I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8342 
To require the approval of Congress before explosive nuclear testing may 
be resumed. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 
Mr. HORSFORD (for himself, Mrs. LEE of Nevada, Mr. MCADAMS, Mr. PA-
NETTA, and Mr. COX of California) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the 
Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the approval of Congress before explosive nuclear 
testing may be resumed. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘No Nuclear Testing 
Without Approval Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT FOR APPROVAL OF CONGRESS FOR 
CONDUCT OF EXPLOSIVE NUCLEAR TESTING. 
Section 4210(a) of the Atomic Energy Defense Act 
(50 U.S.C. 2530(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) EXPLOSIVE NUCLEAR TESTING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—No explosive nuclear test-
ing may be conducted by the United States after the 
date of the enactment of the National Defense Au-
thorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, and none of 
the funds described in paragraph (2) may be obli-
gated or expended to conduct such testing, unless— 
‘‘(A)(i) a foreign state conducts a nuclear 
test after that date; or 
‘‘(ii) there is a technical need for such test-
ing; 
‘‘(B) not less than 180 days before the 
date proposed to conduct such testing, the 
President submits to Congress a notification de-
scribed in paragraph (3) with respect to such 
testing; and 
‘‘(C) a joint resolution approving the test-
ing with respect to which the notification is 
submitted under subparagraph (B) is enacted 
into law— 
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‘‘(i) in the case of testing proposed to 
be conducted after a foreign state conducts 
a nuclear test— 
‘‘(I) without use of expedited pro-
cedures under paragraph (4); but 
‘‘(II) requiring, for passage in 
the Senate, the affirmative vote of 
two-thirds of Senators, duly chosen 
and sworn; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of testing proposed to 
be conducted because there is a technical 
need for such testing, pursuant to para-
graph (4). 
‘‘(2) FUNDS DESCRIBED.—The funds described 
in this paragraph are funds— 
‘‘(A) authorized to be appropriated or oth-
erwise made available for fiscal year 2021 or 
any fiscal year thereafter; or 
‘‘(B) authorized to be appropriated or oth-
erwise made available for any fiscal year before 
fiscal year 2021 and available for obligation as 
of the date of the enactment of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 
2021. 
‘‘(3) NOTIFICATION DESCRIBED.— 
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‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—A notification de-
scribed in this paragraph with respect to a pro-
posal to conduct explosive nuclear testing shall 
include— 
‘‘(i) a description of the testing pro-
posed to be conducted; 
‘‘(ii) a statement of the reasons for 
conducting the testing, including— 
‘‘(I) whether or not there is a 
technical need for conducting the test-
ing; 
‘‘(II) if there is a technical need 
for conducting the testing— 
‘‘(aa) a description of the 
technical need; 
‘‘(bb) an assessment of al-
ternative options for addressing 
the need; and 
‘‘(cc) an explanation of why 
those options were not selected; 
and 
‘‘(III) if the reason for con-
ducting the testing is in response to a 
geopolitical event under the responsi-
bility of the President acting as the 
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