FY 2010 NNSA Appropriations Bill

The House has approved and sent to the Senate the final version of the FY 2010 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. The Senate should vote on this $33.5 billion bill next week, and the President is expected to sign it.

Total funding increases by less than 1 percent, or $200 million, over last year. The appropriation for the Department of Energy rose to $27.1 billion, an increase of $318 million.

For a review of the bill’s provisions for the DOE Office of Science, see FYI #117 . The entire conference report can be viewed here . Below are selected provisions regarding the National Nuclear Security Administration:

National Nuclear Security Administration (Total):

The current budget is $9,214.6 million.
The Administration requested $9,930.0 million, an increase of 7.8 percent or $715.4 million.

The final bill provides $9,887.0 million, an increase of 7.3 percent or $672.4 million over last year’s budget.

Weapons Activities (Total):

The current budget is $6,410.0 million.
The Administration requested $6,384.4 million, a decrease of 0.4 percent or $25.6 million.

The final bill provides $6,384.4 million, the Administration’s request, a decrease of 0.4 percent or $25.6 million below last year’s budget.

The report states:

“Report on Non-Deterrable Threats- The conference agreement does not include the House study on non-deterrable threats, and does not include the direction on the expenditure of LDRD [Laboratory Directed R&D] funding. In its place, the conference agreement directs the NNSA to prepare a report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, within six months of enactment, delineating NNSA’s activities and achievements in countering non-deterrable threats.”

Directed Stockpile Work:

Directed Stockpile Work is one of 15 categories in the Weapons Activity budget.

The current budget is $1,590.2 million.
The Administration requested $1,514.7 million, a decrease of 4.7 percent or $75.5 million.

The final bill provides $1,505.9 million, a decrease of 5.3 percent or $84.3 million below last year’s budget

The committee report stated:

“Life Extension Programs- The conference agreement provides $223,196,000 for Life Extension Program activities, all of which is provided for W76 Life Extension program.

“Stockpile Systems- The conference agreement provides $357,800,000 for Stockpile Systems activities. Within these funds, the conference agreement provides $91,956,000 for the B61 bomb, including $32,500,000 for Phase 2/2A study of non-nuclear components for the proposed B61-12. No request was made for funds for Phase 2/2A study of the nuclear components of the B61-12, and the conference agreement provides that no funds may be obligated or expended for this purpose without prior approval by the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations.

“The conference agreement directs the Nuclear Weapons Council in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy to, within 60 days of release of the Nuclear Posture Review, enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to execute a study addressing the national security and extended deterrence value of the B61 for both strategic and tactical purposes in light of nuclear terrorism risks and military threats. The conference agreement directs the Nuclear Weapons Council in cooperation with the Secretary of Energy to, within 90 days of release of the Nuclear Posture Review, commission a further study by the JASON Defense Advisory Group examining whether the planned B61-12 can be expected, without nuclear testing, to offer sufficient margin and other advantages as to constitute a long-term 21st Century weapon, or whether it is more likely to be an interim weapon leading to near-term replacement or retirement, and to recommend any additional research that may be needed to make an informed decision on this matter. The conference agreement directs the Secretary of Energy to submit each study to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 180 days after commissioning the study.

“Weapons Dismantlement and Disposition- The conference agreement provides $96,100,000 for Weapons Dismantlement and Disposition.

“Stockpile Services- The conference agreement provides $828,763,000 for Stockpile Services. Within these funds, the conference agreement provides $165,076,000 for Research and Development Certification and Safety, $183,223,000 for Management, Technology, and Production, and $141,909,000 for Plutonium Infrastructure Sustainment. The conference agreement provides that $22,000,000 is made available above the request to support experimental activities at the Nevada Test Site. The conferees support Senate language regarding the tritium mission.”

Campaigns:

Campaigns is another category of Weapons Activities.

The current budget is $1,620.4 million.
The Administration requested $1,559.7 million, a decrease of 3.8 percent or $60.7 million.

The final bill provides $1,571.2 million, a decrease of 3.0 percent or $49.2 million below last year’s budget.

The committee report stated:

“Science Campaign- The conference agreement provides $295,646,000 for the Science Campaign. The conferees direct that academic programs shall be funded in the same lines as they were during fiscal year 2009. [Current budget and request were $316.7 million.]

“Engineering Campaign- The conference agreement provides $150,000,000 for the Engineering Campaign. Within these funds, the conference agreement provides $42,000,000 to be available only for Enhanced Surety, of which $21,104,000 is provided only for enhanced surety intrinsic to the weapon. [Current budget and request were $150.0 million.]

“Inertial Confinement Fusion Ignition and High Yield Campaign- The conference agreement provides $457,915,000 for the Inertial Confinement Fusion and High Yield Campaign. The conference agreement provides $16,500,000 above the request for the operation of Z machine and the Omega facility to restore each facility to fiscal year 2009 levels. [Current budget and request were $436.9 million.]

“Further, $4,500,000 above the budget request is provided for the Laboratory for Laser Energetics.

“Advanced Simulation and Computing Campaign- The conference agreement provides $567,625,000 for Advanced Simulation and Computing Campaign. Within these funds, the conference provides $5,000,000 for National Security Science, Technology and Engineering Activities for the purpose of technology assessments of nuclear weapons that could be employed by sub-state actors or potentially hostile minor nuclear powers, $5,000,000 for a joint program with the Office of Fossil Energy and the Office of Science to work in collaboration with universities and industry to improve U.S. capacity to produce domestic unconventional oil and gas resources and minimize environmental impact by use of high performance computing capabilities, and $5,000,000 to explore cost-effective, power-efficient storage systems. [Current budget and request were $556.1 million.]

“Readiness Campaign- The conference agreement provides $100,000,000 for the Readiness Campaign.” [Current budget was $160.0 million; request was $100.0 million.]

Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation:

The current budget is $1,482.4 million.
The Administration requested $2,136.7 million, an increase of 44.1 percent or $654.4 million.

The final bill provides $2,136.7 million, an increase of 44.1 percent or $654.3 million above last year’s budget.

There was no report language.