[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 494 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
S.494
One Hundred Tenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven
An Act
To endorse further enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) and to facilitate the timely admission of new members to NATO,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``NATO Freedom Consolidation Act of
2007''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The sustained commitment of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) to mutual defense has made possible the
democratic transformation of Central and Eastern Europe. Members of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization can and should play a
critical role in addressing the security challenges of the post-
Cold War era in creating the stable environment needed for those
emerging democracies in Europe.
(2) Lasting stability and security in Europe requires the
military, economic, and political integration of emerging
democracies into existing European structures.
(3) In an era of threats from terrorism and the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction, the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization is increasingly contributing to security in the face
of global security challenges for the protection and interests of
its member states.
(4) In the NATO Participation Act of 1994 (title II of Public
Law 103-447; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), Congress declared that ``full
and active participants in the Partnership for Peace in a position
to further the principles of the North Atlantic Treaty and to
contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area should be
invited to become full NATO members in accordance with Article 10
of such Treaty at an early date . . .''.
(5) In the NATO Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996 (title VI
of section 101(c) of title I of division A of Public Law 104-208;
22 U.S.C. 1928 note), Congress called for the prompt admission of
Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia to the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization, and declared that ``in order to
promote economic stability and security in Slovakia, Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine
. . . the process of enlarging NATO to include emerging democracies
in Central and Eastern Europe should not be limited to
consideration of admitting Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and
Slovenia as full members of the NATO Alliance''.
(6) In the European Security Act of 1998 (title XXVII of
division G of Public Law 105-277; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), Congress
declared that ``Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic should not
be the last emerging democracies in Central and Eastern Europe
invited to join NATO'' and that ``Romania, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, and Bulgaria . . . would make an outstanding
contribution to furthering the goals of NATO and enhancing
stability, freedom, and peace in Europe should they become NATO
members [and] upon complete satisfaction of all relevant criteria
should be invited to become full NATO members at the earliest
possible date''.
(7) In the Gerald B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act of
2002 (Public Law 107-187; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), Congress endorsed
``. . . the vision of further enlargement of the NATO Alliance
articulated by President George W. Bush on June 15, 2001, and by
former President William J. Clinton on October 22, 1996''.
(8) At the Madrid Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization in July 1997, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic
were invited to join the Alliance, and the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization heads of state and government issued a declaration
stating ``[t]he alliance expects to extend further invitations in
coming years to nations willing and able to assume the
responsibilities and obligations of membership . . . [n]o European
democratic country whose admission would fulfill the objectives of
the [North Atlantic] Treaty will be excluded from consideration''.
(9) At the Washington Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization in April 1999, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
heads of state and government issued a communique declaring ``[w]e
pledge that NATO will continue to welcome new members in a position
to further the principles of the [North Atlantic] Treaty and
contribute to peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic area . . .
[t]he three new members will not be the last . . . [n]o European
democratic country whose admission would fulfill the objectives of
the Treaty will be excluded from consideration, regardless of its
geographic location . . .''.
(10) In May 2000 in Vilnius, Lithuania, the foreign ministers
of Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Republic of
Macedonia (FYROM), Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia issued a
statement (later joined by Croatia) declaring that--
(A) their countries will cooperate in jointly seeking
membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the
next round of enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization;
(B) the realization of membership in the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization by one or more of these countries would be
a success for all; and
(C) eventual membership in the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization for all of these countries would be a success for
Europe and for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
(11) On June 15, 2001, in a speech in Warsaw, Poland, President
George W. Bush stated ``[a]ll of Europe's new democracies, from the
Baltic to the Black Sea and all that lie between, should have the
same chance for security and freedom--and the same chance to join
the institutions of Europe--as Europe's old democracies have . . .
I believe in NATO membership for all of Europe's democracies that
seek it and are ready to share the responsibilities that NATO
brings . . . [a]s we plan to enlarge NATO, no nation should be used
as a pawn in the agenda of others . . . [w]e will not trade away
the fate of free European peoples . . . [n]o more Munichs . . .
[n]o more Yaltas . . . [a]s we plan the Prague Summit, we should
not calculate how little we can get away with, but how much we can
do to advance the cause of freedom''.
(12) On October 22, 1996, in a speech in Detroit, Michigan,
former President William J. Clinton stated ``NATO's doors will not
close behind its first new members . . . NATO should remain open to
all of Europe's emerging democracies who are ready to shoulder the
responsibilities of membership . . . [n]o nation will be
automatically excluded . . . [n]o country outside NATO will have a
veto . . . [a] gray zone of insecurity must not reemerge in
Europe''.
