S. 1235: Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-05-25 · Armed Forces and National Security · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-05-25 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures Act

Plain summary

Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures Act This bill prohibits the obligation or expenditure of Department of Defense (DOD) funds: (1) for procuring more than eight Columbia-class submarines; (2) to maintain more than 150 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles; or (3) through FY2024, for the research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) or the procurement of the B-21 long-range penetrating bomber aircraft. The bill prohibits the obligation or expenditure of DOD or Department of Energy (DOE) funds: to maintain more than 1,000 deployed strategic warheads, as counted under the New START Treaty; to make the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons; for extending the life of tactical versions of the B61 gravity bomb; for the RDT&E or procurement of a new air-launched cruise missile or for the W80 warhead life extension program; for the RDT&E or procurement of the ground-based strategic deterrent or any new intercontinental ballistic missile; for the IW-1 life extension program; for the Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility project at the Savannah River Site, Aiken, South Carolina; or for the Uranium Processing Facility located at the Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. DOD and DOE must report to Congress on the plans for, and the estimated cost savings from, carrying out this bill.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] reported raising $6.0 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s1235.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s1235 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115