Lugar said he first worked with Nunn during arms control negotiations when Mikhail S. Gorbachev was still president of the Soviet Union.
Lugar explained that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, he and Nunn were concerned about the nuclear weapons left unaccounted for there.
The collapse of the Soviet Union "was a remarkable opportunity in history but one fraught with enormous peril," the life-long hoosier told his audience.
Lugar said he and Nunn encouraged discussion in Congress and traveled to Russia to participate in negotiations between the two countries.
"This is an on-going debate, and it will not be automatic," Lugar said, referring to discussions about the legislation and need for the measures in the bill.
Nunn said the key is to "stop [the danger] at its source."
The United States must cooperate with the Soviet Union to ensure security. At home, the government must use research and development to detect the location of the nuclear weapons, he said. In Russia, it must work with local officials to locate them.
In the future, according to Nunn, the government must continue to strengthen its defense programs.