Celebrate the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Coming into Force on January 22!
Published on December, 37 2020
Graphic provided by ICAN. Used with permission.
By Ellen Thomas
Co-chair, DISARM/End Wars Issue Committee
December 2020
You’ve no doubt heard the wonderful news that the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will go into effect on January 22, 2020. Volunteers in the DISARM/End Wars Committee are preparing resource guides to help WILPFers organize actions on January 22, 2021, to bring the public’s attention to this new treaty. Be on the lookout for an eALERT and emails with these guides. PLEASE LET US KNOW if you or a group you’re involved with is planning an action, and take photos to send, along with a report on the action, afterwards.
The WILPF US Disarm/End Wars Committee is also working in coalition with ICAN, Rethink Media, Nuclear Resister, and Alliance for Nuclear Accountability to collect and share information about what people are planning to do in their communities to publicize and celebrate this historic date, and to point out facilities that are in violation of the treaty.
This treaty is particularly important, because it requires that the countries that ratify it not only can’t produce, maintain, or deploy nuclear weapons; they also can’t host any entity that does. This means that war profiteers such as Lockheed-Martin or Raytheon can’t have any factories or offices in any of the 50 countries that have ratified the treaty so far, even if those offices don’t work on nuclear weapons.
Informative Websites on EIF Actions
Alliance for Nuclear Accountability is creating banners to hold outside nuclear weapons production facilities and the offices of the corporations that produce or fund them. You can learn more about this at Nuclear Ban Treaty EIF on Facebook. Nuclear Resister has created a website dedicated to the Entry Into Force (EIF) of the TPNW.
“Don't Bank on the Bomb” provides lists of 26 corporate producers of nuclear weapons and their 324 institutional investors. They write, “There are a few companies that stand out in terms of their overall nuclear weapon related activities, with billions in outstanding contracts. For example, Huntington Ingalls Industries which is connected to several facilities in the US nuclear weapons enterprise, is part of more than US$ 28 billion in outstanding contracts. Lockheed Martin is a close runner-up, connected to more than US$ 25 billion in contracts.”
Who is trying to profit from weapons of mass destruction? “The report: Shorting Our Security - Financing the Companies that Make Nuclear Weapons provides the answer.”
Nuclear Ban US has provided a short video of their action at Faslane in Scotland, where they dressed as a Treaty Compliance Unit, putting up signs around the perimeter saying that prohibited activities were taking place inside!
Nuclear Resister’s website encourages us to Get Involved! and advises to: Check out your local university or college. There is a list here of US educational institutions that are directly involved in supporting nuclear weapons production. Some of them even operate nuclear weapons sites! Your local school not on the list? With a little digging, you might find out where their endowment funds are invested—chances are there is a link to a nuclear weapons corporation or fund.
“Write your congresspersons—Senators and Reps. Tell them you expect their name to be on the first bill introduced in the new Congress that addresses the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Tell them you’ll be watching. It is highly likely that Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Ted Lieu will introduce bills that include a call for the US to join the Treaty….”
Legislation Supporting the TPNW in the House of Representatives
We can hope that Senator Markey and Congressman Ted Lieu will introduce bills supporting the TPNW. In 2019, Congressman Jim McGovern introduced a resolution supporting the TPNW, which wasn’t binding, and went nowhere.
Photo: From left, DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and WILPF Disarm/End Wars Co-Chairs Robin Lloyd and Ellen Thomas.
However, the only member of Congress who has ever introduced binding legislation supporting the TPNW (most recently HR-2419 in the 2019-2020 session) is Eleanor Holmes Norton, who is once again planning to introduce her “Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Economic and Energy Conversion Act” after the new Congress convenes in 2021. This is a sure thing, and we need your help in encouraging other members to join her in introducing the bill.
By the end of 2020 there were eight co-sponsors of HR-2419, listed in the order they signed on: Jim McGovern of Massachusetts had the good sense to cosponsor the bill, in addition to introducing his own resolution. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Barbara Lee of California signed on in 2019. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, Rashida Tlaib and Andy Levin of Michigan, and Carolyn Maloney of New York cosponsored in 2020.
Historically, Representatives have signed on after Ms. Norton introduced her legislation. Disarm Co-chair Ellen Thomas wrote to her in November, “We think it would be helpful in getting more co-sponsors if these eight would add their names again BEFORE the bill is introduced. May we contact them and other progressive Representatives to say that you approve of this idea?” Ms. Norton’s legislative aide, Trent Holbrook, replied, “We would be happy to add other Members as original cosponsors when we introduce it. If you find any offices who would like to be original cosponsors, please feel free to let them know they can contact me and we will be sure to add them.”
We need to contact each of the eight Representatives individually to ask them to join Ms. Norton in introducing the bill. We also need to contact other members to sponsor it. Ms. Norton has suggested that we focus on the Progressive Caucus, as they are the most likely to sign on. It’s really important that they be contacted by their own constituents, in order for them to listen and act. Unfortunately, with COVID-19 it’s more difficult, but we can send emails and letters, followed by phone calls to the aide/s that deal with nuclear weapons and the environment in their home and DC offices, followed by emails and letters via the aides, followed by a request to speak with the Representative on the phone …. You get the picture. Repetition, persistence, determination. Hope.
Here Is What HR-2419 Says:
Requirement for nuclear weapons abolition and economic and energy conversion.
(a) In general.—The United States Government shall—
(1) provide leadership by signing and ratifying the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons or any other international agreement that provides for—
(A) the dismantlement and elimination of all nuclear weapons in every country; and
(B) strict and effective international control of such dismantlement and elimination;
(2) redirect resources that are being used for nuclear weapons programs to use—
(A) in converting all nuclear weapons industry processes, plants, and programs, and in retraining employees, to shift to a constructive, ecologically beneficial peace economy, which includes strict control of all fissile material and radioactive waste; and
(B) in addressing human and infrastructure needs, including development and deployment of sustainable carbon-free and nuclear-free energy sources, health care, housing, education, agriculture, and environmental restoration, including long-term radioactive waste monitoring; and
(3) actively promote policies to induce all other countries to join in the commitments described in this subsection to create a more peaceful and secure world….
Here is What You Can Say When You Contact Your Representative
Dear Representative ______,
I am writing as a constituent to ask you to join Eleanor Holmes Norton when she introduces her “Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Economic and Energy Conversion Act” in the 117th Congress. It will have the same provisions as H.R. 2419 in the 116th Congress.
This bill’s main goals are to have the U.S. Government sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and to redirect the enormous amounts of taxpayers’ money being spent on nuclear weapons programs towards “converting all nuclear weapons industry processes, plants, and programs, and in retraining employees, to shift to a constructive, ecologically beneficial peace economy, which includes strict control of all fissile material and radioactive waste; and in addressing human and infrastructure needs, including development and deployment of sustainable carbon-free and nuclear-free energy sources, health care, housing, education, agriculture, and environmental restoration.”
I ask that you become a sponsor of Ms Norton’s new bill, even before it has an H.R. number, by speaking with her or informing her legislative aide, Trent Holbrook, at 202-225-8050.
Thank you for all you do for this constituency.
Please look out for the TPNW EIF resource guides coming soon, and keep us informed of your efforts and your progress! Mail to disarmchair@wilpfus.org.
