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Daily Archives: May 26, 2017
Germany and India to cooperate in alternative medicine – BSI bureau (press release)
Posted: May 26, 2017 at 4:02 am
The signing of the JDl will enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the areas of traditional/alternative medicine
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Germany and India regarding cooperation in the sector of alternative medicine.
The signing of the JDl will enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the areas of traditional/alternative medicine. Initiation of collaborative research, training and scientific capacity building in the field of alternative medicine under the JDI between the two countries would contribute to the enhanced employment opportunities in the AYUSH sector.
There are no additional financial implications involved. The financial resources necessary to conduct research, training courses, conferences / meetings will be met from the existing allocated budget and existing plan schemes of Ministry of AYUSH.
India is blessed with well-developed systems of traditional medicine which hold tremendous potential in the global health scenario. Germany has considerable interest in Traditional Systems of Medicine. The Ministry of AYUSH as a part of its mandate to propagate Indian systems of Medicine globally has taken effective steps by entering into MoU with China, Malaysia, Trinidad & Tobago Hungary, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, Mongolia and Myanmar.
The Ministry has taken many initiatives for promotion of Ayurveda in Germany with the recommendation and cooperation of the Indian Embassy in Berlin. One of the major initiatives is the collaborative research Project between the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and Charite University, Berlin on Osteoarthritis of the knee. The results of the trial are encouraging and the clinical trial demonstrates significant improvement in patients. The study has been completed successfully and is under publication.
A delegation led by Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State, (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH had visited Germany from 15-19 October 2016 to participate in the 2nd European World Ayurveda Congress (EWAC) and have interactions with the authorities in Germany. The Congress was supported by the Ministry of AYUSH.
During the visit a bilateral meeting was held between MoS (IC), AYUSH with the Parliamentary State Secretary Ms. Ingrid Fischbach during which both sides had unanimously agreed to begin the process of drafting and negotiating a JDl in the field of AYUSH and Natural medicine. It is expected that the JDI would give a boost to India-Germany ties and enhance cooperation between the two countries.
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India, Germany to work together on alternative medicine – Economic Times
Posted: at 4:02 am
NEW DELHI: India and Germany, which worked together on treating osteoarthritis with ayurveda, will collaborate further in the field of alternative medicine, the government said today.
"The Union Cabinet has approved a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Germany and India regarding cooperation in the sector of alternative medicine," an official statement said. The collaboration will also enhance employment, it said.
The Cabinet was also apprised of a pact, signed here in April this year, between India and Bangladesh on cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space.
While India has well-developed systems of traditional medicine which hold tremendous potential in the global health scenario, Germany has considerable interest in such a system of medicine, it said.
Noting that the AYUSH Ministry had taken many initiatives for promoting ayurveda in Germany, the statement referred to the collaborative research project between the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) and the Charite University in Berlin on osteoarthritis of the knee.
"The results of the trial are encouraging and the clinical trial demonstrates significant improvement in patients. The study has been completed successfully and is under publication," the statement said.
Initiation of collaborative research, training and scientific capacity building in the field of alternative medicine under the JDI between the two countries would contribute to enhanced employment opportunities in the AYUSH sector, it said.
The financial resources necessary to conduct research, training courses and conferences will be met from the existing allocated budget and existing plan schemes of Ministry of AYUSH.
A delegation led by AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik had visited Germany in October last year to participate in the second European World Ayurveda Congress.
During the visit, Naik met German Parliamentary State Secretary Ingrid Fischbach and the two sides agreed to begin the process of drafting and negotiating a JDl in the field of AYUSH and natural medicine.
On the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Bangladesh, the statement said it would lead to cooperation in areas such as space science, technology and applications including remote sensing of the earth.
The pact would also enable cooperation in satellite communication and satellite based navigation, planetary exploration, use of spacecraft and space systems and ground system and application of space technology.
"The MoU would lead to a Joint Working Group, drawing members from the Department of Space and the Indian Space Research Organisation (DOS/ISRO), and the Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC)," it said.
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India, Germany to work together on alternative medicine – Jagranjosh – Jagran Josh
Posted: at 4:02 am
The Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between Germany and India regarding cooperation in the field of alternative medicine on 24 May 2017.
