Chairman Risch Opening Statement at Hearing on Arms Control and Transforming International Security Functions at The State Department

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee hearing titled "Arms Control and Transforming International Security Functions at The State Department." Witnesses included The Honorable Thomas DiNanno, under secretary for arms control and international security at the State Department.

Chairman Risch gave the following remarks:

"Mr. Under Secretary, thank you so much for being here today to discuss an incredibly important issue and that is arms control. A timely issue given the President's actions in Iran to address a near nuclear capable adversary which one could argue is indeed arms control.

"The military action in the Middle East has highlighted what the United States must do to protect the American people from the imminent threat of an adversary and the danger of nuclear weapons in the wrong hands. As we all know, having nuclear weapons in the wrong hands is very dangerous for the entire planet.

"President Trump is rightly taking care of the Iranian nuclear capabilities, but as you know, Iran is not the only country of concern.

"We are now-for the first time- in a multipolar nuclear landscape. It is a landscape where the U.S. is facing two nuclear near peer competitors in Russia and China, in addition to rogue states with nuclear ambitions, which are a very concerning problem.

"As you have rightly noted before, we are at an inflection point. And a changing landscape requires a change in policy.

"The expiration of the New START treaty with Russia wasn't just a symbolic milestone. By the way I supported that and urged the president to terminate. It was the recognition that we have more than one nuclear threat to the American people and nuclear agreements of days gone by no longer meet the needs of our nation. If our adversaries are building nuclear stockpiles, we unfortunately must do so as well.

"I know you agree that any future agreement must be verifiable, enforceable, and inclusive of developing nuclear powers-a treaty with only Russia will not protect American interests.

"But building this kind of broad nuclear agreement won't be easy. Russia is a serial treaty violator, and that's putting it kindly. It has failed to uphold its end of virtually every treaty that it has signed.

"And China too is violating its treaty obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and has the fastest-growing nuclear arsenal of any nuclear-armed state. This is a dangerous time but fortunately we have an Administration up to the task.

"President Trump has stated clearly that future arms control must address both Russian and Chinese nuclear arsenals.

"And Secretary Rubio has laid out three foundations for any new arms control agreements, that I think are spot on and worth noting here, as most things Secretary Rubio does are.

"First, arms control can no longer be a bilateral issue between the United States and Russia; it must include China to be even remotely effective.

"Second, we will not accept terms that harm the United States or ignore nations who do not follow through on agreements in the pursuit of a future agreement. It is pointless. Listen up, Russia.

"And third, we will always negotiate from a position of strength. We are the United States of America, and we will act like it.

"We need a credible, modernized nuclear program that deters our enemies from ever trying to intimidate us with their own nuclear weapons. But we need to do this while "pursuing all avenues to fulfill the President's genuine desire for a world with fewer of these awful weapons", as the Secretary has noted.

"Early in this Administration, President Trump directed a landmark transformation of the State Department to reduce bureaucracy and structural inefficiencies that got in the way of effective foreign policy. The organization you lead is now able to align arms control, security assistance, emerging threats, counterterrorism, and counternarcotics policies all under one roof to support America's national interests.

"As the inaugural Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, I hope that you will use this opportunity to provide this committee with an update on the reorganization and the state of our nuclear programs and negotiations.

"Thank you for your service and that of your family.

"And I'll now turn it over to the Ranking Member."

These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.

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