Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON -- Congress this week approved a short-term continuing resolution that would maintain elevated appropriations for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration's weapons program, even while largely freezing federal funding at levels from the last budget (see GSN, Dec. 9).

The agency, a semiautonomous branch of the Energy Department, remains on track to receive $7 billion for its weapons activities in fiscal 2011. That is a $624 million increase over the previous budget cycle that ended September 30.

The newly minted resolution, the third passed by Congress in recent months and signed yesterday by President Obama, will fund most federal programs at fiscal 2010 levels through March 4, 2011. It was approved after Republicans withdrew support late last week for a massive omnibus bill that would have set fiscal 2011 spending for the government.

However, this fall the White House Management and Budget Office asked Congress that the nuclear agency's weapons activities, which ensure the safety and performance of the nation's atomic stockpile, be treated as an "anomaly," allowing the program to receive the additional money requested for the current budget year.

An OMB spokeswoman did not respond by deadline to questions submitted yesterday about why that status was requested.

The funding adjustment was made "in conjunction with the START treaty," the continuing resolution states, a reference to the U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control pact ratified yesterday by the Senate (see GSN, Dec. 22).

The Obama administration, in negotiations with Republicans on the treaty, agreed to pursue $85 billion in spending over the next decade on modernizing the nation's nuclear complex and arsenal.

The continuing resolution does not elaborate on the matter. A spokesman for the Senate Appropriations Committee did not respond to questions submitted yesterday about the text.

Overall, the current NNSA weapons program budget includes more than $2 billion for arsenal support efforts such as the "stockpile management program." That initiative involves evaluations of the condition of weapons, along with maintenance, assembly and dismantlement operations, according to the spending request unveiled last February

Another $1.6 billion would be spent on science, technology and engineering "campaigns" within the nuclear agency, which the Energy Department describes as multiyear efforts to develop and maintain the capabilities needed assess the safety and reliability of the stockpile without underground testing.

Funds would also support ongoing warhead life-extension and refurbishment programs that occur at the agency's national research laboratories and other facilities.

An NNSA spokesman yesterday declined to comment on the continuing resolution process.