Section 496 - Consideration of expansion of nuclear forces of other countries(a) REPORT AND CERTIFICATION.-Not later than 60 days before the President recommends any reductions to the nuclear forces of the United States-(1) the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report detailing, for each country with nuclear weapons, the high-, medium-, and low- confidence assessment of the intelligence community (as defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4))) with respect to-(A) the number of each type of nuclear weapons possessed by such country;(B) the modernization plans for such weapons of such country;(C) the production capacity of nuclear warheads and strategic delivery systems (as defined in section 495(e)(2) of this title) of such country;(D) the nuclear doctrine of such country; and(E) the impact of such recommended reductions on the deterrence and extended deterrence capabilities of the United States; and(2) the Commander of the United States Strategic Command shall certify to the appropriate congressional committees whether such recommended reductions in the nuclear forces of the United States will-(A) impair the ability of the United States to address-(i) unplanned strategic or geopolitical events; or(ii) technical challenge; or(B) degrade the deterrence or assurance provided by the United States to friends and allies of the United States.(b) FORM.-The reports required by subsection (a)(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.-In this section, the term "appropriate congressional committees" means the following:(2) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.Added Pub. L. 112-239, div. A, title X, §1036(a), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1924; amended Pub. L. 113-291, div. A, title X, §1071(c)(10), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3509.EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS2014-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 113-291 substituted "(50 U.S.C. 3003(4))" for "(50 U.S.C. 401a(4))" in introductory provisions.
- congressional defense committees
- The term "congressional defense committees" means-(A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.