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abolition-usa-digest      Thursday, May 18 2000      Volume 01 : Number 305




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 12:41:59 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Nuclear Waste Manifesto at NPT

Dear Friends,
I am presenting this paper at a strategy meeting today during the NPT and
would
appreciate your feedback.  Alice Slater

NUCLEAR WASTE MANIFESTO

The 2000 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review conference is drawing to a close and
will offer little to abolitionists who are determined to see the
elimination of
nuclear weapons from our planet.  The unholy bargain for the inalienable right
to poison the planet with the so-called ôpeaceful usesö of nuclear technology,
which many non-nuclear weapons states continue to cling to,  aided by the
collusion of nuclear supplier countries, threatens to turn our planet into a
nuclear waste dump and destroy our genetic heritage.  A clear call must be
issued around the planet to stop this insanity!!   Here are some simple rules
proposed to change the thinking and speaking about nuclear waste and weapons
for the millenium.


1.      Stop mining uranium
2.      Stop producing new nuclear waste
3.      DonÆt transport wasteleave it as near as possible to the site where it
is generated
4.      DonÆt process wastedonÆt cook it, glassify it, ceramify it, transmute
it, mox it
5.      Isolate waste from the air, soil, and water in above ground
retrievable
storage in sturdy containers that can easily be replaced over time
6.      Keep contained waste under international guard
7.      Establish a Global Sustainable Energy
8.      Establish a Global Waste Project which will devote intellectual and
financial resources to studying the long term problem  of nuclear waste,
commensurate with the resources that were devoted to poisoning the planet with
nuclear weapons and nuclear power.


Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
15 East 26th Street, Room 915
New York, NY 10010
tel:  [phone]
fax:  [phone]
email:  [e-mail]
http://www.gracelinks.org

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network for the elimination
nuclear weapons.

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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 21:56:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: [e-mail] (marylia)
Subject: (abolition-usa) DOE/sick nuclear workers

Hi peace and enviro colleagues. Here is an article I thought would be of
interest from our recent newsletter on the compensation proposed by DOE for
its sick workers. Peace, Marylia

Aid Pledged to Sick Workers

by Marylia Kelley
from Tri-Valley CAREs' May 2000 newsletter, Citizen's Watch

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson pledged his Department would reverse over
50 years of denial that it caused injury, illness and death amongst its
employees in U.S. nuclear weapons laboratories and factories.

"Justice for nuclear weapons workers is finally happening. The government
is, for a change, on their side," Richardson proclaimed in an April 12th
press conference to announce his support for a new initiative to provide
compensation to some current and former workers exposed to toxic and
radioactive contaminants on the job.

Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health, Dr. David Michaels
said workers at Livermore Lab suffered exposures to plutonium, tritium,
beryllium and other deadly materials. These workers will be eligible to
file claims, he said.

Admitting responsibility is an historic first step in the long journey of
reparation, but there are serious limitations to the DOE compensation plan.
Justice for workers and others made sick by the bomb-building enterprise
remains a still-elusive glimmer.

The DOE proposes to grant only a small number of claims nationwide.
Michaels estimated that 3,000 workers would be eligible. He said there are
perhaps 1,500 workers with radiation-induced cancers, 750 cases of
beryllium disease and 750 workers with other illnesses caused by their
employment.

Despite pronouncements by Richardson and Michaels that their agency would
no longer battle and belittle the workers' claims, it is worth noting that
most of the injured will have to prove exposure to be eligible for
compensation. That will present a difficult if not impossible hurdle for
many.

In some cases the workers' medical records are missing, in others their
files were altered after they became ill, leaving them without recourse to
even the state-run workers compensation programs. A number of Livermore
workers have spoken to us over the years about the "black holes" in the
official records, where information about exposure goes in - but nothing
comes out. We believe the problem to be widespread.

We also know of cases at Livermore and elsewhere where the workers were too
intimidated to report the exposure to their supervisors. One contractor who
experienced "flu-like symptoms" after becoming enveloped in toxic gas told
us he was afraid of losing his job. If they become ill as a result of their
exposures, these workers will likely not be able to get help.

DOE  knows that this is a problem. Michaels said that the agency would take
a sick worker's job description into account, but for most workers the
burden of proof still falls heavily on their shoulders.

