[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16910]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT AND ECONOMIC CONVERSION ACT OF 2003

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2003

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I am introducing 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. I have 
introduced this bill every year following a ballot initiative in the 
District in 1993.
  In addition to the economic cost of nuclear weapons, the weapons have 
increased as a destabilizing force in world affairs. 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 were 
willing to take even 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 
will reduce their long-range warheads two-thirds from approximately 
6,000 warheads each to 2,200.
  With 40 million people still without health care, Social Security 
without the benefits for the huge baby boomer generation, an economy 
teetering from the loss of 3 million jobs and millions more Americans 
pushed back out in 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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