US Democrats try to block funding of new nuclear tests

 (July 7) As rumors spread that the Trump administration is thinking of taking steps to resume live nuclear testing, last done in 1992, Democrats in the House of Representatives have added a measure to a 2021 spending bill that prohibits funding of live tests.

The blocking measure

The US House Appropriations Committee has added the blocking measure to the draft of the 2021 appropriations bill for the Department of Energy. It would prohibit funds being used to conduct or even prepare to conduct any explosive nuclear weapons test that produces any yield.

Representative, Nita Lowery a Democrat from New York said in a statement: “Critically, the bill would prevent the Trump administration from using any funds to carry out its dangerous and short-sighted plan to resume nuclear testing.”

Rumors about resumption of tests

On May 30 the Washington Post noted: "On May 22, "The Washington Post broke the story that senior officials within the Trump administration have considered the resumption of nuclear testing. The story has provoked criticism of the Trump administration for considering a move that would set back the cause of nuclear disarmament and increase environmental risks." The new tests would be intended to send a message to Russia and China.

Amendment to the 2021 NDAA

In June the Senate Armed Services Committee had included $10 million to be used for live nuclear testing if needed in its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for next year. The amendment to add the sum was proposed by Senator John Cotton a Republican from Kentucky.

START treaty expires in February 2021

Russia has offered to extend the treaty but the US would like to see a new trilateral deal with China involved. However, China has repeatedly rejected the idea since its nuclear arsenal is much smaller than either that of Russia or the US. The Start Treaty was signed in April of 2010.

Talks began between the US and Russia started in June and are expected to pick up in July or August.

US appears prepared for a new arms race

Marshall Billingslea, President Trump's envoy for arms control, claimed that the US has signaled that the US is ready for a new arms race. In May, Billingslea claimed that the US is willing to spend Russia and China "into oblivion" to win a new arms race.

The US is already budgeting over $700 billion for defense this year according to Wikipedia: "For Fiscal Year 2020 (FY2020), the Department of Defense's budget authority is approximately $721.5 billion ($721,531,000,000). Approximately $712.6 billion is discretionary spending with approximately $8.9 billion in mandatory spending. The Department of Defense estimates that $689.6 billion ($689,585,000,000) will actually be spent (outlays)" Yet the US is content to see an arms race that would see even more spent on the military. The race may harm the economies of China and Russia but it will also harm the US. Instead of funds being spent on universal health coverage, or needed repairs on infrastructure the military-industrial complex will gobble up government funds that could have been used to improve the quality of life of the American taxpayer who fund the arms race.

Previously published in the Digital Journal