,,ii #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bcid ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ca1 #bjai,mr4 ,van ,hollen 7for himself and ,mr4 ,young7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to require certain reports and briefings to ,congress relating to the expiration of the ,new ,,start ,treaty1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,richard ,g4 ,lugar and ,ellen ,o4 ,tauscher ,act to ,maintain ,limits on ,russian ,nuclear ,forces4 #b4 ,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 its national defense1 particularly against the ,soviet ,union and its successor state1 the ,russian ,federation4 7#b7 ,the ,united ,states nuclear arsenal must remain safe1 secure1 and reliable such that it can effectively ensure the security of the ,united ,states and its allies4 7#c7 ,along with its nuclear deterrent1 the ,united ,states has pursued a number of arms control1 disarmament1 and nonproliferation agreements with the ,soviet ,union and ,russia to ensure strategic stability and the protection of the ,united ,states homeland1 such as-- 7,a7 the ,interim ,agreement ,between the ,united ,states of ,america and the ,union of ,soviet ,socialist ,republics on ,certain ,measures with ,respect to the ,limitation of ,strategic ,offensive ,arms1 done at ,moscow ,may #bf1 #aigb 7commonly referred to as ,,salt ,i72 and 7,b7 the ,treaty ,between the ,united ,states of ,america and the ,union of ,soviet ,socialist ,republics on ,strategic ,offensive ,reductions1 done at ,moscow ,july #ca1 #aiia 7commonly referred to as ,,start ,i74 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 help protect the ,united ,states from nuclear attack4 7#e7 ,on ,april #h1 #bjaj1 the ,united ,states and ,russia signed the ,treaty between the ,united ,states of ,america and the ,russian ,federation on ,measures for the ,further ,reduction and ,limitation of ,strategic ,offensive ,arms 7commonly referred to as ,new ,,start ,treaty74 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 urged the ,senate to ratify the ,new ,,start ,treaty1 stating that it was in the national interest to ratify4 7#g7 ,during the ratification process1 the ,new ,,start ,treaty garnered bipartisan support1 and the ,united ,states ,senate approved the ,treaty on ,december #bb1 #bjaj1 by a #ga-bf vote4 7#h7 ,the ,new ,,start ,treaty entered into force on ,february #e1 #bjaa1 placing numerical limits on ,united ,states and ,russian strategic systems1 including intercontinental ballistic missiles1 submarine launched ballistic missiles1 and heavy bombers1 as well as warheads4 7#i7 ,on ,february #e1 #bjah1 the ,treaty's central limits on strategic arms took effect4 7#aj7 ,through the ,new ,,start ,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#aa7 ,during a ,february #bf1 #bjai1 hearing on nuclear deterrence requirements of the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate1 ,commander of the ,united ,states ,strategic ,command 7,,stratcom7 ,general ,john ,hyten voiced his support for the ,treaty1 saying he was a big supporter of the ,new ,,start agreement and stating1 ,the ,new ,,start treaty provides insights into the ,russians capabilities4 ,those are hugely beneficial to me44 7#ab7 ,during a ,march #bjag hearing on nuclear deterrence requirements of the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives1 ,air ,force ,general ,paul ,selva1 the ,vice ,chairman of the ,joint ,chiefs of ,staff1 also endorsed the ,new ,,start ,treaty1 saying the ,treaty is a bilateral1 verifiable agreement that gives us some degree of predictability on what our potential adversaries look like4 7#ac7 ,lieutenant ,general ,jack ,weinstein1 the ,air ,force ,deputy ,chief of ,staff for ,strategic ,deterrence and ,nuclear ,integration1 asserted that the ,new ,,start ,treaty was of huge value to ,united ,states security4 7#ad7 ,during a ,september #bjah hearing before the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate1 ,deputy ,secretary of ,defense for ,policy ,david ,trachtenberg stated that the transparency and verification requirements of the ,new ,,start ,treaty are a benefit to the security of the ,united ,states and1 in response to a question regarding missile defense1 asserted that the ,treaty had no effect on limiting ,united ,states missile defense capabilities4 7#ae7 ,in a ,march #bjag hearing of the ,strategic ,forces ,subcommittee of the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives1 ,retired ,air ,force ,general and former commander of ,united ,states ,strategic ,command ,robert ,kehler stated1 ,i think that we have gotten tremendous benefit out of those kinds of agreements with the ,russians over the years1 provided that the ,russians comply1 regarding the importance of the ,new ,,start ,treaty4 7#af7 ,the ,department of ,state confirmed in ,february #bjah that the ,russian ,federation had met the ,treaty's central limits on strategic arms and stated that implementation of the ,new ,,start ,treaty enhances the safety and security of the ,united ,states4 7#ag7 ,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#ah7 ,the ,new ,,start ,treaty strengthens ,united ,states nuclear security and strategic stability by reducing the number of strategic systems in the ,russian ,federation's nuclear arsenal and provides the ,united ,states with the inspection and monitoring tools necessary to confidently verify ,russian compliance with the ,treaty4 7#ai7 ,the ,new ,,start ,treaty does not restrict ,united ,states nuclear modernization programs or limit ,united ,states missile defense efforts4 7#bj7 ,if the ,new ,,start ,treaty is not extended or replaced before it expires in #bjba1 the ,united ,states runs the risk of having no legally binding1 verifiable limits on the ,russian ,federation's strategic nuclear arsenal for the first time since #aigb4 #c4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that the ,united ,states should seek to extend the ,new ,,start ,treaty from its initial termination date in ,february #bjba to ,february #bjbf1 as provided for under ,article ,,xiv of the ,treaty1 unless the ,president determines and informs the appropriate congressional committees that-- 7#a7 the ,russian ,federation is in material breach of the ,treaty2 or 7#b7 the ,united ,states and the ,russian ,federation have entered into a new arms control agreement to replace the ,treaty that provides equal or greater constraints1 transparency1 and verification measures with regard to the ,russian ,federation's nuclear forces4 #d4 ,reports and briefings to ,congress 7a7 ,director of ,national ,intelligence assessments 7#a7 ,relating to ,russian ,federation nuclear forces ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of ,national ,intelligence shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an intelligence assessment based on all sources of the national security and intelligence implications of the expiration of the ,new ,,start ,treaty without the ,united ,states and the ,russian ,federation having entered into a new arms control agreement to replace the ,treaty that provides equal or greater constraints1 transparency1 and verification measures with regard to the ,russian ,federation's nuclear forces4 ,the assessment shall be submitted in an unclassified form1 but may contain a classified annex1 and shall include the following elements3 7,a7 ,a description of the size and posture of the ,russian ,federation's nuclear forces and strategic delivery vehicles1 as well as predicted force levels through ,february #bjbf under each of the following potential scenarios3 7i7 ,the ,treaty expires in ,february #bjba without such a replacement agreement4 7ii7 ,the ,treaty is extended until ,february #bjbf4 7,b7 ,an assessment of how strategic stability would be impacted if the ,treaty is not extended or such a replacement agreement is not concluded4 7,c7 ,an assessment of the impact on ,united ,states allies if the limitations on the ,russian ,federation's nuclear forces are dissolved if the ,treaty is not extended or such a replacement agreement is not concluded4 7,d7 ,a description of the intelligence collection benefits of the ,treaty4 7,e7 ,an assessment of how the ,united ,states intelligence community's confidence in its assessments of the ,russian ,federation's strategic nuclear arsenal and future nuclear force levels would be impacted if the ,treaty is not extended or such a replacement agreement is not concluded4 7,f7 ,an assessment of what specific capabilities the ,united ,states intelligence community would have to develop1 deploy1 or realign to ensure no loss of collection capability occurs if the ,treaty is not extended or such a replacement agreement is not concluded4 7#b7 ,relating to ,people's ,republic of ,china nuclear forces ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,director of ,national ,intelligence shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an assessment of the relative size and posture of the strategic nuclear forces of the ,people's ,republic of ,china compared to that of the ,united ,states and the ,russian ,federation4 ,the assessment shall be submitted in an unclassified form1 but may contain a classified annex1 and shall include the following elements3 7,a7 ,an assessment of the size1 force structure1 and operational status of the ,people's ,republic of ,china's long-range nuclear-capable delivery vehicles that meet the definitions of systems counted under the ,new ,,start ,treaty4 7,b7 ,an assessment of the number of nuclear warheads that the ,government of the ,people's ,republic of ,china possesses4 7,c7 ,a description of the efforts of the ,government of the ,people's ,republic of ,china to modernize and modify its nuclear force structure4 7,d7 ,a description of the potential changes to the nuclear force structure and posture of the ,people's ,republic of ,china if the ,united ,states and ,russian ,federation are no longer bound by the limits in the ,new ,,start ,treaty4 7b7 ,secretary of ,state 7#a7 ,relating to ,,nato1 ,,nato member countries1 and other ,united ,states allies ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall submit a report1 which shall be in an unclassified form1 but may contain a classified annex1 and provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees that includes an assessment of the likely reactions of the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato71 ,,nato member countries1 and other ,united ,states allies to a ,united ,states decision not to extend the ,new ,,start ,treaty or enter into a new arms control agreement with the ,russian ,federation to replace the ,treaty that provides equal or greater constraints1 transparency1 and verification measures with regard to ,russia's nuclear forces4 7#b7 ,relating to other matters ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 and every #ahj days thereafter until the ,new ,,start ,treaty is extended or expires1 the ,secretary of ,state1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,defense1 shall provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees that includes the following elements3 7,a7 ,a description of any discussions with the ,russian ,federation on the ,treaty or a similar agreement on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms at the ,assistant ,secretary1 ,ambassadorial level or higher4 7,b7 ,the dates1 locations1 discussion topics1 agenda1 outcomes1 and ,russian ,federation interlocutors involved in those discussions4 7,c7 ,an identification of the ,united ,states ,government departments and agencies involved in the discussions4 7,d7 ,the types of systems1 both nuclear and nonnuclear1 discussed by either side in such discussions4 7,e7 ,whether an offer of extension of the ,treaty1 of any length of time1 has been offered by either side4 #e4 ,presidential certification in event of expiration of ,new ,,start ,treaty ,if the ,new ,,start ,treaty is allowed to expire before the ,united ,states and the ,russian ,federation enter into a new arms control agreement to replace the ,treaty that provides equal or greater constraints1 transparency1 and verification measures with regard to the ,russian ,federation's nuclear forces1 not later than #cj days after such expiration the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees-- 7#a7 a justification for why the ,new ,,start ,treaty was allowed to expire2 and 7#b7 a certification that extending the ,treaty was not in the national security interest of the ,united ,states4 #f4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,permanent ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 and the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence of the ,senate4 7#b7 ,intelligence community ,the term intelligence community has the meaning given that term in section #c of the ,national ,security ,act of #aidg 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #cjjc74 7#c7 ,new ,start ,treaty2 ,treaty ,the terms ,new ,,start ,treaty and ,treaty mean 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 on ,april #h1 #bjaj1 and entered into force on ,february #e1 #bjaa4