The move aims to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two nations in the areas of traditional and alternative medicine. The collaborative research, training and scientific capacity building undertaken by the nations under the declaration would contribute to increased employment opportunities in the AYUSH sector.
All the necessary funds required to conduct the research, training courses, conferences and meetings would be provided from the budget allocated to the Ministry of AYUSH and its existing plan schemes. Besides this, no additional financial implications would be involved.
Background
India has a well-developed system of traditional medicine that holds tremendous potential in the global health scenario.
Germany also has an advanced herbal and natural medicine industry with continuous high level scientific research concentrated on traditional medicines.
The Ministry of AYUSH as a part of its mandate to propagate Indian systems of Medicine globally has taken effective steps by signing memorandum of understanding with several nations including Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mauritius, Hungary, Mongolia and Trinidad & Tobago.
In October 2016, a delegation led by Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of AYUSH had visited Germany to participate in the 2nd European World Ayurveda Congress (EWAC) and to interact with the German authorities.
During the visit a bilateral meeting was held between Naik and the Parliamentary State Secretary Ingrid Fischbach, in which both the sides unanimously agreed to begin the process of drafting and negotiating a joint declaration between the two nations in the field of AYUSH and Natural medicine.
The joint declaration is not only expected to boost India-Germany ties but it is also expected to enhance the existing cooperation between the two countries.
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India, Germany to work together on alternative medicine - Jagranjosh - Jagran Josh
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Judge temporarily halts Maryland medical marijuana industry … – Baltimore Sun
Posted: at 4:02 am
A Baltimore judge put Maryland's medical marijuana industry temporarily on hold Thursday, granting the request of a company that alleged state regulators illegally ignored racial diversity when picking firms to grow the drug.
Circuit Judge Barry Williams said the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission is not permitted to grant any additional marijuana licenses for 10 days. He will decide after a June 2 hearing whether to extend that ban until the conclusion of a lawsuit that asks for the entire application process to begin anew.
The case has been watched closely by medical marijuana firms, regulators and patients because it has potential to upend the entire industry before it gets off the ground.
In his brief ruling, Williams said the 15 preliminary licenses to grow the drug could have been awarded in a manner that was "potentially arbitrary and capricious and possibly unconstitutional."
The lawyer representing the commission, Assistant Attorney General Heather Nelson, declined to comment. Commission chairman Paul Davies said the ruling only applies to growers licenses and the commission will continue its work.
ForwardGro, the only company to secure a final cultivation license, will be allowed to keep growing marijuana during the temporary ban, but the company will have to argue in court next week why it should be allowed to continue.
ForwardGro won final approval last week to grow the drug, more than four years after Maryland first legalized a medical marijuana program. More than 6,500 patients have registered to receive the drug when it's available.
The industry has been beset by delays and disputes, including allegations that the commission broke the law in failing to seek racial diversity and in not following its own rules as it sought geographic diversity among medical marijuana growers. Those licenses are estimated to be worth millions.
A state law required the commission to "encourage" participation by minorities and to "actively seek to achieve racial, ethnic and geographic diversity when licensing medical cannabis growers."
Although the commission used geographic diversity as a selection criteria albeit in a way that's subject to another lawsuit the commission did not inquire about, nor consider, the racial or ethnic identity of applicants.
None of the 15 companies granted preliminary approval to grow the drug are led by African-Americans. Alternative Medicine Maryland, which is led by an African-American doctor from New York, was not ranked by the cannabis commission among the top 15 companies seeking a growing license and filed a lawsuit last fall challenging the award process.
Nelson, who represents the commission, argued in court that the law never expressly required racial diversity to be a selection criteria and that the commission satisfied the requirement to seek diversity by broadly advertising the program. She said Alternative Medicine Maryland's application was evidence the commission successfully reached a diverse pool of candidates.
"What they did was sufficient," Nelson said.
The Legislative Black Caucus disagrees, and has accused the commission of unfairly excluding African-Americans, who make up about a third of Maryland's population, from the industry.