Even in cases where exposure was severe and demonstrable, the worker's
eligibility hinges on whether he or she suffered the specific illness on
the DOE list for that contaminant. For example, a worker exposed to
beryllium dust who develops lung disease may be eligible, but the worker
standing next to him suffering the same exposure will not receive any
compensation if he becomes ill with cancer. While there is a strong
correlation between beryllium exposure and cancer, that disease is not on
the DOE list for that contaminant.

Moreover, the DOE initiative does not acknowledge or help the plight of
nuclear plant neighbors, some of whom suffered exposures as high as the
employees.

In Washington they call it the "Hanford mile," and many of its neighbors
have developed cancers and other rare diseases. In Livermore, a study by
the California state Department of Health Services found Lab workers
suffered a 400% increased incidence of malignant melanoma, a potentially
fatal form of skin cancer. The study correlated the increases in cancer
with five  workplace factors. In 1995, the state completed a thirty-year
study of Livermore's young  - and found that children who were born here
suffered a 640% increase in malignant melanoma. Children who were merely
moved here while young had a 240% increase. And the list goes on.

Under the Energy Department's plan, eligible workers, or their survivors,
could receive a lump-sum payment of $100,000. In other cases, sick workers
could get medical costs and lost wages, a package that could potentially
exceed $100,000.

DOE estimated it would need $120 million annually for the first three years
and then about $80 million a year after that. It is unclear as yet whether
Congress will appropriate those modest dollars.

The good news is that some who were made sick may receive  aid. As one ill
worker, retired from Livermore Lab told us, "I'm dying. I want to know that
my wife will have enough money to pay off my bills and to live."

The bad news is it is not enough. Not nearly enough.

If you or a family member may have a DOE job-related illness, you can call
a new toll-free number set up by the Department at [phone]. We at
Tri-Valley CAREs are compiling a data base of residents and workers who
believe their illnesses could be Lab related. Please call us at (925)
443-7148.



Marylia Kelley
Executive Director,
Tri-Valley CAREs
(Communities Against a Radioactive Environment)
2582 Old First Street
Livermore, CA 94550
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web site: http://www.igc.org/tvc



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------------------------------

Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 22:00:04 -0700 (PDT)
From: [e-mail] (marylia)
Subject: (abolition-usa) Subcritical Nuclear Tests

Dear colleagues: Here is an article from our newsletter on subcritical
nuclear tests. Peace, Marylia

More Subcritical Nuclear Tests Planned

by Sally Light
from Tri-Valley CAREs' May 2000 newsletter, Citizen's Watch

The Department of Energy (DOE) has detonated 11 underground subcritical
nuclear tests at its Nevada Test Site (NTS) since the first such test in
mid-1997. Tri-Valley CAREs, along with its colleague organizations, opposes
these tests.

A subcritical test is not a full-scale nuclear test. Fissile materials such
as plutonium are involved, but the nuclear chain reaction is halted before
it becomes self-sustaining. Each subcritical test consists of high
explosives being blown up along with plutonium, while sophisticated
monitoring equipment records the detonation in great detail. The data
gathered from the test are later fed into DOE's computers to update nuclear
weapons computer codes.

While DOE claims that these tests are performed in the cause of maintaining
the stockpile's "safety" and "reliability," Tri-Valley CAREs and others
counter that the tests, which are part of DOE's Stockpile Stewardship
program, are done to further the research and development of nuclear
weapons.

Livermore Lab has prepared 7 of the 11 tests carried out so far (the other
4 were prepared by the Los Alamos Lab in New Mexico). Livermore is
currently completing a series of 16 subcritical tests code-named the Oboe
series. Oboe 1 was detonated at NTS last year. Three Oboe tests have been
performed so far in this fiscal year, and reportedly up to 5 more such
tests are planned by the end of September, with the balance of the Oboe
tests to be done in fiscal year 2001.

Located on beautiful desert land belonging to the Western Shoshone Nation,
NTS is an island of pockmarked, radioactively-contaminated desolation
caused by decades of U.S. nuclear weapons testing. The subcritical tests
further degrade the environment. It was confirmed recently that plutonium
from past explosions has been moving with the area's underground aquifer
towards the NTS fence line.

