[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 121 (Thursday, July 18, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S4954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 278--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING 
TURKEY'S PURCHASE OF THE S-400 AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM FROM THE 
 RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND ITS MEMBERSHIP IN NATO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself and Mr. Young) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                              S. Res. 278

       Whereas the United States and the Republic of Turkey have 
     been North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies since 
     1952;
       Whereas NATO exists for democratic nation states to band 
     together to ``safeguard the freedom, common heritage and 
     civilization of their peoples, founded on the principles of 
     democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law'';
       Whereas NATO Member States ``seek to promote stability and 
     well-being in the North Atlantic area'';
       Whereas the primary threat posed by the Soviet Union that 
     precipitated the formation of NATO continues today, and 
     recent actions by the Government of the Russian Federation 
     have reaffirmed the importance of this alliance to the 
     security of the Member States;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has 
     threatened the peace and security of the North Atlantic area, 
     invading and occupying the territory of its non-NATO 
     neighbors and menacing NATO Member States since 2008;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has 
     interfered and attempted to wreak havoc in the election 
     processes of NATO Member States and continues to do so;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has 
     maintained and strengthened its ties with the repressive and 
     corrupt regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela in an effort to 
     prop him up in his illegitimate hold over the state;
       Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation is 
     strengthening its ties with the Government of Cuba, including 
     a recent port call in Havana with its most powerful warship;
       Whereas the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 
     has taken the Republic of Turkey down a path of 
     authoritarianism and human rights abuses, aligns itself with 
     radical Islamic terror groups, and agitates against regional 
     allies of the United States, such as Israel;
       Whereas the Government of the Republic of Turkey has 
     cooperated with the Governments of the Russian Federation and 
     Iran against the strategic interests of the NATO Member 
     States, continues to occupy northern Cyprus, and continues to 
     unjustly detain United States citizens;
       Whereas the Government of the Republic of Turkey has 
     supported the Maduro regime with illegal financial 
     transactions;
       Whereas the Government of the Republic of Turkey has 
     acquired the S-400 air and missile defense system from the 
     Russian Federation, which constitutes a direct and dire 
     threat to the security interests of the United States and 
     NATO; and
       Whereas the foregoing demonstrates that the Republic of 
     Turkey is consistently contradicting the standards and 
     purposes of the NATO treaty: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) declares that the Republic of Turkey's receipt of the 
     Russian S-400 air and missile defense system is a significant 
     transaction within the meaning of section 231 of the 
     Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act 
     (CAATSA) of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 9525);
       (2) calls for full implementation of sanctions under 
     CAATSA;
       (3) calls upon the President to consult with NATO Member 
     States, pursuant to Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, 
     signed at Washington April 4, 1949, based upon threats to the 
     political independence and security of the Parties by the 
     Russian actions described in the preamble; and
       (4) calls upon the President, during such consultation with 
     NATO Member States, to review the Treaty with regard to the 
     factors ``affecting peace and security in the North Atlantic 
     area'' described in the preamble, and to consider the 
     continued inclusion of the Republic of Turkey in NATO.

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