Lynn C. Woolsey: “The 111th Congress has been an astounding success, but throughout the last 2 years, when we have failed to pass good…”

“The 111th Congress has been an astounding success, but throughout the last 2 years, when we have failed to pass good laws, it's usually because our colleagues on the other side of the Capitol have stood in the way of our progress, proudly engaging in stubborn obstructionism. The Senate is where good legislation goes to die. So I guess we shouldn't be surprised that it remains so right down to the final days of our session. It appears now that there may not be enough Republican votes to ratify the New START Treaty, which would make huge strides towards reducing the threat of nuclear destruction. This is distressing news, Mr. Speaker. After years of negligence on nuclear issues, the New START could finally put us on a course toward the eventual elimination of all nuclear weapons. It would drastically reduce the size of nuclear arsenals here in the United States and in Russia. It would improve our access to Russian nuclear facilities, which we've been unable to inspect since the expiration of the original START treaty nearly a year ago. And it would put our relationship with Russia on more solid footing, enhancing bilateral cooperation on a host of issues. In the words of the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mr. Kerry, he said, and I quote him: ``Ratifying New START is not a political choice; it's a national security imperative.'' But apparently, Mr. Speaker, some over in the other Chamber aren't moved by national security imperatives.”