§ 496. Consideration of expansion of nuclear forces of other countries

• (a) Not later than 60 days before the President recommends any reductions to the nuclear forces of the United States—
  • (1) the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report detailing, for each country with nuclear weapons, the high-, medium-, and low- confidence assessment of the intelligence community (as defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3003(4) )) with respect to—
    • (A) the number of each type of nuclear weapons possessed by such country;
    • (B) the modernization plans for such weapons of such country;
    • (C) the production capacity of nuclear warheads and strategic delivery systems (as defined in section 495(e)(2) of this title ) of such country;
    • (D) the nuclear doctrine of such country; and
    • (E) the impact of such recommended reductions on the deterrence and extended deterrence capabilities of the United States; and
  • (2) the Commander of the United States Strategic Command shall certify to the appropriate congressional committees whether such recommended reductions in the nuclear forces of the United States will—
    • (A) impair the ability of the United States to address—
      • (i) unplanned strategic or geopolitical events; or
      • (ii) technical challenge; or
    • (B) degrade the deterrence or assurance provided by the United States to friends and allies of the United States.
• (b) The reports required by subsection (a)(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
• (c) In this section, the term “appropriate congressional committees” means the following:
  • (1) The congressional defense committees.
  • (2) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.