As we end 2010 with a major victory, help us start 2011 with the support we need to keep moving. Give $40 or more, and we'll send you the new 2011 Peace Builders calendar. Photo credit: Chris De Bruyn – http://chrisdebruyn.zenfolio.com/

It was touch and go until the end.

But just moments ago, the Senate voted to ratify the New START treaty, taking a major step towards a world safe from the threat of nuclear weapons!

I am not kidding, this was a real nail biter. We had to get 67 senators on board to ratify the treaty, and even after more than a year of organizing, a handful of hard-right Republicans with a lot of power were pulling every string to kill it.

As one of you said in the comments on my Friday night post, “so long we have waited for progress on nuclear disarmament!”

Thanks to all who wrote me sharing your excitement about the crucial step we took towards ratifying the first disarmament treaty in decades.

On Thursday we jumped a major hurdle by getting the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty out of committee, but now comes the biggest test of all. It takes 67 senators to ratify a treaty. So that means we need seven Republican senators to cross the aisle and vote for this treaty.

I can almost guess what you’re thinking. “It can’t be done, Katie! Bipartisanship is dead!” After all, we’ve all seen how ugly our political system has become.

Hold on to your seat.

Yesterday, in the midst of the most vicious and partisan political season in ages, we moved the first disarmament treaty in decades another major step towards ratification. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 14 – 4 to approve sending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) to the full Senate for a vote.

And it’s all because of the support of people like you. About a month ago, Peace Action West launched a national phone bank, coordinating the efforts of 24 groups around the country to push key Republicans to support the treaty.