U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon

[Rep. McKeon] – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, responded to President Obama’s remarks in Berlin in the following statement:

“The President’s desire to negotiate a new round of arms control with the Russians, while Russia is cheating on a major existing nuclear arms control treaty, strains credulity.

“I have been urging the President through classified and unclassified correspondence to take seriously these violations by Russia since last year, but the President has ignored these concerns.

“Just last week, the House passed legislation by an overwhelming margin that would prohibit further reductions while Russia is violating – if not in material breach of – its current obligations. There is bipartisan agreement that faithfulness and an honest, open exchange are the heart of any successful arms control process. The President’s response to these concerns was to issue a veto threat.

“The President must make clear to President Putin that the United States will not allow itself or its allies to be bullied by Russia or to allow that state to ignore its arms control obligations.”