US-Russia nuclear arms pact clears Senate hurdle

The new nuclear arms control pact with Russia cleared a key procedural hurdle Tuesday as the Senate voted to cut off debate on the measure.

The 67-28 vote indicated a near-certain win for President Barack Obama on one of his top foreign policy priorities as Democrats continued to push through a series of measures before the end of the lame-duck session of Congress.

Obama signed the treaty with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in April, and he made its ratification a major priority for current congressional session that ends in early January.