Boxer Statement on Senate Vote to Move Forward on New START Treaty

Press Release

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement today after the Senate voted 67-28 to move forward on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which will strengthen U.S. national security by ensuring that we have inspectors on the ground at Russia's nuclear sites and reducing the number of deployed nuclear weapons on both sides:

"This tremendous vote today is in the best traditions of a bipartisan U.S. foreign policy, where we come together to protect the national security of the United States.

"By ensuring there are mutual reductions in nuclear weapons and delivery systems, and ensuring that our nuclear inspectors are on the ground in Russia, we are taking a big step forward for non-proliferation.

"What is most important is that this treaty is verifiable and does not undermine America's ability to defend itself. Ratification of this treaty will also improve U.S.-Russian relations, which are so critical to confronting the challenges of a changing world."

The treaty is a follow-on agreement to the original START Treaty that expired last December. President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the treaty in April, but it must be ratified by two-thirds of the United States Senate to take effect.

Following today's cloture vote to end debate, the Senate is expected to approve the treaty Wednesday.

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