Dear Senator,
Please say NO to the START Treaty...!!!
The new START weakens our missile defense and imposes restriction on U.S. missile defense.
Let’s not rush into ratification of a treaty of this magnitude. The Senate considered the original START for nearly a year, and the Moscow Treaty, which was far less complex than New START, was before the Senate for nearly nine months. The Obama Administration took more than 12 months to negotiate New START but has sought approval from the Senate in less than five. The rush to ratification undermines the important role of “advice and consent” that the Senate must exercise on any treaty of this magnitude. Treaties such as New START, a major nuclear arms agreement, require more scrutiny than others. If the Administration and Senate leadership push for a vote on New START during the lame duck session, the Senate would not have time to adequately evaluate it, especially newly seated Senators who need time to become educated on the content of the treaty.
Another reason for serious pause is that Russia Is Not Committed to Ratification: Russia’s International Affairs Committee annulled its support for ratification of New START following disagreements over the U.S. interpretation of the treaty with regard to rail-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles, missile defense, and Prompt Global Strike. The committee’s action raises a number of questions for the U.S. Senate that the Administration must answer before it moves to consider the treaty.
Senator, I want to ask you a question: why has President Obama has refused to give the Senate access to the record that includes all draft versions of the START treaty, memoranda, notes, and communications between U.S. and Russian negotiators. The record is critical to clear up questions on key provisions in the treaty and how the Russians interpret them. Even if released today, the Senate would not have the time necessary to review the record in the crowded lame duck schedule.
In all fairness to the American People, the Senate of the United States of America needs time to do their due diligence before ratifying a treaty with another nation. The Founding Fathers intended for the Senate to serve as a quality control mechanism in the making of treaties. The Senate is constitutionally mandated to give due diligence in its consideration of New START.
Please say NO to the New START.