John,

For half a century, nuclear arms control agreements have made the world dramatically safer. Beginning with the first U.S.–Soviet treaties in the 1970s, and continuing through the START framework negotiated under both Republican and Democratic presidents, limits, inspections, and verification have restrained the most destructive weapons ever created.

These agreements did not make the world peaceful -- but they made it survivable. For fifty years, they have helped prevent escalation from ending human civilization. That hard-won stability is now in grave danger. The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last remaining constraint on U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, expires on February 5, 2026.

In a world currently shaken by the breakdown of global norms and alliances, climate crises, economic upheaval, and war, allowing our nuclear restraints to collapse at the same time would be inexcusably dangerous. Even Vladimir Putin has warned that such recklessness could lead quite literally to the end of the world.

Yet Trump’s response to this looming deadline has been chillingly dismissive. Asked about the treaty’s expiration, he responded as if it were the last thing on his mind. His comment: “If it expires, it expires.” That casual indifference ignores what fifty years of history have taught us -- that arms control is not a favor to adversaries, but a mutual act of survival.

Tell your Senators and Representatives to publicly support U.S.–Russia negotiations to maintain New START limits and verification, and to oppose any resumption of U.S. explosive nuclear testing.

If New START is allowed to lapse, the United States and Russia will push each other into resuming an unconstrained arms race. Reopening that era now, amid global instability and collapsing trust, would be profoundly reckless. It took decades of diplomacy to end the last arms race and agree upon limits, inspections, and transparency to make the world safer.

There is a responsible path forward, and Congress must push for it. Russia has offered to continue observing New START’s limits while negotiations proceed on a longer-term agreement. Maintaining current caps and verification would prevent needless escalation while diplomats do their work. As Ronald Reagan put it: “Trust, but verify.”

Congress must also block any return to explosive nuclear weapons testing. Existing arsenals do not need “upgrading” if strong verification ensures neither side is secretly racing ahead. Explosive testing would only fuel suspicion, cause environmental damage, provoke further competition, and waste billions without increasing security.

Lawmakers have the authority, and the obligation, to act now. Congress must press to keep New START’s limits in place, push for immediate negotiations on a successor treaty, and outlaw explosive nuclear testing. These safeguards have helped keep the world safer for fifty years. Renewing them now can help keep the world safer for generations to come.

Tell Congress to press for renewed U.S.–Russia negotiations to maintain the New START treaty and to oppose any explosive nuclear testing.

Thank you for helping to create a safer future.

– DFA AF Team