[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 256 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 256

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         July 11, 2018.
Whereas the United States has shown strong commitment to the independence, 
        sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democratic development of the 
        countries that emerged from the ashes of the former Soviet Union and the 
        communist bloc it once dominated;
Whereas many of these countries have, during the past three decades, undertaken 
        the extensive political and economic reforms necessary to achieve their 
        aspirations for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, or are 
        continuing to do so;
Whereas the incorporation of Central and Eastern European countries into the 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has contributed to a vision of 
        Europe that is whole and free and united in peace, democracy, and common 
        values;
Whereas the mission of NATO since its founding in 1949 is to defend its members 
        from aggression, enhance cooperation on defense and security issues, and 
        promote the peaceful resolution of disputes;
Whereas NATO remains the most important and critical security link between the 
        United States and Europe;
Whereas on November 16, 2016, former President Barack Obama stated, ``NATO, the 
        world's greatest alliance, is as strong and as ready as it's ever been 
        and I am confident that just as America's commitment to the 
        transatlantic alliance has endured for seven decades--whether it's been 
        under a Democratic or Republican administration--that commitment will 
        continue, including our pledge and our treaty obligation to defend every 
        ally.'';
Whereas on July 6, 2017, President Donald J. Trump reiterated the United States' 
        support of NATO by saying, ``To those who would criticize our tough 
        stance, I would point out that the United States has demonstrated not 
        merely with words but with its actions that we stand firmly behind 
        Article 5, the mutual defense commitment.'';
Whereas NATO allies and partners in Central and Eastern Europe, including 
        countries of the Western Balkans, and the former Soviet Union have stood 
        alongside the United States in joint peace operations in the Western 
        Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere around the globe;
Whereas NATO established the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council to promote, among 
        other priorities, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, and crisis 
        management cooperation as well as advancing values, including respect of 
        international law and peaceful resolution of disputes;
Whereas Russia's aggressive actions against members of the NATO Alliance and 
        nearby NATO partner countries, including its many violations of Baltic 
        airspace, occupation of Georgian territory in 2008, illegal occupation 
        of Crimea since 2014, and continued threats to Moldovan territorial 
        integrity and sovereignty, not only violate its commitments under the 
        Helsinki Final Act and subsequent Organization for Security and 
        Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) agreements but also foment instability in 
        Europe;
Whereas NATO allies increased their assistance to NATO partner countries by 
        endorsing the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package in support of Georgia at 
        the Wales Summit, the Comprehensive Assistance Package in support of 
        Ukraine at the Warsaw Summit, and developed a phased Defense and Related 
        Security Capacity Building package in support of Moldova;
Whereas the European Deterrence Initiative represents the United States 
        commitment to enduring peace, stability, and territorial integrity in 
        Europe as members and partners of the NATO Alliance;
Whereas from September 14 through September 20, 2017, Russia held a large-scale 
        military exercise in Belarus known as Zapad 2017;
Whereas the last Zapad exercise was in 2013 which laid the foundations for 
        Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea;
Whereas NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed concerns about 
        Russia's lack of transparency regarding military exercises;
Whereas Secretary-General Stoltenberg also stated, ``Russia is our neighbor * * 
        *. We don't want to isolate Russia; we don't want a new Cold War.'';
Whereas the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, Valery 
        Gerasimov, wrote in 2013 that ``informational conflict'' is a key part 
        of war;
Whereas Baltic and NATO officials believe that Russia was likely responsible for 
        interruptions in Latvia's mobile communications network before the Zapad 
        exercise;
Whereas three Baltic Russian-language news sites known collectively as Baltnews 
        are secretly owned by Rossiya Segodnya, a news agency owned and operated 
        by the Russian Government;
Whereas on June 28, 2017, Vesko Garcevic, Montenegro's ambassador to NATO from 
        2010 through 2014, testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee 
        that Russia has provided support to extremist groups and even used the 
        country's religious institutions to oppose closer ties to the Western 
        world;
Whereas on April 4, 2018, Russia began a live-fire military exercise in the 
        Baltic Sea, just outside of the territorial waters of NATO member 
        countries, in a move a top Latvian defense official called a ``show of 
        force'' just a day after Baltic leaders met with President Trump;
Whereas at the Wales Summit in 2014, all 28 members of the NATO alliance 
        declared their intention to move towards a minimum security investment 
        of 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense within a decade;
Whereas on June 8, 2018, NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg spoke of increases 
        in defense investments by European allies, that ``Allies are making real 
        progress on all aspects of burden sharing, cash, capabilities and 
        contributions * * *. But of course, we still have more work to do. 
        Burden sharing will be a key theme of our Summit next month. And I 
        expect all Allies to continue their efforts.''; and
Whereas the commitment to collective defense in Article 5 of the North Atlantic 
        Treaty remains at the heart of the Alliance: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) affirms the United States enduring commitment to and friendship 
        with its NATO allies;
            (2) pledges that the United States will continue to maintain strong 
        leadership and strengthen its commitments to NATO;
            (3) condemns any threat to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, 
        freedom and democracy of NATO allies;
            (4) condemns the clear, gross, and uncorrected ongoing violation of 
        the Helsinki principles by Russia with respect to the sovereignty and 
        territorial integrity of Ukraine;
            (5) supports keeping United States sanctions imposed against Russia 
        relating to Crimea in effect until Ukraine's sovereignty over Crimea has 
        been restored, as well as sanctions relating to the Donbas until the 
        Minsk agreements are fully implemented;
            (6) considers it essential for the United States to maintain and 
        increase political, economic, and security support for the countries of 
        Central and Eastern Europe;
            (7) appreciates the spirit of friendship of the countries of Central 
        and Eastern Europe, including those of the Western Balkans, their 
        commitment to collective security, and their contributions, past and 
        present, to peace operations around the globe;
            (8) calls for the United States to continue to support the countries 
        of Central and Eastern Europe to secure their electoral processes from 
        foreign threats;
            (9) supports and encourages the democratic aspirations of the people 
        of all countries concerned, including Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova;
            (10) encourages the countries of Europe to continue to invest in the 
        individual, regional, and collective defense;
            (11) calls on all NATO allies whose current proportion of gross 
        domestic product spent on defense is below the 2 percent guideline to 
        meet that guideline;
            (12) honors the men and women who served under NATO and gave their 
        lives to promote peace, security, and international cooperation since 
        1949; and
            (13) calls for continued support to the United States' European 
        Deterrence Initiative.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.