From May 2-27, 2005, representatives from the governments that have ratified the NPT will gather in New York for a conference to review implementation and compliance with their mutual obligations and commitments under the treaty.   

Recent actions by the United States lead to concern about the direction our country's nuclear weapons policy is taking.  Three years ago, President Bush announced that the U.S. was withdrawing from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty.  The administration has refused to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.  It continues to propose funding for new weapons systems such as the proposed Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator. 

These decisions and policies may create problems for the review conference and the NPT.  It may prove difficult for the U.S. to encourage other nations to refrain from developing nuclear arms when we are retreating from our own commitments.  

Individuals concerned about the role of the United States in relation to the NPT Review Conference and the efforts to control nuclear weapons should contact President Bush and our Senators.  A sample letter and PC(USA) policy follow. 

To contact President Bush:

• Call the White House Comment Line at (202) 456-1111
• Email
• Fax (202) 456-2461

To contact Senators:

• Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to the appropriate office
• Use the Presbyterian Legislative Action Center to send an email
• Locate specific Senator's Web sites with additional contact options

Sample Letter

Dear: 

I urge you to see that the United States goes to the Nuclear Proliferation Treat Review Conference as a good-faith participant in working for arms control.  The Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty has been a cornerstone of the international effort to limit the spread of nuclear weapons and to seek their elimination.  When the U.S. ratified the treaty, we committed ourselves to pursue general and complete disarmament.    

Recently, however, we have withdrawn from the Anti-Ballistic Treaty with Russia and failed to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.  We continue to explore the possibility of developing new weapons systems. 

In doing so, we fail to honor the agreements we made in the Nonproliferation Treaty.  We make it more difficult to encourage other nations, such as Iran and North Korea, to turn away from developing nuclear arms. 

May this Review Conference be a time when we renew our commitment to working for a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons. 

Sincerely,

Your Name
Your Address 

PC(USA) Policy Base

Since 1946, when the General Assembly of the PCUSA supported measures ". . . looking toward drastic cuts in national armaments through international agreement," assemblies, acting out of faith in Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace, have understood that working for God's intended order and life abundant involves seeking international disarmament and arms control measures.  In this effort, the General Assembly has opposed specific weapons programs and various measures that they believed stood in the way of disarmament and peace. At the same time, the General Assembly has advocated positive steps to control, reduce, and eliminate nuclear weapons.  The 1967 UPCUSA Assembly encouraged a non-proliferation treaty among nuclear powers along with a comprehensive test ban.  The 215th General Assembly (2003) called on all nations to fulfill their obligations under the NPT.   

• PC(USA) policy and nuclear weapons 
• 2005 Campaign to Strengthen the NPT 
• United Nations NPT 2005 Review Conference  
• Arms Control Association 
• Reaching Critical Will