Kay Hagan: “today I rise in support of Senate ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. The Secretary of State…”

“today I rise in support of Senate ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. The Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Energy, and the entire uniformed leadership of our military believe it is in our national interest. Former Secretaries of State from previous administrations of both political parties have also endorsed the New START Treaty. Relations between the United States and Russia have evolved beyond what they were during the Cold War. Within this context, and in the face of aging nuclear stockpiles, strategic arms reduction is in the best interest of both nations. New START will strengthen strategic nuclear weapons stability, enable us to modernize our nuclear triad of strategic weapons and delivery systems, and ensure our flexibility to develop and deploy effective missile defenses and conventional global strike capabilities. It will also promote stability, transparency, and predictability in the U.S.-Russia relationship. The treaty limits strategic offensive nuclear weapons and delivery vehicles through effective verification and compliance measures. Our negotiators ensured that the United States would be able to protect our ability to field a flexible and effective strategic nuclear triad composed of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear-capable heavy and strategic bombers.”