[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 154 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H7724-H7726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1910
                       COMMENDING THE NATO SCHOOL

  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 527) commending the NATO School for its critical 
support of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) efforts to promote 
global peace, stability, and security, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 527

       Whereas the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany is the 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) premier 
     operational-level education and training facility and has 
     administered courses to over 185,000 officers, 
     noncommissioned officers, and civilians from NATO allied and 
     partner nations since its inception in 1953;
       Whereas for 60 years, NATO has served as the bedrock of 
     transatlantic security and defense, successfully defending 
     the territories of its North American and European member

[[Page H7725]]

     states from a range of external threats and promoting 
     democratic values throughout North America, Europe, and 
     Eurasia;
       Whereas since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of 
     the Cold War, NATO has been adapting to address a range of 
     new and emerging security challenges, including transnational 
     terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, 
     the re-emergence of regional and local conflicts, cyber 
     attacks, piracy, and threats to global energy security;
       Whereas while NATO transforms to address the emerging 
     security challenges of the 21st century, the NATO School 
     functions as the Alliance's primary vehicle to educate and 
     train the men and women serving in NATO missions to 
     successfully carry out the full spectrum of crisis management 
     operations, from combat and peacekeeping to logistics 
     support, humanitarian relief and governance enhancement, 
     institution building, and civil security;
       Whereas the NATO School plays a crucial role in supporting 
     NATO's ongoing operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, the 
     Mediterranean, and elsewhere, providing much of the training 
     for NATO personnel serving in NATO's core stabilization 
     mission in Afghanistan and conducting almost all of NATO's 
     out-of-country training of Iraqi military officers;
       Whereas NATO School efforts to support NATO's ongoing 
     mission in Afghanistan, including through its training for 
     personnel in NATO's Provincial Reconstruction Teams, are a 
     particularly critical component of international efforts to 
     combat transnational terrorism;
       Whereas the NATO School offers a broad-based and 
     comprehensive approach to its training and educational 
     activities including courses in civil-military cooperation, 
     crisis management, peace support operations, and arms control 
     and non-proliferation that draw upon a range of military, 
     development, and governance tools;
       Whereas the NATO School currently offers 90 courses to 
     individuals from over 100 countries including an array of 
     unique programs dedicated to building civilian, governance, 
     and military capacity in aspiring NATO member states;
       Whereas in addition to offering courses at its headquarters 
     in Oberammergau, the NATO School conducts a variety of 
     programs through its network of 15 Partnership for Peace 
     Training and Education Centers located in countries ranging 
     from Ukraine to the United States;
       Whereas the NATO School raises a large portion of its 
     operating expenses through tuition fees, but also receives 
     significant financial support from both the United States and 
     German governments and relies in large part on the invaluable 
     contribution of expert faculty from NATO member states and 
     partner countries;
       Whereas in February 2009 the NATO School hosted a United 
     States Congressional delegation for the first time in the 
     School's history when the United States House delegation to 
     the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) visited the School 
     in an effort to boost domestic and international public and 
     parliamentary support for NATO missions and activities; and
       Whereas Congress continues to support the NATO School and 
     recognizes the critical role it plays in enhancing the 
     ability of NATO and the United States to successfully 
     confront the security challenges of the 21st century: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the NATO School for its critical support of 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) efforts to promote 
     global peace, stability, and security;
       (2) reaffirms its commitment to NATO as the bedrock of 
     transatlantic security and defense; and
       (3) expresses appreciation to Colonel James J. Tabak, USA-
     MC, for his leadership of the NATO School during his tenure 
     as commandant from June 2006 to June 2009 and to the NATO 
     School faculty and staff for their hard work and commitment 
     to advancing the School's mission, to NATO member states and 
     partner countries for their consistent and invaluable 
     contribution of expert faculty to the NATO School, and for 
     the strong partnership between the United States and German 
     governments in providing financial support and leadership for 
     the NATO School.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.


