LIMITS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

SEC. 3123. LIMITS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS (a) In General.— (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), construction on a construction project may not be started or additional104 STAT. 1830 obligations incurred in connection with the project above the total estimated cost whenever the current estimated cost of the construction project, which is authorized by section 3102 or 3103 of this title, or which is in support of national security programs of the Department of Energy and was authorized by any previous Act, exceeds by more than 25 percent the higher of— (A) the amount authorized for the project; or (B) the amount of the total estimated cost for the project as shown in the most recent budget justification data submitted to Congress. (2) An action described in paragraph (1) may be taken after a period of 30 calendar days (not including any day on which either House of Congress is not in session because of adjournment of more than three calendar days to a day certain) has passed after receipt by the Committees on Armed Services and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives of notice from the Secretary of Energy containing a full and complete statement of the action proposed to be taken and the facts and circumstances relied upon in support of such proposed action. (b) Exception.— Subsection (a) shall not apply to any construction project which has a current estimated cost of less than $5,000,000.