U.S. Policy
Modernizing and replacing programs related to the United States nuclear triad is the first priority for both the U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, according to testimony from key defense officials at a recent House Armed Services Strategic Force... Read More »
A scenario-based discussion, centering around how the United States and the People’s Republic of China could better cooperate to address nuclear threats, was recently conducted amongst representatives from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) and the China Institutes of Contemporary International... Read More »
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) recently awarded a $35 million contract to Engility Holdings, Inc. to provide specialized advisory services to the organization’s Nuclear Enterprise Support Directorate.
The Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract has a one year base period and four one-year... Read More »
Officials from the United States recently announced a pledge of $1.091 million (€1 million) to modernize the laboratories of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Siebersdorf, Austria, which provide key nuclear research in various areas of human and animal health, food security, and... Read More »
On his first day as the new director of Sandia National Laboratories, Steve Younger stated in a speech to the lab’s workforce that it would maintain its strong missions in nuclear deterrence, nuclear nonproliferation, energy, and national security.
“I see those continuing. However, are in... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report on the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) weapon modernization programs, which stated that the agency needed to address affordability concerns in future budget estimates.
GAO was tasked with publishing... Read More »
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), in conjunction with researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), recently launched a new capability that improves the department’s ability to trace the origins of plutonium.
The... Read More »
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM) recently sent a public letter to President-elect Donald Trump expressing concern over the continuity of government operations for national security positions in the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).... Read More »
Szuhsiung Ho, a naturalized U.S. citizen and nuclear engineer, recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully engage in the production or development of special nuclear materials outside of the United States, without the required authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which... Read More »
Battelle, Inc.’s David Winkel was recently recognized by the Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) Industry Group with the Dr. Billy Richardson Award, which recognizes young leaders who are committed to NBC-related defense initiatives.
Winkel is the third Battelle researcher overall to win... Read More »
In response to North Korea’s September 2016 nuclear test and ongoing violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 16 entities and seven individuals for their ties to the Government of North... Read More »
U.S. Reps. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Devin Nunes (R-CA) this week urged President Barack Obama to examine a potential breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty by Russia.
The congressmen in a letter also asked Obama to implement additional sanctions on Russia, along with... Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives passed six bipartisan bills on Tuesday to enhance national security efforts within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
“I commend the work of my committee on the passage of these important pieces of legislation which seek to provide necessary... Read More »
A coalition of Republican senators urged the president on Monday to enact immediate sanctions on North Korea in the wake of its latest nuclear weapons test.
This most recent incident was the fourth nuclear test since 2009 and the second this year.
“In the wake of this latest provocation... Read More »
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a study on Wednesday evaluating the role of the enhanced surveillance program in assessing the condition of the U.S. nuclear stockpile.
The GAO report found that the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security... Read More »
The Institute for Science and International Security recently released a report that found that Iran was not in compliance with the original conditions of the Iran Nuclear Deal, agreed to in July 2015.
The report said that the Obama administration, along with the other P5+1 nations, secretly... Read More »
A coalition of 40 Asia-Pacific former leaders and experts from 14 different countries urged the United States on Tuesday in a letter to adopt a “no first use” nuclear policy and called for Pacific-based allies to support the initiative.
The coalition included U.S. allies Australia, Japan... Read More »
A coalition 10 of U.S. senators wrote a letter on Wednesday to the Obama administration requesting action on nuclear weapons policy in the time the president has left in office.
The letter was co-signed by U.S. Sens. Edward Markey (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Barbara... Read More »
A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released on Saturday found that the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) nuclear smuggling detection and deterrence (NSDD) program is addressing challenges but should improve its overall plan.
The full GAO report examined... Read More »
Bipartisan leaders from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Monday sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz seeking information on the current status of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) nuclear smuggling detection and deterrence programs (NSDD).
“We... Read More »
Speaking at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit (NSS), INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock emphasized that international law enforcement is the most important line of defense in the struggle against nuclear terrorism.
The 2016 NSS took place from last week in Washington, D.C. It served as the... Read More »
Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) recently introduced an amendment to the proposed Energy Policy Modernization Act, S. 2012, that would require an overhaul of the way that the government treats the radiological waste industry.
The introduced amendment would require the administration to give Congress an... Read More »
