Women Leading at New START Hearing

A year and half after ratification, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) conducted a hearing on June 21, 2012 to assess the progress of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty’s (New START) implementation. Not only was the hearing yet another step in reaffirming just how important New START is to our security and U.S.-Russia relations, it also set the scene for further reductions and deliberation down the road.

Testimony was given by acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs Madelyn Creedon, and Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration and Under Secretary for Nuclear Security Thomas D’Agostino.

In addition to Committee Chair Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Ranking Member Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), both strong supporters of New START, a few additional Committee members participated in the hearing. Notably, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), champion of nuclear arms control and WAND’s 2011 Torchbearer Award recipient, was there to ask crucial questions on topics ranging from how the New START treaty increases Russian transparency to the future of nuclear weapons in the American security strategy. Emphasizing the need and benefits of reducing the American stockpile, Sen. Shaheen argued that, “The treaty increases transparency, strengthens international stability and gives the Department of Defense the certainty it needs to protect our security in an efficient and cost-effective way.”

We, here at WAND, want to especially recognize the women leading on the nuclear security issue who were prominent at this hearing - Sen. Shaheen for her excellent questions and leadership, and Under Secretary Gottemoeller and Assistant Secretary Creedon for their excellent testimony and continuing dedicated work to reduce nuclear dangers. In a field largely dominated by men, it is refreshing to see women leading so effectively on security issues.

See a video of the hearing on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee website.

-Mylinda McDaniel, WAND Research Fellow - Doctoral Candidate at West Virginia University