them to support amendments to cut funds for new nuclear weapons, including the nuclear bunker buster and "advanced concept initiatives."
Capitol switchboard: 202/225-3121 * 800-648-3516 (toll-free)
Online congressional directories: Senate & House
Also: FCNL Congressional Directory
Senators who especially need to hear from their constituents:
CT: Joe Lieberman (D)
GA: Zell Miller (D)
IN: Evan Bayh (D)
LA: John Breaux (D)
ME: Susan Collins (R) and Olympia Snowe (R)
NE: Chuck Hagel (R) and Ben Nelson (D)
OR: Gordon Smith (R)
PA: Specter (R)
BACKGROUND. Congress is in the process of considering appropriations bills for the fiscal year 2004 federal budget, which begins October 1, 2003. One of the 13 appropriations bills is "Energy & Water," which includes money for nuclear weapons activities of the Department of Energy. This year's Energy & Water Appropriations Bill contains a $15 million line item for the second year of a $45 million 3-year study of a nuclear bunker buster (or Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, RNEP). The bill also contains $6 million for advanced nuclear weapons concepts, which means developing new nuclear weapons technologies and thus accelerating the nuclear arms race.
UPDATE. On July 18, the House cut $10 million of the $15 million for a nuclear bunker buster, and the entire $6 million for advanced concepts, from the House version of the Energy & Water Appropriations Bill. The Senate will be voting on its version of the Energy & Water Appropriations Bill in September. It contains the full $15 million for a nuclear bunker buster, and the $6 million for advanced nuclear weapons concepts. WAND is advocating that Senators support the reductions the House made. Floor amendments on these issues are expected when the Senate considers the Energy & Water Appropriations Bill.
RELATED NEWS ARTICLE: Anti-nuke rally at lab draws 1,200
By Sarah Krupp, CONTRA COSTA TIMES, 8/11/03
We are trying to stop the spread of (nuclear weapons) in the world, and the way to do that is for us to develop new ones? It doesn't make any sense.
-- John Helding, 45, of San Francisco
 Full article
LET'S KEEP THE BAN ON LOW-YIELD NUCLEAR WEAPONS
During consideration of the Fiscal Year 2004 Defense Authorization Bill, the House of Representatives voted to allow research on low-yield nuclear weapons, but retained the 1993 "Spratt-Furse" ban on development activities that could lead to production.
The Senate version of the 2004 Defense Authorization Bill repeals the "Spratt-Furse" ban, a devastating blow to nuclear arms control. A small consolation is that the Senate version does require the administration to return to Congress for funding for development, testing or production of low-yield nuclear weapons.
The House version is stronger and WAND is advocating its adoption in the upcoming Department of Defense Authorization Conference agreement.
ACTION. Contact your members of Congress. Message. Maintain the ban on development of low-yield nuclear weapons. We urge Congress to adopt the House version of the Defense Authorization bill on low-yield nuclear weapons because it more effectively maintains this ban.
Capitol switchboard: 202/225-3121 * 800-648-3516 (toll-free)
Online congressional directories: Senate & House
Also: FCNL Congressional Directory
Senators who especially need to hear from their constituents (Republican senators on the Department of Defense Authorization Conference Committee): Warner (VA), McCain (AZ), Inhofe (OK), Roberts (KS), Allard (CO), Sessions (AL), Collins (ME), Ensign (NV), Talent (MO), Chambliss (GA), Graham (SC), Dole (NC), Cronyn (TX), and in the House, Weldon (PA).
TALKING POINTS
- Possessing low-yield nuclear weapons increases the likelihood they will be used in conflict, breaking a taboo that has been in place since 1945.
- Developing new or modified nuclear weapons sends the wrong message to other nations who may also view them as desirable.
- Repealing "Spratt-Furse" and developing a new low-yield nuclear weapon could lead to the resumption of underground nuclear testing, overturning the 10-year testing moratorium, and encouraging other nations to test, a chilling development for future arms control and non-proliferation.
Further INFO: Marie Rietmann, (202) 544-5055 x195, rietmann@wand.org, or Bobbie Wrenn Banks, (404) 524-5999, membership@wand.org.
Speaker's Bureau on National Security Issues
Council for a Livable World and Women's Action for New Direction (WAND) have established a speaker's bureau on national security issues for use in the next 18 months and beyond.
Speaker list including bio, area of specialization, location, speaking requirements, and contact information: http//www.clw.org/resources/speakers.html
TOPICS:
"Loose nukes" and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, national missile defense, strategic nuclear policy, space weapons, nuclear testing, U.S. role in peacekeeping and post-conflict operations, Iraq, nation building, humanitarian intervention, international law, politics of national security, U.S. military spending, arms control, role of U.S. in the world, intelligence, export controls, media coverage of nuclear issues, women in politics, war on terror and globalization.
NORTH KOREA NOTES
U.S./No.Korean talks began August 27 in Beijing with six nations participating: No. Korea, U.S. China, Russia, Japan, So. Korea. This is the Bush administration's most concerted diplomatic effort to date to resolve differences with No.Korea.
Nether the U.S. nor No.Korea indicated flexibility entering the talks. One U.S. official said it would offer No.Korean no concessions until it unilaterally abandons its nuclear program in a "complete, verifiable and irreversible" way.
Asian diplomats say that the outlines of a potential deal are clear: No.Korea abandons its nuclear program and agrees to intrusive inspections. The U.S. provides a firm security guarantee and, with allies, aid, investment and other economic incentives. (NYT, 8/27/03, A1)
On Thursday (8/28), No.Korea rejected U.S. disarmament demands and said it will prove to the world that it possesses nuclear weapons by carrying out a nuclear test. No. Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Jong Il also said his country has the means to deliver nuclear weapons, an apparent reference to its highly developed missile program. (CQ Today Midday Update 8/29/03)
On Saturday (8/30), No.Korea declared that it saw no purpose in continuing the talks. Responding to No.Korea's threats, U.S. officials said that if No.Korea exploded a nuclear device, President Bush would have no choice but to press for an economic quarantine, a step No.Korea has said would be an act of war. (NYT, 8/31/03)
READING:
"To-Do List: 1) What Not to Tolerate. 2) What That Means"
By David E. Sanger, The New York Times, 8/31/03, Wk.4
For full article, email membership@wand.org, or view the
New York Times Full Article
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