“The Strategic Forces Subcommittee meets today in open session to markup H.R. 2647, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. 

 “I’d like to begin by saying it has been a pleasure crafting this mark with my friend the Ranking Member, Mr. Turner. 

 “We don’t agree on everything of course, but we agree on much more than we disagree, and you are a great partner on the subcommittee.  I would also like to thank the other members of the subcommittee and their staffs for their contributions and participation in the process; this is a true team product. 

 “The product itself would not have been possible without the good work of the subcommittee staff: Rudy Barnes, Kari Bingen, Bob DeGrasse, Eryn Robinson, and Frank Rose.  Thank you all for the hard work and long hours involved in putting this mark together.

 “For an overview of funding, the subcommittee mark includes:

• $14.3 billion for Department of Energy Atomic Energy Defense Activities,  not including defense nuclear nonproliferation programs;

• $9.3 billion for ballistic missile defense programs, the amount of the President’s request; and

• Approximately $11 billion for national security space programs, including just over $9 billion for Air Force space programs.  

 “As it has in each of the past two authorization cycles, the subcommittee mark reflects three broad themes:

 “First, the mark includes measures to sustain and modernize the Stockpile Stewardship Program, through which the National Nuclear Security Administration assures the safety, security and reliability of our nuclear deterrent without nuclear testing.

 “Second, the mark emphasizes ballistic missile defense systems that address near-term threats to the United States, our deployed troops, and our allies.

 “Third, the mark supports significant military space programs that are in critical phases of development or sustainment, such as the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS).

 “For Department of Energy national security programs, excluding non-proliferation, the mark includes $6.5 billion for nuclear weapons activities and $6.4 billion for environmental and other defense activities.

 “Earlier this year, Congress and the Executive Branch received the final report of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States, the establishment of which originated in this subcommittee a little more than two years ago.  

 “On May 6th of this year, the chairman and vice chairman of the commission, Dr. Bill Perry and Dr. Jim Schlesinger, testified before the full committee. They strongly emphasized the need for the United States to maintain a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent. 

 “Indeed, one of the commission’s primary recommendations was that our strategic posture must balance two equally important efforts: 

 “First, robust efforts to reduce global nuclear dangers, including strong non-proliferation programs and arms control efforts; and, second, strong support for a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent, including support for the science-based Stockpile Stewardship Program. 

 “The commission strongly recommended investment in the scientific, technical, and physical infrastructure that supports the stockpile, and investment in the human capital on which the Stockpile Stewardship Program depends.

“Consistent with these priorities, the mark includes three legislative provisions to strengthen the Stockpile Stewardship Program.

“First, the mark amends the statutory basis for the Stockpile Stewardship Program to clarify the program’s objectives and requirements.  The mark clarifies that the twin objectives of the Stockpile Stewardship Program are to: 

• Ensure ’the preservation of the core intellectual and technical competencies‘ in nuclear weapons reliability assessment, and certification; and

• Ensure ’that the nuclear weapons stockpile is safe, secure, and reliable without the use of underground nuclear weapons testing.’

“The mark further clarifies that execution of the Stockpile Stewardship Program requires   ’material support‘ for experimental capabilities such as the National Ignition Facility and the Z Machine, and also the manufacturing capabilities resident at production sites such as the Pantex Plant.

“Second, the mark amends the Atomic Energy Defense Act to establish a new Stockpile Management Program to provide better guidance to the National Nuclear Security Administration in its ongoing efforts to maintain our nuclear weapons.

“The mark would establish that the objectives of the Stockpile Management Program are to:

• Increase the reliability, safety, and security of the stockpile;
• Further reduce the likelihood of a return to nuclear weapons tests; and
• Achieve reductions in the future size of the nuclear weapons stockpile.

“The mark further clarifies that under the Stockpile Management Program, weapons modifications may only be made in pursuit of these three objectives, and must further: 

• Remain consistent with basic design parameters;
• Include components that are certifiable without nuclear testing; and
• Use the skills resident in the nuclear weapons complex to fulfill current mission requirements.

“Third, the mark amends existing requirements for annual stockpile assessments to add a new requirement for robust, lab-to-lab peer review, called ’Dual Validation.’

“In addition to these legislative provisions, the mark recommends the following funding increases to strengthen the Stockpile Stewardship Program:

• $32 million for the National Ignition Campaign;

• $30 million for Advanced Simulation and Computing;

• $25 million for three high-priority construction projects:

o The Los Alamos Neutron Science Center refurbishment project;
o The Technical Area Fifty-Five Reinvestment project at Los Alamos National Laboratory; and
o The Test Capabilities Revitalization project at Sandia National Laboratories.

