Washington, D.C. –Following the Senate’s vote to end debate and move to final passage of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) issued the following statement:
“Today’s bipartisan vote clears a significant hurdle in the Senate. We are on the brink of writing the next chapter in the 40-year history of wrestling with the threat of nuclear weapons. We’ve spent months building toward this moment. In these final hours of debate, Senator Lugar and I are joined by so many senators who understand the significance of this moment. Together, we will do our very best to convince those who remain undecided that ratifying New START is the right step for our national security.
“For nearly a week, we’ve been engaged in a healthy exchange of views. Those who are skeptical have voiced their concerns and we have listened carefully. They’ve made significant contributions to the dialogue. They are motivated by the same concern for our national security as those of us who see this agreement as vital to our national security. All eyes will be on the Senate in these last hours of debate and all will see a victory for common sense and the Senate act in its best traditions.”
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