As part of the current Union of Concerned Scientist campaign, I sent this annoying message to my representative to voice my disapproval for more nukes.

Representative Mark Kirk
U.S. House of Representatives
1030 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0001

Dear Representative,

As your constituent, I urge you to support amendments to the defense authorization bill coming to the House floor that will cut funding for the administration’s “Reliable Replacement Warhead” (RRW) program and that reduce funding for misguided missile defense programs.

I understand that the Department of Energy has estimated that the current generation of nuclear weapons in the U.S. arsenal will reliable for 85 years, giving even our oldest bombs another 50 years of shelf life. With no technical need to replace even our current stockpile, funding the RRW not only wastes billions of dollars over the life of the program, but sends a message that undermines our commitment to nuclear disarmament and instead legitimizes nuclear expansionism, destroying U.S.
credibility in our efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons to dangerous states like North Korea and Iran. The RRW puts the U.S. on the exact opposite path we should be on: In this age of terrorism and rogue states, we must do everything possible to promote nuclear disarmament, not advocate through our actions nuclear proliferation.

In addition to defunding RRW, I ask you to support amendments cutting funding for missile defense programs. These initiatives also waste billions of dollars on technologies with only the slimmest chance of actually providing an effective defensive shield against nuclear missile attack, while straining our relations with allies and sending the wrong message about our commitment to negotiated nuclear disarmament.

I urge you to oppose the unneeded RRW program and ineffective missile defense programs.

Sincerely,
Keith Gillette
1326 Ridgewood Dr
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035-4028