City Council support of Representative McGovern Resolution on nuclear deproliferation

O- FIRST IN COUNCIL August 4, 2025 City of Cambridge COUNCILLOR NOLAN COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER VICE MAYOR MCGOVERN COUNCILLOR SIDDIQUI WHEREAS: The Cambridge City Council continues to support Policy Order POR 2021 #195, adopted on September 20, 2021 that urges the United States Congress to fulfill its obligation to prevent nuclear war, as outlined in the Back from the Brink campaign; and WHEREAS: The prospect of nuclear war seems far removed from Cambridge and the likelihood of effect on Cambridge a seemingly remote possibility, the impact of using even a tiny fraction of these weapons would dramatically affect the City and could cause worldwide climate disruption and global famine; and WHEREAS: Despite advances in monitoring and treaties, the potential for catastrophe is ever present for nuclear war, and the economic implications and federal budget allocations prevent spending on needed social programs including funding that would go to states and cities; and WHEREAS: Since the height of the Cold War, the United States and Russia have dismantled more than 50,000 nuclear warheads, but some 12,000 nuclear weapons still exist and pose an intolerable risk to human survival; and WHEREAS: The United States and Russia, together possess an estimated 95 percent of these weapons, and should meet their obligations under Article VI of the 1968 Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty to “pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control”; and WHEREAS: Rep. James McGovern and at least 26 other Representatives have submitted H. Res. 317, a resolution calling for the President and other elected officials to the House of Representatives to: (1) actively pursue a world free of nuclear weapons as a national security imperative; and (2) lead a global effort to move the world back from the nuclear brink, halt and reverse a global nuclear arms race, and prevent nuclear war; now therefore be it RESOLVED: That the Cambridge City Council go on record in support of H. Res. 317 and hereby requests that Representatives Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley co-sponsor and lead support of Rep. McGovern's H. Res. 317; and be it further

RESOLVED: That the Cambridge City Council hereby requests that Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Edward Markey introduce a companion resolution in the Senate to H. Res. 317; and be it further ORDERED: That the City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward a suitably engrossed copy of this resolution to the Cambridge federal delegation on behalf of the entire City Council.