U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy: Considering "No First Use"

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Abstract:

On April 15, 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Adam Smith introduced legislation that declared, "It is the policy of the United States to not use nuclear weapons first." Other Members of Congress are divided on this issue. Senator Dianne Feinstein has argued that the only moral use for U.S. nuclear weapons is as a deterrent to their use. Senator Deb Fischer, on the other hand, has said that the proposal "betrays a naive and disturbed world view. President Biden has spoken, in the past, about his support for a "sole purpose" policy for nuclear weapons, which some see as similar to "no first use," but the President has not yet taken steps to review or alter U.S. nuclear policy.

Author(s):
Woolf, Amy F.
Author Organization(s):
Congressional Research Service
Funding Organization(s):
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC, WASHINGTON DC , DC
Document Type:
Technical Report/Congressional Report
Publication Date:
2021 Apr 16
Pagination:
3

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution Code:
A - Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement: Public Release

RECORD

Collection: TRECMS
Subject Terms
Communities of Interest:
Counter WMD
Descriptor(s):
congress, nuclear weapons, united states, law, united states government, security, weapons, cold war, governments, national security, ussr, air force, arms control treaties, biological weapons, deterrence, north korea
Keyword(s):
npr(Nuclear Posture Review)
Subject Categories:
Military Sciences; Military Sciences
Creation Date:
2021 May 07
Update Date:
2021 Jul 23