[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 18, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H6472-H6473]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PRESIDENT TRUMP AND RUSSIA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Brown) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BROWN of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, President Trump had a 
straightforward mission in Europe last week: stand with our NATO allies 
and stand up to Russia's Putin. Instead, President Trump squandered 
U.S. influence and abdicated our leadership by abusing and dividing our 
allies and fawning over a tyrant who actively seeks to undermine our 
democracy.
  While Putin may not be dictating American policy, President Trump is 
seemingly pushing forward his agenda. Putin wants to restore Russia as 
a great global power at the expense of the United States. He wants to 
expand Russian influence over Europe by weakening NATO and the European 
Union. In Putin's mind, when the United States and Europe flounder, 
Russia is stronger.
  If Putin was calling the shots, he would have encouraged President 
Trump to criticize NATO and raise doubts on whether we would defend our 
allies if they haven't paid their bills. He would invite President 
Trump to undermine the European Union, our largest trading partner and 
investor, by lauding Brexit, denouncing trade, supporting 
antidemocratic populists, and undermining Germany and Chancellor 
Merkel. And that is exactly what happened.
  Rather than projecting unity, President Trump's participation at the 
NATO summit generated nonstop images of division. Substantive issues 
received little or no attention.
  Putin is the biggest winner from any disunity in NATO. During the 
Cold War, American and NATO troops held the line in Europe, containing 
and defeating the Soviet Union.
  I served in Germany for 5 years at that time and witnessed firsthand 
how we won the Cold War. But we didn't do it through military power 
alone. We won because NATO military strength helped create the space 
for democratic dissidents in Eastern Europe to come together and bring 
down Soviet rule from within. This was the success of America's 
strategy--pursued by Presidents from Roosevelt to Kennedy, to Reagan--
of advancing American values.
  For seven decades, the NATO alliance has ensured that America's 
strength and influence are magnified around the globe. Our alliance has 
extended the promise of peace, security, and prosperity to much of the 
democratic world, and it has maintained the inviolable promise of 
collective defense.
  America needed its allies after we were attacked on 9/11, and our 
allies came through. They fought and died with us.
  And threats to our collective security have not vanished in the 21st 
century. These shared security challenges should have been at the top 
of President Trump's agenda, but they weren't.
  Since Putin's annexation of Crimea, NATO has found renewed purpose 
and effectiveness, stepping up exercises and establishing the enhanced 
forward presence in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
  Additional measures may be necessary to continue to confront Russian 
aggression. This includes Secretary Mattis' 30-30 plan to establish the 
readiness of 30 land battalions, 30 air fighter squadrons, and 30 ships 
ready to deploy within 30 days of being put on alert; Poland's proposal 
to bring more U.S. troops to the country and setting up a joint armored 
division with 15,000 American troops, and as many as 250 tanks and 
armored vehicles; and completion of the European missile shield by 
2020. None of this was discussed.
  Contrary to President Trump's declarations, NATO members have been 
increasing defense spending since 2014: almost $46 billion, the biggest 
buildup by U.S. allies in 25 years.
  NATO is also expanding its training mission in Afghanistan and 
launching a new one in Iraq, showcasing NATO's ongoing commitment to 
the fight against terrorism. Yet President Trump chose to deride our 
most important allies.
  With as much passion as President Trump questions our European allies 
as freeloaders, his actions suggest a desire for a cozy relationship 
with Putin's Russia. Russia is one of our most aggressive adversaries, 
working to rupture the relationship between the United States and our 
closest partners, weaken our influence in the Middle East, and pose an 
ongoing cyber threat.
  Other than elevating Putin and failing to mention Russia's illegal 
annexation of Crimea, what good did President Trump accomplish during 
this summit? I have no answer as to why he, unlike any of his 
Republican or

[[Page H6473]]

Democratic predecessors, is so unwilling to defend the interests of the 
United States and our allies against Russia. All that is clear is that, 
by embracing our adversaries and denigrating our allies, President 
Trump is inviting grave and historic consequences for the United 
States.
  Mr. Speaker, today, I simply call on President Trump to unequivocally 
affirm the United States' commitment to our European allies and to 
condemn Russian aggression, meddling, and malign influence.

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