Anti-Nuclear Proliferation Resolution (Back from the Brink Act)

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 7
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By: Delegates Williams, Ivey, Acevero, Allen, Amprey, Bhandari, Boafo,
Charkoudian, Coley, Crutchfield, Ebersole, Edelson, Embry, Fair, Fennell,
Guyton, Holmes, Kaufman, Kerr, Lewis, J. Long, Martinez, McCaskill,
Mireku–North, Moreno, Odom, Palakovich Carr, Patterson, Phillips,
Queen, Rosenberg, Ruff, Ruth, Shetty, Smith, Solomon, Stein , Stinnett,
Taveras, Taylor, Turner, Vogel, White Holland, Wilson, Wims, and Young
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

A House Joint Resolution concerning 1

Anti–Nuclear Proliferation Resolution 2
(Back From the Brink Act) 3

FOR the purpose of stating that the General Assembly joins certain other state legislative 4
bodies, counties, and municipalities in passing a Back from the Brink resolution on 5
reducing the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons; urging members of the State’s 6
Congressional Delegation to cosponsor a certain federal resolution related to the use 7
of nuclear weapons; and urging the U.S. President and the U.S. Senate to endorse 8
the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 9

WHEREAS, Nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons ever created by 10
mankind; and 11

WHEREAS, 90% of nuclear weapons are controlled by the U.S. and Russia, with the 12
rest being controlled by seven other countries: China, France, Israel, India, North Korea, 13
Pakistan, and the United Kingdom; and 14

WHEREAS, The use of even a small fraction of nuclear weapons, such as 100 15
Hiroshima–sized bombs, which are small bombs by modern standards, could put at least 16
5.5 million tons of soot into the atmosphere and cause climate disruption across the planet, 17
cutting food production and putting 250 million people at risk of starvation; and 18

WHEREAS, A large –scale nuclear war would kill hundreds of millions of people 19
directly, risk starvation for 5 billion people worldwide including in the U.S., and cause 20
unimaginable environmental damage and catastrophic climate disruption by dropping 21
temperatures across the planet to levels not seen since the Ice Age, causing the vast 22
2 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 7

majority of the human race t o starve and possibly cause humans to become extinct as a 1
species; and 2

WHEREAS, The U.S. and Russia rely on the assurances of deterrence, that nuclear 3
arsenals are never used, and yet there have been many close calls due to human or 4
mechanical error; and 5

WHEREAS, The U.S. President has the authority to unilaterally initiate the use of 6
nuclear weapons, and during times of crisis, individuals lower in the chain of command 7
might mistakenly do so; and 8

WHEREAS, The U.S. maintains nuclear missiles on hair–trigger alert, making them 9
capable of being launched within minutes and greatly increasing the risk of an unintended 10
or unauthorized launch, especially in current times when tensions are mounting between 11
nuclear powers and the U.S. maintains the right to initiate a nuclear launch; and 12

WHEREAS, The ongoing expenditure of $1.7 trillion over 30 years to enhance the 13
U.S. nuclear arsenal is fueling a global arms race; and 14

WHEREAS, Despite the incredible expenditure on nuclear weapons, one in six 15
military families are food insecure; and 16

WHEREAS, Marylanders paid an estimated $2.1 billion in taxes in fiscal year 2024 17
for the nuclear weapons complex; and 18

WHEREAS, Living in the shadow of Washington, D.C., Marylanders are especially 19
at risk if there is nuclear war, making it appropriate that the General Assembly of 20
Maryland urge the federal government to do everything possible to reduce the risk of 21
nuclear war starting by error or by intent; and 22

WHEREAS, Two major conflicts in 202 5 involving nations that posse ss nuclear 23
weapons make multilateral negotiations between nuclear nations more important now than 24
ever; and 25

WHEREAS, In July 2017, the United Nations adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition 26
of Nuclear Weapons which makes it illegal for ratifying nations to develop, test, produce, 27
manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile, transfer, use, or threaten the use 28
of nuclear weapons; and 29

WHEREAS, As of September 24, 202 5, 74 nations have ratified or acceded to the 30
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and 31

WHEREAS, House Resolution 77 introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives 32
in the 118th Congress embraced the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition 33
of Nuclear Weapons, as well as the five policies of Back from the Brink to: (1) actively 34
pursue a multilateral verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their 35
nuclear arsenals; (2) renounce the option of using nuclear weapons first; (3) end the 36
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 7 3

President’s sole authority to launch a nuclear attack; (4) take nuclear weapons of f 1
hair–trigger alert; and (5) cancel current plans to replace or modernize its nuclear arsenal; 2
now, therefore, be it 3

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the General 4
Assembly of Maryland joins the seven state legislative bodies in Rhode I sland, Maine, 5
Oregon, California, and over 75 municipalities and counties, including Baltimore County, 6
Frederick County, Washington, D.C., Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County, in 7
passing a Back from the Brink resolution; and be it further 8

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of Maryland urges members of the 9
Maryland Congressional Delegation to cosponsor a new resolution in the 119th Congress 10
that embraces the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 11
and the Back from the Brink resolution; and be it further 12

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of Maryland urges the U.S. President and 13
the U.S. Senate to endorse the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and be it 14
further 15

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolut ion be forwarded by the Department of 16
Legislative Services to the Governor of Maryland; the President of the Senate of Maryland; 17
the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and the Maryland Congressional Delegation; and 18
be it further 19

RESOLVED, That certified copies of this Joint Resolution be sent by the Secretary 20
of State to: the President of the United States of America; the Vice President of the United 21
States, President of the United States Senate; the President Pro Tempore of the United 22
States Senate; the United States Senate Majority Leader; the United States Senate 23
Minority Leader; the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; and the 24
United States House of Representatives Minority Leader. 25