Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-73
§492b Biannual briefing on nuclear weapons and related activities
Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— - General Military Law › Part PART I— - ORGANIZATION AND GENERAL MILITARY POWERS › Chapter CHAPTER 24— - NUCLEAR POSTURE › § 492b
Summary
Around May 1 and November 1 each year, six named senior defense officials must brief the Senate and House Armed Services Committees about nuclear weapons policy, operations, technology development, and other related topics the committees ask for. Any of those officials can have a Senior Executive Service member who reports to them give the briefing instead. This requirement ends on January 1, 2028.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §492b
Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)On or about May 1 and November 1 of each year, the officials specified in subsection (b) shall provide to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a briefing on matters relating to nuclear weapons policies, operations, technology development, and other similar topics as requested by such committees.
(b)The officials specified in this subsection are the following:
(1)The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition.
(2)The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs.
(3)The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy.
(4)The Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs of the National Nuclear Security Administration.
(5)The Director for Strategy, Plans, and Policy of the Joint Staff.
(6)The Director for Capability and Resource Integration for the United States Strategic Command.
(c)An official specified in subsection (b) may delegate the authority to provide a briefing under subsection (a) to a member of the Senior Executive Service who reports to the official.
(d)The requirement to provide a briefing under subsection (a) shall terminate on January 1, 2028.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification As enacted by Pub. L. 117–263, “SEC.” preceding section designation and catchline text were editorially conformed to the style used in this title.
Amendments
2024—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 118–159 substituted “Nuclear Deterrence, Chemical, and Biological Defense Policy and Programs” for “Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 492b
Title 10 — Armed Forces
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73