[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 552 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 552

Commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of NATO's invocation of Article 
   V to defend the United States following the terrorist attacks of 
                          September 11, 2001.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 12, 2016

   Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mrs. Shaheen, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. 
     Murphy, Mr. Kaine, and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of NATO's invocation of Article 
   V to defend the United States following the terrorist attacks of 
                          September 11, 2001.

Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the world's most 
        effective, strongest international political-military alliance, was 
        established in 1949 by the North Atlantic Treaty;
Whereas the principle of collective defense, whereby NATO member states agree to 
        mutual defense in response to an attack by an external party, is at the 
        very heart of NATO's founding treaty;
Whereas NATO's commitment to collective defense is enshrined in Article V of the 
        North Atlantic Treaty, which states that ``an armed attack against one'' 
        NATO member ``shall be considered an attack against them all'';
Whereas, on September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by the al Qaeda 
        terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden and protected by the 
        Taliban regime in Afghanistan;
Whereas, on September 12, 2001, less than 24 hours after the attacks, NATO 
        invoked Article V for the first time in history;
Whereas, in October 2001, NATO launched its first ever counterterrorism 
        operation, Operation Active Endeavor, to support the United States and 
        safeguard all allies;
Whereas, from October 2001 to May 2002, as part of Operation Active Endeavor, 
        NATO deployed seven NATO Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) 
        Surveillance aircraft to help patrol the skies over the United States;
Whereas 830 crew members from 13 NATO countries flew more than 360 sorties to 
        support Operation Eagle Assist to protect the United States from further 
        attack;
Whereas NATO activities under Operation Active Endeavor also included NATO ships 
        patrolling the Mediterranean and monitoring shipping to help deter, 
        defend, disrupt, and protect against terrorist activity;
Whereas, from 2003 until 2014, NATO commanded the International Security 
        Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, tasked with conducting security 
        operations throughout the country and helping to build the Afghan 
        National Defense and Security Forces;
Whereas ISAF was the longest, largest, and most challenging combat mission in 
        NATO's history and at its height comprised more than 130,000 troops from 
        51 NATO and partner countries, including at least 40,000 from countries 
        other than the United States;
Whereas at least 3,519 NATO troops, including 2,383 United States troops and 
        more than 1,000 from NATO allies and partners, have died fighting in 
        Afghanistan;
Whereas, in January 2015, in a sign of continued solidarity, NATO launched a new 
        mission in Afghanistan, Operation Resolute Support, to advise and assist 
        Afghan security forces;
Whereas, as of June 2016, approximately 12,000 NATO personnel were contributing 
        to the Resolute Support Mission, 7,000 of whom are from the United 
        States;
Whereas, on July 8 and 9, 2016, Heads of State and Government of the 28 NATO 
        allies met in Warsaw, Poland, to ``ensure that the Alliance remains an 
        unparalleled community of freedom, peace, security, and shared values, 
        including individual liberty, human rights, democracy, and the rule of 
        law'';
Whereas leaders at the Warsaw Summit decided to--

    (1) strengthen the Alliance's military presence in Eastern Europe with 
four battalions in Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on a rotational 
basis starting in 2017;

    (2) develop a tailored forward presence in southeastern Europe;

    (3) strengthen cyber defenses;

    (4) train and build capacity inside Iraq in support of the global 
coalition to defeat the so-called Islamic State, including by providing a 
NATO AWACS Surveillance plane and to expand maritime presence in the 
Mediterranean Sea;

    (5) continue contributions to NATO's Resolute Support Mission in 
Afghanistan beyond 2016 and confirm funding commitments to 2020;

    (6) welcome Ukraine's plans for reform and endorse a Comprehensive 
Assistance Package for Ukraine;

    (7) welcome the vital progress made in implementing the Substantial 
NATO-Georgia Package and activating the Joint Training and Evaluation 
Center to strengthen Georgia's self-defense and resilience capabilities; 
and

    (8) reiterate support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of 
both Ukraine and Georgia within their internationally recognized borders;

Whereas the NATO alliance has served the interests of the United States and its 
        transatlantic allies for more than seven decades;
Whereas, on April 6, 2016, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated, 
        ``NATO is a powerful tool in which all our nations have made great 
        investments. For almost seventy years, NATO has brought Europe and North 
        America together. Providing security for both sides of the Atlantic. I 
        know that I can count on the continued leadership of the United States. 
        I also know that the mutual interests of Europe and the United States 
        are best served by a strong North Atlantic Alliance. Because the 
        security of Europe and North America is indivisible. And only by 
        standing together will we remain safe and secure.''; and
Whereas, on July 9, 2016, following the Warsaw Summit, President Barack Obama 
        stated, ``NATO is as strong, as nimble, and as ready as ever . . . 
        Nobody should ever doubt the resolve of this Alliance to stay united and 
        focused on the future. And just as our nations have stood together over 
        the past hundred years, I know that we'll stay united and grow even 
        stronger for another hundred more.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) commemorates the fifteenth anniversary of NATO's 
        invocation of Article V to defend the United States after the 
        terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001;
            (2) commends the contributions of our NATO allies and 
        partners in our common fight against terrorism and in pursuit 
        of international security;
            (3) honors those men and women who have died for the cause 
        of common defense of the North Atlantic Treaty allies;
            (4) recommits the United States to the North Atlantic 
        Treaty, especially to common defense of Treaty allies, and 
        affirms that the United States remains fully prepared, capable, 
        and willing to honor its commitments under Article V;
            (5) encourages all NATO allies to continue their valuable 
        contributions to the Alliance, including by investing at least 
        two percent of gross domestic product in national defense 
        spending;
            (6) commends the NATO Alliance for decisions taken at the 
        July 2016 Warsaw Summit and the President for investing in the 
        European Reassurance Initiative to enhance deterrence and 
        project international stability beyond NATO; and
            (7) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to 
        deterring those who seek to destabilize the Euro-Atlantic area, 
        and to maintaining an ``Open Door'' policy on welcoming new 
        members, and welcomes the Alliance's invitation to Montenegro.
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