Congress
and Nuclear Weapons
As required by the Constitution, Congress is responsible
for legislating the funding for all activities carried
out by the federal government. The way Congress funds
weapons systems is complex. Nuclear weapons funding goes
through the legislative process in an especially complicated
way due to the fact that these weapons fall under multiple
executive branch jurisdictions. The Energy Department
(DOE) is responsible for the design, development, procurement,
and testing of nuclear weapons. The Defense Department
(DoD) is responsible for deployment. Both departments
share responsibility for maintenance and storage of warheads.
Thus, nuclear weapons fall under the jurisdictions of
the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, and the
House and Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittees.
Each February, the executive branch submits to Congress
its budget requests for the following fiscal year. Policy
issues relating to the U.S. nuclear stockpile are considered
in the annual defense authorization bill. This bill addresses
the size and capabilities of the U.S. nuclear arsenal
and authorizes funding for these programs. The House and
Senate Armed Services Committees have jurisdiction over
this bill. They hold hearings and decide what to include
or exclude in the bill. After the committees complete
their work, the bills are submitted to their respective
chambers for consideration.
Funds are appropriated for nuclear weapons proposals
by the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee
in their appropriations bill (not the defense appropriations
bill). If congressional appropriators decide not to fund
the policies authorized by the defense authorization bill,
these programs will not be implemented. After the subcommittees
have decided what to include or exclude in their respective
versions, the bills are submitted to the full House and
Senate Appropriations Committees. From there they go to
the full House and Senate floor for consideration.
After the House and Senate have approved their respective
versions, a conference committee, comprised of members
of both chambers, is appointed to reconcile differences
between the two bills. When the conference report has
been approved by both chambers, the bill is sent to the
President for his signature.
Throughout the process there are numerous hearings and
debates. Votes could be cast up to 12 times in a single
year on any one nuclear weapons proposal. Additionally,
some nuclear weapons proposals are voted on over multiple
years. This gives disarmament advocates repeated opportunities
to influence policy. (Webmaster's note: Click
here for related graphic "Congressional Funding Process
for Nuclear Weapons")
Momentum against re-nuclearization is building
Vote by vote, bill by bill, FCNL and the arms control community are racking up a series of successes restricting further expansion of nuclear weapons research. Nuclear weapons propoents are facing unexpected, strong, and organized opposition to their efforts to build new weapons. Arms control advocates in Washington, DC and around the country are succeeding at slowing down the approval process for weapons research--and ultimately nuclear weapons projects themselves. Join Us!
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What
You Can Do
At important junctures in world history, concerned
citizens allying with arms control organizations
played a central role in curbing the nuclear arms
race and preventing nuclear war. A similar movement
is needed today. Although there is not much room
for progress toward nuclear disarmament in the current
political climate, it is important that the public
stand up against the re-nuclearization of the U.S.
arsenal. |
You can help do this again by raising
issues of conscience, asking tough questions, and
insisting that elected officials focus on their
constituents' concerns. There are numerous methods
you can use to influence national policies, including:
- Voting in every election
- Direct contact with your legislators
- Influencing the media
- Community outreach
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Building a Relationship With Your Legislators
Communicating with your members of Congress about issues
is one of the most important and fundamental ways that
you can participate in the policymaking process. Your
visits, letters, phone calls, faxes, and emails let elected
officials know that their constituents are well informed,
are watching what they do, and care about nuclear weapons.
It is important for all members of Congress to hear from
constituents on nuclear weapons issues. Yet, due to the
way nuclear weapons are legislated, it is particularly
important for those whose members are on one of these
committees to speak out. As part of FCNL's Quaker Nuclear
Disarmament Program, constituents in key districts and
states are frequently contacted (usually via email) to
take specific actions when individual votes in the defense
authorization or energy and water appropriations process
are about to occur. If your member of Congress sits on
one of the committees or subcommittees voting on this
legislation, the direct communications you and others
send to the member can influence his or her vote. FCNL
action alerts are frequently distributed to hundreds of
thousands of individuals via the email lists of other
organizations. By flooding legislative offices with constituent
messages against re-nuclearization, arms control activists
are continuing to make slow, steady progress.
The commitment and actions of one individual made a difference!
With advice and encouragement from FCNL staff in Washington, DC, a volunteer began working with the defense aide and the district director of his representative, an infleuntial, conservative member of Congress. He passed along FCNL action alerts opposing nuclear weapons to his local peace group which has 1,000 or so members on its email list. He also organized a district-wide delegation in January 2003 to meet with his representative. This key member of Congress was made aware that a significant group of voters in his district were deeply concerned about this issue.
In June 2003 this representative decided that he would offer an amendment on the floor of the House to cut the funding of the nuclear bunker buster. The threat that this floor amendment would be offered by this influential member of Congress was an important factor in convincing the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee to take out most of hte money for the nuclear bunker buster before the bill moved to the House floor. |
Using the Media
The editorial page of your local paper can be an
excellent forum for educating your community and
bringing nuclear weapons to the attention of your
legislators. Letters to the editor and op-eds are
easy ways to voice your opinion. When you write,
mention your representative or senator by name and
start with the specific legislative action you would
like him or her to take. This will help ensure your
op-ed or letter catches the eye of your legislator.
Editorials endorsing a particular issue or piece
of legislation can change even the most committed
policymaker's mind. This particular method of making
your voice heard requires more organization than
a letter to the editor or op-ed, but will allow
you to cultivate a relationship with your local
newspaper and may influence more readers. |
Community Outreach
While it is important to lobby your legislators directly,
creating public support for nuclear disarmament can dramatically
increase your effectiveness. Numbers do make a difference,
and legislators will be more inclined to vote your way
if they feel there is a groundswell of support for a particular
measure or issue. Help create that momentum by educating
your community. You can do this by holding a house party,
setting up a table at a local event, networking with other
organizations and individuals, speaking to church groups,
etc. There are many ways to bring attention to an issue
in your community. Be creative.
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