Virtual Conference, Saturday September 9, 2023, 3 – 6pm (Eastern)

[3:00 pm] First Panel: The Congressional Discretionary Budget (Chair Rep. Carol Doherty, Massachusetts Legislature):

-The Civilian Components of the Discretionary Budget –  Deborah Weinstein (Coalition for Human Needs);

-The Military Components of the Discretionary Budget – William Hartung (Quincy Institute); 

-Acute Social Costs of the War Economy – Shailly Gupta Barnes (Kairos Center and Poor People’s Campaign);

-Congressional Allies for a Shift in Budget Priorities:  – Larry Cohen (Our Revolution).

[4:00 pm] Second Panel: Towards the Federal Budget the Nation Needs (Chair Prof. Jonathan King, Dept of Biology, MIT):

-Doubling the NIH Budget – Prof. Eric Sundberg (Chair of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine);

-Doubling the NSF Budget – Prof. David Goldenberg (Dept. of Chemistry, University of Utah);

-Example- Cryo– Electron microscopy – Prof. Ed Egelman  (University of Virginia);

-Example: Modern Instrumentation  – Prof. Catherine Royer  (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)

-Example: CDC and Vaccine Access – Natalia Linos, (Harvard School of Public Health);

[4:50 pm] Break.

[5:00 pm] Third Panel: Costs and Dangers of Nuclear Weapons Modernization (Chair Robert Redwine, Dept of Physics, MIT):

–   Dangers of First Use – Prof. Elaine Scarry (Harvard University);

–   Destabilization Driven by Nuclear Upgrades- Richard Krushnic (Mass Peace Action

–   The Provocation of New ICBMs – David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action);

–    U.S. House “Back from the Brink” Resolution– MA U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern;

Program Committee; Prof. Jonathan King (Chair); Prof. Kostia Bergman (Northeastern Univ);  Rep. Carol Doherty (Mass State Legislature); Prof. Gary Goldstein (Tufts University); Prof. Robert Redwine (MIT); Prof. Eric Sundberg (Emory Medical School); Prof. Elaine Scarry (Harvard University); William Hartung (Quincy Institute); Deborah Weinstein (Coalition for Human Needs).

 Co-Sponsors: Mass Peace Action Education Fund; MIT Faculty Newsletter; Fund Healthcare Not Warfare Campaign; Nuclear Disarmament Coordinating Committee; National Council for Jobs with Peace; Institute for Peoples Engagement;  Coalition for Basic Human Needs; Chicago Area Peace Action; Peace Caucus, American Public Health Association.