Nuke Advisers

House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) has appointed former Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) and former Deputy Energy Secretary T.J. Glauthier to serve on a congressionally established advisory panel to evaluate the governance of nuclear security programs. According to a statement issued this afternoon by Smith's office:

The panel, which is required by Section 3166 of the FY2013 National Defense Authorization Act, will provide a final report to Congress by February 2014 detailing recommendations on how to improve management and oversight of nuclear programs.

"I am pleased to nominate John Spratt and T.J. Glauthier to the Congressionally-mandated advisory panel to evaluate the governance of our nuclear security programs," said Ranking Member Smith. "Effective management and oversight of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s programs, including nuclear weapons stockpile, nuclear nonproliferation and naval reactors programs, underpin our national security."

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has faced serious challenges in the past decade.  Recently, significant cost increases on the order of billions of dollars and schedule slips have plagued nuclear weapons life extension programs and major construction programs, and an unprecedented security breach occurred at Y-12. NNSA's management, oversight and accountability problems must be fixed particularly as fiscal constraints increase.

"Together, former Congressman Spratt and former Deputy Secretary of Energy will contribute decades of expertise to the important task of improving management and oversight of nuclear weapons and non-proliferation programs, including heath safety and security," continued Smith.