The Obama administration on Tuesday urged the Senate to ratify a new arms-control treaty with Russia that would shrink both countries' nuclear arsenals, with top officials saying that approval of the treaty is vital to U.S. efforts to persuade other countries not to build nuclear weapons. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates told lawmakers the treaty will help improve relations with Russia. The new arms-reduction treaty was signed by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Prague in April, but the treaty must be ratified by the Senate, where it faces Republican opposition.
