Washington, DC -- Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released the following statement today following the Senate ratification of the START treaty.

"I congratulate President Obama on successfully moving the START Treaty through the Senate. This agreement is critical for United States national security, and I'm pleased that the Senate decided to ratify it.

"I would also like to thank the 13 Republican Senators for breaking with their party and voting for this important treaty. Frankly, I can't understand why the majority of Republican Senators rejected the advice of America's national security experts, including every living former Republican Secretary of State and President George H.W. Bush.  Rather than defending U.S. national security, I'm afraid that most Republicans in the Senate were trying to deny President Obama a victory.  Politics should stop at the water's edge, not at the political party headquarters."

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