U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 2533. Reports on critical difficulties at nuclear weapons laboratories and nuclear weapons production plants

(a) Reports by heads of laboratories and plants

In the event of a difficulty at a nuclear weapons laboratory or a nuclear weapons production plant that has a significant bearing on confidence in the safety or reliability of a nuclear weapon or nuclear weapon type, the head of the laboratory or plant, as the case may be, shall submit to the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Defense Programs a report on the difficulty. The head of the laboratory or plant shall submit the report as soon as practicable after discovery of the difficulty.

(b) Transmittal by Assistant Secretary

Not later than 10 days after receipt of a report under subsection (a), the Assistant Secretary shall transmit the report (together with the comments of the Assistant Secretary) to the congressional defense committees, to the Secretary of Energy and the Secretary of Defense, and to the President.

(d) Inclusion of reports in annual stockpile certification

Any report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall also be included with the decision documents that accompany the annual certification of the safety and reliability of the United States nuclear weapons stockpile which is provided to the President for the year in which such report is submitted.

(e) Definitions

In this section:

(1) The term “nuclear weapons laboratory” means the following:

(A) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California.

(B) Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico.

(2) The term “nuclear weapons production plant” means the following:

(A) The Pantex Plant, Texas.

(B) The Savannah River Site, South Carolina.

(D) The Y–12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

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