The Congressional Progressive Caucus

stands for bold action on climate, healthcare, immigrant rights, education, worker rights, democratic reforms and many other issues

It stands for an end to endless wars, reigning in of the bloated military budget, investment in sustainable development and diplomacy

Progressives in this country are not yet of one mind on the issue of nuclear weapons, but that can change! Nuclear weapons are so utterly out of step with all the things that progressives do believe in.

Nuclear weapons, like climate change, represent an existential threat, not just to the United States, but to the whole planet. As with climate change, racism and many other issues, addressing the threat of nuclear weapons requires bold action, solidarity with the rest of the world, and a rejection of small, incremental steps that can actually undermine the achievement of our longer-term goals.

• Threatening the rest of the world with nuclear weapons in order to retain power and control over them is actually the ultimate expression of White Supremacy.
• Claiming that the US has a “right” to nuclear weapons but countries like North Korea and Iran do not is just another form of racism and neo-colonial thinking.
• Spending almost limitless amounts of money on nuclear weapons while claiming we “can’t afford” medicare for all, the cancelling of student debt or a Green New Deal is just hypocritical.
• Believing that we can only be “safe” and “secure” by threatening to destroy whole countries and kill their populations is nothing short of insanity.
• Supporting the Nuclear Ban Treaty is about joining with progressive colleagues across the world who do have this on their agenda.
• It is about acting in solidarity with the countries in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia who are overwhelming in support of the treaty.
• It is about standing up for the most fundamental of all human rights – the right to live in peace without the constant threat of nuclear destruction hanging over our heads.
• It is about giving voice to the democratic will of the vast majority of people in the vast majority of countries, including our own, who want to be rid of these weapons once and for all.

Members of the CPC who have so far signed the ICAN Pledge:

• Pramila Jayapal, Chair
• Barbara Lee, Chair Emeritis
• Mark Pocan, Chair Emeritis
• Rashida Tlaib, Vice Chair
• Ro Khanna, Deputy Whip
• Eleanor Holmes Norton, House Member
• Jim McGovern, House Member
• Carolyn Maloney, House Member
• Earl Blumenauer, House Member

Current Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus:

House of Representatives