April 20, 2023, Washington, DC: Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced the Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Conversion Act of 2023. Norton has introduced a version of the bill in every session of Congress since 1994. This version would encourage the United States to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and redirect funding for nuclear weapons to instead address the climate crisis and other social needs, upon certification that nuclear powers around the world have begun elimination of their nuclear weapons.
In her statement to Congress, Congresswoman Norton said this of the bill:
“Mr. Speaker. Today, I introduce the Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Conversion Act of 2023. This bill would require that, beginning on the date that the president certifies to Congress that all countries possessing nuclear weapons have begun the verifiable and irreversible elimination of such weapons under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (Treaty), the United States redirect resources that are being used for nuclear weapons programs to be used for addressing the climate crisis and human and infrastructure needs, such as housing, health care and restoring the environment.
In 1993, District of Columbia peace activists were successful in getting a ballot initiative in D.C. passed that called for nuclear disarmament. Every Congress since then, I have introduced a bill based on that initiative, including this bill. In March 2019, the D.C. Council passed a “Sense of the Council” resolution urging the United States to approve the Treaty. These actions show that D.C. residents were early, prescient leaders on this important issue. It seems that the rest of the world is, thankfully, starting to catch up to D.C.
As the only nation that has used nuclear weapons in war, and that still possesses one of the largest nuclear weapons arsenals, my bill would help the United States reestablish its moral leadership in the world by redirecting funds that would otherwise go to nuclear weapons to address the climate crisis and urgent domestic needs.
I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.”
Fact Sheet about the Norton bill here
Link to bill on US Congress website
