Democrats Might Barter for CTBT Approval

Democratic lawmakers might seek ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in exchange for their support for the Bush administration’s “Complex 2030” plan for the U.S. nuclear arsenal, the Contra Costa Times reported Saturday (see GSN, Oct. 20, 2006).

The plan calls for development of new nuclear warheads to replace aging weapons in the U.S. stockpile.  It promotes a reconfigured nuclear complex that by 2030 would involve fewer facilities, consolidation of special nuclear materials, a consolidated plutonium site, and elimination of duplication of capabilities, according to a National Nuclear Security Administration release.

Representative Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) said she supports developing Reliable Replacement Warheads, but only if they would not require testing.  If that is not possible, “I see no alternative but to terminate funding for the program,” she said at an industry event last week.

However, if the warheads can be shown to be deployable without testing, “then ratifying the CTBT should be a central objective of our nation,” Tauscher said.

The Bush administration has opposed the treaty banning nuclear test blasts, preferring instead to maintain its own moratorium, the Times reported.  Critics have questioned whether new, untried weapons could be deployed without testing.

Other Democrats might press for new restrictions on the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal under Complex 2030, given Bush administration claims that new warhead designs would cut the need to stockpile larger numbers of weapons to provide parts or replacements for those in the field (Ian Hoffman, Contra Costa Times, Feb. 3).

The Bush administration plan could reduce total employment in the U.S. nuclear weapons complex by up to 33 percent by 2030, the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.  It also could reduce the number of buildings at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico by 40 percent.

“It has been clear … for some time that NNSA budgets are expected to start going down,” according to a spokesman for Senator Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) (Andy Lenderman, The New Mexican, Feb. 3).

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