Prohibit the First Use of Nuclear Weapons

June 2021 - A nuclear exchange between the US and Russia or the US and China would incinerate hundreds of millions of people immediately, and lead to a Nuclear Winter which would slaughter an estimated 7 billion of the Earth’s 7.7 billion people, mostly through starvation. It is estimated that building back civilization would require over 1,000 years. These are the stakes.

As a step toward reducing the danger of Nuclear War, a coalition of groups has called upon the President to declare – and Congress to legislate – that the US will commit never to be the first to use nuclear weapons, either as an unprompted surprise attack, as an escalatory move in a conventional conflict, or in response to a non-nuclear attack. The only situation in which the US would use nuclear weapons would be in response to a confirmed nuclear attack on itself or its allies. China has had a nuclear No First Use policy since 1964.

No First Use has the support of a growing number of members of Congress and President Biden who stated in 2019 that he has supported No First Use for twenty years. This provides a real chance now to take this important step toward reducing the risks of nuclear war. It’s time to declare a No First Use policy and legislate it into law!

TAKE ACTION:  Ask your Representatives and Senators to support No First Use bills: in the House, H.R. 921, and in the Senate, S. 272.  If enacted, the United States would commit to never being the first nation to use nuclear weapons in any conflict. Remind President Biden that he has supported a “No First Use” policy for twenty years and encourage him to turn his words into action. This would help prevent an ‘intended’ or ‘mistaken’ nuclear exchange.

CONTACT: President Biden and Your Members of Congress

President Biden:      
• Web: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/       
• Tel: 1-202-456-1111 
• Mail:   The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20500

Members of Congress:
• Web: Find your Congress persons’ names and links to their websites at www.senate.gov, www.house.gov;    send an email or leave a message via ‘Contact’ on his/her website
• Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard-ask for his/her office & leave a message)
• Mail: Senator or Representative (first & last name) U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C.20510, or U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515

Thanks to peace organizations including PSR, Council for a Livable World and
Peace Action for information used in this card.

Please write a letter-to-the-editor on this important issue