If that headline makes sense to you, welcome home.
If not, it means that the Appropriations Conference committee agreed to provide $15 million in paper studies funding for the Reliable Replacement Warhead, according to a press release from Senator Feinstein’s office:
The members of the House and Senate Conference Committee for the FY’08 Defense Appropriations bill today approved language to limit funding for the development of the controversial Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) program to $15 million, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) announced.
[snip]
The Conferees also included language to restrict the funding to Phase 2A, design definition and cost study.
“This Conference report clearly states that RRW funding is restricted to Phase 2A: design definition and cost study,” Senator Feinstein said. “Opening the door to a new nuclear weapons program is a course we should not pursue. I remain opposed to funding the development of the RRW program until Congress has had the opportunity to have a more thorough, detailed and bipartisan analysis of our nuclear weapons policy and posture.”
[snip]
In August, Senator Feinstein introduced a bill to cut all funding for the Reliable Replacement Warhead Program through Fiscal Year 2010, and require the Administration to conduct in-depth reviews of U.S. nuclear policy and posture.
I somehow totally missed this, until I spotted it on Nukes of Hazard, who really outwonked me. (It’s a very nice blog that features occasional contributions from regular reader and Iowan Max Postman.)
Still, the old dog has a couple of tricks. The Nuclear Strategy and Nonproliferation Initiative will be hosting a private dinner with Senator Feinstein in early December to talk about S. 1914 The Nuclear Policy and Posture Review Act of 2007, the RRW and the future of US nuclear weapons policy.
More details to follow.