10 U.S.C. § 6121: Testing of nuclear weapons

§6121 Testing of Nuclear Weapons

Title 10 › 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 › § 6121

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The United States must not conduct any underground nuclear test after September 30, 1996. If a foreign state conducts a nuclear test after that date, the U.S. ban is lifted. Money provided under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103–160; 107 Stat. 1547), or under any other law in any year, may not be used to keep the United States able to do atmospheric nuclear testing.

Title 10, §6121

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Underground Testing.—

No underground test of nuclear weapons may be conducted by the United States after September 30, 1996, unless a foreign state conducts a nuclear test after this date, at which time the prohibition on United States nuclear testing is lifted.

(b)Atmospheric Testing.—

None of the funds appropriated pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103–160; 107 Stat. 1547) or any other Act for any fiscal year may be available to maintain the capability of the United States to conduct atmospheric testing of a nuclear weapon.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994, referred to in subsec. (b), is Pub. L. 103–160, Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1547. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 2530 of Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 119–60, § 3111(b)(1).