When he was on the campaign trail, then-Senator Obama promised his administration would be the most transparent in history. From health care to environmental regulations, President Obama has repeatedly failed to live up to that promise. Now, his administration is embracing that pattern of secrecy as they push for Senate ratification of a new nuclear arms treaty with Russia.
The President submitted the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) to the Senate on May 13. Initially, the Obama administration indicated they wanted the treaty ratified before the August recess, giving Senators less than three months to review the wide-ranging treaty thoroughly.
After receiving significant pushback, they decided committee approval in August was more realistic. They miscalculated again though, and Senator John Kerry (D-MA) was forced to postpone the committee vote until September.
Those delays were a victory for American democracy and security.
As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pointed out last week, Senators currently lack critical information on the impact of the treaty. She said the State Department is just now “providing answers to nearly 800 questions submitted for the record. There’s a lot of material for senators to review during this break, and we are working to resolve any outstanding questions they might have.”
Think about that for just one moment. This administration wanted Senators to vote on a consequential treaty without reviewing crucial information or receiving answers to official Questions for the Record from the State Department. Of course, an official “answer” may not be an answer at all. Indeed, some of the administration’s responses are raising additional questions, as opposed to alleviating concerns. It seems additional hearings, witnesses and questions would be helpful for concerned Senators.
Unfortunately, the much-delayed answers from the State Department and a premature end to the committee hearings seem likely to preclude any serious efforts to alleviate Senators’ concerns. It begs the question, is the “most transparent administration in history” hiding something?
Some of those answers may be found in the treaty’s negotiating records. 103 days ago, six Republicans on the Foreign Relation Committee requested access to the full negotiating records. Thus far, the administration has denied access to those records. The records are crucial for Senators to gain an understanding of the treaty – especially as the Russians appear to interpret key treaty provisions differently than our own government.
The root of the secrecy goes deeper, though, right to the heart of the disarmament crowd. One such advocate pointed out that historically these groups “lobbied quietly behind the scenes for disarmament measures.” In other words, these debates had no place in the public domain. It was a realm reserved for the self-anointed foreign policy czars.
Americans deserve to have a voice in this debate. In fact, nearly 40,000 have signed Heritage Action for America’s petition, which encourages Senators not to ratify the treaty if it “weakens or undermines America’s national security.”
Liberal interest groups are trying to drown out the voice of the American people. Some falsely declared an “almost total lack of expert opposition to the treaty” and considered “claims of expert opposition to START are eerily similar to claims of expert scientific opposition to climate change.” Their dismissive nature of criticism is par for the course – it is what liberals do on issues across the board from health care to immigration.
Heritage Action for America’s opposition to the treaty is substantive and policy-based, not anti-Obama politics. We also believe Americans deserve a real debate on New START. If the administration is serious about ratifying this treaty, they must be transparent, confront the arguments head-on and engage the American people. Heritage Action and the American people are eager for the debate.
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