[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 118 (Monday, July 18, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H6699-H6702]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE SOVEREIGN DECISION OF FINLAND AND SWEDEN TO 
APPLY TO JOIN THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO) AS WELL AS 
  CALLING ON ALL MEMBERS OF NATO TO RATIFY THE PROTOCOLS OF ACCESSION 
                                SWIFTLY

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1130) expressing support for the sovereign decision 
of Finland and Sweden to apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty 
Organization (NATO) as well as calling on all members of NATO to ratify 
the protocols of accession swiftly, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1130

       Whereas Finland and Sweden have made a historic decision to 
     deepen their security ties with the transatlantic community;
       Whereas a more resilient security architecture in Europe 
     advances democracy, human rights, and values consistent with 
     the North Atlantic Treaty;
       Whereas, on April 4, 1949, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, 
     France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, 
     Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States formed 
     the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, hereinafter referred 
     to as NATO, to serve as a defensive alliance based on 
     promoting democratic values and the peaceful mediation of 
     disputes;
       Whereas NATO membership is open to ``any other European 
     state in a position to further the principles of this Treaty 
     and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic 
     area'';
       Whereas Finland and Sweden are European states with strong 
     democratic foundations that share the transatlantic 
     community's dedication to the rule of law and the peaceful 
     resolution of disputes;
       Whereas Finland and Sweden have been members of NATO's 
     Partnership for Peace program since 1994 and have contributed 
     to NATO-led operations in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq;
       Whereas NATO established the Partnership Interoperability 
     Initiative at the Wales Summit in 2014 to develop military-
     to-military interoperability between select partner nations 
     enabling them to contribute to future crisis management, 
     including NATO-led operations;
       Whereas Finland and Sweden were designated inaugural 
     Enhanced Opportunities Partners at the Wales Summit in 2014;
       Whereas the hard-fought post-World War II European security 
     architecture has been upended by the Russian Federation's 
     cruel full-scale invasion of Ukraine which began on February 
     24, 2022;
       Whereas the Russian Federation's invasion has fomented the 
     worst European humanitarian crisis since World War II with 
     4,339 civilian deaths, 4.8 million Ukrainian refugees across 
     Europe, and 7.1 million more internally displaced within 
     Ukraine, according to the United States Agency for 
     International Development as of June 10, 2022;
       Whereas Finland and Sweden's populations expressed support 
     for NATO membership;

[[Page H6700]]

