Ban on space weapons in nation's future?

In session
June 2002

Archaic mining law may finally see change
Ban on space weapons in nation's future?
Catholic Charities looks to Senate to "fix" welfare reform
Farm bill signed into law
Fast Track passes Senate
New prescriptions for Medicare

Ban on space weapons in nation's future?
Representative Dennis Kucinich of Cleveland, Ohio is a new breed of environmentalist. He wants to clean up space—outer space, that is. Through the introduction of the Space Preservation Act of 2002, Kucinich hopes to see Congress enact a law to "ban U.S. space-based weapons and the use of U.S. weapons to destroy or damage objects in orbit in space." The act would also terminate all research and development for space-based weaponry and calls on U.S. representatives to the United Nations to initiate an international treaty banning space-based weapons.

Kucinich says the success of this ban "would prevent a destructive space arms race along the lines of the nuclear arms race that has placed Earth's existence in jeopardy for over fifty years."

Kucinich is a vocal proponent of nuclear arms reduction and weapons reduction in general. Shortly after September 11 he introduced a bill to establish a Department of Peace. The mission of the Department of Peace would be "hold peace as an organizing principle, endeavor to promote justice and democratic principles to expand human rights, and develop policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful resolution of conflict, and structured mediation of conflict.—Tara Dix

For more information:
Office of Rep. Dennis Kucinich
Moving Beyond Missile Defense
Space Preservation Act of 2002
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
Space law links

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