11 Questions the U.S. Senate Should Ask the Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense

The Council on Strategic Risks outlines critical priorities for the nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense (ASD(NCB)), focusing on biological threats highlighted by COVID-19, the erosion of chemical weapons norms, and the maintenance of civilian oversight of the U.S. nuclear enterprise.

• The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense (ASD(NCB)) is responsible for sustaining the U.S. nuclear deterrent, developing WMD detection and response capabilities, ensuring treaty compliance, working with allies on countering weapons of mass destruction (CWMD), and advancing nonproliferation goals.
• Funding for the Chemical and Biological Defense Program (CBDP) has declined significantly, with the 2021 budget being approximately 30% lower than the 2010 budget when adjusted for inflation. In 2020, a Defense Wide Review proposed cutting research and procurement initiatives by nearly 15%, reducing spending from $1.4 billion to $1.2 billion.
• There is a perceived erosion of the norm against chemical weapons use, evidenced by the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong-Un’s half-brother using VX and the use of Novichok in the United Kingdom and Germany.
• Technological advancements are complicating WMD threats, specifically through gene-editing and gene-synthesis tools like CRISPR, combinatorial chemistry for creating harmful compounds, and additive manufacturing which challenges export controls for nuclear parts.
• The U.S. is expected to complete the destruction of its remaining chemical weapons stockpiles in Pueblo, CO and Blue Grass, KY by the end of 2023.

APA

Beaver, B., Lim, Y.-B., Parthemore, C., & Weber, A. (2021). 11 Questions the U.S. Senate Should Ask the Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense. The Council on Strategic Risks. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2021/04/28/11-questions-the-u-s-senate-should-ask-the-nominee-for-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-nuclear-chemical-and-biological-defense/

Chicago

Beaver, Bill, Yong-Bee Lim, Christine Parthemore, and Andy Weber. 11 Questions the U.S. Senate Should Ask the Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense. The Council on Strategic Risks, 2021. https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2021/04/28/11-questions-the-u-s-senate-should-ask-the-nominee-for-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-nuclear-chemical-and-biological-defense/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Beaver |first1=Bill |last2=Lim |first2=Yong-Bee |last3=Parthemore |first3=Christine |last4=Weber |first4=Andy |title=11 Questions the U.S. Senate Should Ask the Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense |publisher=The Council on Strategic Risks |date=28 April 2021 |url=https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2021/04/28/11-questions-the-u-s-senate-should-ask-the-nominee-for-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-nuclear-chemical-and-biological-defense/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{beaver2021questions, author = {Beaver, Bill and Lim, Yong-Bee and Parthemore, Christine and Weber, Andy}, title = {{11 Questions the U.S. Senate Should Ask the Nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense}}, publisher = {The Council on Strategic Risks}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://councilonstrategicrisks.org/2021/04/28/11-questions-the-u-s-senate-should-ask-the-nominee-for-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-nuclear-chemical-and-biological-defense/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }