Modernization funds become latest football in START debate

Posted By Josh Rogin Tuesday, July 20, 2010 - 4:23 PM Share

With all of the Senate hearings on President Obama's new nuclear reductions treaty with Russia now completed, the push toward a vote is underway, much to the chagrin of some Republicans. In their effort to delay a vote on the New START treaty, senior GOP senators are now pointing to a House appropriations bill still being formed as the latest reason they can't yet support the treaty.

The House Appropriations Energy and Water subcommittee approved a bill for fiscal 2011 funding that would give $525 million to the nuclear weapons complex for the first year of an ambitious nuclear weapons modernization program, $99 million less than the administration had requested. For overall funding for the nuclear weapons complex, the House panel recommended $6.9 billion, which is 8 percent above what was given for the same activities in fiscal 2010.

That's the largest increase in the history of that account, but regardless, the subcommittee's proposed reductions for the modernization program were enough to provoke major objections from the same Republicans who are seen as key swing votes on New START.

Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, opened up today's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing by referring to the House's energy bill directly and asking the witnesses if they would recommend that Obama veto the bill if the subcommittee's proposed funding levels carry the day.

"There are already concerns about the adequacy of the president's plan for meeting our full recapitalization and modernization needs, and this lack of commitment by House Democrats to at least meet the president's request is troubling," he said.

The energy bill markup is by no means final. In fact, there's little chance Congress will pass any energy appropriations bill -- it's more likely they will fold it into a larger bill to keep the government running after the fiscal year expires on Sept. 30.

So, is this energy bill funding level issue really a big deal?

"It's a huge deal," Sen. Jon Kyl, R-AZ, the unofficial GOP point man on New START, told The Cable in an interview Tuesday. "The modernization program will cost a fair amount of money ... So how are we going to get that money back so the modernization program is not deficient?"

In an interview, Senate Foreign Relations Committee head John Kerry, D-MA, assured The Cable that the modernization account would be fully funded to match the president's request.

"We're working on that now. The president is committed to the full $624 million and that commitment stands," he said.

Regardless, the new dispute is fueling concern inside the administration that Kyl may not really have any intention of supporting the treaty, even if he's given as much as can be given on the modernization front.

Kyl flatly denied he is in negotiations with Vice President Joe Biden or any other administration officials over New START. When asked whether he would vote for the treaty if all his concerns or addressed or if he even supports the overall idea of nuclear reductions, he declined to give a straight answer.

"I don't have to respond to that," he said. "Let me just put it this way, I think the administration will have a lot easier job of getting the START treaty approved if they make sure all the things that members have asked for are provided."

Kyl is still demanding access to the entire negotiating record for the treaty, which the administration has no intention of providing. He's also asking for more time for members to pour over the treaty.

Meanwhile, the administration is pursuing a two-track strategy, working with Kyl in the hopes of convincing him and his cohorts to come along, while also trying to find eight to 10 GOP moderate votes they could get if Kyl ultimately balks.

Those GOP moderates are going to be hard to find. The Cable tracked down GOP Sens. Susan Collins, R-ME, Olympia Snowe, R-ME, Judd Gregg, R-NH, and Scott Brown, R-MA, all of whom said they were not ready to give any indication or significant comment on whether they would vote in favor of New START.

Nor is Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-CT, a safe yes vote. In an interview with The Cable, Lieberman said, "I'd like to be in a position to support it." He referred to the verification measures in the treaty, which he and other senators want more clarification on.

As for McCain, he told The Cable on Tuesday that he supported the overall idea of reducing nuclear stockpiles and promised to keep an open mind on the treaty, "as long as we can do it and ensure our safety and security."

"In all of these treaties, the devil in the details and that's what we've got work out," he said.

Roll Call/Getty Images

EXPLORE:DIPLOMACY, NUKES, OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, RUSSIA, STATE DEPARTMENT, U.S. CONGRESS, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY

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