Kay Bailey Hutchison: “I rise to speak on the START treaty. I spoke on the floor Saturday stating my concerns about this treaty and the need to…”

“I rise to speak on the START treaty. I spoke on the floor Saturday stating my concerns about this treaty and the need to address a number of very important issues. I had hoped that amendments that had been offered would be able to clarify the position--the United States position--on this treaty. I have listened to the debate. I have watched many amendments go down. The treaty supporters have said that these amendments are deal killers, treaty killers. I disagree. I believe everybody has been sincere, but I am not persuaded that the Senate's role to advise and consent to treaties has successfully finetuned the understanding on our part, if we accept this treaty, nor the Russian positions--have they been clarified with our objections or disagreements with the Russian position. I understand it would have made it hard for the administration to amend the text. But even amendments that would try to amend the preamble, or even the ratification resolution that would clarify the United States position, have caused me great pause. For instance, when we are talking about missile defense, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, said: Russians tend to interpret every utterance as binding commitment. She went on to write: The Russians need to understand that the U.S. will use the full range of American technology and talent to improve our ability to intercept and destroy the ballistic missiles of hostile countries.…”