Key Senate Amendments to FY08 Defense Authorization Bill

The Center’s Executive Director, John Isaacs, released today a list of major Senate amendments to the FY 2008 Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 1585 -- previously S. 1547). Included below are amendments relating to nuclear weapons and nonproliferation issues that either have been filed or may be filed.

Although the Senate took its first votes on the Defense Authorization bill yesterday, it is unclear when or whether these amendments may be considered (or filed).

AMENDMENTS FILED

Missile defense

Sens. Vitter (R-LA) & Kyl (R-AZ) filed amendment No. 2010 to authorize an additional $87 million for Aegis missile defense for destroyers.

Protection against Iranian ballistic missiles

Sen. Sessions (R-AL) filed amendment No. 2024 stating that it should be the policy of the United States to develop and deploy, as soon as technologically possible, an effective defense against “the threat from Iran,” and that any U.S. missile defense system in Europe should be complementary to any missile defense system fielded by NATO.

National Guard equipment from missile defense funds

Sen. Dodd (D-CT) filed amendment No. 2033 to provide $500 million for the Army National Guard to repair and replace war-battered equipment to address critical shortfalls identified by the National Guard Bureau, with the funds to be cut from the European Missile Defense system ($225 million) and Airborne Laser ($275 million).

Chemical weapons destruction

Sens. McConnell (R-KY), Salazar, Allard and Bunning filed amendment No. 2061 to increase funding for chemical weapons demilitarization at Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky, and Pueblo Chemical Activity, Colorado, by $49 million.

Nuclear terrorism

Sens. Clinton (D-NY) & Whitehouse (D-RI) filed amendment No. 2109, a version of her bill S. 1705, the Nuclear Terrorism Prevention Act, to establish the position of “Senior Advisor to the President for the Prevention of Nuclear Terrorism” and urging the President to make the prevention of a nuclear terrorist attack on the United States of the highest priority and to accelerate programs, requesting additional funding as appropriate, to prevent nuclear terrorism.

[Note: Click here for an earlier explanation and analysis of the Nuclear Terrorism Prevention Act.]

Cost of replacing nuclear warheads

Sen. Bingaman (D-NM) filed amendment No. 2118 which would add to the nuclear posture review included in the Defense Authorization bill requirements that any plan for replacing or modifying the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile include an assessment of the estimated cost and anticipated schedule for replacing warheads.

POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Sens. Sessions (R-AL) or Kyl (R-AZ) may offer an amendment to modify or delete a portion of Section 3122 in the bill endorsing ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Cutting the military budget

Sen. Sanders (I-VT) may offer an amendment to cut the military budget.