Update on FY 2005 National Defense Authorization Bill
The House Armed Services Committee completed its mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal Year 2005 (H.R. 4200) on Wednesday, May 12, approving the bill by a unanimous vote of 60-0. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved its version of the bill (S.2400) on May 6 by a unanimous vote. Floor debate on the House and Senate bills is expected to occur next week.
Below are highlights of the House and Senate bills related to U.S. nonproliferation efforts and to new nuclear weapons programs at the Department of Energy.
I. HOUSE BILL (H.R. 4200)
Nonproliferation
- $409.2 million for the Dept. of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- $1.35 billion for the Dept. of Energy (DOE) nonproliferation programs. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
DOE weapons-related programs
- $27.6 million for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (nuclear bunker buster) feasibility study (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- $ 9 million for Advanced Concepts (including research on low-yield nuclear weapons) (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- $30 million for the Enhanced Test Readiness program, which reduces the amount of preparation time to 18 months for conducting a live nuclear weapons test. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- $29.8 million for the Modern Pit Facility program, which would build a center for manufacturing plutonium pits. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
***The Committee defeated several amendments, largely along party lines, that would have shifted money away from new nuclear weapons and missile defense programs into nonproliferation programs and other research.
An Amendment by Rep. Martin Meehan (D-MA) to cut funds for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator and Advanced Concepts and bolster funding for the "Global Cleanout" initiative, which safeguards highly enriched uranium (HEU) generated by civilian reactors around the world, lost by a vote of 26-32.
An Amendment by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) to shift funds for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator and Advanced Concepts to research on conventional weapons was defeated 25-31.
Two Amendments by Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) sought to bolster U.S. nonproliferation efforts. The first added $50 million for Cooperative Threat Reduction programs outside the former Soviet Union and $150 million for DOE nonproliferation programs, including an additional $40 million for the Global Cleanout initiative. The amendment was defeated 25-30. The second amendment, which also added $40 million to Global Cleanout by shifting funds from excess balances in the Air Force missile budget, lost 26-30.
II. SENATE BILL (S. 2400)
Nonproliferation
- $409.2 million for the Dept. of Defense Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- Permanent authority to waive annually the conditions that must be met for spending CTR funds on chemical weapons destruction in Russia. (Sec. 1203)
- $1.35 billion for the Dept. of Energy (DOE) nonproliferation programs. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- Removal of the $50 million limitation on DOE authority to spend funds from the International Nuclear Materials Protection and Cooperation Program on projects outside the former Soviet Union. (Sec. 3131)
DOE weapons-related programs
- $27.6 million for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator feasibility study (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- $ 9 million for Advanced Concepts (including research on low-yield nuclear weapons) (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- $30 million for the Enhanced Test Readiness program, which reduces the amount of preparation time to 18 months for conducting a live nuclear weapons test. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
- $29.8 million for the Modern Pit Facility program, which would build a center for manufacturing plutonium pits. (Requested level by the Bush Administration)
Half of these funds were frozen by the Committee until the Energy Department submits to Congress a plan for the future configuration of the nuclear weapons stockpile and a plan for the anticipated number of pits.