Number
241660
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. DIMITRIJEVIC, BAUMAN, AND MOORE
Title
Substitute resolution relating to the City of Milwaukee’s position on U.S. nuclear disarmament.
Analysis
This resolution urges the U.S. Congress and the U.S. President to pursue policies of nuclear disarmament.
Body
Whereas, Nine nations collectively have approximately 12,000 nuclear weapons in their arsenals, most of which are far more destructive than those that killed hundreds of thousands of people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945; and
Whereas, The detonation of even a small number of these weapons could have catastrophic human and environmental consequences that could affect everyone on the planet; and
Whereas, The United States continues to reserve the right to use nuclear weapons first, which reduces the threshold for nuclear use and makes a nuclear war more likely; and
Whereas, The U.S. President has the sole and unchecked authority to order the use of nuclear weapons; and
Whereas, The United States maintains several hundred nuclear missiles in underground silos and on submarines on hair-trigger alert, capable of being launched within minutes after a presidential order, which greatly increases the risk of an accidental, mistaken or unauthorized launch; and
Whereas, Over the next 30 years, the United States plans to spend an estimated $1.7 trillion to replace its entire nuclear arsenal and the bombers, missiles and submarines that deliver them, with more enhanced versions; and
Whereas, Taxpayers spend over $2 million every hour of every day to maintain the U.S. nuclear arsenal; and
Whereas, Milwaukee residents (based on their per capita income) paid $108 million in federal income tax dollars for the US nuclear weapon programs in fiscal year 2024 (tax year 2023); and
Whereas, Federal funds are desperately needed in Milwaukee for health care, affordable housing, education, food security and development of sustainable energy sources; and
Whereas, The United States, as well as Britain, China, France and Russia, are obligated under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to take concrete steps toward eliminating their nuclear arsenals; and
Whereas, In July 2017, 122 nations - but not the United States - approved the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force on January 22, 2021, making it illegal under international law to develop, test, produce, manufacture, or otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; and
Whereas, A grassroots campaign called “Back from the Brink” has been endorsed by over 465 health, environmental, academic, peace, faith, and justice organizations; and
Whereas, Over 80 U.S. municipalities, counties and states have adopted resolutions supporting Back from the Brink’s policy solutions, including Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Madison, Milwaukee County, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Tucson and Washington, D.C.; and
Whereas, Milwaukee citizens voted overwhelmingly, by a ratio of more than 3 to 1, in a 1982 referendum to freeze nuclear weapons production; and
Whereas, Since 2006, the City of Milwaukee has been a member of Mayors For Peace, which has endorsed the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and
Whereas, The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution in September, 2021, endorsing Back from the Brink’s five policy solutions to prevent nuclear war; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that it is the City’s position that the United States must urgently pursue policies of nuclear disarmament, including:
• Securing a verifiable agreement among nuclear-armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.
• Renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first.
• Ending the sole, unchecked authority of any president to launch a nuclear attack.
• Taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert.
• Cancelling the nation’s plan to replace its entire arsenal with enhanced weapons.
; and, be it
Further resolved, That the City of Milwaukee calls on the U.S. Congress and the U.S. President to pursue these policies and to embrace the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and, be it
Further resolved, That the City Clerk shall forward copies of this legislation to Milwaukee’s delegation to the U.S. Congress and to the U.S. President.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB180537-2
Max Drickey
02/13/2025