Washington (July 16, 2025) - On the 80th anniversary of the Trinity test, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) today introduced a Senate companion to H.Res.317, urging the United States to lead the world to halt and reverse the nuclear arms race. Introduced in the House by Representative Jim McGovern (MA-02), the resolution calls on the President to work with Russia and China to reduce nuclear arsenals; to renounce the first use of nuclear weapons; to limit the President’s sole authority to start nuclear war; to end the production of new nuclear weapons; and to maintain the global moratorium on nuclear testing.
Sens. Markey and Merkley, along with Reps. John Garamendi (CA-08) and Don Beyer (VA-08), who have cosponsored the House bill, are the co-chairs of the bicameral Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group.
“Eighty years after the Trinity test, much progress has been made to reduce nuclear dangers, but much work remains to be done,” said Senator Markey. “The United States, Russia, and China must work together to reduce their arsenals. In particular, Washington and Moscow must work to replace the New START Treaty before it expires next year. If they do not, we may be on the cusp of a new and more dangerous nuclear arms race. When it comes to reducing the risk of nuclear war, we cannot afford to go backward.”
“The Trinity Test marked the beginning of the Atomic Age, dramatically changing the world as we knew it. Although eighty years have passed since the first nuclear test, the threat of a new nuclear arms race is looming with the imminent expiration of the New START Treaty. We can’t afford to cede any ground in limiting nuclear proliferation in the decades since Trinity. Negotiating a successor to New START must be an immediate priority,” said Senator Welch. “This resolution reaffirms our firm commitment to pursue a world free of nuclear weapons.”
“The Trinity test began the nuclear age, and from that moment onward we have been forced to confront the prospect that we created a weapon that could lead to the end of humanity. Today, 80 years since the day of that test, we should take stock of the slow progress we have made on nuclear nonproliferation and recommit ourselves to reversing the arms race and preventing a nuclear war. We must continue to pursue effective arms control treaties, including the renewal of existing agreements, such as NEW START, that both maintain our national security and the responsible development of nuclear capabilities,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“While the world has changed significantly since I was a nuclear weapons policy analyst at the Pentagon and Congressional Budget Office, the dangers of nuclear weapons have not,” said Senator Merkley. “The ‘Doomsday Clock’ is now 89 seconds to midnight—the closest to global disaster we have ever been. American leadership is critical to reversing course and fostering a more secure future, free of nuclear weapons.”
The United States conducted the first nuclear test 80 years ago today at the Trinity Site in New Mexico. This first test was soon followed by the first and only use of nuclear weapons when the United States dropped two bombs on Japan at the end of World War II. The United States went on to conduct more than 1,000 nuclear tests and produce more than 30,000 nuclear weapons.
Today, thanks to arms control agreements and related actions, the United States and all other nuclear armed states (except North Korea) have ended nuclear testing, helping to stop the spread of the bomb and the harmful environmental and health effects of testing. The United States and Russia have reduced their nuclear arsenals to about 5,000 warheads each, but there is more work to do to reduce the danger of nuclear war.
The House resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Greg Casar (TX-35), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Mark Pocan (WI-02), John Garamendi (CA-08), Judy Chu (CA-28), John Larson (CT-01), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Don Beyer (VA-08) and Chuy Garcia (IL-04).
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