Even REPUBLICANS Can Support These Bills to Control Nuclear Weapons

Something we can all agree on:
"No one wins a nuclear war"

The only thing standing between current efforts in Congress to rein in nuclear weapons and success is a few Republic senators. Is it possible that the needed support will materialize?

This morning, the New York Times called attention to these ten Republican senators who stood up for principle and the Constitution against the President on the issue of the emergency declaration:

Lamar Alexander (TN)
Roy Blunt (MO
Susan Collins (ME)
Mike Lee  (UT)
Mitt Romney (UT)
Jerry Moran (KS)
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Rand Paul (KY)
Rob Portman (OH)
Marco Rubio (FL)
Pat Toomey (PA)
Roger Wicker (MS)

(See "Senate Republicans’ Declaration of (Semi-) Independence.")

You might want to communicate with one or more of these senators and thank them for taking this action. (Even if you don't come from the state they represent.) And while you're at it, you can encourage them to co-sponsor the following bills that are designed to re-assert the Constitutional authority of Congress ... related to war, national security, treaties, the military, and the budget:


(1) Bill Restricting President from Ordering Nuclear First-Strike

Re-asserts Congressional authority over decision to declare war (including a decision on a first-use nuclear strike).

House bill: HR. 669 - "To prohibit the conduct of a first-use nuclear strike absent a declaration of war by Congress."

Senate bill: S. 200 - "To prohibit the conduct of a first-use nuclear strike absent a declaration of war by Congress."

(At this writing, the co-sponsors on these bills number: 52 in the House, 13 in the Senate.)


(2) No First Use Bill

Would institute as US policy that the US shall not use nuclear weapons first.

House bill: H.R.921 - To establish the policy of the United States regarding the no-first-use of nuclear weapons

Senate bill: S.272 - A bill to establish the policy of the United States regarding the no-first-use of nuclear weapons

(At this writing, the co-sponsors on these bills number: 21 in the House, 5 in the Senate.)


(3) Bill limiting "low-yield" nuclear weapons

Addresses the mistaken idea that "small" nuclear weapons are "less dangerous."

House bill: H.R.1086 - Hold the LYNE Act

Senate bill: S.401 - Hold the LYNE Act

(At this writing, the co-sponsors on these bills number: 27 in the House, 7 in the Senate.)


(4) Bill limiting nuclear weapons spending

This bill was introduced in the wake of the US withdrawal from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.

House bill: H.R.1231 - Prevention of Arms Race Act of 2019

Senate bill: S.312 - Prevention of Arms Race Act of 2019

(At this writing, the co-sponsors on these bills number: 9 in the House, 12 in the Senate.)


By the way -- Republican senators aren't the only ones who need to hear from you. Now is the time to reach out to all of your senators and representatives and urge support of these bills (and thank current supporters for leading the effort).


Need some inspiration? Take a look at this short video from a conference at Harvard in late 2017: Presidential First Use of Nuclear Weapons: Is it Legal? Is it Constitutional? Is it Just? To quote Senator Ed Markey (sponsor of several of the bills above and the final speaker in the video) -- things can change ... and it can happen in the blink of a political eye!