Fiscal Year 2005 - Nuclear Weapons Budget In the FY 2005 budget request, the administration is seeking an increase in funding for Nuclear Weapons Activities by $332 million to $6.85 billion, exceeding Cold War spending levels. This reveals the US government’s continued ambitions to assign nuclear weapons a more usable role in national security policy.

• Requests include: $9 million for Advanced Concepts, including research on low-yield nuclear weapons (or “mini-nukes”), 50% more than funds approved in the FY 2004 budget.
• $27.6 million for “Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrators” (or “bunker-busters), 268% more than funds approved in the FY 2004 budget.
• $29.8 million for Modern Pit Manufacturing Facility, 176% more than funds approved in the FY 2004 budget.
• $30 million for Enhanced Test Readiness, 20.5% more than funds approved in the FY 2004 budget..
• The administration is also advocating an 18 month test readiness posture over the current 24 months.
• $10.2 billion for the Missile Defense Agency, a 12% increase over funds approved in the FY 2004 budget.

The current status of US nuclear weapons policy

The recent passing of the Defense Authorization Bill and Energy and Water Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2004 included proposals to research a new generation of more “usable” nuclear weapons, construct a plutonium pit facility and shorten readiness for nuclear testing, revealing the current administration’s intent to rely on its nuclear forces for many decades to come.

The passing of the two bills included the authorization of

• March 11, 2004 Funding Proposal Shows 'Bunker Buster' Nuclear Weapon Isn't Merely Under Study, critics say
• Research towards the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) or nuclear “bunker buster,” approving $7.5 million in funds towards the project. Designed to withstand high-speed collision with the ground, the “bunker buster” is a nuclear bomb capable of boring through 20-30 feet of rock or concrete before exploding.
• Research towards Advanced Nuclear Weapons Concepts for the development of low-yield nuclear weapons or “mini-nukes.” In November 2003, the Conference Committee on Defense Authorization voted to repeal the Spratt-Furse amendment, which prohibited the research and development of low-yield nuclear weapons. $6 million was consequently approved for research on “mini-nukes” - small-scale nuclear warheads of under five kilotons.
• Design, building and environmental review of a new nuclear bomb plant known as the Modern Pit Facility (MPF). A plutonium pit is a steel encased plutonium ball that forms the explosive core of nuclear weapons. The US plans to produce up to 450 plutonium pits annually. $11 million has been allocated towards the project.
• Reduced Enhanced Test Readiness from between 24-36 months to 24 months, allocating $25 million towards this. Despite the current 11-year US test moratorium, the current administration is seeking to shorten the time for the recommencement of nuclear testing in order to prevent the “degradation” of the US nuclear arsenal. $34 million has been allocated towards the improvement of the Nevada Test Site.
• For more information, go to “Congressional Bills Passed Support Bush Agenda for New Nuclear Weapons.”

November 2003 witnessed the passing of the Defense Authorization Bill (HR1588) and Energy and Water Appropriations Bill (HR 2754) for Fiscal Year 2004. These bills provide authorization and funding for the nuclear weapons activities of both the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Defense.

August 2003 The National Nuclear Security Administration announced that the next subcritical is named Unicorn to be conducted in March/ April 2004 Nuclear test set for 2004  Also the DOE stated that Initial site preparation for this experiment is underway. The Unicorn subcritical experiment, will be conducted in a vertical hole configuration at a location of the NTS known as U6c.This activity, and the means for emplacement of the experimental hardware into the vertical hole, will appear visually similar to those employed in underground nuclear tests conducted prior to the 1992 moratorium. All previous subcritical experiments have been conducted in horizontal tunnels in the U1a complex located 960 feet underground at NTS. In addition to providing important information for stockpile stewardship, the Unicorn subcritical experiment will exercise key NTS capabilities not otherwise exercised in experiments carried out at the U1a complex.

• May 2003 Key Bush administration officials are now saying that the current U.S. nuclear arsenal -- a subset of what was in place at the end of the Cold War -- will not be adequate for the future.
• October 2002 the NNSA announced plans to build a Modern Pit Facility to produce plutonium pits for nuclear weapons triggers. January 28, 2004 EIS Delayed
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Private Fuel Storage are preparing to go ahead with building a "temporary" high-level nuclear dump on the Skull Valley Reservation (latest media) in Utah.
• August 2002 Defense Official states that full scale Nuclear Tests will happen in the near future.
• July 2002 - President Bush officially approved of Yucca Mountain (latest media) as the nations first permanent high-level nuclear waste dump and committed to the shipment of over 50,000 "Mobile Chernobyl's".
• January 2002, the Pentagon has released its "Nuclear Posture Review" calling for increased spending on nuclear weapons, continued subcritical experiments and a resumption of full scale nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site.