50 U.S. Code § 2529 - Requirements for specific request for new or modified nuclear weapons

(a) Requirement for request for funds for development

(1) In any fiscal year after fiscal year 2002 in which the Secretary of Energy plans to carry out activities described in paragraph (2) relating to the development of a new nuclear weapon or modified nuclear weapon beyond phase 1 or phase 6.1 (as the case may be) of the nuclear weapon acquisition process, the Secretary—

(A) shall specifically request funds for such activities in the budget of the President for that fiscal year under section 1105(a) of title 31; and

(B) may carry out such activities only if amounts are authorized to be appropriated for such activities by an Act of Congress consistent with section 7270 of title 42.

(2) The activities described in this paragraph are as follows:

(A) The conduct, or provision for conduct, of research and development for the production of a new nuclear weapon by the United States.

(B) The conduct, or provision for conduct, of engineering or manufacturing to carry out the production of a new nuclear weapon by the United States.

(C) The conduct, or provision for conduct, of research and development for the production of a modified nuclear weapon by the United States.

(D) The conduct, or provision for conduct, of engineering or manufacturing to carry out the production of a modified nuclear weapon by the United States.

(b) Budget request format

In a request for funds under subsection (a), the Secretary shall include a dedicated line item for each activity described in subsection (a)(2) for a new nuclear weapon or modified nuclear weapon that is in phase 2 or higher or phase 6.2 or higher (as the case may be) of the nuclear weapon acquisition process.

(c) Notification and briefing of noncovered activities

In any fiscal year after fiscal year 2022, the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator, in conjunction with the annual submission of the budget of the President to Congress pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, shall notify the congressional defense committees of—

(1) any activities described in subsection (a)(2) relating to the development of a new nuclear weapon or modified nuclear weapon that, during the calendar year prior to the budget submission, were carried out prior to phase 2 or phase 6.2 (as the case may be) of the nuclear weapon acquisition process; and

(2) any plans to carry out, prior to phase 2 or phase 6.2 (as the case may be) of the nuclear weapon acquisition process, activities described in subsection (a)(2) relating to the development of a new nuclear weapon or modified nuclear weapon during the fiscal year covered by that budget.

(d) Definitions

In this section:

(1) The term “modified nuclear weapon” means a nuclear weapon that contains a pit or canned subassembly, either of which—

(A) is in the nuclear weapons stockpile as of December 2, 2002; and

(B) is being modified in order to meet a military requirement that is other than the military requirements applicable to such nuclear weapon when first placed in the nuclear weapons stockpile.

(2) The term “new nuclear weapon” means a nuclear weapon that contains a pit or canned subassembly, either of which is neither—

(A) in the nuclear weapons stockpile on December 2, 2002; nor

(B) in production as of that date.

(Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLII, § 4209, formerly div. C, title XXXI, § 3143, Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2733; renumbered div. D, title XLII, § 4209, by Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, § 3141(e)(10), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1759; Pub. L. 111–84, div. C, title XXXI, § 3115, Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2707; Pub. L. 113–66, div. C, title XXXI, § 3146(c)(5), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1074; Pub. L. 115–232, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(c), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2289; Pub. L. 117–263, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3051.)

Editorial Notes

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 7271d of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 108–136.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 117–263, § 3111(1)(A), inserted “beyond phase 1 or phase 6.1 (as the case may be) of the nuclear weapon acquisition process” after “modified nuclear weapon” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (a)(2)(A), (C). Pub. L. 117–263, § 3111(1)(B), substituted “research and development for the production” for “research and development which could lead to the production”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–263, § 3111(2), added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which related to budget request format.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–263, § 3111(3), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Subsection (a) shall not apply to funds for purposes of conducting, or providing for the conduct of, research and development, or manufacturing and engineering, determined by the Secretary to be necessary to address proliferation concerns.”

2018—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115–232 inserted dash after “weapon, the Secretary”, designated remainder of existing provisions as subpar. (A), and added subpar. (B).

2013—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 113–66 made technical amendment to reference in original act which appears in text as reference to “December 2, 2002” in two places.

2009—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–84, § 3115(1), substituted “necessary to address proliferation concerns.” for “necessary—

“(1) for the nuclear weapons life extension program;

“(2) to modify an existing nuclear weapon solely to address safety or reliability concerns; or

“(3) to address proliferation concerns.”

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–84, § 3115(2), redesignated pars. (2) and (3) as (1) and (2), respectively, and struck out former par. (1), which read as follows: “The term ‘life extension program’ means the program to repair or replace non-nuclear components, or to modify the pit or canned subassembly, of nuclear weapons that are in the nuclear weapons stockpile on December 2, 2002, in order to assure that such nuclear weapons retain the ability to meet the military requirements applicable to such nuclear weapons when first placed in the nuclear weapons stockpile.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Development of Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons; Authorization and Limitation

Pub. L. 115–232, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2289, provided that:

“The Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator for Nuclear Security, may carry out the engineering development phase, and any subsequent phase, to modify or develop a low-yield nuclear warhead for submarine-launched ballistic missiles.”

Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, § 3116(c), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1746, as amended by Pub. L. 115–232, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(b), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2289, provided that:

“The Secretary of Energy may not commence the engineering development phase, or any subsequent phase, of a low-yield nuclear weapon unless the Secretary specifically requests funding for the development of that weapon pursuant to section 4209(a) of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2529(a)).”