US Pushes to Increase , Nuclear Weapons Stockpile , Amid Heightened Tensions.<br />'Newsweek' reports that nuclear weapons have gained <br />international focus amid a tense geopolitical landscape, <br />particularly between the United States and Russia.<br />Various studies in the past nine months have assessed <br />that the two global superpowers control a combined <br />89% of the world's total nuclear weapons stockpile. .<br />In late October, the U.S. House of Representatives <br />pushed to increase spending for present and future <br />nuclear stockpiles, defense and uranium enrichment.<br />In late October, the U.S. House of Representatives <br />pushed to increase spending for present and future <br />nuclear stockpiles, defense and uranium enrichment.<br />If passed, the new resolution <br />would provide $56.96 billion for the <br />2024 fiscal year, with over $19 billion for <br />updating weapons stockpiles and infrastructure.<br />According to a March report by the Federation <br />of American Scientists (FAS), just nine <br />countries control about 12,500 warheads. .<br />FAS' statistics estimate that Russia's total nuclear <br />stockpile consists of 5,889 active and retired <br />weapons, while the U.S.' total is just below with 5,244. .<br />The nations with the next-highest amount of nuclear<br />weapons are China with 410, France with 290, <br />the United Kingdom with 225 and Pakistan with 170.<br />Generally speaking, right now the <br />Weapons Activities budget is focused <br />on ensuring that the U.S. has the capability <br />to modernize and dismantle existing <br />nuclear warheads, and to design <br />and produce new warheads as needed, Michael Duitsman, research associate at the James Martin <br />Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury <br />Institute of International Studies at Monterey, via 'Newsweek'.<br />Less than a third of the budget is for maintaining the current stockpile; the rest is dedicated to infrastructure and science, engineering and industrial capabilities, Michael Duitsman, research associate at the James Martin <br />Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury <br />Institute of International Studies at Monterey, via 'Newsweek'
