Successes
Launched a major campaign to change U.S. nuclear weapons policy
Current U.S. nuclear weapons policy perpetuates the risk of an accidental Russian attack and provides an incentive for other nations to acquire nuclear weapons. As part of our campaign to change U.S. nuclear weapons policy, we helped convince lawmakers to adopt legislation mandating a fundamental re-assessment of the role and purpose of U.S. nuclear weapons by the next President. The legislation also established a bipartisan Congressional Commission on the U.S. Strategic Posture, which is expected to submit a comprehensive report and series of recommendations in early 2009.
Presidential Candidates Support World Free of Nuclear Weapons
UCS has been instrumental in raising the issue of US nuclear weapons policy in the 2008 presidential campaign, and both Senators McCain and Obama have publicly endorsed the vision and goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. Our efforts have included media outreach, advertisements, citizen advocacy, letter writing campaigns, public opinion polling, and a major report and scientists' statement on a new U.S. nuclear weapons policy. Recent advertising at the presidential conventions resulted in major news stories in the New York Times, USA Today and many other media outlets.
Dangerous Nuclear Reprocessing Plan Curtailed
Solid UCS research and the involvement of thousands of UCS activists helped strike a major blow to the Bush administration proposed Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) program, an ill-advised plan to reprocess spent fuel from nuclear power reactors. UCS strongly opposes reprocessing, which separates plutonium from other nuclear waste, since separated plutonium can be used to make nuclear weapons. Reprocessing would make it easier for terrorists to acquire nuclear weapons materials, and for nations to develop nuclear weapon programs.
Over the last several years, we have helped convince Congress to provide significantly less funding for the program than requested by the Administration. As a result, construction on a proposed large-scale reprocessing facility and a nuclear reactor of a new, unproven design has not begun. In April, 2008, the Administration announced that the decision to proceed with the program would be left to the next administration.
No New Nuclear Weapons or Expansion of Nuclear Complex
Working with a coalition of peace and security organizations, last year we convinced Congress to eliminate most of the funding for the Administration's Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program, which would develop a new generation of nuclear weapons. This action effectively terminated the program. This year we again helped persuade Congress to hold the line against funding. This spring, we released a report critiquing Complex Transformation, a plan to recreate a Cold War-like infrastructure for designing, developing, and producing new nuclear weapons. More than 23,500 UCS activists amplified our analysis by submitting comments to the Department of Energy (DOE) opposing Complex Transformation, representing over one fourth of all comments received nationwide.
Preserving Space for Peaceful Purposes
UCS has been a leading voice against the deployment of space weapons. We helped lead a successful effort in 2007 to deny funding for the Administration's missile defense "space test bed", which would represent the first steps toward placing weapons in space. This year we secured the commitment of critical legislators to again deny funding for this program. Following the anti-satellite test by China in January 2007, we have helped increase awareness and understanding of the critical problem of space debris and the risk it poses to satellites that provide enormous benefits worldwide.
20th International Summer Symposium on Science and World Affairs
UCS has played a leading role in developing an international cadre of non-governmental scientists who use their technical expertise to work on arms control and security issues, and this year hosted its 20th Summer Symposium in Boston from July 25 to August 1. Held in countries throughout the world, the annual Symposiums bring some 40 scientists—many new to the field—together for 8 days. The meetings have increased the number of scientists working on international security issues, especially in China, and have helped create an international community of these analysts. The Symposiums have included nearly 400 participants from 26 countries.
