* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmembers Henry, Clarke, Cohen, Dorsey, Bullock, Burnett, Scott,
Middleton
At the request of: Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Request for Federal Action - Move Back From the Brink and Toward Nuclear Disarmament
For the purpose of calling on Congress to act to move back from the brink of a policy that makes nuclear war more likely.
body
Recitals
Whereas, the global nuclear arsenals contain some 15,000 nuclear weapons.
Whereas, the use of even a tiny fraction of these weapons poses an intolerable risk to human survival with the potential to cause worldwide climate disruption and global famine.
Whereas, a large scale nuclear war would kill hundreds of millions of people directly and cause unimaginable environmental damage, producing conditions wherein the vast majority of the human race would starve and humankind might possibly become extinct as a species.
Whereas, although deterrence is the principle argument to maintain these arsenals, there have been many occasions when nuclear-armed states have prepared to use these weapons, and war has been averted at the last minute. Nuclear weapons do not possess some magical quality that prevents their being used. As former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara said, speaking about the Cuban Missile Crisis, “In the end, we lucked out - it was luck that prevented nuclear war.” Our current nuclear policy is essentially the hope that our good luck lasts.
Whereas, the danger of nuclear war is growing as climate change puts increased stress on communities around the world increasing the likelihood of conflict.
Whereas, the planned expenditure of more than $1.2 trillion to enhance our nuclear arsenal will exacerbate these dangers by fueling a global arms race and will divert crucial resources needed to assure the well-being of the American people.
Whereas, just in the past year, Baltimoreans averaged $175 per capita for “a nuclear weapons war tax” paying a collective $107.5 million in federal taxes towards the cost of producing, deploying and maintaining nuclear weapons. Marylanders as a whole averaged $244 per capita, with the State collectively paying an estimated $1.47 billion in 2017 federal taxes towards our country’s annual cost of nuclear weapons; and
Whereas, there is an alternative to this march to nuclear war. In July of 2017, 122 nations called for the elimination of all nuclear weapons by adopting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The United States, and the residents of Baltimore, should embrace this call for nuclear disarmament as the centerpiece of our national security policy.
Whereas, Congress should join a global effort to prevent nuclear war via the following actions:
• Renounce the option of using nuclear weapons first.
• End the President’s sole, unchecked authority to launch a nuclear attack.
• Take U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert.
• Cancel the plan to replace the entire U.S. arsenal with enhanced weapons.
• Require the U.S. to pursue a verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, that the Council calls on Congress to act to move back from the brink of a policy that makes nuclear war more likely.
And be it further resolved, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Maryland Delegation to the 115th United States Congress, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.