Bill > S192

This bill, known as the "Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025", aims to limit the President's ability to launch a nuclear first strike without congressional approval. The bill emphasizes that the Constitution grants Congress the sole power to declare war and argues that a first-use nuclear strike constitutes a major act of war that should require explicit congressional authorization. It finds that nuclear weapons are uniquely destructive, capable of instantly killing millions and creating long-term global health and environmental consequences. The bill prohibits the use of federal funds for a first-use nuclear strike unless Congress has declared war and specifically authorized such a strike. It defines a first-use nuclear strike as a nuclear attack against an enemy that occurs without the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff first confirming that the United States, its territories, or its allies have been subject to a nuclear attack. By introducing these restrictions, the bill seeks to create meaningful checks and balances on the President's authority to authorize nuclear weapon use, ensuring that such a momentous decision involves congressional oversight and follows constitutional principles.

Government Affairs

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/192/all-info