Subcritical testing also has serious, negative international repercussions.
Other nations see them as proof that the U.S. has no intention of complying
with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), even though the U.S. has
signed it and has an obligation under the Treaty's Article VI to take steps
to discontinue its nuclear weapons activities and to achieve nuclear
disarmament.

Subcritical tests also undermine the trust among nations needed to
accomplish the sensitive international ratification now underway of the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which bans all nuclear weapons tests.
The subcritical tests by DOE have been cited by some countries as an
impediment to ratification of the CTBT.

U.S. tests have been answered by Russian subcritical tests. Russia has been
conducting subcritical tests over the last two years. We and others have
been warning the U.S. that such tests at NTS  risk starting another nuclear
arms race, or, at the very least, keep the competitive fires burning in the
style of the Cold War. We see the responsive Russian subcritical tests as
proof of that risk.

In the Bay Area, every time a subcritical test is performed, we  local
groups respond with an action at noon on the day of the test. The actions
are in San Francisco at the international headquarters of the Bechtel
Group, the corporation that holds a multi-billion dollar contract with DOE
to operate NTS. These protests are part of an international response to the
U.S. tests - actions also take place in Nevada, Japan, Australia and
Europe.

Call us for more information -- or to be placed on the notification list
for actions.


Marylia Kelley
Executive Director,
Tri-Valley CAREs
(Communities Against a Radioactive Environment)
2582 Old First Street
Livermore, CA 94550
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Web site: http://www.igc.org/tvc



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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 07:38:24 -0400
From: Ellen Thomas <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) NucNews 00/05/18 - Congress today; Sunday 8:45 a.m. action, Ellipse

- --=====================_121916880==_.ALT
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable


May 18, 2000 Washington Times / Agence France Presse Daybook
http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000518213750.htm

SENATE COMMITTEES=20

2 p.m. =97 Armed Services Committee holds hearing to receive testimony on=
 U.S.
strategic nuclear force requirements. Gen. Henry H. Shelton, Joint Chiefs of
Staff chairman, testifies. Location: 253 Russell Senate Office Building.
Contact: 202/224-3871.

HOUSE COMMITTEES=20

2 p.m. =97 Resources energy and mineral resources subcommittee holds=
 hearing,
"Inquiry into Payments to Federal Employees." Location: 1324 Longworth House
Office Building. Contact: 202/225-2761.

11 a.m. =97 Commerce health and the environment subcommittee holds hearing=
 on the
disposition of hundreds of chimpanzees no longer needed for biomedical
research. Jane Goodall testifies. Location: 2322 Rayburn House Office=
 Building.
Contact: 202/225-2927.

GENERAL AGENDA=20

China news conference =97 1 p.m. =97 The Institute for America's Future=
 holds a
news conference to release a new economic analysis, "China's Rapid Leap into
Advanced Technologies." The participants include: Charles McMillion, report
author; and Reps. David E. Bonior, Michigan Democrat, and Dennis J.=
 Kucinich,
Ohio Democrat. Location: Capitol, House Triangle. Contact: 202/955-5665.

Citizens Trade Campaign news conference =97 9:45 a.m. =97 The Citizens Trade
Campaign holds a news conference and rally with 60 Chinese human rights=
 leaders
to ask Congress to reject permanent normal trade relations with China. Rep.
David E. Bonior, Michigan Democrat, participates. Location: Capitol, East=
 Front
lawn. Contact: 202/624-8136.

Grant presentation =97 2 p.m. =97 Energy Secretary Bill Richardson presents=
 an
Energy Department grant to Rep. Joe Baca, California Democrat, for a=
 University
of California at Riverside solar-energy project. Location: 2300 Rayburn=
 House
Office Building. Contact: 202/225-6161.

