"I'm just a treaty, yes I'm only a treaty....."

[Clio the Leo]

How a Treaty Moves Through the Senate
April 9, 2010 - by Donny Shaw

Under Article II of the Constitution, the President “makes” treaties, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Approval of a treaty requires a supermajority of two-thirds of the senators present (assuming all 100 senators are present, 67 votes are required for approval).

After signature of the New START Treaty on April 8, the U.S. and Russian negotiators will complete their work on several technical annexes. Only then will the President be able to submit the treaty to the Senate (expected to be later this spring). In addition to the text of the treaty, protocol and annexes, the President will submit to the Senate a detailed analysis of the treaty.

The treaty will be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, which under the Senate rules has exclusive jurisdiction over treaties. If past practice on major arms control treaties is a guide, the Foreign Relations Committee will likely conduct several hearings on the New START Treaty. The Committee held four hearings on the last such treaty, the Moscow Treaty, in 2002.

Similarly, past practice suggests that other Senate committees, such as the Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, may also conduct hearings and report their views to the Foreign Relations Committee, but the treaty would not be formally referred to those committees.

Once the Foreign Relations Committee has completed its review of the treaty, it would draft its recommendations for a resolution of advice and consent, which is the document by which the Senate approves treaties, and vote in a formal markup session. Then it would file a detailed report with the Senate analyzing the treaty and the Committee’s findings resulting from its review.

Once the Committee reports the treaty to the Senate, it is placed on the Senate’s Executive Calendar. Unlike bills, the decision of the Senate to begin consideration of a treaty (the motion to proceed) is not subject to a filibuster. The Senate typically takes at least two or three days to consider a major treaty, and to vote on amendments to the resolution of advice and consent.

If approved, the treaty is then returned to the President, for the formal act of ratification. Specifically, he will sign an instrument of ratification.

The treaty must also be approved by the Russian parliament, or Duma. If both the Senate and the Duma approve the New START Treaty, it will enter into force on the date that the United States and Russia exchange the instruments of ratification.

http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1801-How-a-Treaty-Moves-Through-the-Senate

[Chulanowa]

1. The US should start honoring existing treaties rather than cranking out new ones.

I mean hey, I like the idea of a good treaty with Russia. Just sayin', I've got some claims in Mississippi that are mine "as long as the grass shall grow and the sun rises" is all...

[provis99]

4. Can you name even one single treaty the US has honored?

In its entire history? Just one? I can't. I wonder why other nations bother signing deals with us; they must KNOW they're just gonna get screwed.

[Chulanowa]

5. I'm sure there's like, at least one

Of course, many DU'ers want to bomb the fuck out of a country over the propaganda that said country might be thinking about breaking a treaty.

[karynnj]

2. Just as this says, Kerry, as chair of SFRC says there will be speedy hearings

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) issued a statement following the signing of a new START treaty by President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev:

“Today’s signing of the START treaty strengthens our security while affirming the vital role the nuclear arsenal plays in our nation’s defense. I will work closely with Senator Lugar and our colleagues to see that this historic treaty is ratified this year.

“The White House has indicated that the full treaty will be completed and submitted to the Senate in early May. I plan to begin hearings on the treaty in the coming weeks, and then report a proposed resolution of advice and consent to ratification out of the Foreign Relations Committee for approval by the full Senate as soon as possible.

“The Senate has a long history of approving strategic arms control treaties by overwhelming margins and I am confident we will renew that spirit of cooperation and bipartisan tradition on arms control and national security to approve ratification of this vital treaty. This is too important to delay.”

http://kerry.senate.gov/cfm/record.cfm?id=323687

[rucky]

3. Seems easier to declare war. n/t