[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 54 (Friday, April 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NUCLEAR WEAPONS POLICY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RICK LARSEN

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 16, 2010

  Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, President Obama has recently 
taken three key actions to strengthen our national security and help 
bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons.
  First, the President issued a Nuclear Posture Review which 
prioritizes stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear 
materials that could be used by terrorist groups or states to harm the 
United States and our allies. Focusing on securing nuclear materials 
and stopping proliferation will make America safer.
  The NPR also maintains America's role as a leader in non-
proliferation by demonstrating our commitment to continuing a safe, 
secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent without resorting to nuclear 
testing. While I share the President's goal of creating a world without 
nuclear weapons, it is important to have a deterrent capability to keep 
Americans safe as long as other states possess nuclear materials.
  Second, the President signed a New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty 
with Russia. The New START Treaty will require the United States and 
Russia, the two largest nuclear powers in the world, to reduce the 
number of strategic nuclear warheads and launchers. This will send a 
strong message to the global community about our commitment to ending 
proliferation and securing nuclear materials around the world.
  Importantly, the New START treaty will place no restrictions on the 
United States' ability to develop missile defenses that will keep the 
United States and our allies protected from missile attacks from 
countries such as Iran.
  Third, the President hosted a summit of forty-six nations to discuss 
the need to prevent nuclear proliferation and secure loose nuclear 
materials. This meeting has resulted in a historic commitment by these 
states to secure all the world's loose nuclear materials in the next 
four years. This is an ambitious goal, but it is necessary to take 
swift action to reduce the risk of a nuclear attack.
  Getting to a world without nuclear weapons will be a long journey, 
but the steps that the President has taken over the last few weeks have 
us moving in the right direction.

                          ____________________