Black lawmakers are lobbying the governor and presiding officers to recall the General Assembly to Annapolis to expand the industry to include more minority-owned firms.
Earlier this month, Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order to conduct a disparity study that examines whether minorities face a disadvantage getting into the lucrative medical marijuana business. Such a study is a prerequisite to legally considering race when awarding state licenses.
A lawyer for ForwardGro said the company will present their case in court next week.
"The key for us is to continue to focus on getting medicine to patients in Maryland," said Gail Rand, a spokeswoman for ForwardGro.
Brian Brown, an attorney for Alternative Medicine Maryland, said the company doesn't wish to delay the industry.
"It's our hope that this gets resolved quickly and expeditiously," he said.
The trade group representing growers and processors who have won preliminary licenses called the ruling "incredibly disappointing."
"Maryland's patients and families have waited nearly four years for access to these important medicines," said Jake Van Wingerden, the group's chairman. "We are hopeful that the Circuit Court will rule against Alternative Medicine Maryland's frivolous legal filing when all the evidence is heard on June 2."
The trade association questioned whether Alternative Medicine Maryland would even qualify for a license if race had been considered, citing a redacted document filed by the state.
That document shows none of the top 60 firms proposed locating in Talbot County, where Alternative Medicine Maryland proposed starting a growing operation in a former Black and Decker plant in Easton. The document does not identify any of the top companies by name.
The commission has argued it should not have to reveal any details about the ranking process that led to the selection of the 15 companies that won preliminary licenses to grow the drug in August 2016, citing deliberative privilege.
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Calcium Supplements: Are You Getting What You Pay For? – Newsmax
Posted: at 4:01 am
Calcium is an essential mineral found in foods and dietary supplements. Its best-known benefit is building and maintaining strong bones, and slowing bone loss. But it plays a critical role in heart health, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction.
Which calcium supplements are the best, most effective, and budget-friendly?
A new review published by ConsumerLab.com a leading provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition aims to answer those questions by ranking the best available supplements on the market.
The organizations Calcium Supplements Review rates 27 products evaluated by the group.
Among the findings:
Based on the organizations research findings, the reviews authors identified a Top Pick for each of nine categories. To be a Top Pick, a supplement had to pass ConsumerLabs tests of quality, provide calcium at a reasonable price, contain a reasonable dose, and offer a convenient formulation.
Two of the Top Picks are:
Overall Top Pick. GNC Calcium Citrate, which provides 500 mg of calcium per two-caplet serving at a cost of 9 cents. This supplement is also the Top Pick in the Calcium Only category.
Calcium and Vitamin D. Bayer Citracal Petites, which provide 400 mg of calcium and 500 IU of vitamin D per two-capsule serving for 11 cents.
Because you may already be getting that amount from food alone, supplementation may be unnecessary. Rich dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, beans, and green-leafy vegetables. For example, just one cup of milk or yogurt provides a whopping 300-400 mg of calcium.
If youre not getting the recommended amount of calcium from your diet, supplements can help. Multiple studies show that 1,000-2,000 mg per day of calcium (usually as calcium citrate) in combination with 400-800 IU per of vitamin D can slow bone loss in postmenopausal women. Research shows that supplementation may be especially useful in in postmenopausal women who have been prescribed hormonal therapy after undergoing a hysterectomy.
The official tolerable upper limits for calcium are 2,500 mg per day for children ages 1-8, 3,000 mg for those ages 8-18, which falls to 2,000 mg for those over 50. But much lower amounts, usually from supplements, have been associated with risks for adults.
Its rare to get toxic amounts of calcium from food alone. In fact, a high dietary intake of calcium is associated with many good effects. But excess calcium from supplements is associated with a wide range of ill effects.
Be careful! the authors write. Calcium from supplements may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease if you get too much from supplements [over 1,000 mg per day] or if you already get enough calcium from your diet.
A high calcium intake from supplements also may increase the risk of:
Calcium supplements also may impair the absorption of thyroid hormone and antibiotics in the fluoroquinolone class.
If you take calcium supplements, the researchers offer these tips.
2017 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.
