D'Agostino Highlights FY2011 Budget Request, Announces New NNSA Operating Principles at Second Annual Deterrence Summit | National Nuclear Security Administration

D'Agostino Highlights FY2011 Budget Request, Announces New NNSA Operating Principles at Second Annual Deterrence Summit

WASHINGTON, DC – During the opening session of the second annual Deterrence Summit today, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator Thomas D'Agostino delivered a keynote address in which he highlighted the President's FY2011 NNSA budget request and announced a set of NNSA Operating Principles aimed improving operations across the nuclear security enterprise.

Administrator D'Agostino said the $11.2 billion budget request, an increase of 13 percent over FY2010, "reflects both the President's commitment to the unprecedented nuclear security agenda he outlined last year in his Prague speech, and the critical role NNSA plays in implementing that agenda."  He also highlighted the connection between strengthening NNSA's infrastructure and strengthening nuclear nonproliferation efforts, saying "the same facilities, the same scientists, and the same core capabilities that support our stockpile also support these other missions."

Highlighting his commitment to ensuring that NNSA remains an effective steward of tax dollars, the Administrator summarized recent NNSA management reforms aimed at making the nuclear security enterprise more efficient and announced that he had recently signed new NNSA Operating Principles.  Administrator D'Agostino said those Principles, which can be found at www.nnsa.doe.gov, will help ensure that NNSA "remains a highly performing, highly reliable enterprise that consistently delivers its mission."

The following are excerpts of Administrator D'Agostino's remarks as prepared for delivery:

• ON THE NNSA BUDGET REQUEST: "This is an exciting time to be at NNSA and an opportune time to gather to discuss the future of NNSA and the nuclear security enterprise. Two weeks ago, the President submitted his FY2011 Budget to the Congress.  For the NNSA, our FY 2011 Budget Request of $11.2 billion is a 13% increase over FY2010.  This reflects both the President's commitment to the unprecedented nuclear security agenda he outlined last year in his Prague speech, and the critical role NNSA plays in implementing that agenda."  
• ON INVESTING IN A 21ST CENTURY NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE: "As Vice President Biden noted in his Wall Street Journal op-ed last month, investing in a modern, sustainable nuclear security infrastructure supports the full range of NNSA's nuclear security missions -- including stockpile stewardship, nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament, nuclear forensics, counterterrorism and emergency response, powering the nuclear Navy, and monitoring arms control treaties. The same facilities, the same scientists, and the same core capabilities that support our stockpile also support these other missions."
• ON MANAGEMENT REFORM: "The FY2011 budget request reflects the expanded and essential role NNSA plays in addressing a critical national security mission.  Managing our growth will be critical to mission success.  We cannot expect Congress to simply trust us with these new resources.  NNSA, the Department and our contractors have a responsibility to work together to reduce unnecessarily burdensome requirements, reduce administrative and indirect costs, redirect savings to direct mission work, and make sure that we are doing the best job possible." 
• ON NNSA'S NEW OPERATING PRINCIPLES: "Along that line, I am pleased to announce that we recently issued new NNSA Operating Principles that will implement the Department-wide management principles Deputy Secretary Poneman addressed earlier this morning.  These principles will ensure that NNSA remains a highly performing, highly reliable enterprise that consistently delivers its mission. They are the principles that guide our priorities, decision making process and collaboration and partnership with entities that perform our work. You can find these principles on our website at www.nnsa.energy.gov/"

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Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science in the nation's national security enterprise. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability, and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; reduces the global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad.

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