- ----

Albright protest this Sunday

From: <[e-mail]>=20
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 7:09 AM=20

Dear friends,
DC area activists are planning to protest US aggression in Iraq and the
policies of Madeleine Albright, who will be receiving an honorary degree=
 from
George Washington University at a Commencement ceremony this Sunday morning=
 at
the Ellipse. Protest assembles at 8:45 a.m., Sunday, May 21, at 15 and E
Streets, NW. The DC Coalition to Stop The US War Against Iraq, 202-452-7454



     ___________________________________________________

       Today's Newspapers: http://prop1.org/nucnews/links.htm
           NucNews Archives: http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm
     Subscribe to NucNews:  [e-mail] (NucNews-Subscribe)
           Submit URL/Article: [e-mail] (NucNews-Editor)
                    About NucNews: http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm
        NucNews - E-Mailed: http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews

Excellent e-mail news resources:

DOE Watch - [e-mail] - http://members.aol.com/doewatch=20
Downwinders - [e-mail] - http://[e-mail]=20
EnviroNews - [e-mail] -=
 http://www.envirolink.org/environews=20
Planet Ark/Reuters - [e-mail] - http://www.planetark.org/news/
Radbull (Radiation Bulletin) [e-mail]=20

      Distributed without payment for research and educational=20
   purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107.



- --=====================_121916880==_.ALT
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html><div>May 18, 2000 Washington Times / Agence France Presse
Daybook</div>
<div><a href=3D"http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000518213750.htm"=
 EUDORA=3DAUTOURL>http://www.washtimes.com/national/daybook-2000518213750.ht=
m</a></div>
<br>
<div>SENATE COMMITTEES </div>
<br>
<div>2 p.m. =97 Armed Services Committee holds hearing to receive testimony
on U.S. strategic nuclear force requirements. Gen. Henry H. Shelton,
Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, testifies. Location: 253 Russell Senate
Office Building. Contact: 202/224-3871.</div>
<br>
<div>HOUSE COMMITTEES </div>
<br>
<div>2 p.m. =97 Resources energy and mineral resources subcommittee holds
hearing, "Inquiry into Payments to Federal Employees."
Location: 1324 Longworth House Office Building. Contact:
202/225-2761.</div>
<br>
<div>11 a.m. =97 Commerce health and the environment subcommittee holds
hearing on the disposition of hundreds of chimpanzees no longer needed
for biomedical research. Jane Goodall testifies. Location: 2322 Rayburn
House Office Building. Contact: 202/225-2927.</div>
<br>
<div>GENERAL AGENDA </div>
<br>
<div>China news conference =97 1 p.m. =97 The Institute for America's Future
holds a news conference to release a new economic analysis, "China's
Rapid Leap into Advanced Technologies." The participants include:
Charles McMillion, report author; and Reps. David E. Bonior, Michigan
Democrat, and Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio Democrat. Location: Capitol, House
Triangle. Contact: 202/955-5665.</div>
<br>
<div>Citizens Trade Campaign news conference =97 9:45 a.m. =97 The Citizens
Trade Campaign holds a news conference and rally with 60 Chinese human
rights leaders to ask Congress to reject permanent normal trade relations
with China. Rep. David E. Bonior, Michigan Democrat, participates.
Location: Capitol, East Front lawn. Contact: 202/624-8136.</div>
<br>
<div>Grant presentation =97 2 p.m. =97 Energy Secretary Bill Richardson
presents an Energy Department grant to Rep. Joe Baca, California
Democrat, for a University of California at Riverside solar-energy
project. Location: 2300 Rayburn House Office Building. Contact:
202/225-6161.</div>
<br>
<div>----</div>
<br>
<div>Albright protest this Sunday</div>
<br>
<div>From: <[e-mail]> </div>
<div>Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 7:09 AM </div>
<br>
<div>Dear friends,</div>
<div>DC area activists are planning to protest US aggression in Iraq and
the policies of Madeleine Albright, who will be receiving an honorary
degree from George Washington University at a Commencement ceremony this
Sunday morning at the Ellipse. Protest assembles at 8:45 a.m., Sunday,
May 21, at 15 and E Streets, NW. The DC Coalition to Stop The US War
Against Iraq, 202-452-7454</div>
<br>
<br>
<br>


