Disarm
 WILPF Branches around the nation commemorate Hiroshima-Nagasaki days August 6 to 9 with memorials, lantern ceremonies, vigils, education, legislative visits and non-violent direct action. In whatever way we choose to honor these days, they are a time for remembrance, penance, and rededication to the task of abolishing nuclear weapons. Visit WILPF DISARM UPDATE for resources and ideas. Share your own fliers and event descriptions with WILPF DISARM committee (carol.disarm@gmail.com ) for posting on WILPF websites and on the UFPJ sponsored national registry (www.August6.org) which WILPF helped create. This year some WILPF members are again participating in vigils at, and attempted dialogue with, corporations promoting and profiting from the nuclear weapons industry, as well as at government nuclear weapons facilities.
H.R. ????
A BILL
To ensure the cooperative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind by prohibiting the basing of weapons in space, the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit, and other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This act may be cited as the Peaceful Uses of Space Act of 2002
SECTION 2. REAFFIRMATION OF POLICY ON THE PEACEFUL USES OF SPACE.
Congress reaffirms the policy expressed in section 102(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2451(a)), stating that it is the policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind. Congress also reaffirms the International Treaty on Principles Governing Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and other Celestial Bodies which was ratified by the United States in 1967, thus becoming part of the body of law of the United States.
SECTION 3. BAN ON BASING OF WEAPONS IN SPACE AND THE USE OF WEAPONS AGAINST OBJECTS IN SPACE IN ORBIT.
The President shall -
(1) implement a ban on space-based weapons of the United States and the use of weapons of the United States to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit; and
(2) immediately order the termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing, production, and deployment of all space-based weapons of the United States.
SECTION 4. INDEPENDENT PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION TO SET GUIDELINES FOR PEACEFUL USES OF SPACE.
The President shall -
(1) establish an INDEPENDENT commission to review existing and proposed peaceful uses of space, to ensure advisability of missions in terms of benefit to scientific knowledge, and to ensure that they are consistent with the provisions of the above mentioned Act of 1958 and Treaty of 1967.
(2) set guidelines and constraints consistent with the above Act and Treaty to ensure environmental responsibility and compliance by the military and by all corporations involved in space exploration.
SECTION 5. INTERNATIONAL TREATY BANNING SPACE-BASED WEAPONS AND THE USE OF WEAPONS AGAINST OBJECTS IN SPACE IN ORBIT.
The President shall direct the United States representatives to the United Nations and other international organizations to immediately work toward negotiating, adopting, and implementing an international treaty banning space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit. This will be in addition to the ban on weapons of mass destruction, and weapons based on celestial bodies already prohibited in the International Treaty of 1967, and should be in all other aspects consistent with that Treaty.
SECTION 6. INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT PANEL TO ENSURE COOPERATION WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN SPACE EXPLORATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY.
The United States envoy to the United Nations shall advocate that an Independent UN panel be convened to ensure the cooperation of all countries interested in space exploration, that there be careful oversight as to the need or desirability of proposed projects, that the benefits outweigh the risks, and that full responsibility be assumed in regard to environmental impact of planned space launches.
SECTION 7. BAN USE OF RTG'S AND NUCLEAR REACTORS IN SPACE
Because of the inherent risk of radioactive contamination of the atmosphere from failed launches or orbital problems, there shall be no further use of radioisotopic thermal generators (RTG's) or nuclear reactors in space, either by the United States, or by launches from other countries.
SECTION 8. RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF PUBLIC MONIES FOR SPACE EXPLORATION PROJECTS
Requests for taxpayer subsidies for corporations' exploration of space should be funneled through the Independent Presidential Commission before approval.
SECTION 9. REPORT.
The President shall submit to Congress no later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 6 months thereafter, a report on
(1) the implementation of the ban on space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit required by Section 3; and
(2) progress toward negotiating, adopting, and implementing the treaty described in Section 5
(3) compliance with prohibition of use of RTG's or nuclear reactors in space.
SECTION 10. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term 'space' means all space extending upward from an altitude greater than 60 kilometers above the surface of the earth and any celestial body in such space.
(2) The terms 'weapon' and 'weapons system'
(A) mean a device capable of any of the following:
(i) Damaging or destroying an object (whether in outer space, in the atmosphere, or on earth) by-
(a) firing one or more projectiles to collide with that object or person;
(b) detonating one or more explosive devices in close proximity to that object or person;
(c) directing a source of energy (including molecular or atomic energy, subatomic particle beams, electromagnetic radiation, plasma, or extremely low frequency (ELF) or ultra low frequency (ULF) energy radiation) against that object; or
(d) any other unacknowledged or as yet undeveloped means
(ii) Inflicting death or injury on, or damaging or destroying, a person (or the biological life, bodily health, mental health, or physical and economic well-being of a person) -
(a) through the use of any of the means described in clause(i) or subparagraph(B);
(b) through the use of land-based, sea-based, or space-based systems using radiation, electromagnetic, psychotronic, sonic, laser, or other energies directed at individual persons or targeted populations for the purpose of information war, mood management, or mind control of such persons or populations; or
(3) by expelling chemical or biological agents in the vicinity of a person.
