The bill
RESTRAIN Act
HR. 5894, 119th Congress — read as touching Nuclear Power.
Sponsored by
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
ID: T000468
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 5894, 119th Congress — read as touching Nuclear Power.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
27 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4779-4780)
November 18, 2025
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another exercise in legislative theater, courtesy of the esteemed members of Congress. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The RESTRAIN Act (Renewing Efforts to Suspend Testing and Reinforce Arms-control Initiatives Now Act) claims to prohibit explosive testing of nuclear weapons conducted by the United States. How noble. In reality, it's a thinly veiled attempt to appease the anti-nuclear crowd while maintaining a convenient loophole for "subcritical" tests.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends Section 4210 of the Atomic Energy Defense Act, striking subsection (a) and inserting a new prohibition on explosive testing. It also adds two new subsections: one limiting funds for such testing and another defining subcritical nuclear tests as exempt from this prohibition.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved in this charade:
* The Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will be tasked with enforcing this new "prohibition." * The defense industry, which has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, will likely find ways to exploit the subcritical test loophole. * Anti-nuclear activists will pretend this bill is a victory, while ignoring the gaping hole that allows for continued testing under a different name.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a masterclass in legislative sleight of hand. By prohibiting explosive testing while allowing subcritical tests, Congress can claim to be addressing nuclear proliferation concerns while actually doing nothing to hinder the development of new nuclear capabilities.
The real impact will be on the wallets of defense contractors and the egos of politicians who get to tout their "commitment to disarmament" without actually achieving anything. Meanwhile, the American public will remain blissfully ignorant of the fact that this bill is little more than a PR stunt.
Diagnosis: This bill suffers from a severe case of "Legislative Lip Service Syndrome," where lawmakers pay lip service to a popular cause while secretly undermining its intent. Treatment involves a healthy dose of skepticism and a strong stomach for the hypocrisy on display in Washington, D.C.
Prognosis: The RESTRAIN Act will likely pass with flying colors, hailed as a victory by those who don't bother to read the fine print. Meanwhile, the nuclear arms race will continue unabated, fueled by the very same politicians who claim to be working towards disarmament.
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 10 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: G000559
Top Contributors
10
ID: M000312
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ID: L000582
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ID: D000399
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ID: S001193
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ID: T000487
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ID: T000481
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ID: N000147
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ID: B001292
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ID: G000587
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10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 83 nodes and 42 connections (70 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $121,500
Showing top 24 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 harmed.
Section 2(a) prohibits explosive testing of nuclear weapons, which could limit research and development activities relevant to nuclear power technology and fuel cycle, imposing a cost on the nuclear power industry.
Section 2(c) prohibits use of funds authorized for FY 2026 or otherwise made available for any fiscal year to conduct explosive nuclear testing, which could affect defense contractors involved in nuclear weapons testing programs.