On the recordDecember 22, 2010
we cannot end this historic session of Congress without taking one more important step to protect the national security of the United States. It is time for the Senate to ratify the New START treaty. This treaty will secure nuclear stockpiles. It will take nearly 1,500 American and Russian nuclear weapons out of commission. These are weapons that, as we speak, are trained on cities like Washington and Moscow, St. Louis and St. Petersburg. More than a year has passed since American inspectors were on the ground monitoring the Russian nuclear weapons arsenal. The sooner we ratify this treaty, the sooner we can re-open the window into exactly what the Russians are, or are not, doing. START will also preserve a strong American nuclear arsenal. Our military leaders have analyzed the treaty and determined the number of nuclear weapons we need to retain in order to keep us safe here at home. The director of the Missile Defense Agency has said the treaty will not restrain or limit our missile-defense capacity. America and Russia control more than 90 percent of the world's nuclear weapons. The transparency this treaty will provide is critical not just to our two countries but the entire planet. By ratifying the START treaty, we will also increase our ability to work with other countries to reduce nuclear weapons around the world, and to make sure that those weapons are kept safe and secure.
