S.Amdt. 1848Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)
S.Amdt. 1848
Sponsored by
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Submitted June 25, 2020
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Senate amendment submitted
June 25, 2020
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Submitted
SA 1848. Mr. VAN HOLLEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 4049, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows: At the appropriate place in title XVI, add the following: Subtitle __--Limitations on Explosive Nuclear Testing SEC. __01. SENSE OF CONGRESS. It is the sense of Congress that-- (1) it is in the national security interest of the United States to continue to observe the national moratorium on explosive nuclear testing; (2) maintaining the national moratorium on nuclear testing advances United States nonproliferation and arms control objectives and bolsters efforts to constrain the nuclear arsenals of adversaries; (3) the United States should pursue the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty as a means of enabling use of the treaty's on-site inspection measures and resolving compliance concerns related to the nuclear testing moratoria commitments of other countries; and (4) the United States should continue to improve and invest in the Stockpile Stewardship Program to ensure the safety, security, and reliability of the United States stockpile in the absence of nuclear testing. SEC. __02. DEFINITIONS. In this subtitle: (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2) National security laboratory.--The term ``national security laboratory'' has the [[Page S3377]] meaning given that term in section 4002 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2501). (3) Stockpile stewardship program.--The term ``Stockpile Stewardship Program'' means the program established under section 4201 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2521). SEC. __03. LIMITATIONS ON USE OF FUNDS TO CONDUCT A NUCLEAR TEST. (a) Limitation on Use of Funds.--None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act for fiscal year 2021, or authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by any other Act for fiscal year 2021 or any fiscal year thereafter, for the Department of Energy may be obligated or expended to conduct an underground or other explosive nuclear test that produces a yield unless all of the conditions described in subsection (b) are met. (b) Conditions.--The conditions described in this subsection are the following: (1) Report on proposed nuclear test by national nuclear security administration.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the Administrator for Nuclear Security, with the concurrence of the directors of the national security laboratories and in consultation with the Commander of the United States Strategic Command, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the proposed test that includes the following: (A) The date on which the President proposes to conduct the test. (B) The location of the test site. (C) An estimate of the costs of conducting the test and any subsequent activities related to the test. (D) A description of how resumption of nuclear testing would impact the schedule and cost of the nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship, management, and responsiveness plan of the National Nuclear Security Administration under section 4203 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2523). (E) An assessment of the desired technical and nuclear weapons design data that conducting the test would generate. (F) A discussion of why the science-based tools and methods and any other capabilities under the Stockpile Stewardship Program are insufficient for generating the data described in subparagraph (E). (G) An assessment of the anticipated yield of the nuclear test. (H) An assessment of the status of the infrastructure and diagnostics instrumentation required for conducting the test. (I) An assessment of the status of the workforce skills and capabilities that are required for conducting the test. (2) Environmental impact statement by national nuclear security administration.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the Administrator for Nuclear Security shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an environmental impact statement under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332) with respect to conducting the test. (3) Certification of public health impacts by department of health and human services.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a certification that conducting the test will have no short-term and long-term public health impacts. (4) Analysis by defense nuclear facilities safety board.-- (A) Independent analysis.-- (i) In general.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the Chairman of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an independent analysis, conducted by the Board in accordance with the mission of the Board under section 312 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2286a), of the safety and public health impacts of conducting the test at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site or another location, including with respect to the health and safety of the employees and contractors. (ii) Recommendations.--The independent analysis required by clause (i) shall include recommendations on specific measures that should be adopted to ensure that public health and safety are adequately protected. (iii) Authority of defense nuclear facilities safety board.--For purposes of this subparagraph, the Nevada Nuclear Security Site, or any other location selected to conduct a nuclear test, shall be treated as a Department of Energy defense nuclear facility (as defined in section 318 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2286g)) under the regulatory authority of the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. (B) Public hearing.-- (i) In general.--Not later than 120 days after Congress receives all of the documents required by paragraphs (1) through (4), the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board and the National Nuclear Security Administration shall convene joint public hearings for localities in proximity of the test site with respect to such certifications and reports. (ii) Authority.--The meetings required by clause (i) shall be conducted, in the case of the Board, under the authority provided by section 313 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2286b). (5) National intelligence estimate.-- (A) In general.