May 7, 2009

Dear John,

U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Dan Lungren (R-CA) recently introduced a resolution that calls for U.S. and Russian nuclear arms reductions to no more than 1,000 warheads, and the redirection of the monetary savings toward child survival, hunger, and universal education.

This resolution would also enhance and extend the Cooperative Threat Reduction (Nunn-Lugar) Program, which attempts to dismantle nuclear weapons and materials in former Soviet Union states, to other countries who request it. Strong support for this bill will be an important opportunity to build consensus in Congress for nuclear reductions in 2009 and beyond.

Click here to ask your member of Co ngress to support it!

President Obama and20Russian President Dmitri Medvedev have already made important commitments to reduce Russian and American stockpiles of nuclear weapons. This bipartisan resolution identifies the vast amount of resources that could be saved as a result of this process, and calls for some of those funds to support non-proliferation programs and some to be invested in important social programs.

Rep. Lungren stated clearly why nuclear weapons don’t enhance U.S. national security, “The world has changed dramatically over the last half century and so have the nature of the threats with which we must contend.”

Rep. McGovern added, “We believe that continued reductions in nuclear weapons is smart policy. And we believe that improving the lives of poor children around the world is not just the moral thing to do – it also improves our security by enhancing our image, reducing global tensions and weakening the ability of terrorists to recruit adherents to their hateful agenda.”

Click here to ask your member of Congress to support H.Res. 278!

President Obama and President Medvedev have promised to negotiate quickly a successor to START, a crucial treaty for nuclear weapons reductions.

Once President Obama signs it, the U.S. Senate needs to vote to ratify it before it becomes law. The McGovern-Lungren resolution provides an important o pportunity for members of the House of Representatives to w eigh in on this crucial debate.

Click here to ask you member of Congress to support it today!

Thank you for all you are doing,

John Isaacs and Guy Stevens