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HR 5951119th CongressIn Committee
No Nuclear Testing Without Approval Act
Introduced: Nov 7, 2025
Sponsor: Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4] (D-Nevada)
Defense & National Security
Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs
This legislation mandates Congressional approval via joint resolution before the United States can resume explosive nuclear testing, requiring presidential notification 180 days in advance and establishing distinct approval pathways for tests responding to foreign detonations versus those addressing technical weapon safety concerns while excluding subcritical experiments from the definition.
Key Points
- 1Requires presidential notification to Congress 180 days before any proposed explosive nuclear test with detailed justification including technical need assessments and cost estimates
- 2Mandates two-thirds Senate approval for tests responding to foreign nuclear detonations while establishing expedited procedures for tests addressing weapon safety reliability issues
- 3Explicitly excludes subcritical experiments and inertial confinement fusion from the definition of explosive nuclear testing covered by these restrictions
Impact Areas
U.S. nuclear weapons program and stockpile stewardshipPresidential authority to conduct nuclear weapons testingCongressional oversight of national defense decisionsInternational nonproliferation agreements and diplomatic relations
Generated by legislative-analyst-v3 on Nov 13, 2025