       Whereas Finland and Sweden's highly capable militaries are 
     interoperable with NATO forces and would increase and fortify 
     NATO's collective security by increasing the security and 
     stability of the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe;
       Whereas officials of the Russian Federation issued threats 
     directed at Finland and Sweden prior to their decision to 
     exercise their sovereign right to apply for NATO membership;
       Whereas despite these threats from the Russian Federation, 
     Finland and Sweden's national institutions have reviewed 
     their policies of military nonalignment and their governments 
     and parliaments have expressed support for applying for NATO 
     membership; and
       Whereas in the best interests of their respective peoples, 
     the European security architecture, the rule of international 
     law, and democracy in Europe, Finland and Sweden have 
     announced their support for NATO membership: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) expresses support for Finland and Sweden's sovereign 
     and historic decision to apply to the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO);
       (2) recognizes that Finland and Sweden's sovereign and 
     historic decision to apply to NATO is reflective of the will 
     of those respective governments' peoples;
       (3) urges all members of NATO to meet the two-percent 
     defense spending pledge as agreed upon during the 2014 Wales 
     Summit;
       (4) opposes any attempt by the Russian Federation to act in 
     an adverse way in response to Finland and Sweden's sovereign 
     and historic decision to apply to join NATO;
       (5) recognizes that the accession of Finland and Sweden to 
     NATO requires all 30 Allies to sign and ratify protocols of 
     accession; and
       (6) calls on the member states of NATO to formally support 
     the accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Costa) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 1130, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Chairman Keating's resolution 
expressing support for the sovereign decision of Finland and Sweden to 
apply for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also known as NATO, 
and calling on all members of NATO to swiftly ratify the protocols of 
accession.
  Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February of this year, the 
world has changed. The world has watched as Vladimir Putin ordered his 
military to march through Ukraine, brutally attacking civilians and 
civilian infrastructure, making it exceptionally clear that his 
senseless imperial aspirations go far beyond the Donbas and even 
Ukraine in its entirety. As a matter of fact, he has stated such.
  In response, our transatlantic allies and partners have had to 
completely rethink, as is clear, our security postures, tighten our 
ranks, and counter global challenges.
  In response to the Russian Federation's unthinkable aggression in 
Ukraine, Sweden and Finland, both long-term security partners of the 
United States and NATO as a whole, have made the sovereign decision to 
apply for NATO membership. This did not come about easily or 
automatically.
  Both Chairman Keating and I believe Finland and Sweden's accession to 
NATO presents a strong, unified message against Putin's aggression in 
Ukraine, and this would support peace and the values that we all adhere 
to in the NATO alliance. Finland and Sweden's militaries, already 
equipped with modern technology and weapons, some of which have already 
been delivered to Ukraine, are fully interoperable with NATO systems, 
which makes them a good fit.
  Additionally, NATO's land border with Russia will now include 
significantly more territory, thereby acting as a greater deterrence to 
Russian threats and aggression. Their accession will also bolster 
NATO's capabilities in the Baltic Sea region, building on the 
capabilities of our Baltic partners, as well as Poland, who have each 
been steadfast in their commitments to countering Russian aggression 
and responding to this grave humanitarian crisis that is Russia's 
responsibility and Russia's responsibility solely on their part.
  For this decision, as Finnish President Niinisto has rightly said, 
when Vladimir Putin looks in the mirror, he has only himself to blame. 
Putin's entire warfighting efforts--the bombings, the airstrikes, the 
ground movements--have been counterproductive. Instead, Putin and the 
military of the Russian Federation, as I and many others have said, 
have committed war crimes, forced Ukrainians from their homes into 
filtration camps and deported them to far-away Russian territories, and 
singlehandedly instigated the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe 
since World War II.
  Despite his goals of dividing the transatlantic alliance, Putin has 
instead united us more resolutely than ever before against his attempt 
to spread hate and violence across the globe and to create more 
division. Clearly, that has been his goal, and it has been his goal for 
years. In addition, individuals from around Europe, most notably 
Central Europe, have welcomed those fleeing violence in Ukraine in 
their own homes in Poland, Romania, and many other European countries. 
It is really an incredible humanitarian effort that these central 
European countries have engaged in, and it has been heartening for the 
entire world to see.
  Bearing the events of the last few months in mind, this resolution 
expresses support for Finland and Sweden's monumental decision to apply 
for NATO membership. Furthermore, this resolution echoes the leadership 
role that Congress and this administration have taken in uniting the 
transatlantic alliance and the world in support of Ukraine.
  This did not happen overnight. President Biden last year began 
working closely with our NATO allies, sharing intelligence, working 
together to build on that alliance, including more recently Congress 
providing over $50 billion in support for Ukraine's warfighting effort 
and the immense humanitarian crisis that has resulted. These funds have 
been crucial in ensuring that Ukraine can continue their fight, and it 
has provided leadership for our other European allies to do the same. 
This is a fight for democracy, a fight for freedom, and it is a fight 
that Ukrainians must win. This is the test of our time, and President 
Zelenskyy has stood up, reminding all of us that the price of freedom 
is not free, and those brave Ukrainian people, how much they have done 
to show the entire world that they stand for their sovereignty.
  However, this resolution would not have been possible without the 
bipartisan support of many of my colleagues, who have long supported 
the NATO alliance, like Congressman Turner and so many others. This 
includes the lead on this resolution, Chairman Keating, as well as the 
lead original cosponsors on this resolution, House Foreign Affairs 
Subcommittee on Europe, Energy, the Environment, and Cyber, Ranking 
Member Brian Fitzpatrick, as well as Representatives Eric Swalwell and 
Ann Wagner, and Representatives Connolly and Turner of the NATO 
Parliamentary Assembly.
  In addition, I thank all of the chairs of the House Finland and 
Sweden Caucuses for signing on as original cosponsors of this 
legislation.
  Finally, I also specifically thank Chairman Meeks and Ranking Member 
McCaul of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who have been united in 
these efforts over the recent months.
  I also express my gratitude to Leader Hoyer and Chairman Meeks for 
allowing this resolution to move to the floor so expeditiously.
  Through this resolution, the House will loudly and clearly welcome 
Finland and Sweden into the NATO alliance, a clear sign of 
transatlantic unity in response to Vladimir Putin's brutal ambition.
  I was in Brussels in February, 2 days before the invasion, and I have 
never seen NATO as united perhaps since the Cold War.
  The fact is that we have a strong history, and we have the 
opportunity to be bolstered by the strength of their military alliance 
as well as the democratic resolve of their governments.

