RESTRAIN Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The RESTRAIN Act amends section 4210 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act. It replaces the existing testing rule with a categorical prohibition: no explosive testing of a nuclear weapon, and no other nuclear explosion, may be conducted by the United States. It also adds a funding limitation stating that no funds authorized for fiscal year 2026 or otherwise made available for any fiscal year may be used to conduct explosive testing of a nuclear weapon or for any other nuclear explosion. The bill preserves U.S. authority to conduct subcritical nuclear tests, which it defines as tests of fissile materials that are not capable of sustaining an explosive nuclear chain reaction.
Who Benefits and How
Nuclear nonproliferation advocates benefit because the bill codifies a ban on U.S. explosive nuclear weapon testing and other nuclear explosions. Communities near nuclear test sites benefit from a statutory barrier against resumed explosive nuclear tests. Defense laboratories conducting subcritical tests benefit because the bill expressly preserves that authority. Congressional appropriators benefit from a clear funding prohibition for fiscal year 2026 and later funds.
Who Bears the Burden and How
National nuclear security officials lose authority to conduct explosive nuclear weapon tests or other nuclear explosions. Defense and Energy Department budget officials must ensure appropriated funds are not used for prohibited explosive tests. Weapons program planners must rely on subcritical testing and other stockpile stewardship tools rather than explosive testing.
Key Provisions
- Amends the Atomic Energy Defense Act to prohibit U.S. explosive nuclear weapon testing and any other nuclear explosion.
- Prohibits fiscal year 2026 and later funds from being used for explosive nuclear weapon testing or any other nuclear explosion.
- Preserves authority to conduct subcritical nuclear tests.
- Defines subcritical nuclear test as a test of fissile materials that cannot sustain an explosive nuclear chain reaction.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Prohibits the United States from conducting explosive nuclear weapon tests or any other nuclear explosion, bars fiscal year 2026 and later funds from being used for those explosions, and preserves authority for subcritical nuclear tests involving fissile material that cannot sustain an explosive nuclear chain reaction.
Key Policy Areas
Nuclear Weapons, Defense, Appropriations
Primary Purpose
Prohibits the United States from conducting explosive nuclear weapon tests or any other nuclear explosion, bars fiscal year 2026 and later funds from being used for those explosions, and preserves authority for subcritical nuclear tests involving fissile material that cannot sustain an explosive nuclear chain reaction.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Nuclear nonproliferation advocates
- Communities near nuclear test sites
- Defense laboratories conducting subcritical tests
- Congressional appropriators
Identified Costs
- National nuclear security officials
- Defense budget officials
- Energy Department budget officials
- Nuclear weapons program planners
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeSponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4779-4780)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1096-1097)
Ms. Titus introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Defense and nuclear weapons programs barred from conducting explosive tests
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology