Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are seeking to amend the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ensure Congress continues a role in authorizing the development of new nuclear weapons.
The senators said the amendment is needed because the Trump Administration is seeking to add new sea-launched, low-yield nuclear warheads to the U.S. arsenal – noting previous administrations have been constrained from doing so by a provision requiring the approval of Congress.
The legislators said the current NDAA would eliminate the provision and strip Congress of its traditional oversight role when it comes to the development and deployment of new nuclear weapons.
“Congress must not shirk its responsibility here,” Reed, ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, said. “This is a matter of conscience and great consequence. It is imperative that every member of Congress be accountable when it comes to the development and deployment of our country’s nuclear arsenal. My amendment simply ensures that Congress is involved, every step of the way, in the development of any new or modified nuclear weapon.”
The NDAA contains a provision removing restrictions on the development or deployment of new nuclear weapons without Congressional authorization and provides the Secretary of Energy with new authority to carry out the weapon’s energy development phase, or any subsequent phase, without Congress’ specific approval.
“I’m very concerned about this reckless provision to give the White House free rein to develop new low-yield nuclear weapons without congressional authorization,” Warren, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said. “This is a dangerous change that would overturn more than a decade of bipartisan consensus on the development of nuclear weapons. Congress should remove it from the defense bill.”