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S. 3480Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)Introduced

A bill to prohibit the use of funds to reduce the nuclear forces of the United States.

Sponsored by John HoevenSen. John Hoeven (R-ND)
Introduced January 11, 2022

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 8:48 AM UTC

The bill bars the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration from using any appropriated money for fiscal years 2022 through 2027 to reduce the United States’ nuclear arsenal or its delivery systems. It locks in the number of strategic delivery systems and the size of the nuclear weapons stockpile at the levels they were on Jan 1, 2021, and also prevents reductions below the New START treaty force structure. The measure applies to all nuclear force components and would affect future budgeting for nuclear force reductions, except for certain safety, modernization, or treaty‑approved cuts.

Key Provisions

  • Prohibits any appropriated funds for FY2022‑2027 from being used to lower the total number of strategic delivery systems, the deployed or non‑deployed systems below the “Final New START Treaty Force Structure,” or the nuclear weapons stockpile below Jan 1 2021 levels.
  • Allows exceptions for activities that ensure safety, security, reliability, or credibility of the stockpile and delivery systems, temporary reductions for fielding modernized replacements, weapons already retired or awaiting dismantlement as of Jan 1 2021, and reductions required by a Senate‑approved treaty.
  • Defines “strategic delivery system” to include Minuteman III ICBMs, their launch facilities, Ohio‑class ballistic‑missile submarines, Trident II SLBMs, B‑52H and B‑2A bombers, and AGM‑86B air‑launched cruise missiles.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions
SenateCalendars Latest Action

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 250.

January 18, 2022

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

January 11, 2022

SenateCalendars

Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

January 11, 2022

SenateCalendars

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 250.

January 18, 2022

Floor Debate

2 members

What members said about S. 3480 on the floor

2 Democrats
Charles E. Schumer
Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Jan 11, 2022

Madam President, I understand there is a bill at the desk, and I ask for its first reading. I now ask for a second reading, and in order to place the bill on the calendar under the provisions of rule…

Record
Elizabeth Warren
Sen. Elizabeth WarrenD-MA · Jan 18, 2022

Mr. President, I understand that there are 20 bills at the desk due for a second reading en bloc. In order to place the bills on the calendar under the provisions of rule XIV, I would object to…

Record

Bill Text

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Placed on Calendar SenateIssued January 18, 2022

II

Calendar No. 250

117th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3480

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 11 (legislative day, January 10), 2022

Mr. Hoeven introduced the following bill; which was read the first time

January 18, 2022

Read the second time and placed on the calendar

A BILL

To prohibit the use of funds to reduce the nuclear forces of the United States.

1.

Prohibition on the use of funds to reduce United States nuclear forces

(a)

Prohibition

None of the funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense or the National Nuclear Security Administration for any of fiscal years 2022 through 2027 may be obligated or expended to reduce—

(1)

the total quantity of strategic delivery systems below the quantity of such systems as of January 1, 2021;

(2)

the quantity of deployed or non-deployed strategic delivery systems below the quantities described as the Final New START Treaty Force Structure in the plan on the implementation of the New START Treaty required by section 1042 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 125 Stat. 1575); or

(3)

the size of the nuclear weapons stockpile below the size of the stockpile as of January 1, 2021.

(b)

Exceptions

The prohibition under subsection (a) does not apply to—

(1)

reductions made to ensure the safety, security, reliability, and credibility of the nuclear weapons stockpile and strategic delivery systems, including activities related to surveillance, assessment, certification, testing, and maintenance of nuclear weapons and strategic delivery systems;

(2)

temporary reductions in the quantity of nuclear weapons or deployed strategic delivery systems to facilitate the fielding of modernized replacements;

(3)

nuclear weapons that are retired or awaiting dismantlement as of January 1, 2021; or

(4)

reductions made pursuant to a treaty with respect to which the Senate has provided its advice and consent pursuant to article II, section 2, clause 2 of the Constitution of the United States.

(c)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

New START Treaty

The term New START Treaty means the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed on April 8, 2010, and entered into force on February 5, 2011.

(2)

Strategic delivery system

The term strategic delivery system means any of the following:

(A)

LGM–30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and any associated reentry vehicles.

(B)

Launch facilities for LGM–30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, whether deployed or non-deployed.

(C)

Ohio-class fleet ballistic missile submarines.

(D)

UGM–133 Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles and any associated reentry vehicles.

(E)

B–52H Stratofortress long-range heavy bombers.

(F)

B–2A Spirit stealth bombers.

(G)

AGM–86B air-launched cruise missiles.

January 18, 2022

Read the second time and placed on the calendar