Ploughshares Fund Congratulates Senator Chuck Hagel on His Confirmation as Secretary of Defense
Washington, DC -- Ploughshares Fund applauds the Senate’s bipartisan confirmation of Senator Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense. Senator Hagel represents the proud tradition of a strong, bipartisan foreign policy for the United States. His experience and deep understanding of national security issues will be a valuable asset to the Department of Defense and the American people.
“Since 2009, we have greatly benefited from Senator Hagel’s leadership and guidance on our Board of Directors as we work to reduce the threats posed by nuclear weapons,” said Ploughshares Fund President Joe Cirincione. “Senator Hagel is part of a national security team hand-picked by President Obama to address the threats of the 21st century. We are confident that he will successfully lead the Department of Defense through this period of strategic transformation.”
Since his days in the Senate, Hagel has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing smart, bipartisan solutions to reducing the nuclear threat. He drafted comprehensive nuclear security legislation, S. 1977, in 2007 with then-Senator Barack Obama to stop the spread and use of nuclear weapons. As chairman of the Atlantic Council, Senator Hagel co-chaired a task force on Iran with Amb. Stuart Eizenstat to develop effective approaches to the Iranian crisis. He signed and endorsed with 34 other security leaders -- including Brent Scowcroft, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Adm. William Fallon, Gen. Anthony Zinni and Anne-Marie Slaughter -- the 2012 report, Weighing the Benefits and Costs of Military Action against Iran. In 2012, Senator Hagel joined with Gen. James Cartwright, Amb. Richard Burt, Amb. Thomas Pickering, Gen. Jack Sheehan, and Dr. Bruce Blair on a Global Zero report, Modernizing US. Nuclear Strategy, Force Structures and Posture, which recommends reshaping America’s nuclear arsenal for the 21st century. “Senator Hagel’s long-standing record demonstrates he is part of the growing bipartisan consensus for a new nuclear security strategy for the 21st Century,” said Cirincione. “We wish him all the best in his new position and we look forward to his leadership at this critical moment.”
About Ploughshares Fund
Ploughshares Fund gives individuals the means to make an immediate impact toward a world without nuclear weapons. Since 1981, Ploughshares Fund has led and supported a community of experts, advocates and analysts to implement smart strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons. In 2010, Ploughshares Fund spearheaded the successful campaign of over 50 non-governmental organizations to win the Senate approval of the New START treaty. The group is currently concentrating on efforts to bring the nuclear weapons budget in line with the needs of our 21st century military; to continue U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons reductions in a way that benefits both nations’ national security objectives; and to promote diplomatic resolution of Iran’s nuclear program.
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Ploughshares Fund is a publicly supported foundation that funds, organizes and innovates projects to realize a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons. For more information, please visit www.ploughshares.org.
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