[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 24, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10980-S10981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. HELMS (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Durbin, 
        Mr. Smith of Oregon, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Allen, Mr. 
        Hagel, Mr. McCain, Mr. Brownback, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Frist, Mr. 
        DeWine, Mr. Voinovich, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Lott, and 
        Mr. Enzi):
  S. 1572. A bill to endorse 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, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, on behalf of myself, Senator Lieberman, 
Senator Lugar, Senator Durbin, and fourteen other of our colleagues I 
send to the desk a bill entitled the Freedom Consolidation Act of 2001. 
An identical bill is being introduced simultaneously in the House of 
Representatives by Congressmen Doug Bereuter, Tom Lantos,  and others.
  The Freedom Consolidation Act reaffirms what I believe to be a strong 
and bipartisan Congressional commitment to NATO enlargement. Focusing 
on the NATO Alliance's Prague summit in November of 2002, the bill 
endorses the vision of a Europe whole, undivided, free and secure. 
Indeed, this bipartisan vision has guided U.S. policy toward Europe for 
the last fifty years.
  It's a vision that President Clinton helped to make a reality through 
the integration of Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary into NATO.
  It is also a vision so powerfully reaffirmed by President George W. 
Bush in Warsaw this past June.
  Some hoped that the tragic events of September 11 would weaken the 
NATO Alliance. In fact, quite the opposite has happened. It has 
reinvigorated awareness on both sides of the Atlantic that NATO, an 
organization of collective defense, remains vital to the interests and 
values of the community of democracies. Moreover, the atrocities of 
September 11 have reaffirmed the need for the Alliance to move 
decisively forward on its agenda of enlargement, military 
modernization, and enhancements of its capacities against weapons of 
mass destruction.
  Today, we can build on NATO's fifty years of joint military planning, 
training, and operations as the foundation for U.S. and European 
cooperation in the war against terrorism. Consolidating the zone of 
peace, democracy and security in Europe should be the cornerstone of 
our integrated global strategy against the threats of the 21st century.

[[Page S10981]]

  NATO enlargement must, thus, remain a leading priority of American 
foreign policy.
  Recently, the heads of state of European democracies seeking NATO 
membership gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria, to explore how they can more 
effectively contribute to Euro-Atlantic security. Even more important 
is the fact that these democracies are conducting themselves today as 
de facto members of the NATO Alliance. Their troops stand shoulder to 
shoulder with U.S. forces keeping the peace in the Balkans. They were 
among the first to offer their services, including not only the use of 
their bases, but even the deployment of their own troops in this war 
against terrorism.
  The most recent round of NATO enlargement, which was ratified by the 
Senate with an overwhelming 80 votes, has proven to be a success. 
Polish, Czech, and Hungarian membership have strengthened the Alliance. 
Their integration into NATO has enhanced European security and 
stability. And contrary to NATO nay-sayers their integration into NATO 
has helped to normalize not only their bilateral relationships with 
Russia, but also relations between Russia and the West.
  I am confident that the Alliance's summit in Prague next year will 
initiate the next round of enlargement, which will strengthen the 
Alliance. It will help reverse the historic wrongs of Yalta, and it 
will bring us that much closer to fulfilling the vision of a Europe, 
whole, free and secure.
  I urge my colleagues to consider supporting the Freedom Consolidation 
Act of 2001, and I urge them to do so.

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