[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 397 Engrossed in House (EH)]

<DOC>
H. Res. 397

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         June 27, 2017.
Whereas more than 250,000 Americans died in the Second World War to liberate 
        Europe from the scourge of genocidal fascism;
Whereas in the wake of the cataclysm of the Second World War, the United States, 
        Canada, and European partners founded the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO) in Washington in 1949;
Whereas the foundation of NATO is collective defense as enumerated in Article 5 
        of the North Atlantic Treaty which states that, ``The Parties agree that 
        an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America 
        shall be considered an attack against them all.'';
Whereas NATO is one of the most successful military alliances in history, 
        deterring the outbreak of another world war, protecting the territorial 
        integrity of its members, and seeing the Cold War through to a peaceful 
        conclusion;
Whereas Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty has only been invoked once in 
        history when alliance members came to the aid of the United States 
        following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001;
Whereas NATO allies and partners, including Canada and countries in Central, 
        Eastern, and Northern Europe, including countries of the Western 
        Balkans, and the former Soviet Union have stood alongside the United 
        States in joint operations in the Western Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, 
        and elsewhere around the globe;
Whereas NATO remains the foundation of United States foreign policy of promoting 
        a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace;
Whereas at the Wales Summit in 2014, NATO leaders agreed that each alliance 
        member would spend at least 2 percent of its nation's gross domestic 
        product on defense by 2024;
Whereas multiple Presidents have reaffirmed the commitment of the United States 
        to the collective defense guarantees in Article 5 of the North Atlantic 
        Treaty; and
Whereas the Constitution of the United States grants Congress the sole power to 
        declare war: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) solemnly reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization's principle of collective defense as 
        enumerated in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty;
            (2) strongly supports the decision at the NATO Wales Summit in 2014 
        that each alliance member would spend at least 2 percent of its nation's 
        gross domestic product on defense by 2024;
            (3) condemns any threat to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, 
        freedom and democracy of any NATO ally; and
            (4) welcomes the Republic of Montenegro as the 29th member of the 
        NATO Alliance.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.