Two Anti-nuclear Weapons Measures in NY City Council

Tuesday, January 28, 1PM, New York City Hall – A Public Hearing on Two Anti-nuclear Weapons Measures (see below)
In 2018 Anthony Donovan with the NYC Catholic Workers launched a petition to NYS officials urging them — in the absence of any Federal action — to support the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons. From this came a coalition working to stop the new nuclear arms race. They have succeeded in gaining 34 City Council co-sponsors of two major bills to be heard and voted on at a Public Hearing.

In Donovan’s words: “These bills do something momentous. One calls for divestment from NYC’s pensions ($ 62 billion in pension plans) from companies that make or support the making and transfer of nuclear weapons. The other calls for our country to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and re-affirms NYC as a Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (since declared in 1983).”

The veto proof sponsorship guarantees the measures will pass on January 28th, 2020 when the vote happens. Join the Grannies at this public hearing, an occasion for celebration and one which we will follow up in the months to come as we monitor the work needed to implement these bills and make them a reality.

Resolution calling on the New York City Comptroller to instruct the pension funds of public employees in New York City to divest from and avoid any financial exposure to companies involved in the production and maintenance of nuclear weapons, reaffirming New York City as a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, and joining the ICAN Cities Appeal and calling on the United States to support and join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

This bill would create an advisory committee to examine nuclear disarmament and issues related to recognizing and reaffirming New York city as a nuclear weapons-free zone. The committee would be chaired by the Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office on International Affairs. The remaining six members of the committee would be representatives with a demonstrated knowledge or experience of nuclear policy, advocacy or activism.