Foster Leads Bicameral Effort to Strengthen Nuclear Arms Control Regimes

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11) announced the introduction of H.Res.100, a resolution with Reps. John Garamendi (CA-08) and Don Beyer (VA-08), co-chairs of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, condemning the Russian Federation’s suspension of its participation in the New START Treaty and supporting the value of international arms control agreements. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) is leading a companion resolution in the Senate.

The New START Treaty will expire on February 4, 2026. It is the last major remaining bilateral nuclear arms control agreement and has provided valuable insight into Russia’s nuclear arsenal, including placing verifiable limits on all Russian deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons. Members of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group are deeply concerned about the fraying of the arms control regime as exemplified by the purported suspension of the New START Treaty, Russia’s use of escalatory nuclear rhetoric in service of its war of aggression against Ukraine, and the build-up of China and Iran’s nuclear programs.

The bicameral resolution:

• Condemns the Russian Federation’s escalatory nuclear rhetoric and veiled threats on the potential use of nuclear weapons to further its invasion of Ukraine.
• Condemns the Russian Federation’s purported suspension of the New START Treaty.
• Calls for the Russian Federation to promptly return to full implementation of New START, including on-site inspections, provision of treaty-mandated notifications and data, and resumption of Bilateral Consultative Commission meetings.
• Calls on the Trump Administration to continue to engage the People’s Republic of China in further bilateral talks on nuclear risk reduction and arms control, and to pursue new multilateral arms control efforts.
• Calls on the Trump Administration to continue to pursue nuclear arms control and risk reduction dialogue with the Russian Federation to maintain strategic stability, ensure the conflict in Ukraine does not escalate to nuclear use, and avoid an unrestrained nuclear arms race. 

“As a physicist, preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons has always been one of my top priorities,” said Representative Foster. “Russia’s suspension of the New START Treaty and Putin’s rhetoric about the potential use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine should have the entire international community on high alert and should serve as the impetus for us to pursue substantive nuclear arms control dialogue. American leadership is desperately needed to prevent escalation and avoid an unrestrained nuclear arms race.”

“The Trump administration has an historic opportunity to initiate high-level talks for a new pact and prevent a dangerous and costly nuclear arms race,” said Senator Markey. “I urge President Trump to work with Russia to replace New START and to talk with China about arms control. We are just one year away from losing New START and with it, all legal limits on Russian nuclear forces. There is no time to wait.” 

“For far too long, nuclear weapons have threated our country. Our leadership has long recognized that arms control is the most effective way to ensure American security. In today’s environment, it’s more important than ever that we begin to treat arms control with the same dedication we give our nuclear modernization and begin a constructive dialogue for a New START Treaty. We must strive for a more peaceful future, one without the existential threat of nuclear weapons,” said Representative Garamendi.

“Now more than ever, it is absolutely critical that we redouble our commitment to nuclear nonproliferation,” said Representative Beyer. “The New START treaty is our last major nuclear arms control agreement, and with rising instability overseas the ingredients are there for a runaway nuclear arms race that endangers us all.  This resolution demonstrates broad bicameral support for a renewal of New START and further arms control talks with other nuclear arms states that will help avert the potential global catastrophe that is a nuclear exchange.”

A copy of the resolution is available here.

House cosponsors include Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Juan Vargas (CA-52), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Sean Casten (IL-06), and Dina Titus (NV-01). 

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