[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 4, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2212-S2213]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          ANNIVERSARY OF NATO

  Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, nearly 70 years ago today, the United 
States and 11 other nations--in the face of Soviet aggression--joined 
together in mutual defense to form the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization, NATO. Since its inception, NATO has expanded to 28 member 
nations. The breadth of its mission is impressive--from ensuring 
regional stability and combating terrorism to training partner 
countries and supporting humanitarian aid. While NATO was founded to 
ensure Western peace and stability in the face of the Cold War, its 
work has come to encompass all corners and peoples of the globe.
  NATO is more important than ever today in deterring regional conflict 
The U.S. must stand by its ironclad commitment to NATO's security and 
solidarity as Russian President Vladimir Putin flouts international law 
and exerts Russian aggression around the world, from meddling in our 
own election to the illegal annexation of Crimea.
  Our NATO allies need our support. I applaud Operation Atlantic 
Resolve, which coordinates the deployment of additional NATO troops to 
our allies in Eastern Europe. I also commend other U.S. efforts that 
support our NATO allies, like the European Reassurance Initiative. 
These play an essential role in bolstering our force readiness in the 
region to deter Russian aggression and demonstrate our commitment to 
the common cause and democratic principles that NATO embodies.
  American support for NATO is and must remain steadfast. The nearly 
unanimous vote in the Senate ratifying Montenegro's accession to be a 
member state is evidence of this well-established, deeply founded 
support.

[[Page S2213]]

Ukraine's stated intention to achieve the criteria for joining NATO, 
too, is testament to the organization's renewed importance in our 
deterrence policy in the region.
  While the sentiment of NATO's article 5--``an attack on one is an 
attack on all''--helped guide the U.S. stably through the Cold War, 
NATO has remained a relevant source of stength for the international 
community, beyond regional deterrence. Since 1999, when NATO identified 
the risk international terrorism posed for member nations, the 
organization has remained a steadfast resource in the fight against 
terrorism. In fact, the only instance in which article 5 was invoked 
was in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Since 
then, NATO has helped ensure freedom of navigation in waters plagued by 
piracy, helped train Iraqi security forces counter improvised explosive 
devices, commanded counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan for more 
than a decade, provided support for Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, 
and innumerable other contributions. As threats to member nations 
evolved in the 21st century, NATO demonstrated its ability to adapt.
  NATO showed the power of strength through solidarity, not only for 
its member nations, but also for its dozens of partner nations around 
the globe. The power of NATO's partnerships lends strength to the 
global community as a whole, better equipping regions of the world to 
respond when disaster strikes. Programs like NATO's Centres of 
Excellence help partner countries fight corruption, piracy, and 
terrorism and collaborate to stem the spread of weapons of mass 
destruction and other arms. By serving as a resource for nonmember 
countries, NATO not only strengthens the resolve of the international 
community to strife and instability, but also serves as a beacon for 
democratic values like gender equality and rule of law.
  Finally, NATO has long served as a force for human rights. It was 
central to ending the genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1995, and 
it helped bring an end to violence in Kosovo in 1999. NATO has served 
as a vital resource assisting with the waves of refugees escaping from 
violence and atrocity in Syria, and the organization has been at the 
frontlines to combat international human trafficking.
  NATO plays a critical role in combatting increased Russian 
aggression, but its mission is much broader than that. The world is a 
safer place thanks to NATO, from stemming regional conflicts, to 
assisting partners around the world. It serves as an indispensable, 
indisputable resource for the international community. As we celebrate 
the anniversary of this pivotal organization today, we must remain 
committed to its successful future.

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