The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) commends Chairman Manchin, Ranking Member Barrasso, and the entire Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for clearing a historic 75 pieces of legislation, including multiple crucial bills to confront the wildfire crisis.

FAS urges the Senate to consider and support the following legislation, which is critical to confronting and addressing the wildfire crisis:

• S. 1764, a bill to improve Federal activities relating to wildfires, and for other purposes (Sen. Cortez Masto).
• S. 2132, a bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a pilot program for the establishment and use of a pre-fire-suppression stand density index, and for other purposes (Sen. Lee).
• S. 2169, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to carry out watershed pilots, and for other purposes (Sen. Wyden).
• S. 2867, a bill to address the forest health crisis on the National Forest System and public lands, and for other purposes (Ranking Member Barrasso).
• S. 2991, a bill to improve revegetation and carbon sequestration activities in the United States, and for other purposes (Chairman Manchin).
• S. 4424, a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage and expand the use of prescribed fire on land managed by the Department of the Interior or the Forest Service, with an emphasis on units of the National Forest System in the western United States, to acknowledge and support the long-standing use of cultural burning by Tribes and Indigenous practitioners, and for other purposes (Sen. Wyden).

“FAS is looking forward to working with Members of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to continue advancing this bipartisan package of bills as it moves through the legislative process,” said James Campbell, a wildfire policy specialist at the Federation of American Scientists. “We appreciate the thorough consideration of this legislation and urge leadership to pass these bipartisan bills before the end of the year.”

Washington, D.C. – November 12, 2024 – The United Kingdom is modernizing its stockpile of nuclear weapons and delivery systems, as detailed today in the Federation of American Scientists latest edition of its Nuclear Notebook, “United Kingdom Nuclear Forces, 2024”. The researchers estimate that the United Kingdom has maintained its stockpile of 225 nuclear warheads and predict an eventual increase based on shifting posture to counter Russia, modernization, and alliance efforts. The Notebook is published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and available here.

“Budget overruns remain a constraint for the UK nuclear modernization program, significant parts of which are done in close collaboration with the United States, and efforts are underway to expand the nuclear warhead stockpile,” observes Hans Kristensen, Director of the FAS Nuclear Information Project and one of the Nuclear Notebook authors.

Modernization and nuclear infrastructure construction

The United Kingdom is replacing its sole nuclear platform––the aging Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs)––with the new Dreadnought-class that is currently under construction. 

Additionally, the FAS report includes satellite imagery of ongoing construction at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) facilities at Aldermaston and Burghfield, including a new warhead assembly facility, enriched uranium storage facility, and plutonium manufacturing facility. 

Challenges for the future

Budget overruns and delays in construction continue to be one of the biggest issues for the United Kingdom’s nuclear program. Projected costs for the UK Navy have gone up by 41 percent due to the Dreadnought SSBN program. Delays in this program could threaten the Navy’s ability to maintain their Continuous At-Sea Deterrent (CASD), as it would put additional stress on the Vanguard fleet that has already been pushed past its service life. Nuclear infrastructure projects, including the MENSA warhead facility, are also behind schedule and over-budget. 

Collaboration with the United States

Upgrades at RAF Lakenheath discovered by the Notebook authors signal the return of the United States Air Force nuclear mission to the United Kingdom, although it is unlikely that US nuclear weapons will be permanently stored on UK soil in peacetime. The arrival of the F-35A Lightning II, capable of carrying B61-12 gravity bombs, US budgetary indicators for special storage upgrades, and the construction of a new “surety” dormitory for US Airmen at RAF Lakenheath all indicate preparations for the potential return of US nuclear weapons which have been absent in the United Kingdom since 2008. 

The Notebook also outlines cooperation between the UK and US Navy on missile tests. This year, UK ballistic missile submarines conducted test fires off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, and US laboratories evaluated and provided measurements for the test effort.

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ABOUT THE NUCLEAR NOTEBOOK 

The FAS Nuclear Notebook, co-authored by Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight, is an effort by the Nuclear Information Project team published bi-monthly in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The joint publication began in 1987. FAS, formed in 1945 by the scientists who developed the nuclear weapon, has worked since to increase nuclear transparency, reduce nuclear risks, and advocate for responsible reductions of nuclear arsenals and the role of nuclear weapons in national security.