___________________________________________________<br>
<br>
       Today's Newspapers:
<a href=3D"http://prop1.org/nucnews/links.htm"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://prop1.org/nucnews/links.htm</a><br>
           NucNews
Archives:
<a href=3D"http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://prop1.org/nucnews/briefslv.htm</a><br>
     Subscribe to NucNews:  [e-mail]
(NucNews-Subscribe)<br>
           Submit
URL/Article: [e-mail] (NucNews-Editor)<br>
<font size=3D2>          &=
nbsp;
About NucNews:
</font><a href=3D"http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://prop1.org/nucnews/nucnews.htm</a><br>
        NucNews - E-Mailed:
<a href=3D"http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews"=
 eudora=3D"autourl">http://www.onelist.com/archive/NucNews</a><br>
<br>
Excellent e-mail news resources:<br>
<br>
DOE Watch - <font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>[e-mail]</font></u> -
<a href=3D"http://members.aol.com/doewatch" eudora=3D"autourl"><font color=
=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://members.aol.com/doewatch</a></font></u>
<br>
Downwinders - <font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>[e-mail]</font></u>=
 - <a href=3D"http://[e-mail]/" eudora=3D"autourl"><font=
 color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://[e-mail]</a></font></u> <br>
EnviroNews - <font color=3D"#0000FF"><u>[e-mail]</font></u>=
 - <a href=3D"http://www.envirolink.org/environews" eudora=3D"autourl"><font=
 color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://www.envirolink.org/environews</a></font></u>=
 <br>
Planet Ark/Reuters - [e-mail] - <a=
 href=3D"http://www.planetark.org/news/" eudora=3D"autourl"><font=
 color=3D"#0000FF"><u>http://www.planetark.org/news/</a><br>
</font></u>Radbull (Radiation Bulletin) <font=
 color=3D"#0000FF"><u>[e-mail]</font></u> <br>
<br>
      Distributed without payment for research and=
 educational <br>
   purposes only, in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section=
 107.<br>
<br>
<br>
</html>

- --=====================_121916880==_.ALT--


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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 12:23:48 -0500
From: Kevin Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Additions and corrections to list of anti-Star Wars resources for grassroots activists

Dear Friends,

Below are a corrections and additions to the list of resources and
activities for grassroots activists working against Star Wars national
missile defense that I sent out last week. The complete list will be
available on our website tomorrow.  Go to www.fourthfreedom.org and
click on "Hot Topics".

In Peace,

Kevin Martin
Director, Project Abolition
Fourth Freedom Forum
******
- -=93Star Wars Action Days,=94 June 8 =96 10, contact: Jim Bridgman at Pea=
ce
Action Education Fund, [e-mail], 202/862-9740, ext.
3041.  Let both Democrats and Republicans know that you expect
congressional leadership to oppose Star Wars deployment.  Join local
activists who will demonstrate at congressional district offices or Star
Wars contractor plants (Boeing, TRW, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon) across
the country to voice public opposition.  Contact Jim for a flier on the
action days with the message: =93Star Wars: Wastes Money, Won=92t Work,
Won=92t Make Us Safer, Don=92t Let it Happen=94.  Sponsoring organization=
s as
of May 5: Disarmament Clearinghouse, Fourth Freedom Forum, Friends
Committee on National Legislation, Peace Action Education Fund, Peace
Links, Physicians for Social Responsibility, 20/20 Vision, Women Strike
for Peace, Women=92s Action for New Directions, Women=92s International
League for Peace and Freedom
(Please note, this is a correction from the previous posting, which
incorrectly listed Van Gosse of Peace Action as the contact.)

- -Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers: www.crnd.org.  This site is chock
full of information on
missile defense and arguments against it.  The Coalition has produced a
report, =93Pushing the Limits: The Decision on National Missile Defense=94=
,
and maintains a very informative daily and weekly email listserv on
missile defense.  Contact Stephen Young, [e-mail], to request a
copy of the report or to subscribe to the listserv.
(Additional information from previous listing)

- -Lawyers Alliance for World Security (LAWS) has a white paper on missile
defense available for download from the Global Security Institute
website at www.gsinstitute.org
(New listing)



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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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------------------------------

Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 12:54:01 -0500
From: Kevin Martin <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) ALERT on amendments to allow nuclear reductions and de-alerting

Dear Friend:

Please read the important information below on amemndments to the
Defense Authorization Bill to allow cuts in strategic nuclear weapons
below the 6000 START I level and for de-alerting of the U.S. nuclear
arsenal.