(B) Such terms include exotic weapons systems such as -
(i) electronic, psychotronic, or information weapons;
(ii) chemtrails;
(iii) high altitude ultra low frequency weapons systems
(iv) plasma, electromagnetic, sonic, or ultrasonic weapons;
(v) laser weapons systems;
(vi) strategic, theater, tactical, or extraterrestrial weapons; and
(vii) chemical, biological, environmental, climate, or tectonic weapons.
(C) The term 'exotic weapons systems' includes weapons designed to damage space or natural ecosystems (such as the ionosphere and upper atmosphere) or climate, weather, and tectonic systems with the purpose of inducing damage or destruction upon a target population or region on earth or in space.
END
Changes in the Space Preservation Act of 2002 (HR 3616) As suggested by the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. We present this and our attached alternative Peaceful Uses of Space Act for purposes of discussion, and in the hope that a stronger proposed Act may yet be crafted.
Submitted by wilpf on 10 April 2007 - 2:16pm.
| We of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom thank Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba and Mayor Iccho Itoh for their initiatives in developing the Mayors' for Peace Campaign, and for their courageous and persistent efforts to move the world forward toward abolition of nuclear weapons.
Submitted by wilpf on 10 April 2007 - 2:04pm.
WILPF presented a cogent statement at a Missile Defense Agency hearing October 19th in Sacramento, California criticizing the agency's proposed environmental impact statement. The hearing was one of four public hearings in October, required under the National Environmental Policy Act. Carol Reilley Urner, co-chair of WILPF's Disarm! Dismantle the War Economy Campaign, waded through more than 700 pages of documents to prepare WILPF's response. WILPF's letter sent to the agency can be read below or through this link. The letter concluded eloquently: "[WILPF is] convinced that continuing with any of these three Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) programs will make the step-by-step process of nuclear disarmament impossible, make war on earth and in space inevitable, and seriously threaten human existence. We urge all those in the Pentagon, the Missile Defense Agency and in the aerospace corporations to join us in choosing life over death and step-by-step peace building over further destruction of this unique and precious planet and its fragile web of life."
Submitted by wilpf on 10 April 2007 - 2:02pm.
107th CONGRESS
2nd SESSION H.R. 3616 Mr. KUCINICH introduced the following bill, which was referred to the Committee on______________________________________________. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Submitted by wilpf on 10 April 2007 - 1:58pm.
A Report from the NPT Review Conference in New York Ending the Threat of Nuclear Devastation: Mayors Conference at the United Nations Tuesday, May 3, 2005 Citizens around the globe working together to eliminate all nuclear weapons have banded together in an “Emergency Campaign to Ban Nuclear Weapons” by 2020, led by Mayors for Peace, other global associations of local authorities and supporting NGOs. They are here at the NPT RevCon, swelled from 19 mayors and deputies in 12 countries at the 2004 PrepCom to now over 100 mayors and local authority representatives. In a day-long program Tuesday it was announced that over 1000 cities around the world have joined the mobilization with the number of cities growing every day. Mayors from 23 countries making up a Delegation of 100 will present International Mayoral Statements and Public Petitions in the Great Hall of the General Assembly Wednesday. Earlier in the day they will consult with heads of their country delegations. Submitted by wilpf on 10 April 2007 - 12:40pm.
 "hard at work pushing for peaceful solutions to the world's problems through the 92-year-old Women's International League for Peace and Freedom - a group that has earned a place at the table of organizations like the European Union and the United Nations."
Submitted by wilpf on 27 March 2007 - 1:21pm.
Nuclear Posture Review Promotes National Insecurity
Statement of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
1213 Race Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
March 17, 2002
We, in the United State Section of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), are outraged by the recent secret report prepared by the Pentagon, at the administration's request, regarding possible use of nuclear weapons against seven targeted countries including China, Russia, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria, and the proposal to bring a new generation of weapons of mass destruction to battlefield situations.
Submitted by wilpf on 2 March 2007 - 1:04pm.
WILPF presented a cogent statement at a Missile Defense Agency hearing October 19th in Sacramento, California criticizing the agency's proposed environmental impact statement. The hearing was one of four public hearings in October, required under the National Environmental Policy Act. Carol Reilley Urner, co-chair of WILPF's Disarm! Dismantle the War Economy Campaign, waded through more than 700 pages of documents to prepare WILPF's response. WILPF's letter sent to the agency can be read below or through this link. The letter concluded eloquently: "[WILPF is] convinced that continuing with any of these three Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) programs will make the step-by-step process of nuclear disarmament impossible, make war on earth and in space inevitable, and seriously threaten human existence. We urge all those in the Pentagon, the Missile Defense Agency and in the aerospace corporations to join us in choosing life over death and step-by-step peace building over further destruction of this unique and precious planet and its fragile web of life."
Submitted by wilpf on 2 March 2007 - 12:59pm.
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