Religious groups support treaty

Many religious organizations have spoken out in support of ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Statements from these organizations include:

"In the interest of civilized people everywhere, these abhorrent weapons should be eliminated entirely. The treaty will enter into force in April 1997. But its effectiveness will be severely limited if the United States is not a party to it. In any case, the U.S. has pledged to destroy its own chemical weapons stockpiles. By becoming a party to the treaty, we will be encouraging other countries to do the same. An effective Chemical Weapons Convention will lessen the chance that these weapons of mass destruction will be used in the future."

American Jewish Congress

"The Chemical Weapons Convention is a valuable instrument for combating the spread of weapons of terror. ... The United States chemical industry strongly supports the Convention. The Pentagon strongly supports the agreement as well. It is most certainly in both the national and international interest to achieve the global elimination of a class of weapons that have proved more dangerous to innocent civilians than to military forces."

Letter to the Senate signed by more than a dozen Religious Organizations

Religious Organizations supporting the Chemical Weapons Convention include:

America Jewish Committee

U.S. Catholic Conference

Anti-Defamation League

Presbyterian Church (USA)

B'nai B'rith Evangelical

Lutheran Church in America

United Methodist Board of Church and Society

United Church of Christ, Office for Church in Society

National Council of Churches

Union of American Hebrew Congregations

NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council

American Jewish Congress

The Episcopal Church

"We believe that U.S. ratification of this Convention will significantly strengthen America's hand in effectively countering the threat of chemical weapons in the future. ... Indeed, is the U.S. Senate acts quickly and the U.S. becomes one of the original sponsors, it will strengthen our nation's hand even more, and thus our legal and moral authority to act. We respectfully urge your support."

B'nai B'rith

Produced by the White House Working Group on the Chemical Weapons Convention. For more information on the Chemical Weapons Convention: Phone: 202-647-8677 Fax: 202-647-6928