Testimony to the New York City Council Hearing on Resolution 0976 – 2019 and INT 1621 – 2019,
January 28, 2019.
Dear Esteemed New York City Council:
I write to express my support for New York Council Resolution No. 976, which calls for New York City to divest from companies involved in the production and maintenance of nuclear weapons, reaffirms New York City as a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, and calls on the United States to support and join the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
I am very pleased that the D.C. Council voted unanimously last year to approve the Sense of the Council Urging the Federal Government to Prevent Nuclear War Resolution of 2019.. With that vote the District became one of the first national capitals to express support of the Treaty, following only Canberra,, Australia,, and Oslo,, Norway..
I have also introduced legislation here in Congress, the Nuclear Weapons Abolition and Economic and Energy Conversion Act of 2019 (H.R. 2419), which would require the United States to sign and ratify an international agreement to disable and dismantle America’s nuclear weapons, strictly control fissile material and radioactive waste, and use nuclear-free energy. The Treaty would qualify as an international agreement. The goal is to convert the United States to a peace economy, which would occur when the President certifies to Congress that all countries possessing nuclear weapons have begun elimination under an international treaty or other legal agreement.
Until my legislation is realized, it would be appropriate for our largest city, New York City, to follow in the footsteps of the nation’s capital and call on the country to adopt the Treaty. I appreciate the work of the Council in this matter and urge you to adopt this important resolution.
Sincerely,
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Congress of the United States
House of Representatives Washington, DC
