Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025

This bill would stop the U.S. from launching a “first-use” nuclear strike unless Congress declares war and clearly authorizes that strike. In simple terms, the President could not order a first nuclear attack on another country without Congress’s approval. The bill says big war decisions like this should be made by the people’s representatives, not by one person alone .

A “first-use” nuclear strike means using nuclear weapons before top defense leaders confirm that a nuclear attack has already happened against the United States, its territories, or its allies. The bill blocks federal money from being used for any first-use strike unless Congress has declared war and specifically allowed it.

• Who is affected: The President, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. military.
• What changes: No funds can be used for a first-use nuclear strike without a formal declaration of war that expressly authorizes it; it sets U.S. policy against first use without Congress’s approval .
• When: If enacted, these limits would apply to any future decision to use nuclear weapons first.