September 8, 2006:  Arms Control Association Applauds Central Asian States for Forswearing Nuclear Arms

Central Asia used to house part of the sprawling Soviet nuclear weapons complex. But now Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have broken with this nuclear past by signing the free zone pact at a former Soviet nuclear testing site, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan. Negotiations on the agreement started in 1997.

“Despite being surrounded by nuclear-armed neighbors, these five states have courageously and correctly concluded that nuclear weapons are not necessary for their future security,” declared ACA Executive Director Daryl Kimball. “All states clinging or aspiring to nuclear weapons should heed this principled example and take their own steps to revive the lackluster nuclear disarmament process, which is the only sure way of protecting all countries against nuclear terror,” he urged.

France, the United Kingdom, and the United States declined to attend the signing ceremony today because of some reservations they have with the treaty text. “While the agreement may not be perfect, governments with legitimate concerns should find constructive ways to address them rather than acting in ways that cast aspersions on a laudable accomplishment,” ACA Research Director Wade Boese stated.

The Central Asian zone will be the fifth such arrangement. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco), the South Pacific (Treaty of Rarotonga), Southeast Asia (Treaty of Bangkok), and Africa (Treaty of Pelindaba) have also banded together to create nuclear-weapon-free zones. Mongolia has also outlawed nuclear weapons on its territory and all countries are prohibited from stationing nuclear weapons in Antarctica, on the seabed, and in outer space.

The Arms Control Association (ACA) is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to promoting effective arms control policies. ACA publishes the monthly journal Arms Control Today.

June 29, 2006: India Bill Passed 37-5 in International Relations Committee

Congresswoman Diane E. Watson, who voted against the bill, said one of the main reasons for her taking such a decision was her strong personal view that this bill would set wrong precedent and lead to proliferation of the nuclear weapons. Terming India as a ‘‘reliable steward’’ of nuclear technology, Watson said her concerns were beyond India. ‘‘I do not fear India with nuclear power. I do fear a world where both India and the US must face a nuclear Iran or a nuclear North Korea. Our key tool for constraining nuclear designs of Iran and North Korea has been Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, or NPT,’’ Watson told The Indian Express. 

Watson said her main fear was that this legislation would damage the NPT to the point that we would make it harder to stop the Iranian and North Korean nuclear programs.

March 15, 2006: Congresswoman Waters Votes Against Iraq War Spending Bill

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35) voted against HR 4939, the FY 2006 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.

"Although there were many important funding priorities in this bill, it was simply another attempt by this administration to add more money to the mounting cost of the Iraq war.  Indeed, more than 74% of the funds appropriated in this bill were aimed at continuing this war," said Congresswoman Waters.  "We have already spent nearly $350 billion on the war and this bill will bring the total costs of the war to more than $400 billion.  Unfortunately, the costs are not only in terms of dollars and cents.  As of today, 2,310 US soldiers have died in Iraq.  My no vote on this bill was a vote against this war and against this administration."

Congresswoman Waters said, "The President has mismanaged this war from the start. We are constantly hearing about contractors winning no-bid contracts and overcharging American taxpayers millions of dollars. There is no accountability and no oversight, yet the President continues to ask for billions of dollars to continue this war."

"The money that has been spent on this war could be better used here at home to address the domestic agenda which this administration has ignored. Our budgets are out of control - the deficits for the past five years have been the worst our country has ever seen, yet the President remains committed to driving our country further into debt by recklessly spending billions of dollars in Iraq. And, just today the Senate voted to raise the debt limit to $9 trillion, also a record high.  If we continue to fund the war in this manner, it will be impossible to strengthen our schools, provide healthcare to the 45 million Americans who lack it, provide affordable drugs for our seniors or help students attend college."

"Despite the 71 votes against the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, we knew that we wouldn't be able to prevent the bill from passing and the important funding for the Gulf Coast and the victims of Katrina would continue.  But we also knew a vote against the bill would be a vote against the war and a vote against the President's disregard for the will of the American people," concluded Congresswoman Waters.

NUCLEAR "BUNKER BUSTER" HAS BEEN BUSTED!

Your lobby visits, letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls helped persuade members of Congress to eliminate this dangerous nuclear bomb that could have killed over one million people. Congress has agreed to eliminate funding for the nuclear "bunker buster" in the energy and water appropriations bill conference committee.  Please email or call your members of Congress at one of their offices to thank them for not funding the bunker buster.