On the recordDecember 17, 2010
I rise today to express my support for the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, also known as the New START treaty, which was signed by President Obama and Russian President Medvedev on April 8, 2010, and would replace the START treaty that expired on December 5, 2009. As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I have had the opportunity to review the implications of this treaty over the course of five hearings and multiple briefings. I am convinced that ratification of this treaty is essential to the security of the United States, and not simply in the context of our relationship with Russia but also in our efforts to counter nuclear proliferation throughout the world. As a starting point to consider this treaty, it is important to recognize that since December 5, 2009, when the START treaty expired, we have not had inspectors on the ground in Russia to monitor their nuclear weapons complex.
