Mike Levin: “first, I wish to thank Senator Paul, who is going to be offering his amendment in a few minutes, for allowing me to go…”

“first, I wish to thank Senator Paul, who is going to be offering his amendment in a few minutes, for allowing me to go first. I would like to spend a few minutes speaking in opposition to the Paul amendment. I wish to talk about the Senate National Security Working Group, which will be the subject of the Paul amendment. This group, along with its predecessor organization, the Senate Arms Control Observer Group, has served a useful role in helping the Senate to fulfill its unique constitutional duty to consider treaties and to provide its advice and consent to their ratification. The Senate National Security Working Group is a key component of the Senate's ability to provide advice on treaties before those treaties are finalized because the working group begins meeting with the administration early in the process of negotiation. This was the case for the Senate consideration of the New START treaty a few years ago. The National Security Working Group convened a series of briefings and meetings with the administration starting at the very beginning of the negotiation process, and through the group the Senate has many opportunities to learn of the progress and details of negotiations and to provide our advice and views to the administration throughout the process.…”