We Need to End Threat of Nuclear Weapons Now

Floor Speech

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Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about the growing threat of the use of a nuclear weapon in armed conflict and the threat of a new nuclear arms race. Such threats should scare every single Member of this House. I know it worries my constituents.

The world has not been in such an unstable nuclear situation since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Since that time, the risk of nuclear war has not been high, but it has never been zero.

A web of nuclear arms control agreements was created over decades that reduced the number of nuclear warheads and set limits on nuclear testing. Over 50 years of such agreements, the number of nuclear warheads was reduced by 86 percent.

However, Mr. Speaker, after decades of progress in nuclear arms control and disarmament, in a very short period, we have seen much of the architecture of these agreements undermined. While not quite dismantled, they are significantly weakened as both the Russian Federation and the United States have withdrawn from some, and Russia has unilaterally withdrawn from others.

We have seen the nuclear weapons agreement with Iran, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, erode following the U.S. withdrawal by President Donald Trump in 2018. As a result, every day, the Iranian Government increases its capacity to build a nuclear weapon.

Throughout Russia's unprovoked and unlawful invasion of Ukraine, we have frequently heard Russia threaten to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine. In late November, President Putin's mouthpiece, Vladimir Solovyov, who hosts a show on Russian state TV, warned that nuclear war is ``unavoidable.''

Each of these actions--let alone taken together--exposes the unbearable truth about nuclear weapons: Nuclear weapons do not prevent wars. To the contrary, they are used to threaten, coerce, and facilitate war.

Mr. Speaker, we need an urgent call to action. There is leadership in this House seeking to renew and reinvigorate the urgent need for nuclear arms control.

Congressmen Don Beyer and John Garamendi lead a working group on nuclear weapons and arms control.

Congressman Ted Lieu has introduced H.R. 669 to restrict the first use of nuclear weapons and H.R. 2894 that would block a nuclear launch by artificial intelligence.

Along with Congressman Blumenauer, I introduced H. Res. 77 that calls on the United States Government to work toward the goals and aspirations of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the TPNW.

Along with Senator Markey, I have also introduced H.R. 3154, the HALT Act, to freeze nuclear weapons production and urgently return to negotiations.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton has introduced H.R. 2775 to direct the U.S. to sign the TPNW and convert the funds that maintain and sustain our nuclear arsenal to address urgent domestic needs.

At the end of November, I was privileged to attend a meeting of parliamentarians at the United Nations to discuss these urgent questions. The meeting was coordinated by a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Each of us was from a nation that has not yet joined the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We discussed what needs to happen in our countries and our parliaments to accelerate the debate on ending the threat of nuclear weapons.

We were at the U.N. because the 93 nations that have joined the TPNW were meeting to discuss concrete steps to implement the treaty's provision. Such leadership should be recognized and supported, Mr. Speaker, but it is not enough. It is simply not enough.

I wish the United States would be bold. I wish the United States would join the TPNW and abolish nuclear weapons once and for all. At a minimum, we need a path back to dialogue in arms control negotiations.

If we are going to move the major nuclear powers to action, including the United States, we need a massive outpouring of grassroots action in support of ending the threat of nuclear weapons. Without large-scale citizen movements, I fear that the nuclear powers will continue to move in the wrong direction, and we will see the unraveling of all nuclear agreements, a renewed nuclear arms race, and even the actual use of nuclear weapons in current and future conflicts.

We cannot wait to change direction, Mr. Speaker. We live at a time when the world as we know it can be destroyed in one terrible nuclear flash. The time to act is now.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the record the ``Parliamentarian Statement to the 2MSP.'' Parliamentarian Statement to the 2MSP (Delivered by Guillaume Defosse, Parliamentarians for the TPNW)

As a delegation of 23 parliamentarians from 14 countries, we are honoured to address this second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW. This meeting represents a pivotal moment in our collective journey toward a world free of these devastating weapons. We extend our appreciation to the governments, organisations, and civil society representatives who have tirelessly championed this cause. The TPNW remains a bright and powerful reason for hope when many other international developments point in the wrong direction.

