Bill > HR4685

This bill, known as the Investing in Children Before Missiles Act of 2025 (ICBM Act), aims to pause the development of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program and redirect its funding toward education. The bill highlights significant cost overruns in the Sentinel program, which is estimated to cost $141 billion in 2020 dollars, and proposes to extend the life of the existing Minuteman III missile system until 2050. It calls for transferring all funds currently allocated to the Sentinel program and its associated W87-1 warhead modification to the Department of Education to support elementary and secondary education. The bill is based on findings from multiple military and defense experts who argue that land-based ICBMs increase the risk of accidental nuclear war and are no longer strategically necessary, given the survivability and capabilities of submarine-based nuclear forces. To support its recommendations, the bill mandates an independent study by the National Academy of Sciences to thoroughly examine the feasibility and implications of extending the Minuteman III missile system's operational life, including technical, strategic, and cost considerations. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of funds for the Sentinel program and W87-1 warhead modification in the fiscal year 2026, effectively halting their development.

Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4685/all-info