[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 69 (Monday, April 29, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 116-1

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
injunction of secrecy be removed from the following treaty transmitted 
to the Senate on April 29, 2019, by the President of the United States: 
Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 on the Accession of the 
Republic of North Macedonia (Treaty Document No. 116-1).
  I further ask that the treaty be considered as having been read the 
first time; that it be referred, with accompanying papers, to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed; and that the 
President's message be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The message of the President is as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to its 
ratification, the Protocol to the North Atlantic Treaty on the 
Accession of the Republic of North Macedonia (the ``Protocol''). The 
Protocol was signed in Brussels on February 6, 2019, on behalf of the 
United States and the other Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty. Also 
transmitted for the information of the Senate is an overview of the 
Protocol by the Department of State. Full ratification of the Protocol 
will allow North Macedonia to become a Party to the North Atlantic 
Treaty and a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
  As further explained in the report on the accession of North 
Macedonia to NATO, transmitted to the Congress on March 27, 2019, 
pursuant to section 3(2)(E)(ii) of the Resolution of Advice and Consent 
to Ratification of the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 
on the Accession of Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic of April 
30, 1998, North Macedonia is a steadfast security partner of the United 
States, and its NATO membership will directly benefit United States 
strategic interests and the NATO Alliance.
  I ask that the Senate provide its advice and consent, and my 
Administration stands ready to brief and assist you in your 
deliberations.
                                                     Donald J. Trump.  
The White House, April 29, 2019.

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