We congratulate the state parties and signatories of the TPNW for their unwavering leadership on the global abolition of nuclear weapons since the last meeting of states parties. Your dedication showcases the immeasurable value of the TPNW within the international legal regime that prohibits weapons of mass destruction, offering a clear pathway to their global eradication.

We applaud our colleagues who have worked tirelessly to convey the significance of this Treaty to their respective governments and advance the process of ratification. Our commitment remains resolute, grounded in the belief that the citizens we represent, along with all citizens, should never have to bear the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons use or testing. We pledge to redouble our efforts in expanding the membership of this Treaty and supporting its effective implementation. We will tirelessly strive to garner support among parliamentarians for this Treaty and call on all governments to sign and ratify it as a matter of international urgency.

We stand united in denouncing any and all nuclear threats, regardless of their form and irrespective of the circumstances. As recalled by TPNW, and in accordance with the UN Charter, all States must refrain from the threat or use of force. Leaders around the world must confront the reality that nuclear threats now being voiced by certain policymakers reveal the folly of continued legitimization of nuclear weapons including through promoting so-called nuclear deterrence. It is encouraging to see that many leaders, even from nations not yet party to this Treaty, have adopted a similar stance, firmly rejecting the unacceptable rhetoric surrounding so-called tactical nuclear weapons and loose discussions of their use.

However, despite repeated assurances and commitments to disarm, nuclear-armed states collectively maintain over 12,000 nuclear weapons and continue to allocate vast resources for the modernization and expansion of their arsenals. In 2022, $82.9 billion were spent on nuclear weapons. Money that would be better invested in a sustainable, just, and peaceful future. We deplore the reliance on the perilous doctrine of nuclear deterrence and the renewed emphasis on the nuclear dimension of military alliances, which obstructs progress toward nuclear disarmament, elevates nuclear risks, and undermines non- proliferation efforts. We also vehemently object to the deployment of nuclear weapons on the territory of other states, a direct contradiction to the objectives of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a violation of Article 1 of the TPNW.

In striking contrast to the reckless rhetoric of certain nuclear-armed states and their allies, we commend the state parties to this Treaty for their unwavering dedication to implementing the TPNW. We, too, are committed to taking every conceivable action to advance the prohibitions of the Treaty. The regrettable decision of Russia to de-ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty reminds us of the importance of upholding the unequivocal prohibitions on nuclear testing as stipulated in the TPNW and the CTBT. We call on all states to refrain from actions that undermine the integrity of either treaty.

We join the states parties in emphasising the complementarity of the TPNW with the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty and remain unwavering in our support of all measures contributing to nuclear disarmament and non- proliferation. Through constructive engagement with policymakers in nuclear-armed states and their allies, we aim to enhance international security and make substantial strides toward the shared goal of universalizing the TPNW.

We recognize the importance of not confining discussions on nuclear disarmament solely to designated diplomatic fora. The threats posed by nuclear weapons extend far beyond national security concerns; they encompass the well-being of our planet and humanity as a whole. The environmental consequences of nuclear weapons devastate the health and livelihoods of our communities. It is our duty to recognize the multifaceted nature of this issue and actively work towards integrating nuclear disarmament into all policy areas.

More than 1000 sitting parliamentarians have signed ICAN's parliamentary pledge. We are from 27 countries that have not yet ratified the TPNW. We span the political spectrum, and might not see eye to eye on other issues, but we are united in our commitment to work for our countries' ratification of the TPNW, as we consider the abolition of nuclear weapons to be a global public good of the highest order and an essential step to promote the security and well-being of all peoples.

In fulfilling our pledge, we have instigated parliamentary debates on the TPNW; we have tabled resolutions in support of it; we have questioned governments on our national positions; and we have engaged with our constituents in a public conversation about the urgent need for disarmament. To repeat the promise of the TPNW states parties in the Vienna declaration: ``We will not rest until the last state has joined the treaty, the last warhead has been dismantled and destroyed, and nuclear weapons have been totally eliminated from the Earth.''

In conclusion, we echo the collective sentiment that many pressing challenges underscore the urgency and relevance of the mission embodied by the TPNW. Let us persist in our collaborative efforts for a future where humanity thrives in a world free from the ominous shadow of nuclear weapons.

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