Non-Proliferation Update: House Energy and Water Appropriations
June 10, 2004
The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water yesterday rejected all funds requested by the Bush Administration for new nuclear weapons, modern pit facility construction, and enhanced test readiness. At the same time, the Subcommittee approved the full request for Department of Energy Non-Proliferation programs.Funding requests rejected by the Subcommittee include:
- $27.6 million for feasibility research on the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (bunker buster)
- $9 million for Advanced Concepts (including low-yield nuclear weapons)
- $29.8 million for a modern pit manufacturing facility
- $30 million for enhanced test readiness
Funding requests approved by the Subcommittee include:
- $1.35 billion for Defense Nuclear Non-Proliferation at the Dept. of Energy
(Within this budget are funding shifts resulting in increases for Nonproliferation and Verification Research and Development programs and International Nuclear Materials Protection and Cooperation programs. Funding decreases affect programs to eliminate weapons grade plutonium production and for fissile materials disposition. Decreases are attributed to management and cooperation problems in Russia.)
If the cuts of funding for new nuclear weapons pass the full Appropriations committee in the House next week, a likely challenge will come from the Senate Appropriations Committee, which has not yet determined a schedule for mark up of its version of the bill.
Last year’s FY 2004 Energy and Water Appropriations bill was a reconciliation of significant cuts in these programs by the House and full funding by the Senate. The compromise bill included a 50%, or $7.5 million, reduction in requested funds for the bunker buster and a nearly 50%, or $12 million, reduction in funds for the Modern Pit Facility.