This latest issue follows the release of the 2024 India Nuclear Notebook. The next issue will focus on the United States. More research is located at FAS’s Nuclear Information Project.

The Federation of American Scientists’ work on nuclear transparency would not be possible without generous support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Longview Philanthropy, the Jubitz Foundation, the New-Land Foundation, Ploughshares, the Prospect Hill Foundation, and individual donors.

ABOUT FAS

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945 by scientists in response to the atomic bomb, FAS continues to work on behalf of a safer, more equitable, and more peaceful world.

The Federation of American Scientists supports H.R. 8790, the Fix our Forests Act, commends the House of Representatives for passing of the bill on strong bipartisan margins in September, and urges the Senate to consider this legislation.

“In particular, we strongly supported and advocated for Section 102 and the creation of the Fireshed Center, with its proposed center of governance within the U.S. Geological Survey,” said Dan Correa, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of American Scientists. “The Fireshed Center would provide decision support across the entire wildfire lifecycle of prevention, suppression, and recovery efforts, thereby minimizing inequalities between different jurisdictions and allowing stakeholders to retain their autonomy while holistically addressing the wildfire crisis.

We are proud to have worked to include important provisions of this bill, including the Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Program (Sec. 201 & 202), Biochar Innovations and Research (Sec. 301), and Reporting on the Effectiveness of Hazardous Fuels Reduction Treatments (Sec. 302). Additionally, three FAS supported amendments made it into the final bill including incentivizing the use of proactive animal grazing for fuels mitigation, public-private partnerships for low earth orbit satellites, and addition of artificial intelligence support tools to the Fireshed Center.

FAS would have strongly preferred to see this bill passed with funding attached and the controversial litigation reform pieces, including restrictions on public comment, removed. However, building bipartisan solutions takes compromise, and given the urgency of this crisis, FAS applauds Congress for taking action on this important issue.”

The last resolution producing similar scientific research was published in 1989

Washington, D.C. – October 24, 2024 – The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) announces its support for the UN General Assembly Draft Resolution on Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research, announced August 20th, and calls for others to do the same. FAS believes the resolution is a necessary advancement of scientific understanding of the devastating consequences of a nuclear war.

“Whether people support or oppose nuclear weapons, they deserve to know what the consequences of nuclear use are. An independent fact-based expert study is the best way to do that. All member States, including the United States, can and should support this UN resolution,” says Hans Kristensen, Director of the Nuclear Information Project (NIP) at FAS. “FAS believes in the need for science to inform policy, which is why we call for support of this resolution.”

“The UN resolution is an important and timely measure for articulating the toll of nuclear weapons on humans and the environment,” says Eliana Johns, Senior Research Associate at FAS. “It also provides an opportunity to inject science into nuclear weapons policy deliberations so that policymakers, practitioners, and the public have access to updated and accurate data about nuclear weapons, their effects, and the destruction their use would entail.”

Scientific Report Last Updated in 1989

This resolution, introduced by Ireland and New Zealand, would create a scientific panel to conduct the first comprehensive study on the effects of nuclear war since 1989. With major advances in technology and scientific evidence bases, the independent panel of 21 scientific researchers will produce a more accurate and updated report reflecting current global trends.

It has been over 30 years since the last study on the climatic and other global effects of nuclear war was issued by the UN Secretary-General. Since then, globalization has greatly linked human populations; the global population has grown by 50%, and states’ nuclear arsenals have modernized and advanced. At a time when all nuclear weapons states are undergoing efforts to modernize their arsenals, a better technical understanding of how a nuclear war would impact humanity and the environment is vital to informing discussions on nuclear weapons policy and highlighting nuclear weapons effects on impacted communities.

