[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 61 (Wednesday, April 20, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           ENCOURAGING NATO PARTICIPATION FROM MEMBER NATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRADLEY BYRNE

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 20, 2016

  Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a disturbing trend 
that deserves increased scrutiny in the wake of Russia's growing 
aggression in the Baltics, Ukraine, Eastern Europe, and the South 
Caucasus. Recently, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg met with 
members of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees 
to discuss how to counter an assertive Russia, a phenomenon he 
describes as ``a chief threat.''
   To be sure, recent events have led some to question the relevance of 
the NATO alliance. Indeed, that the U.S. accounted for more than 72 
percent of NATO members' total defense expenditures, spending about 
$649.9 billion last year, exemplifies the need to reform the 28-member 
defense alliance to restore it to a body that collectively wields the 
power to deter aggression and secure peace.
   Currently, only 5 members of the 28 nation alliance spend the NATO 
recommended 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. This 
statistic is troublesome and indicative of a vastly disproportionate 
burden sharing that has existed for far too long and has potentially 
compromised NATO's effectiveness.
   Perhaps as a result, Putin has successfully increased pressure on 
NATO's perimeter in an attempt to solidify control of the ``Near 
Abroad.'' Moscow's invasion of Georgia in 2008 set in motion what has 
become an increasingly obvious pattern. Russia's annexation of Crimea 
in 2014, ongoing military campaign in the eastern part of Ukraine, and 
most recently, its confrontation with Azerbaijan through its proxy 
Armenia, epitomize Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Witold 
Waszcykowski's characterization: Russia is ``an aggressive neighbor 
that is openly proclaiming the redrawing of the borders of Europe.''
   As NATO members in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe continue to 
face antagonism from Russia, including a substantial military buildup 
in Armenia where it has deployed advanced fighter aircraft and attack 
helicopters to bases in Armenian territory just 25 miles from the 
Turkish border, the time to address the systemic issues that have 
plagued the NATO alliance is now.
   European countries must step up to the plate to counter aggression 
and send a clear message to Russia that their actions will not be 
allowed to continue.

                          ____________________