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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 27, 2003 NORTON INTRODUCES NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT BILL NECESSARY FOR DOMESTIC NEEDS AND TO CONTAIN NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION Washington, DC--Last night, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced the Nuclear Disarmament and Economic Conversion Act of 2003 (NDECA). NDECA will require the United States to disable and dismantle its nuclear weapons when all other nations possessing nuclear weapons enact laws to do the same. NDECA further provides that when our nuclear weapons are dismantled, the resources used to support nuclear weapons programs would be diverted to our growing human and infrastructure needs, such as housing, health care, Social Security and the environment. Norton has introduced this bill every year following a ballot initiative in the District in 1993. Norton said: “In addition to the economic cost of nuclear weapons, the weapons continue to be an increasingly destabilizing force in world affairs. The list lengthens every few months. North Korea, at least in part in response to stepped up aggressive talk and policies from the U.S., is expanding its nuclear capabilities. Following the Iraq War, Iran appears to be pursuing greater nuclear capability and resisting inspections. India and Pakistan have moved back from the precipice of several years ago but each remains poised with nuclear weapons. The United States and the world community urgently need to redouble their efforts to obtain commitments to push back the new surge for nuclear proliferation. Our country would be able to better dissuade other nations who aspire to become nuclear powers if we ourselves are willing to take greater initiative in dismantling our own nuclear weapons program. It is noteworthy that the Senate in March ratified the Moscow Treaty, which provides that by 2012, both the U.S. and Russia reduce their long-range warheads two-thirds from approximately 6,000 warheads each to 2,200.” Norton said that with 40 million people still without health care, Social Security without the benefits for the huge baby boomer generation, and an economy teetering from the loss of 3 million jobs and millions more Americans pushed back into poverty during the last three years, the time has come to begin the transfer of nuclear weapons funds to urgent domestic needs. In the 56-year period between 1940 to 1996, nuclear weapons spending exceeded the combined total federal spending for education, training, employment, and social services; agriculture; natural resources and the environment; general science, space and technology; community and regional development (including disaster relief); law enforcement; and energy production and regulation. ###
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