Council for a Livable World
The Council for a Livable World is a non partisan, non profit policy organization focused on political action to reduce nuclear weapons and increase national security. The Council was founded in 1962 by eminent nuclear physicist Leo Szilardand other scientists who worked in the pioneer days of atomic weapons and is located in Washington, D.C. The Council uses the research provided by its sister organization, the Center for Arms Control and Non Proliferation, in meetings with members of Congress and their staffs.
The Council for a Livable World Candidate Fund
Every election cycle, the Council endorses congressional candidates, either incumbents or challengers, who are -- or show promise to be -- arms control advocates and who support the Council's outlook on national security issues. The Council sends its members regular updates on the closest Senate and House elections. Unlike other candidate assistance groups, Council members themselves decide which Council endorsed candidates they prefer to support.
Candidates are required to answer rigorous questionnaires on issues and to defend their positions in interviews. The nonpartisan Council does not get involved in every race.
-It chooses races where the differences between candidates on arms control issues are clear-cut. -It prefers to concentrate on smaller states and primary elections, where campaign dollars go farther. -It recommends candidates in close races where Council dollars can be crucial and when candidates have true financial need.
All funds donated to the Candidate Fund go directly to the candidates.
Policy Influence
The Council was instrumental in passing the Chemical Weapons Convention and the 1992 nuclear testing moratorium, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, the [[START I] and START II treaties; banning biological weapons; terminating chemical weapons production and the Minuteman missile; negotiation the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; limiting MX and B-2 deployment; blocking deployment by the Clinton Administration of a National Missile Defense and eliminating funding for the nuclear bunker buster, a new generation of nuclear weapons.
Methods
The Council uses many tools to monitor and influence arms control legislation in the U.S. Congress.
Legislation - The Council helps initiate and draft national security legislation, monitors appropriate committees, arranges for expert witnesses for important hearings, and keeps accurate head counts before votes are taken.
Lobbying- Council national security experts work to shape pending legislation in Congress and the Administration. Many Council supporters have joined the Grassroots Network to lobby Members of Congress personally on key votes.
Seminars- Council board members and other knowledgeable authorities outside of government provide valuable technical, scientific, and tactical information to Members of Congress and their staffs.
Public Information- To inform the public, political figures, and news media, the Council publishes fact sheets on weapons of mass destruction, nuclear nonproliferation and other national security issues; distributes voting records of senators and representatives on national security issues; has extensive email lists to distribute articles, analyses and other information and maintains an extensive website: www.clw.org
Joint Actions- The Council works closely with other arms control and national security groups to track major legislation, build coalitions to work with Congress, and keep the public informed about key national security issue
Board of Directors
Sen. Gary Hart Chairman of the Board
James Arnold
Aron Bernstein
Julian Bond
Paul Castleman
David Cohen
Gary Collins
Alice Day
Amb. Jonathan Dean
Thomas Downey
Roger Fisher
Meg Gage
Andrew Grossman
Dudley Herschbach
John Isaacs
Dr. John H. Johns
Prof. Vera Kistiakowsky
Priscilla Johnson McMillan
Matthew Meselson
Robert K. Musil
Gene Pokorny
Prof. Philip Schrag
Ivo Spalatin
Mark Sternman
Dr. James Walsh
Edith B. Wilkie
Jules Zacher