[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 558 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 558

   Welcoming the accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 
     Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to the North Atlantic Treaty 
              Organization (NATO), and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 11, 2004

 Mr. Bereuter (for himself, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Gillmor, and Mr. Shimkus) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Welcoming the accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 
     Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to the North Atlantic Treaty 
              Organization (NATO), and for other purposes.

Whereas since 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has played an 
        essential role in guaranteeing the security, freedom, and prosperity of 
        the United States and its allies in Europe and North America;
Whereas since 1994 Congress has repeatedly endorsed the enlargement of NATO 
        through the NATO Participation Act of 1994, the NATO Enlargement 
        Facilitation Act of 1996, the European Security Act of 1998, the Gerald 
        B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act of 2002, the Transatlantic 
        Security and NATO Enhancement Resolution of 2002, and House Concurrent 
        Resolution 209 (2003);
Whereas NATO heads of state and government, meeting in Prague on November 21, 
        2002, invited Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, 
        and Slovenia to commence accession negotiations with NATO;
Whereas on March 26, 2003, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, 
        Slovakia, and Slovenia signed accession protocols to the Washington 
        Treaty of 1949;
Whereas on May 8, 2003, the Senate voted 96-0 to give its advice and consent to 
        ratification by the United States of the seven accession protocols;
Whereas on March 2, 2004, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced 
        that all 19 NATO members had deposited with the United States Government 
        their instruments of ratification of the accession protocols;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia 
        have reformed their political and economic systems in preparation for 
        NATO membership;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia 
        have undertaken defense reform programs that will enable each country to 
        contribute to NATO operations and are working to meet the financial 
        responsibilities of NATO membership by spending or committing to spend 
        at least two percent of their gross domestic product on defense;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia 
        have contributed to NATO operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, 
        and Afghanistan;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia 
        are scheduled to become members of NATO on April 2, 2004, and are 
        expected to be welcomed by NATO heads of state and government when they 
        meet in Istanbul on June 28 and 29, 2004;
Whereas Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia, the remaining countries currently in 
        NATO's Membership Action Plan, signed the United States-Adriatic Charter 
        on May 2, 2003, thereby affirming their commitment to the values and 
        principles of NATO and their desire to join the Alliance at the earliest 
        possible time;
Whereas in 2003 Congress, in House Concurrent Resolution 209, urged NATO to 
        invite Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia to join NATO as soon as each of 
        these countries respectively demonstrates the ability to assume the 
        responsibilities of NATO membership through the Membership Action Plan;
Whereas the Governments of Albania and Macedonia supported Operation Iraqi 
        Freedom and are contributing forces to stabilization operations in Iraq 
        and to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in 
        Afghanistan; and
Whereas the Government of Croatia elected in November 2003 has demonstrated its 
        commitment to implementing reforms and meeting conditions for 
        integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the defense 
        reforms necessary for NATO membership, and has contributed forces to the 
        NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) welcomes with enthusiasm the accession of Bulgaria, 
        Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to 
        the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO);
            (2) reaffirms that the process of NATO enlargement enhances 
        the security of the United States and the entire North Atlantic 
        area;
            (3) agrees that the process of NATO enlargement should be 
        open to potential membership by any interested European 
        democracy that meets the criteria for NATO membership as set 
        forth in the 1995 Study on NATO Enlargement and whose admission 
        would further the principles of the Washington Treaty of 1949 
        and would enhance security in the North Atlantic area; and
            (4) recommends that NATO heads of state and government 
        should review the enlargement process, including the 
        applications of Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia, at a summit 
        meeting to be held no later than 2007.
                                 <all>