SENATE ENERGY AND WATER PANEL TO HOLD HEARING ON ‘PROPER’ STOCKPILE SIZE

With the Obama Administration contemplating new reductions to the nation’s nuclear stockpile, the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee is set to hold a hearing next week about the “proper” size of the nation’s nuclear arsenal. The hearing will take place at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Room SD-192 of the Senate Dirksen Office Building, and will include testimony from former Strategic Command chief and Deputy Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright, former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering, and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Forces Policy Keith Payne. The Administration is considering additional reductions beyond the 1,550-cap established under the New START Treaty, and could outline its plans to move to lower numbers as part of its forthcoming Nuclear Posture Review implementation study.