# 119-s-192: Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025

119-s-192, Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA); status introduced (as of 2026-04-29).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-192
- As of: 2026-04-29
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-192
- Congress: 119
- Title: Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA)
- Cosponsors: 7
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-29

## Summary

**Congress must expressly authorize any first-use nuclear strike.** This bill would bar federal funds from being used to carry out a first-use nuclear attack unless Congress issues a declaration of war that expressly authorizes the strike. - Presidents and the military would face a funding barrier to carrying out a first-use nuclear strike unless Congress declares war. The bill defines “first-use” to include attacks made without the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs confirming a nuclear strike against the United States, its territories, or its allies. - Congress would gain clearer control over whether the United States can launch a nuclear attack first by requiring an explicit declaration of war to permit such action. - The measure aims to lower the risk of an unauthorized or unilateral nuclear launch and the resulting mass casualties and long-term global health and environmental harms.

## Cosponsors (7)

- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (D-MN), 2026-04-27T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Ban federal funding for first-use nuclear strikes: benefit, high. This bill would ban using federal money to carry out a first-use nuclear strike. It would define a first-use strike as a nuclear attack done without confirmation to the President. The confirmation must come from the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Federal agencie…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act

## Sources
- [119-s-192 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/192)

## Related
- [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2763)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-192 (as of 2026-04-29).