Disarmament Documentation

US Congress drops funding for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, October 25, 2005

Domenici: NREP Funds Dropped from Appropriations Bill from the Office of Senator Pete V. Domenici, October 25, 2005.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Pete Domenici today indicated that negotiators working toward an agreement on funding for the Department of Energy next year have agreed to drop funding for continued research on the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) project at the request of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Domenici is chairman of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee and is leading the Senate contingent working with the House to reconcile differences in the FY2006 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill-among them funding for RNEP.

Domenici indicated that at the request of the NNSA, the Senate has agreed to drop the $4.0 million it provided in its bill for the DOE national laboratories, including Sandia National Laboratories, to continue RNEP research. The House bill had no funding for RNEP.

"The focus will now be with the Defense Department and its research to earth penetrating technology using conventional weaponry. The NNSA indicated that this research should evolve around more conventional weapons rather than tactical nuclear devices. With this department change in policy, we have agreed not to provide DOE with funding for RNEP," Domenici said.

Domenici noted that he expects the final Energy and Water Appropriations Bill to continue to include language addressing RNEP and the Defense Department capabilities developed at Sandia National Laboratories.

Domenici indicated that he has hopes for a final conference agreement with the House on the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill by late this week.

Source: Senator Dominici's website at: http://domenici.senate.gov/

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