WASHINGTON (April 17, 2008) – Ninety-five prominent scientists today called on the next president to reform our country's nuclear weapons policy to reflect post-Cold War realities. They recommended a number of practical, unilateral steps that the White House could take to enhance national security and lay the groundwork for a world without nuclear weapons.

Organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the "Scientists Statement on U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy" was signed by many of the nation's most distinguished physicists. Ninety-one of the signers are members of the National Academy of Sciences and collectively have won 23 Nobel Prizes and 10 National Medals of Science.

"Without bold U.S. leadership, our country and the world will face a new and more dangerous era in which it is likely many more nations -- and possibly terrorists -- will possess nuclear weapons," said Kurt Gottfried, UCS co-founder and board chair, and emeritus professor of physics at Cornell University. "The United States must lead by example and de-legitimize nuclear weapons as instruments of security policy and military power."

The statement includes several unilateral policy initiatives that would strengthen U.S. security by lowering the risk of nuclear proliferation, nuclear terrorism, or a Russian nuclear attack. These include declaring a no first-use policy; rejecting and replacing current "hair-trigger" rapid-launch options; ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; reducing the U.S. nuclear arsenal to 1,000 warheads, including deployed and reserve warheads; committing the United States to reducing its number of nuclear weapons below 1,000 on a negotiated and verified bilateral or multilateral basis; and reaffirming the U.S. commitment to pursue nuclear disarmament as required under Article VI of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

"The steps outlined in this statement will make the United States and the world safer," said Steven Weinberg, a Nobel Laureate in physics and one of the signatories. "If pursued, these practical steps will provide credible U.S. leadership toward a world with fewer risks from existing nuclear arsenals and effective approaches to reducing the threats of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism."

The scientists' statement comes at a time when an increasing number of national leaders have concluded that the United States would be far safer if it changed its nuclear weapons policy. For example, former secretaries of state George Shultz and Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of Defense William Perry and former Sen. Sam Nunn have called on the U.S. government to lead an international effort to move toward "a world free of nuclear weapons."

Members of Congress, too, are joining the chorus. "Nuclear weapons—like global warming—represent a grave and growing threat to human civilization," said Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.), a physicist and arms control expert. "Today, these scientists have issued an urgent call to action that should be heeded."