HR 669
Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025
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Bill overview
This bill, the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025, aims to limit the President’s authority to use nuclear weapons. It states that the United States should not conduct a first-use nuclear strike – an attack without confirming a prior nuclear strike against the U.S. or its allies – unless Congress has explicitly declared war and authorized such an action. The bill emphasizes Congress’s constitutional power to declare war and seeks to establish a check on the President’s nuclear decision-making authority. It prohibits the use of federal funds for a first-use strike absent congressional authorization.
Key provisions
- Prohibits the use of federal funds for a first-use nuclear strike.
- Defines a ‘first-use nuclear strike’ as an attack without confirmation of a prior strike against the U.S.
- Requires congressional declaration of war for authorization of a first-use nuclear strike.
- Reinforces Congress’s constitutional power to declare war.
- Establishes a policy against conducting first-use nuclear strikes without congressional authorization.
- References the War Powers Resolution and the Arms Export Control Act.
Who is affected
- Executive Branch (specifically the President and the Department of Defense)
- Military personnel
- Congress
- United States
- Allies
Notable changes
- Establishes a congressional check on the President’s authority to use nuclear weapons.
- Requires explicit congressional authorization for any first-use nuclear strike.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Donald S. Beyer
Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] Norton
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 669
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To restrict the first-use strike of nuclear weapons.
This Act may be cited as the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025
.
the constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to (1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.
The President has the sole authority to authorize the use of nuclear weapons, an order which military officers of the United States must carry out in accordance with their obligations under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Given its exclusive power under the Constitution to declare war, Congress must provide meaningful checks and balances to the President’s sole authority to authorize the use of a nuclear weapon.
No Federal funds may be obligated or expended to conduct a first-use nuclear strike unless such strike is conducted pursuant to a war declared by Congress that expressly authorizes such strike.