(13) At the Prague Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization in November 2002, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia were invited to join the
Alliance in the second round of enlargement of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization since the end of the Cold War, and the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization heads of state and government issued a
declaration stating ``NATO's door will remain open to European
democracies willing and able to assume the responsibilities and
obligations of membership, in accordance with Article 10 of the
Washington Treaty''.
(14) On May 8, 2003, the United States Senate unanimously
approved the Resolution of Ratification to Accompany Treaty
Document No. 108-4, Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949
on Accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania,
Slovakia, and Slovenia, inviting Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to join the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization.
(15) At the Istanbul Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization in June 2004, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
heads of state and government issued a communique reaffirming that
NATO's door remains open to new members, declaring ``[w]e celebrate
the success of NATO's Open Door Policy, and reaffirm tody that our
seven new members will not be the last. The door to membership
remains open. We welcome the progress made by Albania, Croatia, and
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1) in implementing their
Annual National Programmes under the Membership Action Plan, and
encourage them to continue pursuing the reforms necessary to
progress toward NATO membership. We also commend their contribution
to regional stability and cooperation. We want all three countries
to succeed and will continue to assist them in their reform
efforts. NATO will continue to assess each country's candidacy
individually, based on the progress made towards reform goals
pursued through the Membership Action Plan, which will remain the
vehicle to keep the readiness of each aspirant for membership under
review. We direct that NATO Foreign Ministers keep the enlargement
process, including the implementation of the Membership Action
Plan, under continual review and report to us. We will review at
the next Summit progress by aspirants towards membership based on
that report''.
(16) Georgia and Ukraine have stated their desire to join the
Euro-Atlantic community, and in particular, are seeking to join the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Georgia and Ukraine are working
closely with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its members
to meet criteria for eventual membership in NATO.
(17) At a press conference with President Mikhail Saakashvili
of Georgia in Washington, D.C. on July 5, 2006, President George W.
Bush stated that ``. . . I believe that NATO would benefit with
Georgia being a member of NATO, and I think Georgia would benefit.
And there's a way forward through the Membership Action Plan . . .
And I'm a believer in the expansion of NATO. I think it's in the
world's interest that we expand NATO''.
(18) Following a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in New York
on September 21, 2006, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
announced the launching of an Intensified Dialogue on membership
between the Alliance and Georgia.
(19) At the NATO-Ukraine Commission Summit in Brussels in
February 2005, President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko declared
membership in NATO as the ultimate goal of Ukraine's cooperation
with the Alliance and expressed Ukraine's desire to conclude a
Membership Action Plan.
(20) At the NATO-Ukraine Commission Foreign Ministerial meeting
in Vilnius in April 2005, NATO and Ukraine launched an Intensified
Dialogue on the potential membership of Ukraine in NATO.
(21) At the Riga Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization in November 2006, the Heads of State and Government of
the member countries of NATO issued a declaration reaffirming that
NATO's door remains open to new members, declaring that ``all
European democratic countries may be considered for MAP (Membership
Action Plan) or admission, subject to decision by the NAC (North
Atlantic Council) at each stage, based on the performance of these
countries towards meeting the objectives of the North Atlantic
Treaty. We direct that NATO Foreign Ministers keep that process
under continual review and report to us. We welcome the efforts of
Albania, Croatia, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to
prepare themselves for the responsibilities and obligations of
membership. We reaffirm that the Alliance will continue with
Georgia and Ukraine its Intensified Dialogues which cover the full
range of political, military, financial and security issues
relating to those countries' aspirations to membership, without
prejudice to any eventual Alliance decision. We reaffirm the
importance of the NATO-Ukraine Distinctive Partnership, which has
its 10th anniversary next year and welcome the progress that has
been made in the framework of our Intensified Dialogue. We
appreciate Ukraine's substantial contributions to our common
security, including through participation in NATO-led operations
and efforts to promote regional cooperation. We encourage Ukraine
to continue to contribute to regional security. We are determined
to continue to assist, through practical cooperation, in the
implementation of far-reaching reform efforts, notably in the
fields of national security, defence, reform of the defence-
industrial sector and fighting corruption. We welcome the
commencement of an Intensified Dialogue with Georgia as well as
Georgia's contribution to international peacekeeping and security
operations. We will continue to engage actively with Georgia in
support of its reform process. We encourage Georgia to continue
progress on political, economic and military reforms, including
strengthening judicial reform, as well as the peaceful resolution
of outstanding conflicts on its territory. We reaffirm that it is
of great importance that all parties in the region should engage
constructively to promote regional peace and stability.''.