[[Page H6701]]

  So in the spirit of unity and recognition of Finland and Sweden as 
long-term friends of the United States, I strongly urge my colleagues 
to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank Representative Costa, who I am very proud to serve with on 
the board of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. We look forward to 
recognizing and accepting a full delegation to the NATO Parliamentary 
Assembly from both Finland and Sweden.
  Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked war of aggression against 
Ukraine and the inhumane assault on innocent civilians, thinking that 
he would be able to divide the NATO alliance. He was mistaken.
  Instead, Finland and Sweden responded by dropping their policies of 
military neutrality and applying for NATO membership.
  As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg put it, Vladimir Putin 
wanted less NATO, and now he is getting more NATO on his borders. 
Finland and Sweden will both be significant security providers for 
NATO.
  This bipartisan resolution supports ratifying the accession of Sweden 
and Finland to NATO.
  Having served as the president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, I 
understand the fundamental role this organization plays in defending 
democracies and supporting freedom.
  Finland and Sweden's strategic location in northern Europe, advanced 
militaries, and decades of fighting alongside the U.S. and NATO mean 
that their accession will immediately strengthen transatlantic 
security. Finland and Sweden have well-trained armed forces, 
sophisticated modern weapons systems, and have committed to allocating 
2 percent of their gross domestic product to defense spending.
  Both militaries are highly interoperable with NATO forces, having 
participated in numerous NATO-led operations from Afghanistan, Iraq, 
Bosnia and Herzegovina to Kosovo. Meanwhile, Finland has finalized its 
purchase of F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. in a $12 billion deal.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
resolution, which calls on all members of NATO to ratify Sweden and 
Finland's protocols of accession swiftly.
  Finally, for the alliance to be credible, every nation must do its 
fair share. The resolution also urges members of NATO to meet their 2 
percent defense spending pledge. President Trump successfully pushed 
our NATO allies to spend more on defense. Putin's invasion has been 
another motivation to convince our allies who had not been living up to 
their military commitments to NATO to increase their defense spending 
and make concrete plans to reach the 2 percent requirement.
  A strong, united NATO is in the United States' interest. With Sweden 
and Finland as members, the balance of power in Europe will be tipped 
against Putin.
  Mr. Speaker, I support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of 
my time.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the distinguished majority leader of the House of 
Representatives.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mr. Costa, for yielding 
this time. I thank my friend and the ranking member, Mr. Turner, for 
his role in bringing this to the floor.
  Mr. Speaker, as has been said over and over again, Vladimir Putin 
made a terrible strategic and tragic miscalculation by illegally 
invading the sovereign and democratic nation of Ukraine. His false 
justification for that invasion was the supposed threat posed by NATO 
expansion. His other false claim was that Russian Ukrainians were being 
terrorized and threatened. Neither of those allegations was true.
  Now, his actions have led directly, as Mr. Turner just pointed out, 
and as Mr. Costa pointed out, to the opposite of what he intended. That 
is, we are going to be adding two extraordinary members of the European 
community, two countries that have shared our values, our democratic 
values, our nation of laws values, and our humanitarian values with us 
for literally over half a century.
  Together, Finland and Sweden will add substantial capabilities to 
NATO's collective defense and make the Baltic region much more secure 
against Russian aggression. But much more than that, they will add 
value, because of their values, to our alliance.
  Mr. Speaker, I was in Denmark in April, meeting with senior 
officials. I can attest that the addition of Finland and Sweden to the 
NATO family will create a Scandinavian bloc--Denmark, Norway, Sweden, 
and Finland--within NATO that will be more than the sum of its parts, 
significantly contributing to the peace and stability of Europe and to 
the security of all NATO nations, including the United States.
  As I have said before, we must ensure that Putin's invasion will 
result in a strategic defeat for Russia. I pause, Mr. Speaker, to 
emphasize that point. Vladimir Putin must not win this war, not only 
for the sake of the Ukrainians and their extraordinary bravery, and the 
bravery and the leadership of Mr. Zelenskyy, their President, but 
because the free world needs to send a very strong, clear, and 
unmistakable message that tyranny will not prevail. We must send a 
message to dictators around the world that this action is unacceptable 
and will be opposed until victory by the free world.
  We must defend the hard-won principle in international laws and norms 
that a nation cannot simply invade and seek to conquer territory from a 
neighbor by force. That was accepted for centuries, indeed, millennia, 
but it is not acceptable today in a world of nuclear weapons, in a 
world that has a United Nations that stands for the principle that no 
nation can by force take the land of another nation.
  I thank Representative Keating for his leadership on this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope we can all come together, Democrats and 
Republicans, as I think we will, in a resounding, unanimous vote to 
show our support not only for Ukraine, which we have demonstrated over 
and over again by votes of this House, but also for our new NATO 
allies, the people of Finland and Sweden.
  I thank the Prime Minister of Sweden, Magdalena Andersson, and the 
Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, for their leadership in taking 
what is in many respects a courageous stand.
  The Finns, of course, have a very long border with Russia. They 
believe, correctly, in my view, that their security is contingent, and 
that is why they are joining NATO.
  As we have reiterated time and time again, this House is committed to 
honoring Article 5 of the NATO Charter.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a good resolution that will stand us in good 
stead as a nation and as a global community.
  Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for 
closing.
  I thank Representative Keating and Representative Costa for their 
work on this resolution. I also thank Majority Leader Hoyer for his 
comments in support of NATO and in support of Ukraine. Certainly, the 
crisis that is occurring there is an impetus, I think, for our moving 
quickly and in support of this resolution.
  The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will consider the accession 
protocols for these two countries in the next week. This vote is an 
opportunity for the House of Representatives to demonstrate their 
support for Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership. This support should 
be overwhelming.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this 
resolution. In the face of Vladimir Putin's aggression, it is critical 
that the United States Congress speak with one voice on strengthening 
NATO.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the 
purpose of closing.
  I thank Ranking Member Turner for his leadership and for his support 
of our common alliance and our defense in these critical and dangerous 
times that we are living in.
  I want to reflect on why I think this resolution is so important, and 
it is an inflection point that Chairman Keating and so many of us feel 
with regard to global history. As I said, this is a test of our time as 
to whether or not

