Over the next ten years Washington has slated $645 billion for spending on nuclear weapons and related programs. The Cold War ended more than twenty years ago, but funding nuclear weapon research and development is still a priority for the government at the expense of the health of our country and its citizens.   

In FY2012 New York tax payers will spend $44.3 billion on Department of Defense programs, above and beyond the cost of nuclear warhead modernization programs.

We need new priorities in government spending that favor human needs and not nuclear weapons or military contractors! With different Congressional spending priorities, $44.3 billion could buy the following for New Yorkers in 2012 instead:
-Low-income health care for 17.8 million children OR
-521,527 elementary school teachers OR
-4.7 million head start slots for children OR
-VA medical care for 4.5 million military veterans OR
-587,897 police or sheriff’s patrol officers OR
-7.4 million scholarships for university students OR
-8 million students receiving Pell Grants of $5,500

Nuclear weapons are relics of the Cold War and cannot protect Americans from 21st century threats – we need to stop funding warhead modernization programs and research and development of new nuclear weapons systems and start channeling those billions of dollars to our communities where they are needed!

Tell Senators Gillibrand and Schumer to fund our communities and stop fighting the cold war.