FAS Nuclear Information Project

FAS is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to deploying evidence-based policies to address global threats. From its founding by a group of atomic scientists and engineers involved in the Manhattan Project, FAS has worked for the public promotion of science, and the freedom and integrity of scientists and scientific research to benefit humanity. FAS is proud to support a scientific community that communicates the devastating effects of nuclear war on humans and the environment. In addition to ongoing research, published at the FAS website, the NIP team produces the semi-monthly Nuclear Notebook, published in academic journal Taylor and Francis as well as the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ website.

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ABOUT FAS

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945 by scientists in response to the atomic bomb, FAS continues to work on behalf of a safer, more equitable, and more peaceful world. More information at fas.org, and more information about the Nuclear Information Project at https://fas.org/initiative/nuclear-information-project/.

The Federation of American Scientists supports H.R. 9908, the Strengthening Wildfire Resiliency Through Satellites Act.

The Strengthening Wildfire Resilience Through Satellites Act would help combat wildfires through advanced early detection using satellite technology. The bill creates a three-year grant program under the United States Geological Survey encouraging states to use satellite technology for wildfire detection, active fire monitoring, and post-disaster recovery.

“Rep. Pettersen and Rep. Obernolte are leading the way to ensure states have access to cutting edge satellite technology to modernize the way wildland fires are detected, monitored, managed, and recovered from. The Federation of American Scientists is proud to support this bill to better equip our states and first responders to tackle severe wildfires” said James Campbell, Wildfire Policy Specialist at the Federation of American Scientists.

The Federation of American Scientists strongly supports H.R. 8656.

The Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act would combat firefighter shortages by establishing a new Middle Fire Leaders Academy and grant programs to train and hire more firefighters and retain expert wildland firefighters with increased benefits and better working conditions. The bill would establish the Joint Office of the Fire Environment Center to improve fire response time with updated technology like developing risk maps and establishing. Lastly, it would address the public health crisis caused by wildfire smoke by establishing a nationwide real-time air quality monitoring and alert system.

“As the wildfire crisis continues to grow in size and severity, our solutions must be ambitious to meet the moment. The Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission developed 148 non-partisan policy recommendations to tackle this crisis and the Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act is a bold and bipartisan package that incorporates a number of the Commission’s recommendations.” said Daniel Correa, Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of American Scientists. “Rep. Harder, Rep. Franklin and Rep. Neguse have put forth a multi-pronged innovative approach to tackle the wildfire crisis. In particular, the creation of the Fire Environment Center is a game changer for land and fuels management, community risk reduction, fire management and response.”

For more information contact James Campbell, Wildfire Policy Specialist, at jcampbell@fas.org.

The Federation of American Scientists supports H.R. 9702 the Wildfire Coordination Act, H.R. 9703 the Cross Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act, and H.R. 9704 the Wildfire Risk Evaluation Act.

This package of bills is derived from recommendations in the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission’s report to Congress and would implement recommendations 24, 110, 116, 135, and 148.

“This package of bills would improve the effectiveness and efficiency of wildfire mitigation, establish an advisory board responsible for coordinating federal wildfire research, and require a comprehensive review of the wildfire landscape in the United States every four years,” said James Campbell, Wildfire Policy Specialist at the Federation of American Scientists. “This package of bills hits on a number of key areas that are critical to supporting increased collaboration across federal agencies and confronting the wildfire crisis head-on.” 

For more information contact James Campbell, Wildfire Policy Specialist, at jcampbell@fas.org.

Summit comes on heels of record 2024 summer heat; convenes experts on strategies to address this nationwide threat

Washington, D.C. – September 13, 2024 – The Federation of American Scientists (FAS), the non-partisan, nonprofit science think tank dedicated to deploying  evidence-based policies to address national threats, is today participating in the White House Summit on Extreme Heat. 

This Summit, announced by President Biden earlier this summer, will bring together local, state, Tribal, and territorial leaders and practitioners to discuss how to drive further locally-tailored and community-driven actions to address extreme heat. FAS has been a leading voice for action on this topic, and has developed a compendium of 150+ heat-related federal policy recommendations. 

FAS will be represented by Hannah Safford, Associate Director of Climate and Environment, and Grace Wickerson, Health Equity Policy Manager.