[[Page H6702]]

democracies will be willing to stand together for the common values we 
share, for the rule of law, for a rules-based economy, and for all the 
freedoms we cherish that we share in common.
  Simply stated, this is a choice about good and evil. For the first 
time in eight decades, we have seen a full-scale land invasion in 
Europe instigated, resulting in an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
  Think about this. The alliances that we have created post-World War 
II, beginning with the Marshall Plan and then NATO and the European 
Union, and everything that has followed since that, have resulted in 
one of the largest peacetime periods in Europe in over 1,000 years. 
Think about that.
  What we have also, obviously, learned the hard way is that these 
unconscionable crimes committed against the Ukrainian people, I think, 
constitute a form of genocide.
  I said in a speech several months ago that, in my view, after Bucha, 
President Putin should be considered a war criminal along with all who 
have been involved in these horrific crimes that we have seen committed 
and see daily--hospitals, schools, apartment buildings, innocent 
children, and citizens being attacked.
  The brave men and women of Ukraine and their leadership, President 
Zelenskyy, have reminded us once again that we who share the common 
values of democracies must stand together.
  We are at the front lines in this fight for freedom, and Ukraine 
today is sadly paying the heavy price. But they have demonstrated an 
importance to all of us of unity in the face of Putin's catastrophic 
and violent attack. They have demonstrated why our support matters, and 
it does. Crucially, they have proven that without a doubt, as was said 
by my colleague and friend, Congressman Hoyer, democratic values will 
prevail over an authoritarian ideology. That is why we must ensure that 
Putin fails in his war of aggression.
  Finland's and Sweden's historic and sovereign decisions to apply for 
NATO membership create an echo of transatlantic unity on this issue, 
and this resolution represents strong bipartisan support here in 
Congress for Ukraine.
  I thank my colleagues on the other side. Chairman Keating leads this 
NATO resolution in response to the alliance, our transatlantic 
alliance, which has stood up to the aggression of Russia in the face of 
unprecedented, unprovoked aggression, and we have come together to do 
the right thing.
  To my colleagues in the Senate, who will be taking up these articles 
of accession shortly, I urge you to demonstrate full support for 
Finland and Sweden to join the NATO alliance.
  As to my colleagues in this Chamber, I urge your support, as well, 
for this resolution so that the United States Government can speak with 
one voice, one voice in the resolute support of our Nordic allies and 
unwavering support for Ukraine's fight for freedom and their democracy.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this 
bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Costa) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1130, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion 
are postponed.

                          ____________________