Sponsors (36)
The bill trades faster, unilateral presidential authority to use nuclear weapons for stronger Congressional and institutional checks—reducing the risk of unauthorized first-use but risking slower responses and greater operational and political uncertainty in crises.
All Americans (taxpayers, military personnel, and residents of U.S. territories) would face a lower risk of an unauthorized or unprovoked U.S. nuclear first strike because Congress must authorize any first-use before it can occur.
Federal leaders and military officers would be subject to greater institutional checks—Congressional authorization and required senior military confirmation for attacks—strengthening democratic accountability and deliberation over decisions to use nuclear weapons.
Military personnel and the public would face reduced likelihood of nuclear escalation and associated long-term environmental and health harms because first-use would be less likely without deliberative Congressional approval.
U.S. forces and civilians would be at greater risk in time-critical nuclear scenarios because the President's ability to respond rapidly could be slowed or constrained by requirements for Congressional authorization or confirmation.
Military officers, federal employees, and the Department of Defense would face legal and operational uncertainty—complicating command-and-control, planning, and readiness—due to new confirmation requirements and a funding restriction tied to declarations of war.
Congress (and therefore taxpayers) would assume more political responsibility for initiating major hostilities, which could increase polarization and produce additional delays in critical decision-making.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Prevents use of federal funds for any U.S. first-use nuclear strike unless Congress issues an express declaration of war authorizing that strike.
Introduced January 23, 2025 by Ted Lieu · Last progress January 23, 2025
Prohibits use of federal funds to carry out a U.S. "first-use" nuclear strike unless Congress enacts a declaration of war that expressly authorizes that strike. It defines "first-use" to mean a nuclear attack against an enemy undertaken without prior confirmation to the President that a nuclear strike has already occurred against the United States, its territories, or its allies as listed in federal law, and states a federal policy that first-use should not occur absent a congressional declaration of war.