In Peace,

Kevin Martin
Director, Project Abolition
*****

Subject: ALERT: update on amendments to allow reductions/dealerting

May 18, 2000

TO: supporters of nuclear weapons reductions and de-alerting

FR: Daryl Kimball and Stephen Young, Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers

RE: Key House vote on nuclear weapons policy as soon as TODAY; Senate
vote as soon as NEXT WEEK

As soon as TODAY, the House may debate an amendment offered by to the
fiscal 2001 Defense Authorization bill that
would allow the President to reduce U.S. strategic nuclear force levels
below START I levels (approx. 6000) and take
weapons off combat status (i.e. de-alert). Under current law
<http://www.clw.org/coalition/xcutfy99.htm>, such actions are
prohibited until and unless START II is implemented -- an unlikely
near-term prospect.

IF the House rules committee allows it, an amendment sponsored by Allen
(D-ME), McGovern (D-MA) and Gendjenson
(D-CT), could be voted on as soon as TODAY. It would allow the President
the flexibility to reduce the U.S. arsenal
below START I levels as long as the "... reductions in the strategic
nuclear delivery systems of the United States are to be
carried out in a verifiable, symmetrical, and reciprocal manner with
Russia to ensure that the level of strategic nuclear delivery
systems deployed by the United States does not fall below the level of
strategic nuclear delivery systems deployed by the
Russian Federation.''

SENATE VERSION
Senator Robert Kerrey (D-NE) will be seeking to offer a similar
amendment to the Senate version of the Defense Authorization
bill, which may be on the floor as early as NEXT WEEK. The Kerrey
amendment would allow for deactivation or
dismantlement of strategic nuclear delivery systems in excess of
military requirements so long as such steps are taken in a
verifiable and reciprocal manner.

This year's Allen-McGovern-Gendjenson & Kerrey amendments are somewhat
different than the approach that Senator
Kerrey pursued last year on the floor and by Allen and Spratt in HASC
this year, which was simply striking the restriction on
cuts below START I before START II implementation. Kerrey's 1999 floor
amendment was defeated 56-44. See
<http://www.clw.org/coalition/kerreydebate052699.htm> for the floor
debate and roll call vote. Last week, Reps. Allen and
Spratt tried to strike the restriction in the House Armed Services
Committee "markup" of the fiscal 2001 Defense bill, but lost
17-40.

Opponents of the Allen/Spratt amendment characterized it as mandating
unilateral disarmament, even though the amendment
only granted flexibility and made no requirements on any levels and that
there should be no further cuts until START II is finally
approved, and that there should be symmetrical reductions.

A better result will require the leadership of key Congressional leaders
and the concerted efforts of many concerned citizens
and nuclear security experts. See the Physicians for Social
Responsibility web site <> for an action alert and information about
how you can

For further information see the following items, below:

* PSR Action Legislative Alert w/capacity for e-mail letters to Congress
<http://www.psr.org/>

* "Stuck at First START: U.S. Forced to Maintain its Nuclear Arsenal
While Russia's Declines," Coalition to Reduce Nuclear
Dangers ISSUE BRIEF, May 15, 2000
<http://www.clw.org/coalition/briefv4n6.htm>

* "Talking Points" on the Allen-McGovern-Gendjenson & the Kerrey
amendments

- - DK & SY

************

<?center>"Stuck at First START: U.S. Forced to Maintain its Nuclear
Arsenal While Russia's Declines"

COALITION TO REDUCE NUCLEAR DANGERS -- ISSUE BRIEF

VOL. 4, NO. 6, May 15, 2000
<?/center>
CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION intended to encourage Russian ratification of
START II now locks in U.S. nuclear
forces at artificially high levels, despite the Russian Duma's approval
of the Treaty last month. The legislation mandates that the
U.S. maintain its nuclear arsenal at levels set in START I until START
II enters into force. The U.S. Senate, which approved
START II ratification in 1996, still must ratify new protocols to the
Treaty before entry into force can take place. Approval of
the protocols, however, has become entangled in the debate over national
missile defense and the ABM Treaty, and it is
unclear when the Senate will consider them. Unless this situation
changes, the U.S. will be forced to keep its START I arsenal
of 6,000 strategic nuclear weapons, while Russia's forces continue to
decline due to aging and funding shortfalls.

START I was signed in 1991 and entered into force in 1994. START II
calls for reductions to 3,000-3,500 strategic nuclear
warheads each and the elimination of land-based multi-warhead missiles.
The congressional legislation requires maintaining the
U.S. arsenal at START I levels of 76 B-52H bombers, 18 Trident ballistic
missile submarines, 500 Minuteman III
inter-continental ballistic missiles, and 50 MX missiles. Last year, at
the request of the U.S. Navy, Congress modified the
legislation to allow four Trident submarines to be retired if the
President certified this would not adversely impact the U.S.
nuclear deterrent.

