WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed President Biden’s decision to extend the New START treaty with Russia without any additional negotiations while his Administration focuses on kneecapping Texas’ energy sector. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
“It’s not just our voting systems that have come under attack. Moscow has launched massive cyberattacks against private companies and government agencies alike, the latest being the SolarWinds hack. And last year, Russia attempted to steal coronavirus vaccine research from the United States and our closest allies.”
“The Biden Administration has responded to these mounting threats in an unlikely way: by giving Russia exactly what it wants.”
“This Friday is the expiration date for the New START treaty, the only remaining bilateral, strategic, nuclear agreement between the United States and Russia.”
“In a call with President Putin last week, President Biden agreed to a clean, five-year extension. No conditions, no negotiations. In short, a capitulation. He gave them a green light to keep doing what they have been doing.”
“Well, it didn’t take long for Russian leaders to celebrate this win.”
“In his first two weeks in office, President Biden has used the power of the pen to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline, rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, stop drilling on federal lands and federal waters, and so much more.”
“Why did the President focus on this agenda? Well, because he’s called climate change, not nuclear weapons, the existential threat of our time.”
“The fact of the matter is, the Administration missed a huge opportunity by extending the New START treaty without any other conditions, and it has to do with much more than just the threats posed by Russia.”