Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025

This bill establishes a policy to restrict the President's authority to conduct a first-use nuclear strike, asserting that such a monumental decision requires congressional approval. It emphasizes that the Constitution grants Congress the sole power to declare war, and a first-use nuclear strike constitutes a major act of war that should not be undertaken by a single individual. The legislation specifically prohibits the use of federal funds for any first-use nuclear strike unless Congress has formally declared war and explicitly authorized such an action. This aims to provide meaningful checks and balances on the President's sole authority to authorize nuclear weapons use, reinforcing the constitutional framework for engaging in major hostilities. A "first-use nuclear strike" is defined as an attack using nuclear weapons without prior confirmation from the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff that the United States, its territories, or its allies have already suffered a nuclear strike. This clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to retaliatory nuclear strikes in response to an initial nuclear attack.