[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S5692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6152. Mr. VAN HOLLEN submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr. Reed (for himself and 
Mr. Inhofe) and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 7900, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for 
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military 
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle B of title XXXI, add the following:

     SEC. 3118. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR RESEARCH AND 
                   DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION, OR DEPLOYMENT OF 
                   NUCLEAR-ARMED SEA-LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILE AND 
                   ASSOCIATED WARHEAD.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The United States nuclear arsenal comprises 
     approximately 3,800 nuclear warheads in the active stockpile 
     and a force structure of long-range and short-range delivery 
     systems, including--
       (A) land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles;
       (B) submarine-launched ballistic missiles that can deliver 
     both low-yield and higher-yield nuclear warheads;
       (C) long-range strategic bomber aircraft capable of 
     carrying nuclear-armed air-launched cruise missile and 
     nuclear gravity bombs; and
       (D) short-range fighter aircraft that can deliver nuclear 
     gravity bombs.
       (2) In 2010, the United States retired the nuclear-armed 
     sea-launched cruise missile, or the TLAM-N, after concluding 
     in the 2010 Nuclear Posture Review that the capability 
     ``serve[d] a redundant purpose in the U.S. nuclear 
     stockpile''.
       (3) Ten years later, in 2020, the United States initiated 
     studies into a new nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile 
     and associated warhead, after concluding in the 2018 Nuclear 
     Posture Review that the weapon system would provide a ``non-
     strategic regional presence'' and ``an assured response 
     capability''.
       (4) The United States possesses an array of nuclear weapons 
     systems, including both air- and sea-based capabilities, that 
     provide an effective regional deterrent presence, making the 
     nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile a redundant, 
     unnecessary capability.
       (5) Deploying nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles on 
     attack submarines or surface ships risks detracting from the 
     core military missions of such submarines and ships, such as 
     tracking enemy submarines, protecting United States carrier 
     groups, and conducting conventional strikes on priority land 
     targets.
       (6) Stationing nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles 
     on such submarines or ships also risks complicating port 
     visits and joint operations with some allies and partners of 
     the United States, which in turn would reduce the operational 
     effectiveness of such submarines and ships and the deterrent 
     value of deployed nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles.
       (7) A January 2019 analysis of the Congressional Budget 
     Office estimated that the projected costs of the nuclear-
     armed sea-launched cruise missile program from 2019 to 2028 
     would total $9,000,000,000, adding additional costs and 
     resource requirements to the United States nuclear 
     modernization program and increasing pressure on the Navy 
     budget as the Navy plans for increases in shipbuilding while 
     funding the Columbia-class submarine program.
       (8) The cost of the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise 
     missile program will be larger, as the estimate of the 
     Congressional Budget Office did not account for costs related 
     to integrating nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles on 
     attack submarines or surface ships, nuclear weapons-specific 
     training for Navy personnel, or storage and security for 
     nuclear warheads.
       (b) Prohibition on Use of Funds.--None of the funds 
     authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for 
     fiscal year 2023 or any fiscal year thereafter for the 
     Department of Defense or the Department of Energy may be 
     obligated or expended for the research and development, 
     production, or deployment of the nuclear-armed sea-launched 
     cruise missile and its associated nuclear warhead.
                                 ______