PLANS FOR ACHIEVING ENHANCED READINESS POSTURE FOR RESUMPTION BY THE UNITED STATES OF UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTS.

SEC. 3142. PLANS FOR ACHIEVING ENHANCED READINESS POSTURE FOR RESUMPTION BY THE UNITED STATES OF UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTS. (a) Plans Required.—The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Administrator for Nuclear Security, shall prepare plans for achieving, not later than one year after the date on which the plans are submitted under subsection (c), readiness postures 116 STAT. 2733of six months, 12 months, 18 months, and 24 months for resumption by the United States of underground nuclear weapons tests. (b) Readiness Posture.—For purposes of this section, a readiness posture of a specified number of months for resumption by the United States of underground nuclear weapons tests is achieved when the Department of Energy has the capability to resume such tests, if directed by the President to resume such tests, not later than the specified number of months after the date on which the President so directs. (c) Report.—The Secretary shall include with the budget justification materials submitted to Congress in support of the Department of Energy budget for fiscal year 2004 (as submitted with the budget of the President under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code) a report on the plans required by subsection (a). The report shall include— (1) an assessment of the current readiness posture for resumption by the United States of underground nuclear weapons tests; (2) the plans required by subsection (a) and, for each such plan, the estimated cost for implementing such plan and an estimate of the annual cost of maintaining the readiness posture to which the plan relates; and (3) the recommendation of the Secretary, developed in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, as to the optimal readiness posture for resumption by the United States of underground nuclear weapons tests, including the basis for that recommendation.