The START II protocols — which still require Senate approval
— delay the destruction of delivery vehicles from
2003 to 2007 to allow Russia more time to accomplish that goal. Delivery
vehicles that will be destroyed must still be
de-activated by 2003. While those protocols are non-controversial, they
have been linked to protocols to the ABM Treaty that
were negotiated at the same time, making START II implementation highly
uncertain.

Military Support for Greater Flexibility

Even before Duma action on START II, General Henry Shelton, Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made clear his
opposition to Congress mandating strategic nuclear force levels. In
response to a question for the record from Sen. Carl Levin
(D-MI), ranking minority member of the Senate Armed Services Committee,
Gen. Shelton said "I would definitely oppose
inclusion of any language that mandates specific force levels. It is
important for us to retain the ability to deploy the maximum
number of warheads allowed by START I but the Services should also have
the flexibility to do so with a militarily sufficient, yet
cost effective, force structure."

There is broad support for further reductions in U.S. nuclear arsenals
both in the military and former officials. In an interview on
60 Minutes aired in February this year, former head of the U.S.
Strategic Command General Eugene Habiger said, "... the fact
that we have not been able to get down to lower and lower levels of
nuclear weapons is troubling to me, and it should be
troubling to you."

In addition, Richard Perle, the Pentagon's chief nuclear strategist
during the Reagan administration and advisor to candidate
George Bush, was quoted in the Washington Post on May 12 calling for
reductions in nuclear arsenals: "It is time for serious
rethinking of the whole nuclear question. We should no longer be
concerned about Cold War arithmetic. . . . War plans using
1,000 [or more] warheads no longer make sense."

The High Cost of Cold War Relics

A new study by the Congressional Budget Office describes the dramatic
savings that can be obtained by reducing U.S. nuclear
forces to START II levels while making further cuts in delivery
vehicles: $670 million in fiscal 2001 and $11.6 billion over ten
years. (See table.) This approach would make additional reductions in
the Trident submarine forces, from 14 down to 10, and
in the Minuteman III force, from 500 to 300. START II warhead levels of
3,000-3,500 warheads would still be maintained by
increasing the number of warheads on each Trident missile from five to
seven.

In response to another question Sen. Levin, Gen. Shelton gave support to
further cuts, indicating that no military requirement
exists for maintaining the current 50 MX ballistic missiles or more than
14 Trident nuclear-
armed submarines. According to Gen. Shelton, Admiral Richard Mies,
Commander in Chief of US Strategic Command,
conducted an "extensive analysis" and concluded that, with no
Peacekeeper missiles and only 14 Tridents, the remaining US
arsenal would "meet our current and emerging war-fighting requirements."

Removing the Congressional restriction would allow the U.S. military and
the next President to explore alternate ways to
reduce the nuclear threat through parallel, reciprocal, and verifiable
reductions with Russia. For example, in exchange for U.S.
reductions to START II levels– or even START III (2,000-2,500
strategic warheads) – levels, both sides could agree to use the
verification provisions of START I to monitor deeper
reductions.

________________________________

Reduce Nuclear Delivery Systems Within
Overall Limits of START II

Savings (Millions of Dollars)

Budget Authority Outlays

Annual:
2001 670 240
2002 420 340
2003 620 440
2004 690 540
2005 830 710

Cumulative:
2001-2005 3,230 2,270
2000-2010 8,330 7,880

Source: Congressional Budget Office, 3/00
________________________________

The Bush-Gorbachev Example

In fact, some of the most dramatic reductions in nuclear arsenals took
place outside the formal treaty process. In September
1991, President George Bush announced dramatic unilateral U.S.
reductions in tactical nuclear forces deployed in Europe and
on ships. The number of deployed tactical forces dropped significantly;
in Europe alone, they fell from over 7,000 to less than
1,000. Bush also ordered off alert a thousand U.S. warheads deployed on
strategic bombers and ballistic missiles slated for
dismantlement. In response, Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev withdrew
all tactical weapons from outside Russian territory,
removed most categories of tactical nuclear weapons from service and
designated thousands of nuclear warheads to
dismantlement.

