GOP SENATORS PLANNING ARMS CONTROL AMENDMENT FOR NDAA

A pair of Republicans are planning to offer an amendment to the Senate’s version of the Fiscal Year 2014 Defense Authorization Act aimed at GOP concerns about President Obama’s arms control aspirations. The Senate formally began debate on the bill yesterday with language barring the transfer of Guantanomo Bay detainees occupying much of the floor time, but Sens. Mike Lee (Utah) and Deb Fischer (Neb.) filed an amendment to the bill that would outline Republican guidelines for a new round of nuclear negotiations with Russia. The “Sense of Congress” amendment would establish that any nuclear cuts should not be made unilaterally and should only be pursued through “mutual negotiated agreement” with Russia, should come in treaty form, and should be verifiable. The reductions should also “include the full range of nuclear weapons capabilities that threaten the United States, its forward-deployed forces, and its allies, including non-strategic nuclear weapons.” There’s no sign when, or if, the amendment will be considered by the Senate. Debate on the bill is expected to last until the end of this week, and the chamber is expected to debate an amendment on sexual assault in the military today.