[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 82 (Thursday, June 10, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S6879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 117--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE 
 UNITED STATES SHARE OF ANY RECONSTRUCTION MEASURES UNDERTAKEN IN THE 
     BALKANS REGION OF EUROPE ON ACCOUNT OF THE ARMED CONFLICT AND 
  ATROCITIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA 
                          SINCE MARCH 24, 1999

  Mr. CAMPBELL submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 117

       Resolved,

     SECTION 1. SENSE OF SENATE ON UNITED STATES SHARE OF 
                   RECONSTRUCTION COSTS.

       It is the sense of the Senate that the United States share 
     of the total costs of reconstruction measures carried out in 
     the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or contiguous countries, 
     on account of the armed conflict and atrocities that have 
     occurred in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia since March 
     24, 1999, should not exceed the United States percentage 
     share of the common-funded budgets of NATO.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this resolution:
       (1) Common-funded budgets of NATO.--The term ``common-
     funded budgets of NATO'' means--
       (A) the Military Budget, the Security Investment Program, 
     and the Civil Budget of NATO; and
       (B) any successor or additional account or program of NATO.
       (2) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.--The term ``Federal 
     Republic of Yugoslavia'' means the Federal Republic of 
     Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and includes Kosovo.
       (3) United states percentage share of the common-funded 
     budgets of nato.--The term ``United States percentage share 
     of the common-funded budgets of NATO'' means the percentage 
     that the total of all United States payments during a fiscal 
     year to the common-funded budgets of NATO represent to the 
     total amounts payable by all NATO members to those budgets 
     during that fiscal year.

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, today I submit the Kosovo Reconstruction 
Fair Share Resolution of 1999.
  This resolution's goal is to express the sense of the Senate that the 
United States should not end up paying more than its fair share of the 
Kosovo reconstruction effort.
  Specifically, the Kosovo Reconstruction Fair Share Resolution states 
that the United States' share of the costs of reconstructing Kosovo and 
the surrounding region following the conflict in the Balkans should not 
exceed the United States' portion of NATO's three ``Common Funds 
Burdensharing'' budgets.
  Our contributions to NATO come in two basic forms. The first and most 
significant portion by far comprises our direct deployment of troops 
and equipment. Over the years America has contributed the lion's share 
of the troops and equipment.
  America's disproportionally heavy burden has continued into the late 
1990s as the War in Kosovo clearly demonstrated. The vast majority of 
the fighting needed to wage the war in Kosovo was done in large part by 
American air power. We should not have to also carry the burden in the 
Kosovo reconstruction effort.
  That's why the Kosovo Reconstruction Fair Share Resolution states 
that America's portion of the reconstruction costs should not exceed 
the portion we contribute to NATO's three Common Fund Accounts, which 
is smaller than our contributions of troops and equipment.
  Factors considered when determining each country's portion includes 
its respective Gross Domestic Product and other considerations. Over 
the past three decades the U.S. portion has declined, as it should.
  For the years 1996 through 1998, America's contribution to these 
three NATO common funds averaged around 23 percent according to the 
Congressional Research Service. Accordingly, this resolution calls for 
capping our portion of the reconstruction costs at the same level of 23 
percent.
  In light of the fact that we carried the vast majority of the burden 
in ending the fighting I think that this is still too much. Perhaps 10 
percent is a fairer share. It is time for our European allies to do 
their fair share.
  Following World War Two, a war that would not have been won without 
America, the American people invested in the Marshall Plan. The 
Marshall Plan was vital in the effort to rebuild Europe from the ashes 
of WWII. Fifty years later we won the Cold War. Now, just yesterday, we 
put an end to the fighting in Kosovo. It is time for our NATO European 
allies to shoulder the financial burden to rebuild a region of their 
own continent that has been ravaged by war.
  The Kosovo Reconstruction Fair Share Resolution indicates that 
America will not pay more than our fair share. I urge my colleagues to 
support passage of this legislation.

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