Gordon: NNSA Nomination Blocked; On the Record

SENATE NOMINATION BLOCKED:

Last month it appeared that General John A. Gordon’s nomination to head the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) was on a fast track. His nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee had gone exceedingly well, with Gordon receiving much praise from committee members. At the conclusion of the hearing, committee chairman John Warner (R-VA) announced his intention to take the nomination to the floor quickly.

Senate consideration of Gordon’s nomination is being blocked by a single senator, Richard H. Bryan (D-Nevada). Bryan has no trouble with Gordon. Using what is called “senatorial courtesy,” Bryan is preventing action on the nomination because he is troubled by two provisions in the FY 2001 Senate defense authorization bill. One of these would prevent a DOE employee from simultaneously working at the NNSA (“dual-hatting”) which Energy Secretary Bill Richardson would like to do with about 18 senior employees. The second is a provision which would prevent Richardson from making any organizational changes in the NNSA. A Bryan spokesman said that the provisions “go back on an agreement reached last year about Richardson’s authority” over the NNSA. Last month, Richardson said of the two provisions, “I will oppose petty actions like these that only divert attention from what should be our shared goal of keeping our nuclear secrets safe. The department has been diligently working for months to implement poorly drafted legislation in a way that increases accountability, not reduces it.” Richardson is scheduled to meet with Bryan this week.

GORDON ON SECURITY AND SCIENCE AT THE WEAPONS LABS:

At last month’s nomination hearing, the Armed Services Committee distributed Gordon’s written responses to advance questions. Selections from his responses follow:

QUESTION: “Can you describe the relative importance you place on maintaining the scientific capabilities of the weapons labs and a vigilant security and counterintelligence posture?” ANSWER: “I place extremely high importance on a vigilant and effective security and counterintelligence posture across the elements of the NNSA . . . At the same time, it is critical to maintain the unsurpassed scientific capabilities of the weapons labs, classified or unclassified. But I do not believe this is an either-or situation. We can do the science and we can do the security. Indeed, we must do both. This will, however, require a change in the culture of at least some elements of the labs along with the full investment of the laboratory managers in the security and counterintelligence programs. It’s not enough to simply dictate and enforce needed security and counterintelligence programs; managers and directors must also build the acceptance and support of the programs among the highly committed, patriotic workforce.”

QUESTION: “Do you believe these goals are at crossed purposes?” ANSWER: “Absolutely not. I am certain that the very bright and dedicated people in NNSA can do both - pursue modern science in the most dynamic and creative ways, while protecting secrets and national security.”