Nuclear weapons

UCS encourages presidential candidates to address growing dangers of nuclear weapons

WASHINGTON (December 13, 2007)—More than two-thirds of likely Republican and Democratic primary voters in South Carolina want the United States to lead the world in reducing the number of nuclear weapons globally and believe that those reductions would make the United States safer, according to a new public opinion poll commissioned by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).    » read more »

December 7, 2007 -- Since the release of the latest National Intelligence Estimate on Iran, the American people are asking themselves what did the Bush White House know and when did they know it? Despite being told to the contrary by President Bush himself Tuesday, CNN reports today that President Bush was told in August that Iran's nuclear program "may be suspended." Yet the President continued to mislead the American people on Iran's nuclear program with rhetoric about Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.

Below are excerpts from CNN's report:    » read more »

December 3, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement today after the release of the National Intelligence Estimate:

"The conclusions of the National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran's nuclear intentions and capabilities are, figuratively speaking, explosive. Iran stopped its weapons-related work in 2003. And while it has resumed work on uranium enrichment, it is still at least several years away from producing the fissile material it would need for a nuclear weapon.    » read more »

November 14, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC-On the Senate floor today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) addressed the issue of nuclear security and the need to improve efforts to prevent nuclear terrorism. Since arriving in the Senate, Senator Casey has identified the threat of nuclear terrorism as one of the top long-term challenges faced by the United States. The full text of Senator Casey’s speech is below.    » read more »

Study outlines four steps cities can take to improve preparedness

Nov. 12, 2007 -- CHICAGO – A nuclear attack on a major U.S. metropolitan city with hundreds of thousands of casualties is unthinkable – but government reports persistently indicate that terrorists intend just such a deliberate attack. What can a city do to prepare for this nightmare scenario?    » read more »

November 6, 2007 -- Washington, DC – The members of the House and Senate Conference Committee for the FY’08 Defense Appropriations bill today approved language to limit funding for the development of the controversial Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program to $15 million, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced.    » read more »

October 25, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, calling on her to support former nuclear weapons workers in Illinois who have failed to receive compensation through the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) for illnesses related to their employment at nuclear waste facilities during the Cold War.    » read more »

02 October 2007 -- The United States said Tuesday it has approved a draft six-nation accord under which North Korea will declare and disable its nuclear programs by the end of the year in exchange for aid and diplomatic benefits. China is expected to release the document within the next day or two.

U.S. officials say the latest round of six-party talks, which ended Sunday in Beijing, was not originally intended to produce a document.    » read more »

30 September 2007 -- An Iranian official says his country will continue cooperating with the U.N. nuclear agency to prevent the imposition of more Security Council sanctions.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini made the comment Sunday.

On Friday, world powers meeting at the U.N. agreed to put off until November efforts to approve new sanctions.

But, the United States, other permanent Security Council members and Germany said they will seek a third round of sanctions against Iran unless diplomacy can resolve the dispute by November.    » read more »

September 24, 2007 -- Chicago, IL -- U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on ensuring Iran does not achieve its nuclear ambition to the organizers of the "The National Rally to End the Threat Now."

"I commend you for holding this important rally, and regret that I could not join you today. You are coming together at a critical moment to send a clear message to Iran: it is time for the Iranian government to cease its dangerous and reprehensible behavior.    » read more »

Amendment included as Part of the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act

September 18, 2007 -- Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced unanimous Senate approval of an amendment to the FY 2008 National Defense Authorization Act she introduced to help prevent nuclear terrorism.    » read more »

Legislation requires plan to secure global stockpiles of nuclear weapons and material by 2012

September 18, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC -- The Senate recently passed a provision authored by Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to help keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists. The legislation was included as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.    » read more »

September 14, 2007 -- WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded $3.7 million in funds and non-monetary support today to Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina and the District of Columbia as part of the department’s continuing Southeast Transportation Corridor Pilot (SETCP) program. The SETCP program will deploy radiation detection systems at interstate weigh stations throughout the Southeast Corridor to detect and interdict illicit nuclear and radiological materials on the nation’s interstate highways.    » read more »

21 August 2007 -- Iran and the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say they have agreed on a timetable for Tehran to clear up outstanding questions about its controversial nuclear program.

IAEA Deputy Director Olli Heinonen and Iranian nuclear negotiator Javad Vaeedi announced the agreement Tuesday after two days of talks in Tehran.

Vaeedi said the talks produced great results.

Neither side gave details on the timetable agreed to in the talks, which came ahead of an IAEA report on Iran that is due for release next month.    » read more »

16 August 2007 -- Angry Indian lawmakers have disrupted parliament with calls for the prime minister to resign for allegedly misleading them about a nuclear pact with the United States.

Hindu Nationalist and Communist lawmakers shouted and interrupted proceedings in both houses of parliament Thursday after the U.S. State Department made comments that seemed to suggest that India had agreed not to test nuclear weapons.    » read more »