“Extreme heat is affecting every corner of our nation, making it more difficult and dangerous for Americans to live, work, and play,” says Wickerson. “Heat-related deaths and illnesses are on the rise, especially among our most vulnerable populations. We must work together to tackle this public health crisis.”

“It’s September, and millions of Americans are still suffering in triple-digit temperatures,” adds Safford. “We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for drawing attention to the increasing challenges of extreme heat, and for driving on action to build a more heat-resilient nation in 2025 and beyond.”

FAS’s Ongoing Work to Address Extreme Heat

To date FAS has fostered extensive policy innovation related to extreme heat:

• Our Extreme Heat Policy Sprint engaged more than 85 experts and generated heat-related policy recommendations for 34 federal offices and agencies.
  
• This work is comprehensively summarized in our Whole-of-Government Strategy To Address Extreme Heat, and our associated library of heat policy memos. 
  
• FAS has delivered expert briefings on extreme heat to the White House and federal agencies. Our policy solutions have informed Senate appropriations requests, proposed legislation, and Congressional Research Service reports.
  

FAS Workshops Will Harness Momentum From White House Summit

Immediately following the White House Heat Summit, FAS will collaborate with the Arizona State University (ASU) Knowledge Exchange for Resilience to host the Celebration for Resilience 2024 Symposium and Gala on September 19th in Tempe.

On Friday, September 20th, FAS will partner with Arizona State University (ASU) to host workshops in Tempe, AZ, Washington DC, and virtually on Defining the 2025 Heat Policy Agenda. This workshop will harness momentum from the White House Summit on Extreme Heat, providing a forum to discuss actions that the next Administration and new Congress should prioritize to tackle extreme heat. For more information and to participate, contact Grace Wickerson (gwickerson@fas.org).  

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ABOUT FAS

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945 by scientists in response to the atomic bomb, FAS continues to work on behalf of a safer, more equitable, and more peaceful world. More information at fas.org.

Proposed bills advance research ecosystems, economic development, and education access and move now to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote

Washington, D.C. – September 12, 2024 – Three proposed artificial intelligence bills endorsed by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), a nonpartisan science think tank, advance forward from a House Science, Space, and Technology Committee markup held on September 11th, 2024. These bills received bipartisan support and will now be reported to the full chamber. The three bills are: H.R. 9403, the Expanding AI Voices Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Vince Fong (CA-20) and Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06); H.R. 9197, the Small Business AI Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Collins (GA-10) and Rep. Haley Stevens (MI-11), and H.R. 9403, the Expand AI Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Valerie Foushee (NC-04) and Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03).

“FAS endorsed these bills based on the evaluation of their strengths. Among these are the development of infrastructure to develop AI safely and responsibly; the deployment of resources to ensure development benefits more equitably across our economy; and investment in the talent pool necessary for this consequential, emerging technology,” says Dan Correa, CEO of FAS.

“These three bills pave a vision for the equitable and safe use of AI in the U.S. Both the Expanding AI Voices Act and the NSF AI Education Act will create opportunities for underrepresented voices to have a say in how AI is developed and deployed. Additionally, the Small Business AI Act will ensure that an important sector of our society feels empowered to use AI safely and securely,” says Clara Langevin, FAS AI Policy Specialist. 

Expanding AI Voices Act

The Expanding AI Voices Act will support a broad and diverse interdisciplinary research community for the advancement of artificial intelligence and AI-powered innovation through partnerships and capacity building at certain institutions of higher education to expand AI capacity in populations historically underrepresented in STEM.

Specifically, the Expanding AI Voices Act of 2024 will:

• Codify and expand the ExpandAI program at the National Science Foundation (NSF), which supports artificial intelligence (AI) capacity-building projects for eligible entities including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
  
• Broaden the ExpandAI program in scope and types of activities it supports to further build and enhance partnerships between eligible entities and awardees of the National AI Research Institutes ecosystem to broaden AI research and development.
  
• Direct the National Science Foundation to engage in outreach to increase their pool of applications and address common barriers preventing these organizations from submitting an application.

