US legislative bid against limiting nukes

The floor of the US House of Representatives

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/179557.html

US lawmakers have approved a defense bill that limits President Barack Obama's authority in slashing nuclear arsenal and blocks the implementation of a US-Russia arms control treaty.

Despite objections by the Defense Department and Democratic Congressmen, the Republic-controlled Armed Services Committee of the US House of Representatives approved a series of amendments that would limit Obama's authority to reduce the US arsenal of nuclear weapons, AP reported on Thursday.

By a 35-26 vote, the panel passed an amendment that would make the allocation of money for disabling nuclear weapons conditional on the submission of an administration report to congress on the measure.

The other amendment passed by the panel also denies the US president the authority to modify the target list or move nuclear weapons out of Europe until Congress is officially informed.

Last year, the United States and Russia signed an agreement that would reduce the number of deployable nuclear weapons of both countries by one-third.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) will cut the number of deployable long-range warheads to 1,550 each, down from the current ceiling of more than 2,000.