50 U.S.C. § 2524 (WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE)
§ 2524. Stockpile management program
(a) Program required
The Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall carry out a program, in support of the stockpile stewardship program, to provide for the effective management, modernization, and replacement, as required, of the weapons in the nuclear weapons stockpile. The program shall have the following objectives:
(1) To enhance the performance and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile of the United States.
(2) To further reduce the likelihood of the resumption of underground nuclear weapons testing.
(3) To maintain the safety and security of the nuclear weapons stockpile.
(4) To optimize the future size of the nuclear weapons stockpile.
(5) To reduce the risk of an accidental detonation of an element of the stockpile.
(6) To reduce the risk of an element of the stockpile being used by a person or entity hostile to the United States, its vital interests, or its allies.
(b) Program limitations
In carrying out the stockpile management program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall ensure that—
(1) any changes made to the stockpile shall be consistent with the objectives identified in subsection (a);
(2) any changes made to the stockpile consistent with the objectives identified in subsection (a) are carried out in a cost effective manner; and
(3) any such changes made to the stockpile shall—
(A) be well understood and certifiable without the need to resume underground nuclear weapons testing;
(B) use the design, certification, and production expertise resident in the nuclear security enterprise to fulfill current mission requirements of the existing stockpile; and
(C) develop future generations of design, certification, and production expertise in the nuclear security enterprise to support the fulfillment of mission requirements of the future stockpile.
(c) Program budget
In accordance with the requirements under section 2529 of this title, for each budget submitted by the President to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, the amounts requested for the program under this section shall be clearly identified in the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of that budget.
(Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLII, § 4204, formerly Pub. L. 106–65, div. C, title XXXI, § 3133, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 926; renumbered Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLII, § 4204, and amended Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, §§ 3111, 3141(e)(5), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1743, 1758; Pub. L. 111–84, div. C, title XXXI, § 3113(a)(2), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2704; Pub. L. 112–239, div. C, title XXXI, § 3133(d), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2192; Pub. L. 113–66, div. C, title XXXI, § 3146(c)(2), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1073; Pub. L. 118–159, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(c)(2), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2294.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Codification
text: Section was formerly set out as a note under section 2121 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 108–136.
heading: Amendments
text: 2024—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(A)(i), inserted “, modernization, and replacement, as required,” after “effective management” and struck out “, including the extension of the effective life of such weapons” after “nuclear weapons stockpile” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(A)(ii), substituted “enhance the performance and reliability” for “increase the reliability, safety, and security”.
Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(A)(iv), added par. (3). Former par. (3) redesignated (4).
Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(A)(iii), (v), redesignated par. (3) as (4) and amended it generally. Prior to amendment, par. read as follows “To achieve reductions in the future size of the nuclear weapons stockpile.” Former par. (4) redesignated (5).
Subsec. (a)(5), (6). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(A)(iii), redesignated pars. (4) and (5) as (5) and (6), respectively.
Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(B)(i), substituted “consistent with” for “made to achieve” and semicolon at end for “; and”.
Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(B)(iii), added par. (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (3).
Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(B)(ii), redesignated par. (2) as (3).
Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(B)(iv)(I), amended subpar. (A) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (A) read as follows: “remain consistent with basic design parameters by including, to the maximum extent feasible, components that are well understood or are certifiable without the need to resume underground nuclear weapons testing; and”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(C). Pub. L. 118–159, § 3111(c)(2)(B)(iv)(II), (III), added subpar. (C).
2013—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–66 struck out “for Nuclear Security” after “Administrator” in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 112–239, § 3133(d)(1), substituted “nuclear security enterprise” for “nuclear complex”.
Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 112–239, § 3133(d)(2), (3), redesignated subsec. (e) as (c) and struck out former subsecs. (c) and (d), which related, respectively, to program plan and annual updates.
2009—Pub. L. 111–84 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to the nuclear weapons stockpile life extension program.
2003—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 108–136, § 3111, struck out subsec. (c), which related to a plan for the extension of the effective life of the weapons in the nuclear weapons stockpile.
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 108–136, § 3141(e)(5)(D), substituted “October 5, 1999” for “the date of the enactment of this Act”.
Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 108–136, § 3111, struck out subsecs. (d) to (f). Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) required submittal to committees of the House and Senate of a plan for the extension of the effective life of the weapons in the nuclear weapons stockpile and annual updates of the plan, subsec. (e) required a GAO assessment of the plan and updates, and subsec. (f) stated the sense of Congress regarding funding of the program under subsec. (a).
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Effective Date of 2003 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111, Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1743, provided that the amendment made by section 3111 is effective December 31, 2004.