HCR 7 - AS INTRODUCED
2019 SESSION
19-0823
05/04
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 7
A RESOLUTION urging the president and congress to adopt a policy renouncing the first use of nuclear weapons.
SPONSORS: Rep. Grassie, Straf. 11; Rep. Read, Rock. 17; Rep. Frost, Straf. 16; Rep. Adjutant, Graf. 17
COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs
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ANALYSIS
This resolution urges the president and congress to adopt a policy renouncing the first use of nuclear weapons.
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19-0823
05/04
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen
A RESOLUTION urging the president and congress to adopt a policy renouncing the first use of nuclear weapons.
Whereas, the use of even a small number of nuclear weapons could have catastrophic human health, environmental and economic consequences globally; and
Whereas, some 14,000 nuclear weapons still exist in the world and pose an intolerable risk to humanity; and
Whereas, the United States has over 6,000 nuclear weapons, which combined are more than 100 times more powerful than all the weapons used during World War II; and
Whereas, the United States is currently planning to spend nearly $2 trillion over the next 30 years rebuilding its entire nuclear weapons arsenal-a gross misuse of funds that could be devoted instead to improving security, health, and education; and
Whereas, the United States maintains nearly 1,000 nuclear weapons on high alert so they are ready for launch within minutes of a presidential decision to do so, making them vulnerable to accidents, unauthorized use, cyberattacks and miscalculations, and increasing the risk of nuclear use;
Whereas, the United States currently reserves the right to use nuclear weapons in response to non-nuclear attacks by Russia, China or North Korea, which could respond by using their own nuclear weapons, resulting in a nuclear war that could have devastating consequences; and
Whereas, the sole purpose of United States nuclear weapons should be to deter a nuclear attack on the United States, its forces and its allies, so that there is no reason for the United States to ever use nuclear weapons first; and
Whereas, the United States president has sole authority to order a nuclear attack without any consultation or input, which increases the chance of nuclear use; and
Whereas, a policy renouncing the first use of nuclear weapons would severely constrain the ability of the president to order a nuclear attack, allowing only attacks in response to a nuclear attack; and
Whereas, Americans and all people on the planet should have the right to live a life free from the threat of nuclear weapons use; and
Whereas, the United States should take urgent steps to change its policies as well as actively pursue verifiable agreements with other nuclear-armed nations to reduce the number of nuclear weapons and eliminate them from the planet; now therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That as an important first step the general court calls on the president to make it the policy of the United States that it will not start a nuclear war and will therefore not use nuclear weapons first, and calls on the Congress to pass legislation supporting this policy; and
That the general court calls on Congress not to fund the development and production of additional United States nuclear weapons that can produce a relatively small nuclear explosion, making them suitable for fighting a nuclear war and potentially lowering the threshold to using nuclear weapons first; and
That the clerk of the house of representatives transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from New Hampshire in the Congress of the United States.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 30, 2019 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 6, 2019 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 13, 2019 | House | Exec Session |
| March 6, 2019 | House | Exec Session |
| House | Floor Vote | |
| March 19, 2019 | House | Floor Vote |
| March 20, 2019 | House | Floor Vote |
: Returned to the House, Pursuant to Rule 3-26
March 20, 2019: Ought to Pass: MA RC 192-162 03/20/2019 HJ 11 P. 6
March 20, 2019: Special Order (Rep. Ley): MA VV 03/20/2019 HJ 11 P. 6
: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass (Vote 10-8; RC)
March 19, 2019: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass for 03/19/2019 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 16 P. 35
March 6, 2019: ==RESCHEDULED== Executive Session: 03/06/2019 10:00 am LOB 206
Feb. 13, 2019: ==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 02/13/2019 10:00 am LOB 206
Feb. 6, 2019: ==RESCHEDULED== Public Hearing: 02/06/2019 11:00 am LOB 206
Jan. 30, 2019: ==CANCELLED== Public Hearing: 01/30/2019 01:00 pm LOB 206
Jan. 3, 2019: Introduced 01/03/2019 and referred to State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs HJ 3 P. 24