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a National Intelligence Estimate on the nuclear testing capabilities and intentions of other countries with nuclear weapons, consisting of-- (i) an unclassified executive summary and judgments; and (ii) a more detailed, classified report. (B) Elements.--The National Intelligence Estimate required by subparagraph (A) shall include the following: (i) A description of the respective nuclear testing capacities of other countries with nuclear weapons, including test readiness. (ii) An assessment of whether the resumption of nuclear testing by the United States would prompt any of such countries to conduct nuclear tests. (iii) An assessment of the technical and nuclear weapons design enhancements that such countries would gain by conducting nuclear tests. (iv) An assessment of whether the resumption of nuclear testing by the United States would prompt any country seeking to develop a nuclear weapon to conduct an explosive nuclear test. (v) An assessment of how the resumption of nuclear testing by the United States would affect efforts to constrain the nuclear arsenals of adversaries of the United States. (vi) A description of the nuclear detonation detection benefits provided by the International Monitoring System and International Data Center of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty Organization. (vii) An assessment of what specific capabilities the United States Government would have to develop and deploy to ensure that no loss of collection capability would occur in the event the United States lost access to data of the International Monitoring System. (6) Report on foreign policy implications by department of state.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the likely foreign policy implications and potential impacts to United States diplomatic relations of conducting the test that includes the following: (A) A determination with respect to whether the test is consistent with the international legal obligations of the United States. (B) An assessment of the likely reactions of other countries with nuclear weapons, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and NATO member countries, and allies of the United States. (C) A description of the expected impacts relating to-- (i) the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, done at Washington, London, and Moscow July 1, 1968 (21 UST 483) (commonly referred to as the ``Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty''); and (ii) key nonproliferation and arms control objectives of the United States. (D) A description of the anticipated impact on the international political and financial support for the Preparatory Commission and the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. (7) Certification that test is in national security interests of united states.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the President, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Energy (with the concurrence of the Administrator for Nuclear Security), shall each submit to Congress a certification that conducting the test is in the national security interest of the United States. (8) Certification related to safety, security, and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile.--Not less than 12 months before the date on which a nuclear test described in subsection (a) is proposed to be conducted, the directors of the national security laboratories and the Commander of the United States Strategic Command shall each submit to the appropriate congressional committees a certification that the test is required to certify the safety, security, and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile of the United States. (9) Briefings on certifications.--Not later than 90 days after submitting a document required under any of paragraphs (1) through (8), the official responsible for submitting that document shall provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees on the document. (10) Enactment of joint resolution of approval.--Not later than 120 days after Congress receives all of the documents required under paragraphs (1) through (8), there is enacted into law a joint resolution that approves the conduct by the United States of a nuclear test described under subsection (a). (c) Form of Reports and Certifications.--Each report and certification required by this section shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit activities under the Stockpile Stewardship [[Page S3378]] Program or any activities authorized under section 4203 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2523) that are consistent with the zero-yield standard. SEC. __04. REQUIREMENT FOR SPECIFIC AUTHORIZATION AND APPROPRIATION. (a) In General.--Any funds needed to conduct or make preparations for a nuclear test that produces a yield must be specifically authorized by an Act of Congress and appropriated for that purpose. (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit activities under the Stockpile Stewardship Program or any activities authorized under section 4203 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2523) that are consistent with the zero-yield standard. SEC. __05. REPORT ON ANY FOREIGN COUNTRY NUCLEAR TEST. (a) In General.--If a nuclear test that produces a yield is conducted by a foreign country after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of the Air Force, shall, as soon as practicable after the date of the test, submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the test that includes the following: (1) A description of the date, geographic location, and yield of the test. (2) A description of the data collected from the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty Organization related to the test. (3) An assessment of the technical and nuclear weapons design data generated by the test. (b) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex. (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. SEC. __06. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO DISABLE, DECOMMISSION, OR DISMANTLE INTERNATIONAL MONITORING SYSTEM STATIONS. None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act for fiscal year 2021, or authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available by any other Act for fiscal year 2021 or any fiscal year thereafter, for the Department of Defense may be obligated or expended to disable, decommission, dismantle, or undertake any activity that would in any way impede the transmission of monitoring data from facilities of the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization located on United States territory. ______