Force General and former commander of United States Strategic Command Robert Kehler stated, I think that we have gotten tremendous benefit out of those kinds of agreements with the Russians over the years, provided that the Russians comply, regarding the importance of the New START Treaty. (16) The Department of State confirmed in February 2018 that the Russian Federation had met the Treaty’s central limits on strategic arms and stated that implementation of the New START Treaty enhances the safety and security of the United States . (17) The Nuclear Posture Review states that arms control agreements can foster transparency, understanding, and predictability in adversary relations, thereby reducing the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation . (18) The New START Treaty strengthens United States nuclear security and strategic stability by reducing the number of strategic systems in the Russian Federation’s nuclear arsenal and provides the United States with the inspection and monitoring tools necessary to confidently verify Russian compliance with the Treaty. (19) The New START Treaty does not restrict United States nuclear modernization programs or limit United States missile defense efforts. (20) If the New START Treaty is not extended or replaced before it expires in 2021, the United States runs the risk of having no legally binding, verifiable limits on the Russian Federation’s strategic nuclear arsenal for the first time since 1972. 3. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the United States should seek to extend the New START Treaty from its initial termination date in February 2021 to February 2026, as provided for under Article XIV of the Treaty, unless the President determines and informs the appropriate congressional committees that— (1) the Russian Federation is in material breach of the Treaty