Small Business AI Act

Emerging science is central to new and established small businesses, across industries and around the country. This bill will require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop resources for small businesses in utilizing artificial intelligence, and for other purposes. 

• This bill amends the NIST Organic Act, as amended by the National AI Initiative Act, and directs NIST, in coordination with the Small Business Administration,  to consider the needs of America’s small businesses and develop AI resources for best practices, case studies,  benchmarks, methodologies, procedures, and processes for small businesses to understand, apply, and integrate AI systems.
  
• It will connect Small Businesses with existing Federal educational resources, such as the risk management framework and activities from the national cybersecurity awareness and education program under the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2014.
  
• This bill aligns with FAS’s mission to broaden AI use and access as a catalyst for economic development. 

National Science Foundation Artificial Intelligence Education Act of 2024 (NSF AI Education Act).

The National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9451) will  bolster educational skills in AI through new learning initiatives and workforce training programs. Specifically, the bill will: 

• Allow NSF to award AI scholarships in critical sectors such as education, agriculture and advanced manufacturing.
  
• Authorize the NSF to conduct outreach and encourage applications from rural institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and institutions located in Estab­lished Program to Stim­u­late Com­pet­i­tive Research (EPSCoR) jurisdictions to promote research competitiveness.
  
• Award fellowships for teachers, school counselors, and other school professionals for professional development programs, providing skills and training in collaboration with industry partners on the teaching and application of artificial intelligence in K-12 settings
  
• This bill aligns with FAS’s commitment to STEM education and equity as powerful levers for our nation to compete on the global stage.
  
  
  

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ABOUT FAS

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945 by scientists in response to the atomic bomb, FAS continues to work on behalf of a safer, more equitable, and more peaceful world. More information at fas.org.

Grant Funds Research of AI’s Impact on Nuclear Weapons, Biosecurity, Military Autonomy, Cyber, and other global issues

Washington, D.C. – September 11, 2024 – The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) has received a $1.5 million grant from the Future of Life Institute (FLI) to investigate the implications of artificial intelligence on global risk. The 18-month project supports FAS’s efforts to bring together the world’s leading security and technology experts to better understand and inform policy on the nexus between AI and several global issues, including nuclear deterrence and security, bioengineering, autonomy and lethality, and cyber security-related issues.

FAS’s CEO Daniel Correa noted that “understanding and responding to how new technology will change the world is why the Federation of American Scientists was founded. Against this backdrop, FAS has embarked on a critical journey to explore AI’s potential. Our goal is not just to understand these risks, but to ensure that as AI technology advances, humanity’s ability to understand and manage the potential of this technology advances as well.

“When the inventors of the atomic bomb looked at the world they helped create, they understood that without scientific expertise and brought her perspectives humanity would never live the potential benefits they had helped bring about. They founded FAS to ensure the voice of objective science was at the policy table, and we remain committed to that effort after almost 80 years.”

“We’re excited to partner with FLI on this essential work,” said Jon Wolfsthal, who directs FAS’ Global Risk Program.  “AI is changing the world. Understanding this technology and how humans interact with it will affect the pressing global issues that will determine the fate of all humanity. Our work will help policy makers better understand these complex relationships. No one fully understands what AI will do for us or to us, but having all perspectives in the room and working to protect against negative outcomes and maximizing positive ones is how good policy starts.”

“As the power of AI systems continues to grow unchecked, so too does the risk of devastating misuse and accidents,” writes FLI President Max Tegmark. “Understanding the evolution of different global threats in the context of AI’s dizzying development is instrumental to our continued security, and we are honored to support FAS in this vital work.”

The project will include a series of activities, including high-level focused workshops with world-leading experts and officials on different aspects of artificial intelligence and global risk, policy sprints and fellows, and directed research, and conclude with a global summit on global risk and AI in Washington in 2026.

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ABOUT FAS

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945 by scientists in response to the atomic bomb, FAS continues to work on behalf of a safer, more equitable, and more peaceful world. More information at fas.org.

