Tri-Valley CAREs
Communities Against a Radioactive Environment
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Monday, May 28, 2018
Posted by the DC Days 2018 team of Marylia Kelley, Scott Yundt, Valeria Salamanca, Tricia Moore and Joseph Rodgers
Tired, but elated, Tri-Valley CAREs has returned from Washington, DC, where we participated with the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability in the network’s 30th annual DC Days. It was amazing, effective, inspiring - and a marathon - all at once!
Our team of five, including two young people, joined scores of ANA activists who, like us, are impacted by the Dept. of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex. Together, we conducted 100 meetings over the course of three days with members of Congress, key staff and senior administration officials.
Our TVC team was able to participate in 50 DC Days meetings. We focused on decision makers with authority over nuclear weapons policy and environmental cleanup; two issues of grave concern nationally, and, in particular, to our communities around Livermore Lab and its Site 300 high explosives testing range.
Our timing was especially fortuitous. While we were in DC, the House of Representatives was debating amendments and voting on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). And, on the Senate side, appropriators were marking up the nuclear weapons budget.
While critical votes were happening in real time, we had the opportunity to talk with members of Congress; for example, about specific amendments to forestall the authorization of the new nukes called for in Trump’s Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) and fiscal 2019 budget request.
We discussed threats posed by the development of a low-yield, “more usable” submarine launched warhead (called the W76-2) and by jump-starting the Interoperable Warhead program that Obama had delayed.
We are happy to report that, while not in the majority, key CA members who sit on the House Armed Services Committee stepped up to offer NDAA amendments to limit Trump’s new weapons and the bomb plants that would be used to build them.
We also had an impact on long-term policy by raising important questions about the overall nuclear weapons “modernization” program now slated to cost taxpayers at least $2 trillion over the next 30 years, when new bombs in the NPR and a modest rate of inflation are included.
Further, in meetings with our CA Senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, and our local members of Congress, including Eric Swalwell, Jerry McNerney and Jeff Denham, our team discussed shifting Livermore Lab from weapons to civilian science initiatives, and we emphasized the need for cleanup of toxic and radioactive poisons at the Lab’s Main Site and Site 300.
We also met with administration offices like the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration and the White House Office of Management and Budget and with oversight officials at the Government Accountability Office, to name a few.
As if our DC Days meetings were not whirl-wind enough, on Monday evening, May 21st, we gathered at the Mott House to celebrate ANA’s 30th DC Days. One of the highlights that night was spending time with members of groups across the country.
On Tuesday evening, we participated in the ANA reception, held this year in the Gold Room at the Rayburn House Office Building. Special awards were given to members of Congress and grassroots activists for their courage and noteworthy achievements toward a nuclear free future. A high point occurred when our staff attorney, Scott Yundt, introduced and presented a special award to Rep. Barbara Lee. Scott spoke eloquently of how she had inspired him to activism, and Rep. Lee gave an electrifying speech that called everyone to action!
Here, below, is a sampling of photos taken by various ANA colleagues of our Tri-Valley CAREs team in action. You may spot Rep. Jimmy Panetta with Joseph Rodgers or see Marylia Kelley in a meeting with Rep. Ted Lieu that took place in the Capitol between votes on the NDAA. You may also notice Valeria Salamanca with Senator Dianne Feinstein and spy Tricia Moore with some of our ANA colleagues at Rep. Sanford Bishop’s office. And, don’t miss Scott Yundt with Rep. Barbara Lee and Joseph with Sen. Ed Markey. And more. Enjoy…
A Sampler of TVC Team Snapshots:
Top left, Scott Yundt presents an Alliance for Nuclear Accountability special award to Rep. Barbara Lee at the Tue evening reception. Top right, Marylia Kelley and colleagues meet with Rep. Ted Lieu in the Capitol between votes on the NDAA. Center right, Tricia Moore and ANA colleagues prepare for meetings during the Sunday training. Middle photos: Marylia Kelley and colleagues deep in discussion with Rep. Ted Lieu. Valeria Salamanca with Sen. Dianne Feinstein in the Hart Senate Office Bldg. and Joseph Rodgers with Sen. Ed Markey.
Bottom photos: Kathy Crandall Robinson (at left) on with the ANA 30th DC Days anniversary cake. Joseph Rodgers (at left) and Scott Yundt at the ANA event. Tricia Moore (at left) at the ANA event. Tricia Moore (at left) and colleagues arrive for a meeting at Rep. Bishop Sanford’s office. Joseph Rodgers and Valeria Salamanca (at left) with some of the young ANA colleagues from around the country. Top right: Marylia Kelley and Tricia Moore at the awards reception. Center: Valeria Salamanca and Scott Yundt take DC by storm. Bottom right: Joseph Rodgers meets with Rep. Jimmy Panetta.
Come to Tri-Valley CAREs’ monthly meeting at 7:30 pm on Thursday, June 21 to see more photos from the album, hear more stories, get the all the latest intel from our meetings - and discuss next steps to achieving nuclear disarmament, cleanup of contamination, and a safer world. Join us at our offices at 4049 First Street, First Floor Conference Room, Livermore, CA 94551.