U.S. non-governmental organizations have welcomed a call by Senators Dianne Feinstein and Patrick Leahy together with Representative James McGovern for the U.S. to review existing cluster munitions policy and to take immediate steps toward joining the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.
In a July 17, 2013 letter to President Obama, the Congressional representatives described cluster munitions as "indiscriminate, unreliable" weapons that "pose an unacceptable danger to U.S. forces and civilians alike." They described current U.S. policy on cluster munitions as "outdated" and called for it to be "immediately reviewed."
The representatives urged an end to U.S. use of cluster munitions and requested a review of the 2008 Department of Defense policy on cluster munitions issued by Gates.