The Senate today resumes consideration of the bill after a day in which there were no recorded votes. There will also be no recorded votes on Friday or Monday. The Senate has been unable to come to a unanimous consent agreement governing how many and which amendments can be considered. After a query by Sen. John Warner (R-VA) to the chair, it was announced that about 220 amendments had been filed to the bill. There are several amendments that are holding up the bill, including one by Sen. DeMint (R-SC) to eliminate earmarks in the bill.
Highlighted below are amendments related to nuclear weapons and nonproliferation issues. New information is bolded and italicized. Amendments are divided into:
- Weapons Of Mass Destruction
- Other Foreign Policy Issues/Terrorism
- Misc. Pentagon, Department Of Energy Issues
- Amendments Already Considered
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
Sense of Congress on renewal of START I treaty
Sen. Bingaman (D-NM) filed amendment No. 5423 to express the sense of Congress that the President should renew the treaty between the U.S. and Russia on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed at Moscow July 31, 1991 (commonly referred to as the “START I Treaty”), before the expiration date of December 5, 2009.
Study on surveillance of nuclear weapons stockpile
Sen. Bingaman (D-NM) filed amendments No. 5424 and 5460 to conduct an independent technical study of the efforts of the National Nuclear Security Administration to monitor the aging of, and to detect defects related to aging in, nuclear weapons components and materials that could affect the reliability of nuclear weapons currently in the nuclear weapons stockpile.
Restrictions on nuclear agreement with Russia
Sen. Coleman (R-MN) filed amendment No. 5362 to prevent the United States from entering into an agreement for cooperation with Russia pursuant to section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act until the following certifications have been made: 1) Russia has suspended all nuclear assistance to Iran and all transfers of advanced conventional weapons and missiles to Iran, or Iran has completely, verifiably, and irreversibly dismantled all nuclear enrichment-related and reprocessing-related programs; and 2) all Russian forces have been withdrawn from the undisputed territory of the sovereign state of Georgia.
Report on incentives for
Sen. Conrad (D-ND) filed amendment No. 5367 to require a report on assessing the feasibility, advisability, utility, and cost effectiveness of establishing new retention bonuses or assignment incentive pay for members of the Air Force involved in the operation, maintenance, handling, and security of nuclear weapons.
Airborne laser
Sen. Brownback (R-KS) filed amendment No. 5359 on the airborne laser system.
OTHER FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES/TERRORISM
Enhanced partnership with Pakistan
Sens. Biden (D-DE), Kerry (D-MA) and Hagel (R-NE) filed amendment No. 5374 to: 1) authorize governmental assistance funds to Pakistan of up to $1.5 billion per year in each of the next five fiscal years; 2) restrict military assistance funds after FY 2010 unless it is certified that Pakistani security forces are making concerted efforts to fight Al Qaeda and the Taliban and not interfering in Pakistan’s political and judicial processes; and 3) require a comprehensive, cross-border strategy for working with Pakistan, Afghanistan, NATO, and other like-minded allies to best implement effective counterterrorism and counterinsurgency measurers.
Counterterrorism report
Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) filed amendments No. 5299 and No. 5487 to require the Executive Branch to produce a semiannual comprehensive report on the status of U.S. efforts, and the level of progress achieved to date, to combat and defeat al Qaeda and its affiliates under the Global War on Terrorism.
Annual report on military power of Iran
Sen. Brownback (R-KS) filed amendments No. 5360 and 5488 to require the Secretary of Defense to submit to the appropriate committees of Congress reports, in both unclassified and classified form, on the current and future military and security strategy of
South and
Sens. Biden (D-DE) and Lugar (R-IN) filed amendment No. 5441 to create the position of special envoy for South and
Sens. Levin (D-MI) and Warner (R-VA) filed amendment No. 5473 requiring reports on enhancing security and stabilization in the region along the border of
Sens. Dodd (D-CT) and Shelby (R-AL) introduced amendment No. 5485, their bill to impose additional sanctions on
MISC. PENTAGON, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ISSUES
Director of independent cost assessment
Sens. Levin (D-MI), McCain (R-AZ) and Akaka (D-HI) filed amendment No. 5353 to create a Director of Independent Cost Assessment in the Department of Defense responsible for monitoring and reviewing all cost estimates and cost analyses conducted in connection with major defense acquisition programs.
Providing assistance in major attacks
Sen. Feingold (D-WI) filed amendment No.5300 requiring the establishment Within the Armed Forces of units for assistance in managing consequences of incidents of national significance involving a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear Device, or High-Yield Explosives.
Military inventory system
Sen. Sanders (I-VT), Feingold (D-WI) and Whitehouse (D-RI) filed amendment No. 5320 to improve inventory systems of the military departments and reducing the acquisition of unnecessary secondary inventory. The amendment would fence off $100 million in inventory purchases until the Secretary of Defense makes some required certifications about reducing inventories beyond requirements.
Nuclear waste disposal
Sens. Inhofe (R-OK), Crapo (R-ID) and Craig (R-ID) have filed amendment No. 5468 to authorize $247,371,000 for defense nuclear waste disposal, which appears to be an increase of $50 million.
MAJOR AMENDMENTS CONSIDERED
Missile defense
Sens. Kyl (R-AZ), Warner, Vitter, Inhofe,
Missile defense
Sens. Vitter (R-LA), Inhofe (R-OK) and Kyl (R-AZ) amendment No. 5280 to increase missile defense funding was defeated 39 – 57 on September 10. The amendment would have added $100 million for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and $171 million for other missile defense programs, including up to $87 million for the Ground Based Midcourse Defense.
1 comment:
Thanks so much! These posts save me LOTS of time if/when I need to write up what our friends on the Hill are plotting in terms of nuclear (and other) weapons research.
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