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Woman Sues Over Jelly Bean Exercise Supplements Containing Sugar – Eater
Posted: at 4:01 am
In a time when well-done steak with ketchup may be the national dish of the United States, we may as well try to pass off jelly beans as a health food. Thats what bean-shaped candy giant Jelly Belly figures, anyway. The company has a line of Sport Beans that it markets as exercise supplements. Unfortunately for Jelly Belly, someone was tricked into thinking these sugary legume-shaped treats might actually be healthy, and they have filed a lawsuit against the company.
Jessica Gomez has filed a class-action suit in the United States District Court Central District of California, alleging Jelly Belly attempts to dupe consumers into thinking the Sport Beans do not contain sugar. Gomez alleges the products list of ingredients includes evaporated cane juice, which is, of course, sugar. She cites a warning from the Food and Drug Administration that calls this sort of labeling misleading because it does not reflect the common name.
Jelly Belly produces several varieties of Sport Beans, and as of this posting, an official website lists cane sugar as the top ingredient in each product. Its unclear if this reflects a change made since Gomez filed filed her lawsuit, but evidence suggests packaging previously listed the ingredient as evaporated cane juice. In a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, Jelly Belly called Gomezs claim nonsense.
No reasonable consumer could have been deceived by Sport Beans labeling Gomez could not have seen evaporated cane juice without also seeing the products sugar content on its Nutrition Facts panel, the motion reads. And she has pled no facts to suggest that athletes, who consume this product to sustain intense exercise, would want to avoid sugar rather than affirmatively seek it.
No matter the outcome of this case, the moral of the story is: Jelly beans are not health food, even if they bear the ridiculous name of Sport Beans. Do not consume jelly beans in an attempt to be healthy.
Jelly Belly Sued by Woman Claiming She Didn't Know Jelly Beans Contain Sugar [Fox] All Lawsuits Coverage [E]
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Let Food Be Thy Medicine, But Mind Your Words – Lexology (registration)
Posted: at 4:01 am
A tweet last week from Project Nosh set my food-labeling-lawyer-head buzzing: Consumers are looking for snacks that arent just empty calories. Brands are providing everything from protein to anti-nausea properties. An anti-nausea claim on a food label can they say that?
As consumers more fully embrace the idea of food as medicine, and food companies jump to respond, food companies will find themselves asking that question, often stumbling through the fog of the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) labeling-claims regulations in their efforts to market their products. Food companies that want to tout the health benefits of their products should take care to ensure that their claims do not get them into hot water, legally speaking.
One category of labeling claims causes the most confusioncalled structure/function claimsand is where that anti-nausea claim may fall.[1] The FDA explains that structure/function claims describe the role of a nutrient or dietary ingredient intended to affect the structure or function in humans or that characterize the documented mechanism by which a nutrient or dietary ingredient acts to maintain such structure or function, provided that such statements are not disease claims.
Basically, the FDA is saying you can talk about ways your food supports health, but dont make claims that would make your product a drug. But, of course, what constitutes a drug claim isnt always clear either. The FDA has provided ten criteria in a guidance document to help food companies determine whether a particular statement is a structure/function claim or a drug claim.
Some criteria are more obviouse.g., a statement that mentions a specific disease or class of diseases (e.g., protective against the development of cancer). On the other hand, some are less cleare.g., a statement that claims an effect on a condition associated with a natural state or process (e.g., helps with mild mood changes and cramps associated with the menstrual cycle versus helps with severe depression associated with the menstrual cycle). Additionally, a claim doesnt have to mention a disease explicitly; pictures, vignettes, and other implications can cause a statement to be characterized as a drug claim.
Further complicating things is the application of different requirements based on whether the product is a conventional food or a dietary supplement. Structure/function claims on conventional foods are limited to statements about the products nutritive value, while structure/function claims on dietary supplements can additionally focus on a products non-nutritive benefits.
Dietary supplements carrying structure/function claims must add a disclaimer that the claims have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, while structure/function claims on conventional food are not required to bear the disclaimer. Structure/function claims on dietary supplements must be submitted to the FDA 30-days after first marketing the product, whereas conventional foods can use structure/function claims without notifying the FDA. Finally, of course, all structure/function claims require substantiation that is, both food and supplement companies must be able to show the FDA that the claims made on the label are true based on competent and reliable scientific evidence.
