National Roles and Responsibilities in Global Nuclear Security

President Nancy Jo Nicholas, Vice President Steve Ortiz, ladies and gentlemen, congratulations on your 50th anniversary. I am honored to speak today to the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management, whose members include the foremost nuclear safeguards and security experts in the world. The broad composition of this conference—over 900 attendees—demonstrates the global imperative of ensuring adequate nuclear security. I am particularly glad to see so many students here. As the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, I am charged with leading NNSA’s efforts to reduce the global dangers of nuclear proliferation. This complements NNSA’s mission to maintain the United States nuclear weapons stockpile. We take nuclear security very seriously; it is, after all, our middle name. As my distinguished colleague David Waller noted, nuclear security is both a national and a global responsibility. I will focus my remarks on the national roles and responsibilities in global nuclear security, and how our sense of urgency has driven us to accelerate our efforts.