U.S. Senate Will Vote to Ratify START Treaty with Russia on Wednesday?
The Obama White House has the votes to ratify the New START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, with the Senate preparing for a vote this week, the Sun-Times has learned. The vote could come as early as Wednesday, after the vote on the tax package Obama negotiated with the Republicans. The Senate on Monday was advancing the tax legislation, with enough votes to end debate.
The New START vote will proceed because of a loophole in the Nov. 29 letter all 42 Republicans signed not to advance legislation until the tax deal and government funding bills are passed. The Senate is tentatively set to take up the funding measure at the end of the week.
No Cloture vote will need to be taken on a treaty as per Senate rules -as it goes up directly for a vote. But, the treaty must pass with 67 Senators voting in the affirmative.
My best bet is that this story is posturing (Obama does not have the votes yet) and that Senator Jim DeMint has some obstruction in mind – he opposes the treaty as negoatiated by President Obama.
Stay tuned…..