In April, President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the New START Treaty, the biggest nuclear arms pact in a generation. The treaty, the first of its kind in almost ten years, would diminish both countries’ nuclear arsenals and allow for greater transparency in nuclear policy. Although the treaty has been met with strong objections from some members of the Republican Party, the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee has recently approved the treaty. New START now faces the Senate floor for a full vote.  But what exactly is the New START Treaty, and what would happen if it did not pass?  On this week's edition of The Breakdown, DC Editor Chris Hayes and non-proliferation expert Joe Cirincione try to answer these questions and the long term implications for the New START Treaty.

More information on our guest, Joe Cirincione. Foreign Policy’s reporting on the Senate committee’s approval of the New START Treaty.

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