On the recordDecember 16, 2010
I appreciate my colleague's comment. I note that I think the reason the Russians are going to MIRVing is--at least the primary reason is exactly as Senator Kerry has stated. They have financial limitations on what they can do here, but I don't think one can deny that the result of it is strategic instability compared to moving toward a single warhead missile, such as the United States has been doing and will continue to do. What I wanted to do in this segment of my remarks before I conclude-- and I will advise my colleagues that the next thing I intend to be talking about is the administration's commitment to the nuclear triad, but I don't think I am going to have time to get to that. I would like to conclude now with some comments about modernization. It has been well known that I have been involved in negotiations with the administration regarding modernization. My colleague and friend, Senator Kerry, has been very helpful, I might say, in occasionally restarting those conversations when they got bogged down a little bit and was helpful--and I specifically have complimented him before and will do it again--in ensuring that the President's increase in the budget for our nuclear modernization program that was in his budget this year will actually be carried out in the funding the Congress does. We had to do a continuing resolution back in September, and I think it was largely due to Senator Kerry's efforts that that funding was included.…





