S. 2930 — Smarter Approaches to Nuclear Expenditures Act

This section states congressional findings concerning the U.S. nuclear arsenal, including that it comprises approximately 3,748 total warheads (1,770 deployed) across five delivery systems—land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (400), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (14 Ohio-class submarines, up to 12 deployed, each with approximately 90 warheads), B-52 and B-2 strategic bombers (87 B-52s and 20 B-2s, over 66 for the nuclear mission), and short-range fighter aircraft; projected costs to operate, sustain, and modernize total $946 billion for 2025-2034 (an average of $95 billion annually, up 25% or $190 billion from the prior 2023-2032 estimate and potentially exceeding $1 trillion with inflation); the Department of Energy's FY2021-FY2025 nuclear modernization budget was $83.619 billion ($15.41 billion more than the FY2020 estimate); costs can be reduced by $15.38 billion to $16.87 billion over the next decade while maintaining a triad (per December 2020 Congressional Budget Office analysis); New START Treaty force levels are more than adequate and can be reduced by up to one-third to 1,000-1,100 warheads (per June 2013 Department of Defense guidance); and the National Nuclear Security Administration has not incorporated affordability concerns into planning as recommended by the Government Accountability Office in 2017.

This section limits U.S. nuclear forces and prohibits funding for various nuclear modernization programs and capabilities, as follows: (1) caps procurement at no more than eight Columbia-class submarines using FY2026 or later funds; (2) limits Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to no more than 150 beginning in FY2026; (3) limits deployed strategic warheads, as defined in the New START Treaty, to no more than 1,000 beginning in FY2026; and (4) caps procurement at no more than 80 B-21 long-range penetrating bomber aircraft using FY2024 through FY2030 funds. The section further prohibits using FY2026 or later funds for (5) modifying the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to carry nuclear weapons; (6) research, development, testing, evaluation, or procurement of the long-range stand-off weapon, any other new air-launched cruise missile, or the W80 warhead life extension program; (7) research, development, testing, evaluation, or procurement of the LGM-35 Sentinel ICBM or any new ICBM; (8) the Uranium Processing Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex; (9) deployment of the W76-2 low-yield nuclear warhead or any other low-yield or nonstrategic nuclear warhead; (10) research, development, testing, evaluation, or procurement of a new submarine-launched cruise missile capable of carrying a low-yield or nonstrategic nuclear warhead; (11) sustainment of the B83-1 bomb; (12) research, development, testing, evaluation, or procurement of a space-based missile defense system; and (13) the W-93 warhead. Additionally, the section prohibits using FY2026 or later funds to expand plutonium pit production at Los Alamos National Laboratory or Savannah River Site until the Nuclear Security Administration submits a congressionally required integrated master schedule and cost estimate for its plutonium pit production effort through 2036.

This section requires the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Energy to jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees (1) an initial report, not later than 180 days after enactment, outlining each Secretary's plan to carry out section 3; (2) annual reports, beginning March 1, 2026, with the same content plus updates to prior reports; and (3) a report, not later than 180 days after enactment, on estimated cost savings from section 3. The section further requires the President to submit to the appropriate congressional committees, beginning September 30, 2026 and annually thereafter, a report containing a comprehensive accounting by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget of amounts obligated and expended by the federal government for each nuclear weapon and related nuclear program during the fiscal year covered by the report and over the life cycle of such weapon or program.

This section defines the term "appropriate committees of Congress" as (1) in the Senate, the Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Appropriations, and Energy and Natural Resources; and (2) in the House of Representatives, the Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Affairs, Appropriations, Energy and Commerce, and Natural Resources.