On May 22nd, over 30 advocates took to the Massachusetts State House for the Warheads to Windmills Coalition’s Day of Action on Nuclear Weapons and Climate. The energy around the day exemplified what more and more people are recognizing, the two existential threats are deeply interlinked and deeply unacceptable. As the climate crisis exacerbates, so do global tensions and the threat of nuclear war. As global tensions increase, climate catastrophe is often a predicated byproduct, or at the very least is not given the resources it requires. Changing this unbalanced system and addressing these threats with urgency is necessary.
The advocacy, organized by NuclearBan.US, Mass Peace Action, Brookline Students for Nuclear Disarmament, and Greater Boston PSR, brought out many students and first time lobbyers empowered to speak on the issues that are important to them. Many of the students left school early to travel to Boston and get this message out to their legislators. This was the third and biggest advocacy effort Warheads to Windmills has put on in collaboration with Brookline Students for Disarmament. These efforts highlight a growing understanding of the dangers of nuclear war– and the climate connection– among younger populations, and a growing energy to demand change.
Advocates met with the offices of 30 representatives in the leadership and Ways and Means committees of the MA house and senate to advocate for key nuclear weapons and climate legislation.
H.738/S.1488 for the creation of a Nuclear Weapons and Climate Citizens Commission to research, advise, and educate on Massachusetts’s involvement in the Nuclear Weapons industry and what it will take to transition to a green economy.
S.1487 calling for the US to move Back from the Brink of Nuclear War
And S.2135 to Put Gas in the Past and stop the creation of New Gas System Infrastructure
All three of these bills have been passed out of committee and now sit with Ways and Means. Leadership has until the end of July to bring these to a vote. The Nuclear Weapons and Climate Commission and the Back from the Brink resolution are no brainer bills that come at no cost to the state. Advocates at the lobby day urged their representatives to bring these bills to a floor vote as soon as possible so we can start moving away from the dangers of nuclear war and into a more sustainable future. At the same time, lobbyers impressed the importance of halting gas system infrastructure with the Gas Moratorium bill, aiming to have it included in the drafting of the Climate Omnibus Bill. All of these steps are incredibly important to the future of Massachusetts and we need to act now.
If you are in Massachusetts you can help by writing letters using this link https://actionnetwork.org/letters/please-urge-your-ma-state-legislators-to-support-legislation-on-climate-and-nuclear-weapons?source=direct_link&. If your representative is in the leadership or on the Ways and Means committee they are especially important, please urge them for a floor vote!
