President Bush signed a $401 billion defense appropriations bill that includes funding for for continued research into new H-bombs, including low-yield, “mini-nukes.” We speak with the Los Alamos Study Group’s Greg Mello.

President Bush signed a $401 billion defense authorization bill Monday saying, “America’s military is standing between our country and grave danger.”

Tucked away within the bill is $15 million for continued research into new H-bombs, including low-yield, so-called “mini-nukes.” The bill lifts a decade-old ban on research into low-yield nuclear weapons.

Japanese officials expressed concern yesterday about the plan saying it could have a “negative impact on nuclear nonproliferation.” The U.S. is the only country in history to have dropped an atomic bomb. In 1945 it dropped one on the city of Hiroshima and one on Nagasaki in Japan. Over 340,000 died as a result.

• Greg Mello, executive director of the Los Alamos Study Group.