---
kind: "section"
citation: "10 U.S.C. § 6119"
title: "10"
title_heading: "Armed Forces"
number: "6119"
heading: "Nuclear test ban readiness program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/10/6119"
units:
  - "Subtitle A — General Military Law"
  - "Part VI — Elements of Department of Defense and Other Matters"
  - "Subpart B — Atomic Energy Defense"
  - "Chapter 602 — Nuclear Weapons Stockpile Matters"
  - "Subchapter I — Stockpile Stewardship and Weapons Production"
---

# §6119. Nuclear test ban readiness program

- (a) **Establishment of Program.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Energy shall establish and support a [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) to assure that the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) is in a position to maintain the reliability, safety, and continued deterrent effect of its stockpile of existing nuclear weapons designs in the event that a low-threshold or comprehensive ban on nuclear explosives testing is negotiated and ratified within the framework agreed to by the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) and the Russian Federation.
- (b) **Purposes of Program.—** The purposes of the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be the following:
  - (1) To assure that the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) maintains a vigorous [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of stockpile inspection and non-explosive testing so that, if a low-threshold or comprehensive test ban is entered into, the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) remains able to detect and identify potential problems in stockpile reliability and safety in existing designs of nuclear weapons.
  - (2) To assure that the specific materials, [components](/usc/10/3011.md?p=13), processes, and personnel needed for the remanufacture of existing nuclear weapons or the substitution of alternative nuclear warheads are available to support such remanufacture or substitution if such action becomes necessary in order to satisfy reliability and safety requirements under a low-threshold or comprehensive test ban agreement.
  - (3) To assure that a vigorous [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) of research in areas related to nuclear weapons science and engineering is supported so that, if a low-threshold or comprehensive test ban agreement is entered into, the [United States](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-1) is able to maintain a base of technical knowledge about nuclear weapons design and nuclear weapons effects.
- (c) **Conduct of Program.—** The [Secretary](/usc/10/4951.md?p=3) of Energy shall carry out the [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) provided for in [subsection (a)](#a). The [program](/usc/10/2101.md?p=1) shall be carried out with the participation of representatives of the [Department](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-6) of Defense, the nuclear weapons production [facilities](/usc/10/2700.md?p=2), and the [national security](/usc/10/801.md?p=16) laboratories.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 119–60, div. C, title XXXI, § 3111(a), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1356.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2527 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).