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HR 4685119th CongressIn Committee

ICBM Act

Introduced: Jul 23, 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17] (D-California)
Defense & National Security
View on Congress.gov
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Investing in Children Before Missiles Act of 2025 (H.R. 4685) would pause the ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile modernization program known as Sentinel, extend the life of the Minuteman III ICBMs through at least 2050, and shift the funding savings from these defense programs to the Department of Education (via Part A of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act). The bill also requires an independent assessment by the National Academy of Sciences comparing the costs, risks, and potential configurations of extending Minuteman III versus continuing Sentinel, and it prohibits spending in FY 2026 on Sentinel or the W87-1 warhead modification. The short title provided in the bill is the Investing in Children Before Missiles Act of 2025. In short, the bill seeks to redirect hundreds of billions of defense funds toward education while delaying or reconsidering major missile modernization, with a formal study to evaluate the implications.

Key Points

  • 1Pause Sentinel and extend Minuteman III life: The bill states Sentinel is over budget and behind schedule and should be paused and reevaluated, while extending Minuteman III missiles to operate safely through at least 2050.
  • 2Redirect funding to education: All unobligated funds in the Sentinel program (DoD RDT&E) and the W87-1 warhead modification program (NNSA/DOE) available at enactment are to be transferred to the Department of Education to support Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
  • 3Prohibition on funds for those programs: For FY 2026, no funds may be obligated or expended for the Sentinel program or the W87-1 warhead modification program.
  • 4Independent study requirement: Within 30 days after enactment, the Secretary of Defense must pursue a NAS contract to study the life-extension of Minuteman III to 2050 or beyond, including a wide range of technical and strategic analyses, with a report due to Congress within 210 days. The study must be unclassified (with possible classified annex) and restrict participation by certain Air Force personnel with Sentinel ties.
  • 5Comprehensive findings and policy framework: The bill lays out findings about projected defense costs, the Sentinel program’s cost growth, scheduling delays, and considerations about nuclear deterrence, risk of accidental war, and the relative desirability of education funding, framing a policy that Sentinel should be paused and Minuteman III life extended while prioritizing education funding.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Department of Education (via redirected funding for Title I) and, indirectly, K-12 and Title I-eligible students nationwide.Secondary group/area affected: Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration (due to funding transfers, prohibitions, and the NAS study). Also affects policymakers deciding on nuclear modernization and deterrence strategy.Additional impacts: Potential shifts in national security posture by delaying or reevaluating Sentinel, considerations about missile life extension and associated costs, and the broader budgetary trade-off between defense modernization and education funding. The NAS study could influence future decisions on the Minuteman III, Sentinel, and warhead development, including potential implications for other nuclear forces and submarines.Sentinel: The ground-based strategic deterrent program intended to replace the Minuteman III missiles.Minuteman III: The current land-based ICBM fleet; the bill proposes extending its operational life.W87-1: Warhead modification program associated with Sentinel.Part A of Title I of the ESEA: Core federal education funding aimed at improving educational outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged students.
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