Door Opened for New Era of Nuclear Arms  The Nation   May 10,
2003|Paul Richter, Times Staff Writer | Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration took a big step toward
developing a new generation of nuclear weapons Friday when a
Senate panel approved a bill that would lift a 10-year ban on
researching small atomic bombs for battlefield use and fund more
study on a nuclear "bunker-buster" bomb.  The annual defense
authorization bill, approved by the Senate Armed Services
Committee, would also increase funding for a nuclear weapons
site in Nevada to enable the Pentagon -- if necessary -- to more
quickly resume the weapons testing it suspended 11 years ago.
For The Record Nuclear test halt -- An article in Section A on
May 10 said incorrectly that the nuclear test moratorium was
begun by President Clinton. In fact, it was begun in September
1992, when President George H. W. Bush signed a bill ordering a
test halt.  The administration, in a major shift of recent U.S.
nuclear weapons doctrine, has b