Additional funding increases include:

• $40 million for unfunded infrastructure maintenance priorities at the Pantex Plant, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Y-12 National Security Complex;

• $10 million for the Science Campaign to support Advanced Certification and enhanced peer review;

• $10 million for Research and Development Certification and Safety, to support experiments at the Nevada Test Site; and

• $5 million for Enhanced Surety.

 “The mark offsets most of these increases in two ways.  First, the mark re-allocates $20 million in prior-year unobligated balances from a recently-cancelled construction project. 

 “More significantly, the mark shifts just over $100 million from Defense Environmental Cleanup to Stockpile Stewardship Program activities. 

 “This reduction is taken without prejudice, and for a simple reason.  Due to robust funding provided by the stimulus package, the Defense Environmental Cleanup program is simply better resourced to manage risks than is the Stockpile Stewardship Program. 

 “Nevertheless, the mark reflects the subcommittee’s support for Defense Environmental Cleanup, and includes a requirement that the Comptroller General review defense cleanup policies and guidance to ensure they adequately consider final disposition costs and requirements   during the early phases of project planning. 

 “Turning to missile defense programs, the mark authorizes $9.3 billion dollars for missile defense programs overall, the amount of the budget request.

 “The mark supports the requested budget increases for the Aegis BMD and THAAD programs, which add up to a $900 million dollar increase over the fiscal year 2009 appropriated level.

 “The mark also recommends an additional $20.5 million dollar increase to the U.S. – Israeli cooperative short-range missile defense program, David’s Sling.  The mark offsets this increase with a small reduction to BMD headquarters programs.

 “The mark includes the following legislative provisions relating to missile defense:

• It makes permanent the existing prohibition on deployment of long-range missile defense interceptors in Europe until the Secretary of Defense certifies such interceptors will be operationally effective; and

• It requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan for the long-term sustainment and modernization of the Ground-based, Midcourse Defense program.

 “The mark also includes the following directive report language provisions for missile defense:

 “It requires the Secretary of Defense to assess and report to Congress whether the cooperative U.S.- Israeli Arrow-3 missile defense program is achieving the agreed schedule and knowledge points included in the project agreement for the program.

 “The required report must also discuss alternative paths, such as the land-based SM-3 system,   that the Department of Defense is examining to assist Israel in developing an upper-tier missile defense capability, should Arrow-3 miss its schedule and knowledge points.

 “Regarding military space programs, the mark builds on the bipartisan approach the subcommittee took in the last Congress. 

 “Because we are concerned about whether certain programs can be executed on schedule and within cost, the mark makes reductions in the Third Generation Infrared Satellite System   and the High Integrity GPS program.

 “The mark also recommends a reduction of $88.1 million, from a request of $471.4 million, for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program, to reflect the need for one fewer launch vehicle. 

 “The mark also reflects the subcommittee’s continuing support for the Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) program, and includes an increase of twenty three million to support the launch of the first ORS imaging satellite, ORS SAT-1.

 “The mark also requires the Secretary of Defense to annually submit a space science and technology strategy when the President submits the budget request to Congress.  The mark also requires the Comptroller General to review and assess the first version of this ’Space S&T‘ strategy.

 “Within strategic programs, the mark provides a twelve month extension for the Congressional Commission on Strategic Posture of the U.S.

 “This additional year will allow the commission to review and submit a report on the strategic security issues addressed by the pending Nuclear Posture Review and Quadrennial Defense Review, and any relevant congressional actions.

 “The mark also supports the request of $166.9 million dollars for Prompt Global Strike.  No funds were requested or authorized for Conventional Trident Modification.

 “In the area of intelligence, the mark recommends a funding increase to begin reversing the decline, identified by the Strategic Posture Commission, in the focus and resources of the Intelligence Community   devoted to analysis of foreign nuclear weapons capabilities, programs, and intentions.

 “The mark also includes two legislative provisions related to intelligence:

• It requires the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and the Secretary of Defense, to prepare a plan to ensure that the Department of Energy national laboratories maintain a robust technical capability to monitor, analyze, and evaluate foreign nuclear activities; and

• It requires the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, to assess foreign ballistic missile intelligence analysis gaps and shortfalls,   and prepare a plan to ensure that the appropriate intelligence centers have sufficient analytical capabilities to address such gaps.

“In sum, I believe this mark prudently addresses the critical national security priorities
within the jurisdiction of this subcommittee.  It represents a good faith effort to address these issues in a bipartisan fashion and I strongly recommend its adoption.

“Let me now recognize my friend and colleague, Mr. Turner, the Ranking Member of the subcommittee.”