WASHINGTON, DC —
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced an amendment to increase the number of deployed delivery vehicles-bombers, submarines, and intercontinental ballistic missiles-allowed for in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) from 700 to 720. The amendment failed by a vote of 33 to 64.
"Our nation's nuclear triad of bombers, submarines, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, is a crucial component of the United States' nuclear posture, and our ability to deter attacks on our homeland" said Thune. "My common sense amendment would have simply required New START to conform to the number of delivery vehicles presented to Congress by the Obama Administration earlier this year. The defeat of my amendment calls into question the strength of the nuclear triad that has served our nation for generations."
Currently, New START caps deployed delivery vehicles at 700, which is lower than the number called for by the Obama Administration's nuclear force structure plan of 720 delivery vehicles and significantly lower than the close to 900 nuclear delivery vehicles currently held by the United States.
"Our nation's nuclear triad of bombers, submarines, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, is a crucial component of the United States' nuclear posture, and our ability to deter attacks on our homeland" said Thune. "My common sense amendment would have simply required New START to conform to the number of delivery vehicles presented to Congress by the Obama Administration earlier this year. The defeat of my amendment calls into question the strength of the nuclear triad that has served our nation for generations."
Currently, New START caps deployed delivery vehicles at 700, which is lower than the number called for by the Obama Administration's nuclear force structure plan of 720 delivery vehicles and significantly lower than the close to 900 nuclear delivery vehicles currently held by the United States.