[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 18631-18632]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            NEW START TREATY

  Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, as a member of the Senate Foreign 
Relations Committee, I was proud to vote for the passage of the 
resolution of advice and consent to the New START Treaty between Russia 
and the United States in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last 
September. It was the right thing to do for our national security.
  The most dangerous threat to America and to the world is for a 
terrorist organization or network to obtain a nuclear weapon. Nuclear 
disarmament is among the most critical steps we must take to keep our 
Nation and future generations safe. Ratification of the New START 
Treaty would reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the American and 
Russian arsenals, bolstering our national security by reducing the risk 
of loose nuclear weapons and materials falling into the hands of 
hostile nations or terrorist groups seeking to attack America or her 
allies.
  Only recently, documents have revealed to the world the continuing 
significant risk that Pakistan's nuclear weapons could fall into the 
hands of terrorists. There are a number of ways for us to address and 
minimize this risk in Pakistan and other countries. An agreement 
between two nuclear leaders to reduce their stockpiles of nuclear 
weapons and to improve transparency and oversight is a critical factor 
to keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists. By reducing 
the numbers of unneeded nuclear weapons in Russia, improving 
verification of Russian nuclear reductions, controlling and securing 
Russian nuclear warheads, and eliminating retired Russian delivery 
systems and vulnerable weapons-grade material new START would reduce 
the possibility that a nuclear weapon could be launched due to a 
terrorist attack, a misunderstanding, or a miscalculation, killing 
hundreds of thousands of Americans.
  This continuation of a landmark agreement between our nations would 
be an important step in the President's efforts to convince other 
countries to

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get rid of their nuclear weapons. Countries like Ukraine have made this 
commitment in part due to the confidence that new START provides.
  The treaty signed by President Obama and President Medvedev is 
sensible and it is right for our Nation's security; this is evidenced 
by the endorsements of several former Secretaries of Defense and State 
from both sides of the political aisle. I urge my colleagues in the 
Senate to ratify this treaty, ensuring a safer world for our children.

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