Senator John McCain of Arizona, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, was one of nine Republicans to vote to open debate on the New Start treaty. Stephen Crowley/The New York TimesSTART Gets 66 Votes To Begin Senate Debate -- Wall Street Journal
President Barack Obama’s New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia snagged 66 votes on a procedural motion to bring it formally to a Senate debate, just one short of the number needed for passage.
But at least eight Republican senators – including some the White House was counting on – said this afternoon they did not want a vote on ratification this year, setting a sharp dividing line that some Republicans will have to cross if the treaty is to be approved.
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More News On The START Treaty
Senate kicks off debate over US-Russia arms treaty -- Yahoo News/AP
Senate votes to begin consideration of START treaty -- Yahoo News/Reuters
US Senate votes to take up Russia treaty -- Yahoo News/AFP
Senate votes to open debate on New START -- Washington Post
‘New Start’ Treaty Advances in Senate -- The Caucus/New York Times
US Senate votes to begin debate on new Start treaty -- BBC
US Senate Begins Debate on Nuclear Pact with Russia -- Voice of America
Senate agrees to take up New START treaty -- L.A. Times
Senate Votes to Debate Nuclear Treaty With Russia -- Bloomberg
Chambliss, others in Senate give rocky start to START treaty debate -- AJC
Jim DeMint backs down on demand to read START -- Politico
START stopped? -- Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post
My Comment: The votes are not there. As I had preicted yesterday, of the 9 Republican senators who supported having a debate on the START Treaty, only 4 (maybe 5) are committed to supporting the treaty. In short .... there is not enough Republican support for this treaty to be ratified in this session.