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Monday, December 20th, 2010

Senate GOP’s McConnell Says He’ll Vote Against New START

Author:     MARY BETH SHERIDEN
Source:     The Washington Post
Publication Date:     Monday, December 20, 2010
Link: Senate GOP’s McConnell Says He’ll Vote Against New START
Stephan:   One can hardly over-emphasize the importance of this treaty. At so many levels, it would take an essay just to outline, it matters. That the Republicans are playing politics with START is so cynical and horrifying, that questions about their unethical behavior must be considered answered. That the public seems to be largely indifferent to the treaty controlling nuclear weapons I mark up to the shortness of public memory unless the pain is immediate. Please write your senators -- the addresses are on the left of the website -- and tell them to vote yes on the START Treaty.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) announced Sunday that he will vote against a new U.S.-Russia nuclear-arms accord, a move that could pressure other Republicans in what is likely to be a close vote in the next few days.

His statement came as Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the chamber’s second-ranking Republican, also said he would not support the treaty unless it was amended.

Supporters of the pact played down the announcements, saying they had not expected the senators’ backing. Vice President Biden and senior Democratic senators said the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) still has the votes to pass.

But the statements by the two leaders indicated how precarious passage has become, and how annoyed Republicans appear to be about Democrats’ handling of the lame-duck session. While Kyl had been an outspoken critic of the pact, McConnell had not spoken out against it until Sunday.

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) signaled Sunday night that he would move ahead with a vote on the treaty despite Republicans’ complaints about a lack of time. Reid filed a motion for cloture, which will probably lead to a final vote between Tuesday and Thursday.

McConnell told CNN that he still has concerns about the treaty’s verification provisions and […]

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