# # #

The Coalition is a non-partisan alliance of 17 of the nation's leading
arms control and non-proliferation organizations working
for a practical, step-by-step program to reduce the dangers of nuclear
and other weapons of mass destruction.

*The views and analysis expressed in this paper do not necessarily
reflect those of every member of the Coalition. For more
information, contact Stephen Young at [phone], ext. 102, or email
<[e-mail]>

***************



<?center>Talking Points on 2000 Kerrey & Allen/McGovern/Gendjenson
Amendments on Limitations on Nuclear Reductions
by Allistar Millar,
Fourth Freedom Forum, May 17, 2000

<?/center>Approval of amendment to H.R. 4205 allows the President
flexibility to retire U.S. strategic nuclear force levels in
excess of military "requirements" so long as such reductions are pursued
with Russia in a verifiable, and reciprocal manner and
do not interfere with U.S. nuclear deterrent capbilities. Such measures
would not interfere with U.S. nuclear deterrent
capabilities and it would save taxpayers billions of dollars.

Improve Strategic Stability and Reduce Risks

* Approval of the amendment would increase national security by reducing
the possibility of unintended launch or other
accident. The United States and Russia are the only nations to maintain
nuclear weapons on hyper-alert, poised to launch at a
moments notice, increasing the chances of an accident especially in
Russia where early warning and nuclear weapons safety
equipment is in serious disrepair. A total of about 4000 U.S. and
Russian nuclear weapons are on "hair-trigger" alert, prone to
an accidental launch.

* Current law prohibits the U.S. from retiring or "de-alerting" nuclear
force levels below the nearly decade-old START I treaty
(6000 deployed strategic weapons), until and unless START II is
implemented (an uncertain prospect due to disputes over
national missile defense). The existing law forces the Pentagon to keep
planes, submarines, and missiles it no longer wants or
needs. The current U.S. nuclear war-fighting plan calls for 2000-2500
strategic nuclear weapons.

General Eugene Habiger, U.S. Air Force (Retired), the former chief of
the U.S. Strategic Command testified before retiring:
"There is no need to stay at the START I level from a military
perspective" (Washington Post - January 7, 1999).

* Russia currently deploys a strategic nuclear force below START I level
(5900) and is likely to reduce that force further in the
coming years, while the U.S. deploys approximately 7200 strategic bombs.

* In the interest of strategic stability and nuclear risk reduction, the
next President should have the option of pursuing parallel,
reciprocal reductions of deployed strategic nuclear weapons as Russia
reduces the size of its deployed nuclear arsenal and
taking a substantial portion of the deployed arsenal off hair-trigger
alert. Such actions are consistent with President George
Bush's 1991 nuclear reductions initiatives and would improve national
security by reducing the probability of an unintended
launch or other accident

* Supporting this amendment would allow the United States to better
comply with its stated goals and policies toward the
non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Removing restrictions would allow
the United States to demonstrate its commitment to
the other 186 signatories of the currently fragile Nuclear
Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). The US delegation has repeatedly
touted the reductions achieved under former President George Bush as
evidence of progress towards its non-proliferation
treaty commitments. Nearly ten years later, the world is waiting for
more up-to-date evidence of further reductions in nuclear
forces, in large part hindered by the restrictions that this amendment
will remove.

* Support for this amendment will further the achievement of the
Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR). CTR is bipartisan
alliance aimed at spurring prompt dismantlement and conversion of the
post-Cold War Soviet nuclear stockpile. Eliminating
restriction on further verifiable reductions of Cold War nuclear
arsenals is a necessary part of continuing pursuit of a credible
arms control agenda that Senators such as Lugar and Dominici support.

Cut Costs

* A new study by the Congressional Budget Office describes the dramatic
savings that can be obtained by reducing U.S.
nuclear forces to START II levels while making further cuts in delivery
vehicles: $670 million in fiscal 2001 and $11.6 billion
over ten years.

* The amendment would save money by allowing for additional reductions
in the Trident submarine forces, from 14 down to
10, and in the Minuteman III force, from 500 to 300. START II warhead
levels of 3,000-3,500 warheads would still be
maintained by increasing the number of warheads on each Trident missile
from five to seven.


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