Anti-Nuclear Proliferation Resolution

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4
E4, P1 6lr2909
SJ 4/25 – EEE CF HJ 7
By: Senators A. Washington, Smith, Lam, and Muse
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Senate Joint Resolution concerning 1

Anti–Nuclear Proliferation Resolution 2

FOR the purpose of stating that the General Assembly joins certain other state legislative 3
bodies, counties, and municipalities in passing a Back from the Brink resolution on 4
reducing the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons; urging members of the State’s 5
Congressional Delegation to cosponsor a certain federal resolution related to the use 6
of nuclear weapons; and urging the U.S. President and the U.S. Senate to endorse 7
the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 8

WHEREAS, Nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons ever created by 9
mankind; and 10

WHEREAS, 90% of nuclear weapons are controlled by the U.S. and Russia, with the 11
rest being controlled by seven other countries: China, France, Israel, India, North Korea, 12
Pakistan, and the United Kingdom; and 13

WHEREAS, The use of even a small fraction of nuclear weapons, such as 100 14
Hiroshima–sized bombs, which are small bombs by modern standards, could put at least 15
5.5 million tons of soot into the atmosphere and cause climate disruption across the planet, 16
cutting food production and putting 250 million people at risk of starvation; and 17

WHEREAS, A large –scale nuclear war would kill hundreds of millions of people 18
directly, risk starvation for 5 billion people worldwide including in the U.S., and cause 19
unimaginable environmental damage and catastrophic climate disruption by dropping 20
temperatures across the planet to levels not seen since the Ice Age, causing the vast 21
majority of the human race to starve and possibly cause humans to become extinct as a 22
species; and 23

WHEREAS, The U.S. and Russia rely on the assurances of deterrence, that n uclear 24
arsenals are never used, and yet there have been many close calls due to human or 25
mechanical error; and 26

2 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4

WHEREAS, The U.S. President has the authority to unilaterally initiate the use of 1
nuclear weapons, and during times of crisis, individuals lowe r in the chain of command 2
might mistakenly do so; and 3

WHEREAS, The U.S. maintains nuclear missiles on hair–trigger alert, making them 4
capable of being launched within minutes and greatly increasing the risk of an unintended 5
or unauthorized launch, especially in current times when tensions are mounting between 6
nuclear powers and the U.S. maintains the right to initiate a nuclear launch; and 7

WHEREAS, The ongoing expenditure of $1.7 trillion over 30 years to enhance the 8
U.S. nuclear arsenal is fueling a global arms race; and 9

WHEREAS, Despite the incredible expenditure on nuclear weapons, one in six 10
military families are food insecure; and 11

WHEREAS, Marylanders paid an estimated $2.1 billion in taxes in fiscal year 2024 12
for the nuclear weapons complex; and 13

WHEREAS, Living in the shadow of Washington, D.C., Marylanders are especially 14
at risk if there is nuclear war, making it appropriate that the General Assembly of 15
Maryland urge the federal government to do everything possible to reduce the risk of 16
nuclear war starting by error or by intent; and 17

WHEREAS, Two major conflicts in 2025 involving nations that possess nuclear 18
weapons make multilateral negotiations between nuclear nations more important now than 19
ever; and 20

WHEREAS, In July 2017, the United Nations adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition 21
of Nuclear Weapons which makes it illegal for ratifying nations to develop, test, produce, 22
manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile, transfer, use, or threaten the use 23
of nuclear weapons; and 24

WHEREAS, As of September 24, 2025, 74 nations have ratified or acceded to the 25
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and 26

WHEREAS, House Resolution 77 introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives 27
in the 118th Congress embraced the goals and provisio ns of the Treaty on the Prohibition 28
of Nuclear Weapons, as well as the five policies of Back from the Brink to: (1) actively 29
pursue a multilateral verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their 30
nuclear arsenals; (2) renounce the option of using nuclear weapons first; (3) end the 31
President’s sole authority to launch a nuclear attack; (4) take nuclear weapons off 32
hair–trigger alert; and (5) cancel current plans to replace or modernize its nuclear arsenal; 33
now, therefore, be it 34

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the General 35
Assembly of Maryland joins the seven state legislative bodies in Rhode Island, Maine, 36
Oregon, California, and over 75 municipalities and counties, including Baltimore County, 37
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 4 3

Frederick County, Washington, D.C., Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County, in 1
passing a Back from the Brink resolution; and be it further 2

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of Maryland urges members of the 3
Maryland Congressional Delegation to cosponsor a new reso lution in the 119th Congress 4
that embraces the goals and provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 5
and the Back from the Brink resolution; and be it further 6

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of Maryland urges the U.S. President and 7
the U.S. Senate to endorse the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and be it 8
further 9

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 10
Legislative Services to the Governor of Maryland; the President of the Senate of Maryland; 11
the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and the Maryland Congressional Delegation; and 12
be it further 13

RESOLVED, That certified copies of this Joint Resolution be sent by the Secretary 14
of State to: the President of the United States of America; the Vice President of the United 15
States, President of the United States Senate; the President Pro Tempore of the United 16
States Senate; the United States Senate Majority Leader; the United States Senate 17
Minority Leader; the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives; and the 18
United States House of Representatives Minority Leader. 19