Originally published on the CGS blog on December 14, 2010.
After 20+ hearings and over 900 questions submitted for the record, we are finally one step closer to a full Senate debate and vote on New START, maybe even starting tomorrow. As Politico told us today: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plans to bring the START treaty to the floor as early as Tuesday evening, despite continued protests from senior Republican leadership that the treaty should wait until the next Congress.” Senator Reid also threatened (promised) to bring the Senate back after Christmas if they don’t get through everything that needs to be done. As a tax payer I have to say that I’m happy to finally see Harry Reid figure out that he needs to protect our national security and that we can’t punt this important vote to the next session because we don’t want to work late.
We saw that starting in April, when the Treaty was signed, to September 16th, when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted bi-partisanly (on a 14-4 vote) to pass New START out of committee, until now, Senator Kyl has used every stall tactic at his disposal. One has to wonder what he’s so worried about – the overwhelming majority of generals, all Secretaries of State, Defense and Stratcom Commanders, the head of the missile defense system, Kissinger, Nunn, Schulz, who ALL support the Treaty? Is he worried that the $180+ Billion President Obama pledged for modernization isn’t enough? Is he worried that he is going to be targeted by editorial boards across the country for putting partisan politics over national security (too late, it’s already happened). At this point I’m just not sure.
Well the debate and vote on New START is finally happening. I can’t wait to work late to cover it for you (check out our Twitter @ CGS_DC), and if I can work late surely my Senators can too. Tell your Senators to vote Yes on New START when it comes to the floor this week!
