New Bill Aims to Control U.S. Nuclear Weapons Use
The H.R. 669: Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025 was introduced on January 23, 2025, with support from 17 cosponsors.
Here’s a brief overview of this legislation:
Named the
Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025
, this bill seeks to limit the circumstances under which the United States can use nuclear weapons. Its key goals are:
Objectives and Core Principles
This legislation underscores that:
- Only Congress has the authority to declare war as per the Constitution.
- Decisions to launch a war, especially one involving nuclear weapons, should involve representatives of the public, not just the President acting alone.
- Due to the catastrophic potential of nuclear strikes, initiating a first-use would represent a grave act of war requiring Congressional consent.
- The bill states that the U.S. should refrain from carrying out a first-use nuclear strike unless Congress officially declares war.
Restrictions on First-Use Nuclear Actions
The proposed legislation forbids the allocation of federal funds for any first-use nuclear strike that lacks a Congressional declaration specifically authorizing such action. The term
first-use nuclear strike
is defined in the bill as a nuclear attack occurring without confirmation from the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the United States or its allies has endured a nuclear attack first.
Historical Context and Consequences
This bill aims to ensure that any decisions regarding a first-use nuclear attack remain under strict Congressional scrutiny, reinforcing a fundamental component of the U.S. Constitution’s checks and balances. This oversight is essential to mitigate the risk of hasty decisions leading to dire outcomes.
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