---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 496"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "496"
heading: "Consideration of expansion of nuclear forces of other countries"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/496"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part I — Organization and General Military Powers"
  - "Chapter 24 — Nuclear Posture"
---

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

- (a) **Report and Certification.—** Not later than 60 days before the President recommends any reductions to the nuclear forces of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1)—
  - (1) the President shall transmit to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/10/301.md?p=1) 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)](/usc/50/3003.md?p=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](/usc/10/495.md?p=e-2)) 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](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1); and
  - (2) the Commander of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) Strategic Command shall certify to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/10/301.md?p=1) whether such recommended reductions in the nuclear forces of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) will—
    - (A) impair the ability of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) to address—
      - (i) unplanned strategic or geopolitical events; or
      - (ii) technical challenge; or
    - (B) degrade the deterrence or assurance provided by the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) to friends and allies of the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1).
- (b) **Form.—** The reports required by [subsection (a)(1)](#a-1) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
- (c) **Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.—** In this section, the term “[appropriate congressional committees](/usc/10/301.md?p=1)” means the following:
  - (1) The [congressional defense committees](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-16).
  - (2) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1036(a), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1924; amended Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title X, § 1071(c)(10), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3509.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2014—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 113–291 substituted “(50 U.S.C. 3003(4))” for “(50 U.S.C. 401a(4))” in introductory provisions.