defense system cannot be deployed for initial defensive operations until the Defense secretary certifies that the capabilities of the system to perform its defense mission have been confirmed by operationally realistic testing of the system. [S 2400, Vote 124, 6/17/04] XXXX Voted Against Prohibiting the Research of Deadlier Nuclear Weapons. In June 2004, XXXX voted against an amendment that would prohibit the use of $36.6 million authorized in the underlying bill for two Energy Department programs: a study of Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator "bunker buster" weapons and a Stockpile Services Advanced Concepts Initiative, which includes research into a "low yield" nuclear weapon. [S 2400, Vote 113, 6/15/04] XXXX Voted for Project Bioshield. In May 2004, XXXX voted for a bill that would authorize $5.6 billion over 10 years for the Health and Human Services Department (HHS) to carry out Project Bioshield, an administration initiative to develop and stockpile vaccines, medications and other countermeasures to combat a bioterrorism attack. It would transfer overall responsibility for the Strategic National Stockpile to HHS and allow the department to contract the purchase of drugs and other stockpile items. It also would give the government authority to promote additional research and development of measures to counter biological, chemical, nuclear and radiological agents, including allowing an expedited award process for grants and projects. In the event of a national emergency, the bill would allow the distribution of treatments not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration, along with those originally approved for other uses. [S 15, Vote 99, 5/19/04] XXXX Voted Against Prohibiting $21 Million for “Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator,” Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons. On September 16, 2003, XXXX voted to table an amendment that would prohibit funding for certain nuclear weapons systems and modify the “readiness posture of the Nevada Test Site.” The vote was on the Domenici, R-N.M., motion to table (kill) the Feinstein, D-Calif., amendment (no. 1655) to the FY 2004 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. The Feinstein amendment would “prohibit the use of $21 million for Energy Department activities related to the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, the Advanced Weapons Concepts, including low-yield nuclear weapons, and for certain modifications of the readiness posture of the Nevada Test Site and for site selection of the Modern Pit Facility. It would reallocate those funds to reduction of the public debt.” [HR 2754, Vote 349, 9/16/03] XXXX Voted to Develop Earth Penetrating Nuclear Warheads. In May 2003, XXXX voted against a motion to table an amendment that would prohibit the use of funds for the study, development, testing and engineering of nuclear earth penetrator weapons. [S 1050, Vote 189, 5/21/03] XXXX Twice Voted to Research the Making of New Nuclear Warheads. In May 2003, XXXX twice voted to allow work on low-yield nuclear weapons to proceed beyond the research phase only with the explicit approval of Congress. [S 1050, Vote 187, 5/21/03; S 1050, Vote 188, 5/21/03] XXXX Voted to Allow Resumption of Research and Development of Low-Yield Nuclear Weapons. XXXX voted against an amendment that that would strike from the FY04 Defense Appropriations bill a provision allowing the resumption of research and development on low-yield nuclear weapons. [S 1050, Vote 186, 5/20/03] XXXX Voted Against $30 Million for Researching Anti-Missile Aircraft Technology. XXXX , on April 3, 2003, voted against the Boxer amendment to S.762, which was an amendment to appropriate $30 million for research, development, and the deployment of technology to protect commercial aircraft from terrorist attacks using shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missiles. [S 762, Vote 117, 4/3/03] XXXX Voted for $475.6 Million to Research the Crusader Howitzer. In June 2002, XXXX voted for an amendment that would set aside $475.6 million designated for the Crusader howitzer and allocate the funding to the Army's Future Combat System. The Army would be required to complete a review within 30 days of the bill's enactment of artillery programs that could improve the Army over the next 20 years. It would provide that the funds could be spent after the Defense Secretary submits his recommendations and the required report to the congressional defense committees. [S 2514, Vote 158, 6/14/02] 319