Council for a Livable World Hails Important victory on non-proliferation anti-terrorism funding
Apr 13, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 12, 2011
CONTACT: Bridget Nolan , Outreach Coordinator, 202.546.0795, ext. 2113, bnolan@clw.org
Washington, D.C.—Council for a Livable World today hailed an important victory on non-proliferation anti-terrorism funding in the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution.
The House had cut the Obama Administration’s request for Fiscal Year 2011 by a 22%. In the final Continuing Resolution agreed to last Friday and expected to be approved this week, Congress will appropriate $2.3 billion, a 9% increase from last year’s funding level and $241 million above the House level.
“This reversal happened due to strong pressure exerted by key Members of Congress such as Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Robert Casey (D-PA), the Obama Administration and the advocacy community,” said John Isaacs, Executive Director of Council for a Livable World.
These non-proliferation programs are designed to keep dangerous nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists. Experts agree that limiting access to vulnerable nuclear weapons-usable materials greatly reduces the threat of nuclear terrorism.
In an effort to draw attention to these draconian cuts, Council for a Livable World launched an advertising campaign targeting six key Republican leaders in the House and Senate for cutting funding for non-proliferation programs under the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA).
Isaacs noted, “We believe an important element of the victory was Council for a Livable World’s advertising campaign that put pressure on these Republican leaders in the House and Senate.”
Isaacs noted that the work must continue to fully fund these important programs as Congress begins to consider the Fiscal Year 2012 budget.
