US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 2122

Prohibitions governing atomic weapons

(a)
section 2121 of this title It shall be unlawful, except as provided in , for any person, inside or outside of the United States, to knowingly participate in the development of, manufacture, produce, transfer, acquire, receive, possess, import, export, or use, or possess and threaten to use, any atomic weapon. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to modify the provisions of section 2051(a) or 2131 of this title.
(b)
section 8331 of title 5 Whoever knowingly and willfully impedes the passage of a vehicle of a nuclear materials courier (as defined in ) engaged in the transport of any atomic weapon, special nuclear material, atomic weapon component, or Restricted Data shall be subject to arrest and imposition of a criminal fine of not more than $1,000.
(c)
1
1 So in original. Probably should be “subsection”.
Conduct prohibited by subsections  (a) or (b) is within the jurisdiction of the United States if—
(1)
the offense occurs in or affects interstate or foreign commerce; the offense occurs outside of the United States and is committed by a national of the United States;
(2)
the offense is committed against a national of the United States while the national is outside the United States;
(3)
the offense is committed against any property that is owned, leased, or used by the United States or by any department or agency of the United States, whether the property is within or outside the United States; or
(4)
an offender aids or abets any person over whom jurisdiction exists under this subsection in committing an offense under this section or conspires with any person over whom jurisdiction exists under this subsection to commit an offense under this section.
(d)
The Attorney General shall have primary investigative authority for any violation of this section.

Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, § 168 Stat. 936Pub. L. 85–479, § 272 Stat. 277Pub. L. 102–486, title IX, § 902(a)(8)106 Stat. 2944Pub. L. 108–458, title VI118 Stat. 3768Pub. L. 118–31, div. C, title XXXI, § 3115137 Stat. 790(, title I, § 92, as added , ; amended , , ; renumbered title I, , , ; , §§ 6803(b), 6904(a), , , 3771; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

section 1806(b) of this titleProvisions similar to this section were contained in , prior to the general amendment and renumbering of act , by act .

Amendments

Pub. L. 118–312023—Subsecs. (b) to (d). added subsecs. (b) and (d), redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c), and, in subsec. (c), substituted “prohibited by subsections (a) or (b)” for “prohibited by subsection (a)” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 6904(a)(1)2004—, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a).

Pub. L. 108–458, § 6803(b)(2), inserted “participate in the development of,” after “interstate or foreign commerce,”.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 6803(b)(1), inserted “, inside or outside of the United States,” after “for any person”.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 6904(a)(4)Pub. L. 108–458, § 6803(b)(2)Subsec. (a). , which directed amendment by striking out “transfer or receive in interstate or foreign commerce,” before “manufacture”, was executed by striking out such phrase before “participate in the development of, manufacture” to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening amendment by . See above.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 6904(a)(3), (5), (6), inserted “receive,” after “acquire,”, struck out “or” before “export”, and inserted “, or use, or possess and threaten to use,” before “any atomic weapon”.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 6904(a)(2)Pub. L. 108–458, § 6803(b)(1), which directed amendment by inserting “knowingly” after “for any person to”, was executed by making the insertion after “for any person, inside or outside of the United States, to” to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the amendment by . See above.

Pub. L. 108–458, § 6904(a)(7)Subsec. (b). , added subsec. (b).

Pub. L. 85–4791958— included transfers or receipts in foreign commerce.