Dietary supplements carrying structure/function claims must add a disclaimer that the claims have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, while structure/function claims on conventional food are not required to bear the disclaimer.
Back to Project Noshs tweet: most of the claims food companies want to make about the health benefits of their products will fall into the structure/function category. It behooves food companies to carefully consider any claims theyd like to make on their product labels that might fall into the structure/function category of claims. The anti-nausea properties mentioned in Project Noshs tweet, if on a label, might make the FDA characterize the food product a drug. However, without more information about the product and the claim, it is difficult to know for sure. After all this thinking about structure/function claims, my head is spinning. Do they have a food for that?
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Modernization, Replacement Programs Constitute Nuclear Deterrence Priority – Department of Defense
Posted: at 4:01 am
WASHINGTON, May 25, 2017 Modernization and replacement programs for elements of the U.S. nuclear triad are the first priority for the Defense and Energy departments, the Air Force and the Navy in fiscal year 2018, officials and military officers told a House panel this morning.
Testifying before the House Armed Services Strategic Force Subcommittee on the presidents budget request for fiscal year 2018 were Frank Klotz, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration, and Dr. Rob Soofer, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy.
Joining them to offer testimony on 2018 priorities for nuclear forces were Air Force Gen. Robin Rand, commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command, and Navy Vice Adm. Terry Benedict, director of Navy Strategic Systems Programs.
The NNSA, which Congress established in 2000, maintains the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, helps reduce the global danger from weapons of mass destruction, provides the U.S. Navy with nuclear propulsion and responds internationally to nuclear and radiological emergencies.
Recapitalizing Nuclear Infrastructure
Klotz said the NNSA budget request, which is about half of the Energy Department budget, is $13.9 billion, nearly $1 billion over the fiscal 2017 omnibus level. We're very grateful for the level of spending that has been proposed in the president's [fiscal 2018] budget. It will allow us to tackle some of our very important infrastructure recapitalization projects, such as the uranium processing facility at Y-12 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Klotz said.
We expect to complete design this year and actually start construction next year, he said, adding, We didn't get into the situation we face with aging and in some cases crumbling infrastructure overnight, and we're not going to get out of it in a day.
Klotz told the panel that the 2018 budget request is vital to ensuring that the U.S. nuclear force remains modern, robust and tailored to 21st century threats and to reassure U.S. allies. Elements of the request are as follows:
-- Weapons activity appropriation: $10.2 billion, a 10.8 percent increase over 2017.
-- Defense nuclear nonproliferation: $1.8 billion, consistent with 2017.
-- Naval reactors program: Nearly $1.5 billion, a 4.2 percent increase over 2017, and
-- Federal salaries and expenses: $418 million, an 8.1 percent over 2017.
Our [fiscal] 2018 budget request accounts for the significant tempo of operations at NNSA that in many ways has reached a level unseen since the Cold War, Klotz said.
The request includes long-overdue investments to repair and replace infrastructure at national laboratories and production plants, he added, and improves workspace for the scientific, engineering and professional workforce.
Ultimate Deterrent
In his remarks to the panel, Soofer said that for decades U.S. nuclear forces have provided the ultimate deterrent against nuclear attacks on the United States and its allies.
Effective deterrence requires a deliberate strategy and forces that are structured and postured to support that strategy, he said, noting that strategy, forces and posture also must be flexible enough to maintain stability while adjusting to gradual and rapid technological and geopolitical changes.
Russia has taken aggressive actions against its neighbors, threatened the United States and is modernizing a diverse nonstrategic nuclear weapons force, for example. China's increased assertiveness suggests a desire to dominate the Asia-Pacific region, and North Korea's leaders have been willing to accept economic countermeasures and international isolation to advance its nuclear capability, he said, among other threats.
Against this backdrop, Soofer said, the president directed DoD to conduct a comprehensive Nuclear Posture Review that is expected to be completed by the end of this calendar year.
As we conduct the NPR, [Defense Secretary Jim Mattis] has directed that we continue with the existing program of record for recapitalizing our aging nuclear forces, he said.