(22) Contingent upon their continued implementation of
democratic, defense, and economic reform, and their willingness and
ability to meet the responsibilities of membership in the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization and a clear expression of national
intent to do so, Congress calls for the timely admission of
Albania, Croatia, Georgia, Macedonia (FYROM), and Ukraine to the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization to promote security and
stability in Europe.
SEC. 3. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY.
Congress--
(1) reaffirms its previous expressions of support for continued
enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization contained in
the NATO Participation Act of 1994, the NATO Enlargement
Facilitation Act of 1996, the European Security Act of 1998, and
the Gerald B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act of 2002;
(2) supports the commitment to further enlargement of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization to include European democracies that
are able and willing to meet the responsibilities of Membership, as
expressed by the Alliance in its Madrid Summit Declaration of 1997,
its Washington Summit Communique of 1999, its Prague Summit
Declaration of 2002, its Istanbul Summit Communique of 2004, and
its Riga Summit Declaration of 2006; and
(3) endorses the vision of further enlargement of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization articulated by President George W.
Bush on June 15, 2001, and by former President William J. Clinton
on October 22, 1996, and urges our allies in the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization to work with the United States to realize a
role for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in promoting global
security, including continued support for enlargement to include
qualified candidate states, specifically by entering into a
Membership Action Plan with Georgia and recognizing the progress
toward meeting the responsibilities and obligations of NATO
membership by Albania, Croatia, Georgia, Macedonia (FYROM), and
Ukraine.
SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF ALBANIA, CROATIA, GEORGIA, MACEDONIA (FYROM),
AND UKRAINE AS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UNDER THE NATO
PARTICIPATION ACT OF 1994.
(a) Designation.--
(1) Albania.--The Republic of Albania is designated as eligible
to receive assistance under the program established under section
203(a) of the NATO Participation Act of 1994 (title II of Public
Law 103-447; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), and shall be deemed to have been
so designated pursuant to section 203(d)(1) of such Act.
(2) Croatia.--The Republic of Croatia is designated as eligible
to receive assistance under the program established under section
203(a) of the NATO Participation Act of 1994, and shall be deemed
to have been so designated pursuant to section 203(d)(1) of such
Act.
(3) Georgia.--Georgia is designated as eligible to receive
assistance under the program established under section 203(a) of
the NATO Participation Act of 1994, and shall be deemed to have
been so designated pursuant to section 203(d)(1) of such Act.
(4) Macedonia (fyrom).--The Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is
designated as eligible to receive assistance under the program
established under section 203(a) of the NATO Participation Act of
1994, and shall be deemed to have been so designated pursuant to
section 203(d)(1) of such Act.
(5) Ukraine.--Ukraine is designated as eligible to receive
assistance under the program established under section 203(a) of
the NATO Participation Act of 1994, and shall be deemed to have
been so designated pursuant to section 203(d)(1) of such Act.
(b) Rule of Construction.--The designation of the Republic of
Albania, the Republic of Croatia, Georgia, the Republic of Macedonia
(FYROM), and Ukraine pursuant to subsection (a) as eligible to receive
assistance under the program established under section 203(a) of the
NATO Participation Act of 1994--
(1) is in addition to the designation of Poland, Hungary, the
Czech Republic, and Slovenia pursuant to section 606 of the NATO
Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996 (title VI of section 101(c) of
title I of division A of Public Law 104-208; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note),
the designation of Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and
Bulgaria pursuant to section 2703(b) of the European Security Act
of 1998 (title XXVII of division G of Public Law 105-277; 22 U.S.C.
1928 note), and the designation of Slovakia pursuant to section
4(a) of the Gerald B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act of 2002
(Public Law 107-187; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note) as eligible to receive
assistance under the program established under section 203(a) of
the NATO Participation Act of 1994; and
(2) shall not preclude the designation by the President of
other countries pursuant to section 203(d)(2) of the NATO
Participation Act of 1994 as eligible to receive assistance under
the program established under section 203(a) of such Act.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF SECURITY ASSISTANCE FOR COUNTRIES DESIGNATED
UNDER THE NATO PARTICIPATION ACT OF 1994.
Of the amounts made available for fiscal year 2008 under section 23
of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763) such sums as may be
necessary are authorized to be appropriated for assistance to the
Republic of Albania, the Republic of Croatia, Georgia, the Republic of
Macedonia (FYROM), and Ukraine.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.