Nuclear Weapons Policy -- Hon. Rick Larsen

Floor Speech

* Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Madam Speaker, President Obama has recently taken three key actions to strengthen our national security and help bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons.

* First, the President issued a Nuclear Posture Review which prioritizes stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials that could be used by terrorist groups or states to harm the United States and our allies. Focusing on securing nuclear materials and stopping proliferation will make America safer.

* The NPR also maintains America's role as a leader in non-proliferation by demonstrating our commitment to continuing a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear deterrent without resorting to nuclear testing. While I share the President's goal of creating a world without nuclear weapons, it is important to have a deterrent capability to keep Americans safe as long as other states possess nuclear materials.

* Second, the President signed a New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia. The New START Treaty will require the United States and Russia, the two largest nuclear powers in the world, to reduce the number of strategic nuclear warheads and launchers. This will send a strong message to the global community about our commitment to ending proliferation and securing nuclear materials around the world.

* Importantly, the New START treaty will place no restrictions on the United States' ability to develop missile defenses that will keep the United States and our allies protected from missile attacks from countries such as Iran.

* Third, the President hosted a summit of forty-six nations to discuss the need to prevent nuclear proliferation and secure loose nuclear materials. This meeting has resulted in a historic commitment by these states to secure all the world's loose nuclear materials in the next four years. This is an ambitious goal, but it is necessary to take swift action to reduce the risk of a nuclear attack.

* Getting to a world without nuclear weapons will be a long journey, but the steps that the President has taken over the last few weeks have us moving in the right direction.

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