When asked about where he stands on New START, Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) told NRO in an interview off the Senate floor that a missile-defense amendment he plans to offer this afternoon will be “very important” as he mulls how to move forward.

“Let’s see how that comes out,” McCain said. “We have a lot of people that want to talk about it. It’s a very key issue, this missile-defense issue.”

“I think it’s a very important vote,” McCain continued. “Let’s see how the debate goes. I’ve always said that [START] could get done, but I’ve had major concerns about missile defense, and that’s what I’ve been saying since the beginning.”