DoD expects nuclear recapitalization costs to total $230 billion to $290 billion over more than two decades, Soofer said.
The president's budget request for [fiscal] 2018 fully funds DoD nuclear recapitalization programs and provides for nuclear force sustainment operations. It also adds more than $3 billion across the Future Years Defense Plan relative to the previous years' request to continue improving the health of the DoD nuclear enterprise, he said.
Long-Range Strategic Forces
In his remarks, Air Force Gen. Robin Rand, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, highlighted the need for modernization efforts across Air Force Global Strike Command.
Fiscal constraints, while posing planning challenges, do not alter the national security landscape or the intent of competitors and adversaries, the general said. Nor do they diminish the enduring value of long-range strategic forces to our nation.
Navy Vice Adm. Terry Benedict, director of Navy Strategic Systems Programs, addressed long-term sustainment of the triads sea-based leg.
While our current life-extension efforts will sustain the D-5 [Trident submarine-launched ballistic missile] system until the 2040s, the Navy is already beginning to evaluate options to maintain a credible and effective strategic weapon system to the end of the Columbia class service life in the 2080s, the Benedict said.
At SSP we are looking long term and across the spectrum, from our workforce and infrastructure to our industry partners and geographic footprint, he added.
(Follow Cheryl Pellerin on Twitter: @PellerinDoDNews)
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Nuclear weapons agency gets 11 percent funding increase in FY18 … – DefenseNews.com
Posted: at 4:01 am
WASHINGTONThe government agency in charge of upkeep and modernization of Americas nuclear warheads is in line for a big funding boost, thanks to U.S. President Donald Trumps fiscal 2018 budget request.
The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a quasi-independent entity within the Department of Energy, is marked for $13.9 billion, an increase of $1 billionor 7.8 percentabove the FY17 Omnibus level.
The vast majority of that funding will be going towards NNSAs nuclear weapons programs, which was certainly welcomed by Frank Klotz, the retired U.S. Air Force general who now heads the nuclear agency.
NNSA is engaged in a quintet of major warhead programs, including the W76-1 Life Extension Program, which will extend the life on the U.S. Navys Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile; the B61-12 Life Extension Program, which seeks to combine a number of B61 bomb variants into a more modernized nuclear gravity bomb; the W80-4 Life Extension Program, whose goal is to provide a warhead for a future long-range standoff missile that will replace the U.S. Air Forces current air-launched cruise missile; the IW-1 Life Extension Program, which is meant to create an interoperable warhead for various systems; and the W88 Alteration 370, which will replace the arming, fuzing and firing subsystem for the W88 warhead for the Trident II.
For full FY18 budget coverage,click here.
A recent report by the Government Accountability Office warned that NNSA has to understated how much money it will need to complete those warhead modernization programs, in some cases by billions of dollars. Klotz did not address that report directly, but noted that as the weapon programs move forward from early research into higher-level stages of development, they will naturally require more funding.
The budget growth is a recognition of where we are in several of our major weapons programs, as well as the need to revitalize NNSAs infrastructure, Klotz said. The retired general has spent much of the last year campaigning for congressional aid to deal with what he says is $3.7 billion in deferred maintenance costs.
"The cost increases in U.S. nuclear weapons programs are not a result of any desire by President Trump to enhance the U.S. nuclear arsenal, Young said. They simply reflect costs increasing in the weapons programs beyond what the NNSA expected, a completely unsurprising development considering the history of major projects at the agency."
While the weapons programs are getting a boost, nonproliferation programs are not so lucky, which raised concerns within the nonproliferation community.
"The Trump administration's budget request continues a trend that began under President Obama, of cutting programs intended to halt the spread of nuclear weapons in order to fund programs to maintain and upgrade the U.S. nuclear arsenal, Young said.
One interesting program in the budget highlighted by Klotz is the fact NNSA is kicking in $183 million to a partnership led by Office of Sciences Advanced Scientific Computing Research to develop exscale computing power that will allow higher-level research capabilities.
