Obama to sign nuclear arms reduction pact

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- President Obama signs the new U.S.-Russian arms reduction treaty Wednesday in the Oval Office, the White House said.

The U.S. Senate and Russian lawmakers approved the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that reduces Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals to 1,550 nuclear warheads, down from the current level of 2,200, and allows for a resumption of mutual inspections, among other things. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev approved the agreement last week.

Before signing the treaty, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will receive the daily briefings, and then the president will meet with senior advisers, the daily agenda said.

In the afternoon, Obama will meet with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., then with Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., in the Oval Office.

Obama and Biden later will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.