Hijjah 17, 1431 / Nov. 23, 2010, SPA -- The White House on Monday again urged the U.S. Congress to ratify the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms treaty, or START, before the end of the year. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' plea came after U.S. President Barack Obama returned from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Portugal last week, where the ratification of the START by U.S. lawmakers was a main topic of discussion. "We think that this is something that can and should be done" in the coming weeks, Gibbs said, adding that U.S. Vice President Joe Biden has been speaking with lawmakers, working to push the START through. "For us not to get this done" does impact U.S. national security, Gibbs said in response to a reporter's question about the risk of putting the treaty up for a vote, and it failing to pass, in the U.S. Congress.
