Nuclear Budget

The US nuclear weapons budget is vast, difficult to decipher and rife with waste and excess. Following is analysis and opinion from Ploughshares Fund staff, grantees and guests on the continuing effort to shed light on and ultimately correct the nuclear budget.

  • Defense Hawks Spar on Nuclear Cuts

    You can tell the conversation in Washington is changed when defense hawks argue we should cut the nuclear arsenal and use the funds elsewhere. That is exactly what happened last week on the floor of the House.

    July 23, 2012 - By Ben Loehrke

  • Nuclear Weapons Spending Tops Five Major Cities

    We see the same story play out in the news almost every day. Costs are rising, revenues are falling and programs and infrastructure that we use all the time are seeing their funding cut. But what’s happening to the things we don’t use and don’t need? The U.S. operates an outsized strategic nuclear force. How much is that costing taxpayers?

    July 2, 2012 - By Peter Fedewa
  • Bombs Mean Big Business for Big Business

    Bombs Mean Big Business for Big Business

    Lobbies claim that thousands of companies benefit from nuclear weapons spending. But according to a new report from the Center for International Policy, those claims are far from reality. In truth, only a handful of companies stand to gain significantly, with a network of subcontractors behind...

    June 27, 2012 - By Nora Wilkinson

  • Sinking the Navy with Excessive Nuclear Requirements

    In tight budget times, the U.S. Navy cannot afford to waste funds on excessive capabilities for outdated Cold War weapons. Yet that is what some in Congress are attempting to do by blocking retirement of excess nuclear-armed submarines.

    May 14, 2012 - By Ben Loehrke

  • When Nuclear Spending Comes at the Expense of the Troops

    Supporting the troops is an important value for many Americans. Unfortunately, both soldiers and veterans often get short shrift when it comes to actually allocating budgets.

    May 10, 2012 - By Margaret Swink

  • Ploughshares Fund Grantee Uncovers Poor Nuclear Management, Costing Taxpayers Millions

    Upon filing of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by Nuclear Watch New Mexico, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) released Performance

    April 6, 2012 - By Megan Murphy

  • Our Oscar Pick: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

    It might not have received a nomination for Best Picture, but ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ is our stand out film this Oscar season.

    February 24, 2012 - By Megan Murphy

  • The President's Nuclear Options

    Last week, hopeful news of potential cuts to the U.S. nuclear arsenal floated through Washington. A classified report from the Pentagon is being prepared for President Obama’s review, which has been reported to provide three ranges for possible nuclear reductions: 1,100 to 1,000, 800 to 700, or 400 to 300.

    February 23, 2012 - By Rebecca Remy

  • When the Nuclear Budget Binge Ended

    Washington is slowly moving toward tightening budgets and being smarter with its security dollars.

    February 14, 2012 - By Ben Loehrke

  • SANE Act Calls for Cuts to Nuclear Budget

    After months of work on the campaign to slash the nuclear weapons budget, the concept is firmly taking hold in Congress.

    February 9, 2012 - By Megan Murphy