(a)  Replacement program

The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall develop a cooperative program with the Government of Russia to eliminate the production of weapons grade plutonium by modifying or replacing the reactor cores at Tomsk–7 and Krasnoyarsk–26 with reactor cores that are less suitable for the production of weapons-grade plutonium.

(b)  Program requirements

(1)  The program shall be designed to achieve completion of the modifications or replacements of the reactor cores within three years after the modification or replacement activities under the program are begun.

(2)  The plan for the program shall⁠—

(A)  specify⁠—

(i)  successive steps for the modification or replacement of the reactor cores; and

(ii)  clearly defined milestones to be achieved; and

(B)  include estimates of the costs of the program.

(c)  Submission of program plan to Congress

Not later than 180 days after September 23, 1996, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress⁠—

(1)  a plan for the program under subsection (a);

(2)  an estimate of the United States funding that is necessary for carrying out the activities under the program for each fiscal year covered by the program; and

(3)  a comparison of the benefits of the program with the benefits of other nonproliferation programs.