Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to ratify the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) that requires the United States and Russia reduce their number of nuclear warheads and provides each party of the treaty with verification measures.

Highlights:

• Instructs the U.S. and Russia to reduce their total deployed strategic nuclear warheads to less than 3,500 each by the year 2003.

• Requires that all SS-18 missiles and canisters be eliminated by January 1, 2003.

• Allows up to 100 heavy bombers to not count towards the Treaty limit as long as they are reoriented to a conventional role and will not be able to carry nuclear weapons.

• Counts as heavy bombers those bombers that use the number of nuclear weapons for which they are equipped.

• Includes verification measures for the U.S and Russia, such as observation of SS-18 silo conversion and missile elimination procedures, and inspections of all heavy bombers to confirm weapons load carried.

• Requires the U.S and Russia to eliminate all MIRVed ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles).

• Allows SLBMs (submarine launched ballistic missiles) and ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles) to be removed either by destroying their launchers or converting launchers so they can only carry another type of permitted missile.

• Expresses the sense of the Senate that theater missile defense systems and other defense strategies are necessary if deterrence fails.

• Instructs the President to regulate reduction in the United States strategic nuclear forces so that the Russian warheads never exceed the U.S.'s warheads.

• Asks the President to certify that the U.S National Technical Means are sufficient to ensure effective monitoring of Russian compliance with the Treaty.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text