More broadly, nuclear weapons programs from the Pentagon remained on track in the FY18 request. That includes continued funding for the start of the Long Range Stand-Off weapon (LRSO), the new nuclear cruise missile in the early stages of design.
Congressional Democrats and members of the nonproliferation community have taken aim at the weapon as destabilizing, but there does not seem to be much interest from the Trump administration to rethink its requirement.
Also of note, Pentagon budget documents show that the F-35A is scheduled to become certified to carry nuclear weapons in fiscal year 2025. While the goal of carrying the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb has long been planned, this is the firmest date for when that capability will be online.
Meanwhile, the B-21 Raider, the Air Forces new bomber, increases its publicly acknowledged funding from $1.3 billion to $2 billion, although the program remains largely shrouded in secrecy. Budget documents continue to show an operational date of mid-2020s for the stealth plane, which will be used for both nuclear and conventional missions.
A recent estimate from the Congressional Budget Office put the cost of modernizing the nuclear enterprise over the next decade at $400 billion, with other estimates putting the overall nuclear modernization at over $1 trillion when all is said and done.
One quirk in how NNSAs budget worked in recent years involved a Program Support account inside DoD, which would hold onto out-year funding that OMB would then reallocate to NNSA in one-year increments. However, starting this year, that fund disappears. Instead, NNSA will house all that funding internally in what Klotz called a return to regular order.
That money was always part of NNSAs budgeting plan and so will not impact the agencys budget.
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Nuclear weapons agency gets 11 percent funding increase in FY18 ... - DefenseNews.com
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Second round of city manager interviews Friday – Redding Record Searchlight
Posted: at 3:58 am
Retired City Manager Kurt Starman gives his thoughts on the challenges ahead for Redding. Sean Longoria
From left, Redding City Council members Adam McElvain, Francie Sullivan, Brent Weaver, Kristen Schreder and Julie Winter meet May 15 to interview candidates for the city's new manager.(Photo: Sean Longoria)
Redding is down to possibly its final candidates to replace now-retired City Manager Kurt Starman.
The City Council on Friday morning will interview the two candidates just a few weeks after it interviewed a larger field of four. The closed-session council meeting starts at 8:15 a.m.
I anticipate a very robust debate between the five of us as we determine what direction to go, Mayor Brent Weaver said.
More: Tippin named interim city manager as Redding continues search
Weaver anticipates the interviews to last all morning, he said. Council members may announce whether theyve selected someone after that meeting, though the official hiring would be done at a future council meeting.
Officials still arent saying who theyve interviewed or revealing the identity of the final two candidates.
They got our interest enough to where they made it to this round, Weaver said. They have backgrounds that fit what werelooking for.
Last week the council interviewed four people in closed session. A total of 34 people applied for the post, said Bill Avery of Avery & Associates, whos conducting the search for the city.
More: Redding council interviews city manager hopefuls
Starmans last day was Friday. In a Record Searchlight interview a day earlier, Starman shared the qualities hed like to see in a successor.
For me, at the very top of that list is someone who and this is a given, I suppose, at least in my world someone who is honest and ethical and has high integrity, he said. Someone who is going to represent the city of Redding well and be the face andvoice of the city. Really, be a public servant and serve the community and serve the organization.
Retired Redding City Manager Kurt Starman weighs in on the qualities he'd like to see in the next person who gets the job. Sean Longoria
Among the challenges facing Starmans successor and the city are the areas continued transition from a resource-based economy to something different, increased pension costs, an aging workforce and the citys tendency to focus on the negative without recognizing its own merits,Starman said.
We cant be Pollyanna-ish and ignore challenges or ignore the problem but on the other hand I dont think we should ignore the beauty of our area, the potential of Redding, Starman said. Im very confident Redding has a bright future. Well continue to grow and do well.
More: Redding closer to naming next city manager
Also on that list are pension cost increases hitting local governments across the state this year.
For me, its probably my No. 1 attribute Im looking for is how a new city manager will really interpret where were at financially and how were going to react to that, Weaver said. Are we just going to remain status quo and see real-time services die on the vine or are we going to try new things, take risks, be innovative, all of the above?
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Second round of city manager interviews Friday - Redding Record Searchlight
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