§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.

(c) Omitted

(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.

(C) Sandia National Laboratories.

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

(A) The Pantex Plant, Texas.

(B) The Savannah River Site, South Carolina.

(C) The Kansas City Plant, Missouri.

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

(Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLII, §4213, formerly Pub. L. 104–201, div. C, title XXXI, §3159, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2842 ; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title XIII, §1305(c), (d), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1954 ; Pub. L. 106–65, div. C, title XXXI, §3163(f), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 946 ; renumbered Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLII, §4213, by Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, §3141(e)(14), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1760 .)

Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 7274o of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 108–136.

Section is comprised of section 4213 of Pub. L. 107–314. Subsec. (c) of section 4213 of Pub. L. 107–314 amended section 179 of Title 10, Armed Forces.

Amendments

1999-Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 106–65 added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e).

1997-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105–85 substituted "Not later than 10 days" for "As soon as practicable" and "committees," for "committees and" and inserted before period at end ", and to the President".

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the advanced scientific computing research program and activities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, including the functions of the Secretary of Energy relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, see sections 183(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

All national security functions and activities performed immediately before Oct. 5, 1999, by nuclear weapons laboratories and production facilities defined in this section, transferred to the Administrator for Nuclear Security of the National Nuclear Security Administration of the Department of Energy, see section 2481 of this title.