On the Issues
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OVERSIGHT In addition to oversight of the Department of Defense, the Senate Armed Services Committee also has jurisdiction over the three-quarters of the annual budget for the Department of Energy (DoE) on programs related to the nuclear weapons complex. The DoE is the successor agency to the Atomic Energy Commission for the nuclear weapons complex. The facilities that make up the nuclear weapons complex, plus a variety of other related programs that are funded as part of the defense budget, fall within the authorization and oversight jurisdiction of the Senate Armed Services Committee of which Senator Levin is the chairman. For fiscal year 2008, the DoE budget is $25 billion, of which $16 billion is included in the defense budget. Funding for the DoE National Security Programs, as the defense-funded programs are known, is divided into several key areas: Environmental Management; Energy Supply; Other Defense Activities; Defense Nuclear Waste Disposal; Weapons Activities; Nuclear Nonproliferation; and Naval Reactors. The last three programs are part of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a semi-autonomous agency within the DoE. About $5.6 billion of the DoE 2008 National Security Program’s budget is for the Environmental Management program that funds the cleanup of current and former weapons sites. About $9.1 billion funds the NNSA's ongoing nuclear weapons activities, the nuclear nonproliferation programs and the Naval Reactors program, which is the research and development activity for the nuclear propulsion plants for nuclear-powered surface ships and submarines. Two of Senator Levin’s key areas of focus and concern relate to the NNSA’s plans for new and modified nuclear weapons and the nonproliferation programs. |
Acquisition Reform at DOD
Ever since he came to the Senate, Senator Levin has been fighting to ensure that every dollar spent on national defense is spent wisely. more >
Base Closures
Senator Levin recognizes that closing unneeded installations and getting rid of excess military bases and infrastructure is an essential part of building the lighter, more mobile, capable military that we need in order to respond to the increasingly diverse and complex national security challenges that we face today. more >
Department of Defense Oversight
One of the most important duties of the Senate Armed Services Committee is to provide oversight for the programs and operations of the Department of Defense. more >
Department of Energy Oversight
In addition to oversight over the Department of Defense, the Senate Armed Services Committee also has jurisdiction over almost three-quarters of the annual budget for the Department of Energy in programs related to the nuclear weapons complex. more >
Homeland Security and the Department of Defense
The Department of Defense provides support to the federal, state and local authorities that have the primary responsibility for homeland security. more >
Iraq Intelligence Inquiry
Senator Levin announced in June that he was directing his Armed Services Committee staff to conduct an inquiry into the objectivity and credibility of intelligence on Iraq prior to the war, and to examine the impact of that intelligence on planning for the war and on the conduct of combat and stability operations. more >
Military in Michigan
For over 150 years, the people of Michigan have answered the call to serve our nation’s defense. Our state’s heroes aren’t just those who flew the planes, drove the tanks, or commanded the ships, but include those who built them as well. more >
National Defense Authorization Act
The annual National Defense Authorization Act authorizes funding for the entire Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy. more >
National Missile Defense
National Missile Defense has been a controversial topic for four decades because developing and deploying such missile defenses could reduce – rather than increase – our security. Senator Levin believes the United States should prioritize its resources on the most likely threats, rather than the least likely threats. more >
NATO
NATO is widely considered to be the most successful collective defense organization in history. NATO is currently leading peacekeeping operations in the Balkans and Afghanistan. more >
Nominations
One of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s most important oversight responsibilities is the examination of presidential nominations of senior military officers and all civilian nominees. more >
Nonproliferation
Nonproliferation programs seek to prevent the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological materials, weapons, technical knowledge and delivery systems. Senator Levin has focused extensively on supporting nonproliferation programs and the goals of arms control and arms control treaties. more >
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