It was 80 years ago on July 16 when a mysterious flash of light and a massive explosion rumbled in the New Mexico desert. Only a few people knew about it at the time, but the United States just entered a frightening unknown world: the age of nuclear weapons.

The first atomic bomb was tested that morning, the result of the U.S. Manhattan Project to develop the ultimate weapon. Just weeks later the U.S. would drop atomic bombs on Japan, destroying the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and ending World War II.

Code-named Trinity, the atomic bomb of July 16, 1945 changed the world. Brigadier General Thomas F. Farrell was in the control shelter and witnessed the blast that historic morning. He wrote “It was a great new force to be used for good or for evil. There was a feeling in that shelter that those concerned with its nativity should dedicate their lives to the mission and that it would always be used for good and never for evil.”

It’s up to us now to carry on the mission of controlling this powerful nuclear force. It’s our duty to see that nuclear weapons are never used again, to work toward eliminating them. We must never give up on this mission because all of humanity and its future depends on it.

There are over 12,000 nuclear weapons in the world now according to the Arms Control Association. Most nuclear weapons are held by the United States and Russia. China, the United Kingdom, France, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea also have nukes. The nuclear weapons today are far more powerful than the atomic bomb 80 years ago.

We all would feel a lot better if there was a sustained effort at nuclear arms control and disarmament. We want the nuclear states to be cooperating especially when they all share a common interest in avoiding the massive cost of arms races. No nation can really afford nukes. The danger of accidental launch or terrorist theft exists for any nation.

There is something you can do today about the nuclear danger. You can ask your elected representative in the House to sign a resolution (H.Res. 317) about taking action to stop the nuclear arms race. The resolution can unite members of Congress in encouraging the president to pursue nuclear arms control and disarmament treaties.

According to the activist group Back from the Brink: “The resolution is a huge step forward in increasing public awareness and building Congressional support behind this growing movement. We must find leaders on Capitol Hill who understand that nuclear weapons don’t keep us safe and actually pose the biggest and most immediate threat to humanity.”

Representatives James McGovern of Massachusetts and Jill Tokuda of Hawaii introduced the resolution to “actively pursue a world free of nuclear weapons as a national security imperative.”

The danger of nukes continues but momentum on nuclear diplomacy is nonexistent. In fact, the New START Treaty with Russia limiting nukes expires next year. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty still has not been ratified by the U.S., China and other holdout nations. The nuclear powers are modernizing their arsenals and that is a heavy expense for citizens to carry.

The morning of July 16, 1945 unleashed a force so powerful it could destroy civilization. We live with this danger every second of the day. It costs us very much. The question is now what can we do to get the world’s nuclear powers to further reduce their arsenals. We know such a goal is not easy, but we must try. You can make your voice heard by contacting your representative in the House asking them to support H.Res. 317 for a nuclear weapons free world.

William Lambers is the author of “The Road to Peace” and “Ending World Hunger.” His writings have been published by the Washington Post, Newsweek, History News Network and many other news outlets.