Resolution Urges US to Lead Nuclear Disarmament, Halt Arms Race, and Cut Modernization Costs

This resolution serves as a strong nudge to the President, urging the United States to take the lead in stepping back from the nuclear brink and actively work towards a world free of these weapons. It's essentially a formal call to make nuclear disarmament a top national security priority, citing the approximately 12,000 nuclear weapons still existing globally and the heightened risks seen recently, particularly with Russia's actions in Ukraine and threats involving nuclear use.

Facing the Nuclear Reality Check

The resolution lays out the stark reality: despite dismantling tens of thousands of warheads since the Cold War, the remaining arsenals pose an existential threat. It points out that even a limited nuclear exchange could trigger devastating climate disruption and famine, let alone the unimaginable horror of a large-scale conflict. It also acknowledges the shaky ground we're on, referencing past near-misses due to miscalculation and current flashpoints involving China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea. The document notes the US still maintains policies like potential 'first use' and 'launch-under-attack' (often called 'hair-trigger' alert), which increase the odds of accidental war.

The To-Do List for a Safer World

So, what does this resolution actually ask the President to do? It's a multi-pronged approach focused on diplomacy and de-escalation. Key requests include:

• Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate: Actively pursue verifiable agreements with the other eight nuclear-armed nations (including Russia and China) to halt the current buildup and eventually eliminate nuclear arsenals. This is crucial as the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with Russia expires in February 2026.
• Rethink Launch Authority: Implement more checks and balances on the President's sole authority to order a nuclear strike and end the 'hair-trigger' alert status for nuclear forces.
• No First Use: Lead a global push for all nuclear states to formally renounce the option of using nuclear weapons first in a conflict.
• Pause New Nukes: Halt plans to develop and deploy next-generation nuclear warheads and delivery systems. The resolution highlights the massive price tag associated with modernization – citing estimates of $756 billion over the next decade and potentially over $1.2 trillion over 30 years – money that could arguably be used elsewhere.
• Keep the Test Ban: Maintain the global moratorium on nuclear explosive testing.

Beyond the Bombs: People and Planet

The resolution doesn't just focus on the weapons themselves; it also addresses the human and environmental fallout from decades of nuclear activity. It calls for concrete actions to support communities and workers historically involved in the nuclear weapons complex. This includes cleaning up environmental contamination left behind by production and testing, ensuring continued health monitoring and compensation for those affected (potentially through an expanded Radiation Exposure Compensation Act), and actively planning for a 'just economic transition' for the workforce and local economies that currently depend on these activities. It's a recognition that shifting away from nuclear weapons has real-world economic impacts that need careful management to avoid leaving people behind.