The 1980s called – it wants its nuclear testing policy back
(or, how the U.S. can enshrine its voluntary moratorium on explosive nuclear testing into law)
From 1945 to 1991, the United States conducted over 1000 nuclear weapons tests before deciding actually, we have all the data we need, we don’t really need to keep doing this.
Since then, the U.S. has not tested its extensive arsenal, instead setting a global example for international norms on nonproliferation.
For the past 27 years, the NNSA administrator and the three directors of the national laboratories have annually certified—following a lengthy assessment process—that “there is no technical reason to conduct nuclear explosive testing.”
But some political figures have called for a resumption of U.S. nuclear testing, despite a lack of technical justification, for political intimidation reasons. And legally, a sitting president can order a nuclear test. Just because they want to.
But testing is costly: a single underground test would cost $132+ dollars, contaminate the land and groundwater of the test site, and introduce increased cancer risks in the surrounding area thanks to that radioactive contamination
Instead of resuming pointless, unnecessary testing that would damage the environment and harm people, Congress should amend existing legislation to implement checks and balances on the president’s ability to order such a resumption.
