Feingold on Nuclear Security

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Amendment Based on Recommendations of a Government Study is Latest Addition to Feingold's Control Spending Now Act to Slash the Deficit

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold is hailing Senate passage of his amendment to the military construction appropriations bill to enhance the security of our nuclear arsenal and more effectively use taxpayer dollars.

The amendment is part of Feingold’s larger effort to slash the deficit by more than one half trillion dollars with the Control Spending Now Act, which he introduced last month. Feingold’s amendment requires the Defense Department to submit a report to Congress analyzing alternative designs for major construction projects needed to secure our strategic nuclear weapons. Feingold’s amendment passed the Senate without any objection.

“Passage of this amendment should lead to improved security of our nuclear arsenal and more effective use of taxpayer dollars for defense spending,” Feingold said. “Ensuring the security of our nuclear materials and weapons is more important today that it has ever been. This amendment is a small but important step toward better oversight of our nuclear weapons complex, and better oversight of taxpayer dollars.”

The Defense Department (DOD) spends roughly a billion dollars annually on nuclear weapons security, including about $50 million annually on military construction. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently found that the DOD does not conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis of alternative security designs. For example, the Navy plans to spend about $1.1 billion on a project but did not fully consider alternatives which may have saved taxpayer dollars. Feingold’s amendment will ensure that the DOD conducts a full cost benefit analysis and provides it to Congress in order to ensure that security measures both protect our nation and make the best use of taxpayer dollars.

Several recent incidents show that increased congressional oversight of nuclear security is warranted:

* In late August 2007, a B-52 bomber flew across the continental United States mistakenly loaded with five nuclear warheads.
* In March 2008, the Defense Department discovered that nuclear-related intercontinental ballistic missile parts were unintentionally shipped to Taiwan in 2006.
* In October 2009, a wing commander at Minot Air Force Base was relieved of command for substandard performance during several nuclear inspections.

Source: Senator Russ Feingold