[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4516-S4517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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SENATE RESOLUTION 557--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE 
    STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF NATO TO THE COLLECTIVE SECURITY OF THE 
 TRANSATLANTIC REGION AND URGING ITS MEMBER STATES TO WORK TOGETHER AT 
             THE UPCOMING SUMMIT TO STRENGTHEN THE ALLIANCE

  Mr. WICKER (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Tillis, and Mrs. Shaheen) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 557

       Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred to 
     in this Resolution as ``NATO'') will hold its next Summit 
     meeting July 11-12, 2018, in Brussels, Belgium;
       Whereas the security of the United States remains 
     inextricably linked to the security of Europe and NATO's 
     founding purpose remains as valid today as it has been since 
     NATO was created;
       Whereas our NATO allies have contributed significantly to 
     military operations led by the United States around the 
     world, and actively contribute to current Alliance missions, 
     including the reinforcement of NATO's eastern flank by 
     leading 3 of the 4 battlegroups of NATO's Enhanced Forward 
     Presence;
       Whereas while an increasing number of NATO member states 
     are fulfilling their pledges at the 2014 NATO summit in Wales 
     to allocate 2 percent of their gross domestic product towards 
     defense spending, all NATO member states should be urged to 
     meet the 2 percent target and to allocate 20 percent of their 
     annual defense spending on major new equipment, including 
     related research and development, in order to more fairly 
     share the burden of transatlantic defense;
       Whereas United States force deployments to Europe as part 
     of the European Deterrence Initiative, and the corresponding 
     measures by NATO member states in the Enhanced Forward 
     Presence, are contributing to enhanced security on NATO's 
     eastern flank;
       Whereas the Russian Federation's aggression towards its 
     neighbors, its breach of international norms, and its 
     noncompliance with its arms control commitments have severely 
     impacted European security and will continue to pose a 
     security threat for the foreseeable future;
       Whereas administrative and logistical obstacles to the 
     mobility of military assets across Europe, and the potential 
     mismatch between the speed of NATO-level decision making and 
     the speed of a crisis, have been shown to constitute 
     potential challenges to the successful defense of NATO's 
     territorial integrity;
       Whereas the cyber domain is a crucial aspect of NATO 
     operations and a key tool at potential adversaries' disposal;
       Whereas NATO member states collectively face a continued 
     and persistent threat from terrorism and our NATO allies are 
     making significant commitments in keeping terrorist networks 
     from interfering in any NATO territory;
       Whereas NATO member states--
       (1) have collectively identified corruption and poor 
     governance, including within member states, as ``security 
     challenges which undermine democracy, the rule of law, and 
     economic development''; and
       (2) in recognition of this challenge, adopted a Building 
     Integrity Policy, which is intended to support transparent 
     and accountable defense institutions under democratic 
     control;
       Whereas NATO's enlargement has delivered enhanced security 
     and stability to all NATO member states, including Montenegro 
     (the newest NATO member), while remaining incomplete and 
     underlining the need for NATO's Open Door Policy to remain in 
     effect for all aspiring countries and for invitations to join 
     NATO to be issued as soon as an aspirant country has met the 
     conditions for membership;
       Whereas the first of 10 Principles Guiding Relations 
     between participating States contained in the Final Act of 
     the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, done at 
     Helsinki August 1, 1975 (commonly known as the ``Helsinki 
     Final Act'') recognizes the right to be or not to be a party 
     to treaties of alliance as a right inherent in sovereignty to 
     be respected on an equal basis among the signatory states;
       Whereas the commitment made by NATO in the Founding Act on 
     Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security Between NATO and 
     the Russian Federation, done at Paris May 27, 1997 (commonly 
     known as the ``NATO-Russia Founding Act'') to ``carry out its 
     collective defence and other missions by ensuring the 
     necessary interoperability, integration, and capability for 
     reinforcement rather than by additional permanent stationing 
     of substantial combat forces'' was predicated on ``the 
     current and foreseeable security environment'' that existed 
     in 1997, which has been fundamentally altered by the 
     aggression directed by the leaders of the Russian Federation:
       Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms the enduring commitment of the United States 
     to NATO's collective defense, enshrined in Article 5 of the 
     North Atlantic Treaty, done at Washington April 4, 1949 
     (commonly known as the ``Washington Treaty'');
       (2) emphasizes the need for all NATO member states to be 
     prepared to meet their respective obligations under Article 5 
     of the Washington Treaty;
       (3) pledges its support for all appropriate measures 
     collectively taken to deter and defend against, if necessary, 
     Russian aggression against the territory of any NATO member 
     state, including the explicit aim of the leaders of the 
     Russian Federation to fracture the unity between NATO member 
     states;
       (4) emphasizes its commitment to a North Atlantic alliance 
     based on shared values, including the rule of law, to prevent 
     internal forces from eroding NATO's foundation;
       (5) encourages all NATO member states to clearly commit to 
     further enlargement of the alliance, including extending 
     invitations

[[Page S4517]]

     to any aspirant country which has met the conditions required 
     to join NATO; and
       (6) urges leaders who will be meeting at the 2018 NATO 
     summit in Brussels, Belgium to ensure that NATO--
       (A) meets urgent security threats;
       (B) continues to transform to counter emerging and evolving 
     challenges, including hybrid warfare, terrorism, 
     cyberattacks, and renewed challenges to sea lines of 
     communication between North America and Europe; and
       (C) adopts a rapid reinforcement plan that--
       (i) expedites political decision making;
       (ii) reinvigorates the NATO command structure;
       (iii) streamlines the capacity to mobilize forces across 
     national borders; and
       (iv) improves joint readiness goals.

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