On 8 June 1987, the New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act received royal assent, making New Zealand officially nuclear-free by law. The Act banned nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered vessels from New Zealand waters, a decision that strained the country's alliance with the United States and effectively suspended New Zealand from ANZUS. It remains one of the most popular pieces of legislation in New Zealand history, a proud symbol of the country's independent spirit and commitment to peace.