ABOUT FLI

Founded in 2014, the Future of Life Institute (FLI) is a leading nonprofit working to steer transformative technology towards benefiting humanity. FLI is best known for their 2023 open letter calling for a six-month pause on advanced AI development, endorsed by experts such as Yoshua Bengio and Stuart Russell, as well as their work on the Asilomar AI Principles and recent EU AI Act.

Washington, D.C. – September 6, 2024 – The Federation of American Scientists today released the latest India edition of the Nuclear Notebook, published in the  Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and available here. The authors, Hans Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight, estimate that India has produced enough weapons-grade plutonium for up to 210 nuclear warheads but has likely assembled closer to 172. Along with its growing arsenal, India is developing at least five new weapon systems and several new delivery platforms. Seeking to address security concerns with both Pakistan and China, India appears to be taking steps to increase the readiness of its arsenal, including “pre-mating” some of its warheads with missiles in canisters.

SSBNs and MIRVs

This Nuclear Notebook provides an overview of India’s nuclear modernization, documenting the development of new land and sea-based missiles, the retirement of older nuclear-capable systems, and the commissioning of India’s second indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). The authors also analyze India’s significant progress in developing its next generation of land-based missiles with the capability to launch multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs).

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ABOUT THE NUCLEAR NOTEBOOK 

The FAS Nuclear Notebook, co-authored by Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda, Eliana Johns, and Mackenzie Knight, is published bi-monthly in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The joint publication began in 1987. FAS, formed in 1945 by the scientists who developed the nuclear weapon, has worked since to increase nuclear transparency, reduce nuclear risks, and advocate for responsible reductions of nuclear arsenals and the role of nuclear weapons in national security.

This latest issue follows the release of the 2024 North Korea Nuclear Notebook. The next issue will focus on the United Kingdom. More research is located at FAS’s Nuclear Information Project.

The Federation of American Scientists’ work on nuclear transparency would not be possible without generous support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Longview Philanthropy, the Jubitz Foundation, the New-Land Foundation, Ploughshares, the Prospect Hill Foundation, and individual donors.

ABOUT FAS

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945 by scientists in response to the atomic bomb, FAS continues to work on behalf of a safer, more equitable, and more peaceful world. More information at fas.org.

Federation of American Scientists (FAS) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) are proud to announce our partnership in forming the first employee union in FAS’ nearly 80 year history. We are excited to engage in a productive and collaborative partnership with IAM, with the goal of fostering a positive and mutually beneficial working environment for all FAS employees. “This is cause for celebration. We proudly recognize our colleagues’ desire to have a seat at the table for decisions about issues that affect all of us and we look forward to building a future together,” notes FAS CEO, Dan Correa.

FAS takes quite seriously our role as a beacon and voice for the science community and are seizing this opportunity to forge a more inclusive future for the organization and model what can be unlocked when everyone has a seat at the table. After the devastating bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, a group of atomic researchers – deeply concerned about the use of science for malice – created an organization committed to using science and technology to benefit humanity. The group they created – the Federation of Atomic Scientists – soon became the Federation of American Scientists in recognition of the hundreds of scientists across diverse disciplines who joined together to speak with one voice for the betterment of the world. 

FAS is excited to honor our legacy and put into practice the shared values we espouse – not just equity, inclusion and transparency, but our vision of an organization that is impact-driven, customer-focused, entrepreneurial, and growth-oriented as a force for good.

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ABOUT FAS

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) works to advance progress on a broad suite of contemporary issues where science, technology, and innovation policy can deliver dramatic progress, and seeks to ensure that scientific and technical expertise have a seat at the policymaking table. Established in 1945 by scientists in response to the atomic bomb, FAS continues to work on behalf of a safer, more equitable, and more peaceful world. More information at fas.org.

ABOUT IAM

With nearly 600,000 active and retired members, the IAM is one of the largest and most diverse labor unions in North America. From Boeing and Lockheed Martin to United Airlines and Harley-Davidson, you will find IAM members across all walks of life. IAM members demand respect and dignity in the workplace. Together, we have been able to bargain for increased job security, higher wages and improved benefits.

The IAM is here to help you secure a voice on the job. Join the IAM today!