Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 120.djvu/2537

 120 STAT. 2506

PUBLIC LAW 109–364—OCT. 17, 2006

(3) a statement of the amounts retained but not used under this section, including, for each such amount, the purposes (if known) for which the Secretary intends to use the amount. (f) EXPIRATION.—The authority to accept, retain, and use contributions under this section expires on December 31, 2013. SEC. 3115. TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNICAL PERSONNEL.

Section 4601(c)(1) of the Atomic Energy Defense Act (50 U.S.C. 2701(c)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2006’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2008’’. SEC. 3116. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES STUDY OF QUANTIFICATION OF MARGINS AND UNCERTAINTY METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING AND CERTIFYING THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THE NUCLEAR STOCKPILE.

(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Energy shall, as soon as practicable and no later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, enter into an arrangement with the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences for the Council to carry out a study of the quantification of margins and uncertainty methodology used by the national security laboratories for assessing and certifying the safety and reliability of the nuclear stockpile. (b) MATTERS INCLUDED.—The study required by subsection (a) shall evaluate the following: (1) The use of the quantification of margins and uncertainty methodology by the national security laboratories, including underlying assumptions of weapons performance and the ability of modeling and simulation tools to predict nuclear explosive package characteristics. (2) The manner in which that methodology is used to conduct the annual assessments of the nuclear weapons stockpile. (3) How the use of that methodology compares and contrasts between the national security laboratories. (4) Whether the application of the quantification of margins and uncertainty used for annual assessments and certification of the nuclear weapons stockpile can be applied to the planned Reliable Replacement Warhead program so as to carry out the objective of that program to reduce the likelihood of the resumption of underground testing of nuclear weapons. (c) REPORT.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date on which the arrangement required by subsection (a) is entered into, the National Research Council shall submit to the Secretary of Energy and the congressional committees specified in paragraph (2) a report on the study that addresses the matters listed in subsection (b) and any other matters considered by the National Research Council to be relevant to the use of the quantification of margins and uncertainty methodology in assessing the current or future nuclear weapons stockpile. (2) SPECIFIED COMMITTEES.—The congressional committees referred to in paragraph (1) are the following: (A) The Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.

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