                             General Leave

  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, this resolution commending the NATO School 
for its critical efforts to promote peace, stability and security is 
something long overdue, in my opinion.
  Last year, I had the honor of participating in a visit of the 
bipartisan House delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to the 
NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany. The NATO School's mission is to 
provide courses in support of the current and developing NATO strategy 
and policy, including cooperation and dialogue with military and 
civilian personnel from non-NATO countries. As such, the school serves 
as NATO's premier operational-level education and training center, and 
it plays, I can tell you, a crucial role in preparing the United States 
and its allies to face the evolving security challenges of the 21st 
century.
  Since 1953, more than 185,000 officers, noncommissioned officers and 
civilians from all allied and national military commands within the 
NATO Alliance have attended courses at the school. In addition, 
students from the Alliance's Partnership for Peace Program and the 
Mediterranean Dialogue attend the school. I'm proud to report that ours 
was the first U.S. congressional delegation to visit the NATO School in 
its 57-year history.
  The curriculum taught at the NATO School offers our soldiers, 
civilian leaders and allies over 90 different specialized courses on 
subjects such as arms control strategies, counterinsurgency training, 
intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, special operations and a 
host of other programs. Courses are continually revised and updated to 
reflect current operations and developments in NATO, and in so doing, 
the school strives for top-down clarity of vision in the educational 
process.
  With the unveiling of NATO's new Strategic Concept earlier this month 
in Lisbon, which details NATO's evolving role in global affairs, it is 
especially important that we stop and take a moment to acknowledge and 
support the work of the NATO School so that we can continue to operate 
as a truly unified alliance.
  I would ask our colleagues to support this resolution.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to first congratulate the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) for sponsoring this legislation, and I rise in 
strong support of House Resolution 527, which commends the NATO School 
in Oberammergau, Germany, for its critical support of the NATO 
Alliance's efforts to promote global peace, stability and security.
  The NATO School in Germany provides support and training for NATO's 
operations, including the stabilization mission in Afghanistan and the 
training of Iraqi officers. The school offers courses and programs to 
individuals from different countries focusing on peace support 
operations, arms control and nonproliferation, civil-military 
cooperation, governance and the building of military capacity in 
aspiring NATO member states.
  As we all know, the NATO Alliance was the heart of trans-Atlantic 
security during the Cold War and is now transforming itself to address 
new security challenges. There is indeed a multitude of emerging 
threats and challenges that the Alliance must play a role in 
addressing, including the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction 
and piracy and the challenge NATO faces in the stabilization mission in 
Afghanistan. Indeed, NATO's performance in Afghanistan will serve as a 
test with regard to the Alliance's effectiveness and relevance in 
addressing the security challenges of the 21st century.
  As the measure notes, the NATO School itself is playing an important 
role in ensuring that the NATO mission in Afghanistan is a complete 
success.
  Again, I would like to express my support of this resolution, and I 
urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support it as 
well.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TANNER. Thank you, Mr. Poe.
  At this time, it is with a great deal of pleasure that I yield 3 
minutes to my colleague, David Scott, from Georgia. Mr. Scott is a 
member of the NATO parliamentary delegation from the Congress to the 
NATO Parliamentary Assembly headquartered in Brussels, and he has made 
an enormous contribution in that area.

[[Page H7726]]

  Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Thank you very much, Mr. Tanner. I certainly 
appreciate that.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to recognize and commend the NATO 
School for its critical support of NATO's efforts to promote global 
peace, stability and security. As a member of the NATO Parliamentary 
Assembly, I have seen firsthand and I have been a part of and supported 
the many great efforts of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to 
maintain security and favorable relations between not only the NATO 
member states but with those states that are outside of the region and 
our 28-nation Alliance.
  Mr. Speaker, for over 60 years, NATO has been the foundation in 
maintaining trans-Atlantic security and defense. It has successfully 
defended the territories of its North American and European member 
states from numerous external threats while promoting democracy and its 
values throughout the Western World and Eurasia. Since NATO's 
beginning, the NATO School in Germany has served as a premier 
operational-level education and training facility and has supplemented 
the knowledge, skills and experience of over 185,000 officers, 
noncommissioned officers, and civilians from NATO-allied and partner 
nations.
  Mr. Speaker, I have visited the NATO School personally during a 
recent trip to Germany, and I have seen firsthand the extraordinary and 
effective job that they are doing. As NATO continues to evolve and 
transform to address 21st century threats, the NATO School's importance 
is all the more emphasized. Its support role is critical to NATO's 
ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kosovo and elsewhere, and 
the NATO School continues to provide much of the training for personnel 
serving in NATO stabilization mission in Afghanistan and conducts much 
of NATO's out-of-country training of Iraqi military officers. It is 
very important to note that the training and education the school 
provides beyond strictly military strategies, including civil-military 
cooperation, crisis management, and peace support operations and arms 
control and nonproliferation, issues that draw upon a range of 
military, development and governance tools.
  Our recognition of the NATO School today, Mr. Speaker, falls just 2 
days after confirmation that six NATO troops were killed during 
training operations in eastern Afghanistan. Their sacrifices underscore 
the continued importance and relevance of NATO and the NATO School as 
it evolves in the 21st century, making our Nation's commitment to the 
organization and its efforts to promote global peace and democracy all 
the more important.
  So this resolution is very important, and I commend the gentleman 
from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner), who is also the president of the NATO 
Parliamentary Assembly. And I commend him not only for this resolution, 
but I commend Mr. Tanner also for the extraordinary service that he has 
given over the years to NATO.
  Mr. POE of Texas. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. McMahon). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 527, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground 
that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum 
is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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