Weapons of Mass Destruction: Actions Needed to Track Budget Execution for Counterproliferation Programs and Better Align Resources with Combating WMD Strategy

Combating weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery is one of the greatest challenges the United States faces. Traditionally, the use of WMD--which include chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons--has been constrained by the logic of deterrence and of diplomacy, but these constraints may be of less utility in preventing the use of WMD by rogue states or terrorist groups. The Department of Defense (DOD) assigns top priority to dissuading, deterring, and defeating those who seek to harm the United States directly, especially extremist enemies with WMD. In 1994, Congress established an interagency committee, now known as the Counterproliferation Program Review Committee (CPRC), with a variety of duties related to coordinating the activities and programs of federal agencies that address improvements in the U.S. government's efforts to combat WMD. The Secretary of Defense, as chairman of the CPRC, is required to report its findings biennially. The Departments of Energy, State, and Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence are also members of the CPRC, and must provide it with access to information on all pertinent programs, projects, and activities. The Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs, as chairman of the CPRC Standing Committee, compiles the report of the CPRC and submits it to Congress biennially. GAO has reported extensively in recent years on nonproliferation and consequence management - two of the three pillars of combating WMD. Our most recent report on the third pillar, counterproliferation, was issued in 2000. DOD defines counterproliferation as "those actions taken to defeat the threat and/or use of WMD against the United States, our military forces, friends, and allies." House Armed Services Committee Report 111-166 accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, directed GAO to assess and report on DOD and interagency counterproliferation activities, including the extent to which (1) existing strategies for the combating WMD mission are effective and the strategic framework encompasses a common lexicon, (2) DOD has developed comprehensive plans that are integrated across combating WMD mission areas, and (3) counterproliferation programs and related funding support DOD plans and strategies. In response to discussions with your staff, this report focuses on the extent to which DOD counterproliferation programs and related funding support DOD plans and strategies.7 You asked us to focus on the third objective at this time, to inform Congress as it deliberates on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011. We expect to issue our final report, which will address all three objectives, later this year.