,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cafi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bh1 #bjah,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,warner1 and ,mr4 ,reed7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to establish as ,united ,states policy that1 pending confirmation of the ,russian ,federation's continued compliance with ,new ,,start1 the ,united ,states should extend ,new ,,start through #bjbf4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,new ,,start ,policy ,act of #bjah4 #b4 ,new ,,start defined ,in this ,act1 the term ,new ,,start means the ,treaty between the ,united ,states of ,america and the ,russian ,federation on ,measures for the ,further ,reduction and ,limitation of ,strategic ,offensive ,arms1 signed ,april #h1 #bjaj1 and entered into force ,february #e1 #bjaa 7commonly known as the ,new ,,start ,treaty74 #c4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,since the end of ,world ,war ,,ii1 the ,united ,states has relied on a robust and effective nuclear deterrent as part of our national defense1 particularly against the ,soviet ,union and its successor state1 the ,russian ,federation4 7#b7 ,in tandem with our nuclear deterrent1 the ,united ,states pursued a number of arms control1 disarmament1 and nonproliferation agreements with the ,soviet ,union as a means of ensuring strategic stability and ,united ,states defense of the homeland1 such as the ,strategic ,arms ,limitation ,treaty and the ,strategic ,arms ,reduction ,treaty4 7#c7 ,the ,nuclear ,posture ,review issued in ,february #bjah states that arms control agreements during the ,cold ,war increased transparency1 moderated competition1 codified rough parity in strategic nuclear areas1 and closed off areas of competition4 7#d7 ,in the aftermath of the fall of the ,soviet ,union1 the ,united ,states continues to rely on a combination of nuclear deterrence and strategic arms control to protect the ,united ,states from nuclear attack4 7#e7 ,on ,april #h1 #bjaj1 the ,united ,states and the ,russian ,federation signed the ,new ,strategic ,arms ,reduction ,treaty 7,new ,,start74 7#f7 ,in an op-ed to the ,washington ,post dated ,december #b1 #bjaj1 former ,secretaries of ,state ,henry ,a4 ,kissinger1 ,george ,p4 ,shultz1 ,james ,a4 ,baker ,,iii1 ,lawrence ,s4 ,eagleburger1 and ,colin ,l4 ,powell all urged the ,senate to ratify ,new ,,start1 stating that it was in the national interest to ratify4 7#g7 ,during the ratification process1 ,new ,,start garnered bipartisan support1 and the ,united ,states ,senate approved ,new ,,start on ,december #bb1 #bjaj1 by a #ga-bf vote4 7#h7 ,new ,,start entered into force on ,february #e1 #bjaa1 placing limitations on ,united ,states and ,russian strategic systems1 including intercontinental ballistic missiles1 submarine launched ballistic missiles1 and heavy bombers1 as well as warheads that threatened the ,united ,states4 7#i7 ,on ,february #e1 #bjah1 the central limits on ,united ,states and ,russia strategic nuclear arsenals took effect4 7#aj7 ,in ,march #bjah1 the ,united ,states and the ,russian ,federation exchanged data on their respective strategic nuclear arsenals in accordance with the ,treaty4 7#aa7 ,through the ,treaty's verification regime1 which includes short-notice1 on-site inspections at military bases and facilities1 the ,united ,states is able to verify the data provided by the ,russian ,federation regarding its strategic nuclear arsenal4 ,the verification regime provides both countries insight into each other's strategic nuclear delivery systems1 warheads1 and facilities1 as well as data exchanges to track the status and makeup of nuclear weapons systems4 7#ab7 ,during a ,march #bjag hearing of the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives on nuclear deterrence requirements1 ,commander of the ,united ,states ,strategic ,command 7,,stratcom7 and ,air ,force ,general ,john ,hyten voiced his enthusiastic support for the ,treaty1 saying he was a big supporter and stating when it comes to nuclear weapons and nuclear capabilities1 that bilateral1 verifiable arms control agreements are essential to our ability to provide an effective deterrent4 7#ac7 ,in the same hearing1 ,air ,force ,general ,paul ,selva1 the ,vice ,chairman of the ,joint ,chiefs of ,staff1 also endorsed the treaty1 saying ,new ,,start is a bilateral1 verifiable agreement that gives us some degree of predictability on what our potential adversaries look like4 7#ad7 ,lieutenant ,general ,jack ,weinstein1 the ,air ,force ,deputy ,chief of ,staff for ,strategic ,deterrence and ,nuclear ,integration1 asserted that ,new ,,start was of huge value to ,united ,states security4 7#ae7 ,the ,nuclear ,posture ,review states that arms control agreements can foster transparency1 understanding1 and predictability in adversary relations1 thereby reducing the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation4 7#af7 ,new ,,start strengthens ,united ,states nuclear security and strategic stability by reducing the number of strategic systems in ,russia's nuclear arsenal and provides the ,united ,states with the inspection and monitoring tools necessary to confidently verify ,russian compliance with ,new ,,start4 7#ag7 ,new ,,start does not restrict ,united ,states nuclear modernization programs or limit ,united ,states missile defense efforts4 #d4 ,statement of policy ,unless the ,president determines and so informs ,congress that ,russia is not in material compliance with ,new ,,start1 it is the policy of the ,united ,states to extend ,new ,,start from its initial termination date in ,february #bjba to ,february #bjbf1 as allowed in the ,treaty4