Executive Session

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, as we take up the consideration of the New START, we not only have the opportunity, but also an obligation to provide consent on the ratification of this treaty. It is long overdue. We need to regain our ability to provide boots-on-the-ground verification of the Russian nuclear complex.

Over the past 8 months, we have all had ample opportunity to review the documents and reports related to the New START. We have conducted 20 hearings, taken over 900 questions. They were questions asked by Members of the Senate, mainly to the administration, in which those answers have been provided; 900 questions, over 900 for the record.

In short, we have given significant consideration to the ratification of New START. I know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle are committed to guaranteeing the security of our country and also recognize the obligation to ratify this arms control agreement immediately.

I want to take you back a little bit because I hear my colleagues talking about not having enough time. I want to take you back to a hot day this summer in the Foreign Relations Committee, where--Madam President, you were at that meeting in which those who are now saying we do not have enough time, asked for just a little bit more time, during the impending recess, so we could orderly consider the ratification process.

That was a hot summer day. It is now a snowy day in December, and they are still saying the same thing: Just give us more time. We have had plenty of time.

I compliment Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar for the manner in which they have considered this treaty. This is a very important treaty for America, and they have made sure that the Senate has had, and each Senator has had, ample opportunity to get all of the information we need--all of the information we need from administration individuals or from experts or from anyone. They have been very open in this process.

They have also given every Member of the Senate ample time to get every question answered, to get all of the material they need, and it is now time for us to take on our responsibility; that is, to take up this treaty for ratification and vote it up or down.

I certainly hope my colleagues will vote to ratify this treaty. I think it is critically important to our national security. In addition to its contributions to American security, one of the most compelling reasons we should ratify this treaty, and do so before we recess, is to regain our insight into Russia's strategic offensive arms.

Since START I expired over a year ago, we have had no comprehensive verification regime in place in order to help us understand Russia's strategic nuclear force. We need the transparency to know what Russia is doing to provide confidence and stability, and we need that confidence and stability to contribute to a safer world. We will only regain that transparency by ratifying this treaty, and we are in dangerous territory without it.

Let me repeat. We need this treaty for verification. We need this treaty to know what Russia is doing, so we can verify what Russia tells us, to make sure, in fact, that it is true. Not only will this treaty enhance the national security of the United States, it will serve as a significant step forward in our relationship with Russia, a key partner in the overall U.S. strategy to reduce the spread of nuclear weapons worldwide.

Let's be perfectly clear about this. There are still two nations that have the majority of the nuclear weapon capacity in this world; it is Russia and the United States. Working together, we can make this world safer. Working together, we can move forward with reductions in strategic arms around the world. Working together, we provide the leadership so we can move forward against proliferation of nuclear weapons. In fact, we have done that.

But the failure to ratify this treaty could have a major negative impact on the leadership of the United States in this area. The U.S. relationship with the Russian Federation is key in our efforts to curtail Iran's nuclear ambitions. In June, Russia voted for the latest U.N. Security Council sanctions on Iran and later canceled the sale of an advanced arms defensive missile system.

The ratification of New START is essential in reinitiating verification inspections and, more importantly, for the United States and Russia to lead the way in reducing the world's nuclear arms stockpile. This is for leadership. We all talk about making sure Iran does not become a nuclear weapons state. Ratifying the New START treaty will help us in making sure Iran does not become a nuclear weapons state. It keeps the United States and Russia focused on strategic arms reduction and focused on nonproliferation.

The failure to ratify this treaty is a setback in our ability to effectively stop Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons state. New START, the first treaty with Russia in almost a decade, calls for both sides to reduce their deployed warheads modestly from 2,200 to 1,550. The new treaty would restore verification, inspections, and other exchanges of information about the American and Russian arsenals. New START could pay dividends not only by improving nuclear security but by paving the way to greater cooperation between the two powers in dealing with such hot spots as Iran and Afghanistan.

Let me just point out one other part, if I might; that is, previous arms treaties have been ratified with overwhelming bipartisan support. START I was passed 93 to 6 in 1994. The Moscow Treaty passed 95 to 0 in 2003. Legislators recognized then that arms control agreements between Russia and the United States are not just good for the security of our two nations but can lead the way to the world to reduce proliferation of nuclear weapons.

During last month's NATO Summit in Lisbon, the NATO Secretary General stated:

The New START treaty would also pave the way for arms control and disarmament initiatives and other areas that are vital to Euro-Atlantic security.

So I think this is a key moment in the history of the Senate. I know there are many important votes that we take in the Senate. There are many votes we take that have very significant consequences. The ratification of this treaty is just one of those moments. It keeps us on path and enhances our credibility to make the world safer, and does it in a way that enhances the security of the people of the United States of America.

This is a treaty that needs to be ratified and needs to be ratified now. I urge my colleagues to vote in the interests of national security, to move swiftly, and pass this treaty.

I yield the floor.

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