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House Republicans Work to Fund Warhead Replacement Program; Lawmakers Skeptical of ‘Bunker Buster’
House Republicans are working on a compromise that would provide funding for a program that replaces old parts on nuclear warheads, the Washington Times reported today (see GSN, April 5). The White House has requested $9.4 million in the fiscal 2006 budget for the Reliable Replacement Warhead program. Bush administration and congressional sources say GOP lawmakers in the House are negotiating with lawmakers who question the program. “Some people are concerned that this is a secret plot to develop new weapons,” said Linton Brooks, head of the National Nuclear Security Administration. “We’re not starting an arms race; we are replacing components.” However, an arms control advocate said the program is not necessary to maintain current nuclear capacity. “Each year, a representative sample of the existing arsenal is inspected to check for signs of deterioration, and limited-life components are replaced if necessary,” said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association. The Times also reported that Congress is resisting a Bush administration request for $8.5 million to study the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, or ‘bunker buster’ bomb. Lawmakers worry the request could lead to bunker-buster production, which they say is premature. Brooks, though, said the money would be used only for research. “This is a feasibility study,” Brooks said. “There will be a separate decision to go to a more complete design study, and then we’ll talk about production” (Nicholas Kralev, Washington Times, May 10).
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