A bill to prohibit the use of funds to reduce the nuclear forces of the United States.
Bill: S.3480 | Sponsor: Sen. Hoeven, John (R-ND)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration from using funds for FY2022-FY2027 to reduce the nuclear forces of the United States.
Specifically, no such funds 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 quantities described as the Final New START Treaty Force Structure, or (3) the size of the nuclear weapons stockpile below the size of the stockpile as of January 1, 2021.
Such prohibition does not apply to

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

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 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.
                                                       Calendar No. 250

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 3480

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