[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 130 (Wednesday, August 3, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3906-S3907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  NATO

 Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, due to unforeseen circumstances I 
was unable to be present today for votes on amendment No. 5192 to the 
Resolution of Advice and Consent to Ratification for the Accession of 
the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to NATO. I offer this 
statement for the Record in support of amendment No. 5192 and in 
support of the underlying resolution.
  Amendment No. 5192, offered by my good friend from Alaska, Mr. Dan 
Sullivan, would amend existing language in the Resolution of Advice and 
Consent to say, ``the Senate declares that all NATO members should 
spend a minimum of 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense 
and 20 percent of their defense budgets on major equipment, including 
research and development, by 2024, as outlined in the 2014 Wales Summit 
Declaration.'' This language is stronger and clearer than the current 
resolution language, and it would deliver a clear message to the 
President that Congress expects him to engage our allies on alliance 
spending obligations.
  Finally, the Resolution of Advice and Consent to Ratification for the 
Accession of the Republic of Finland and the Kingdom of Sweden to NATO 
would add two excellent allies who will be significant contributors to 
the NATO Alliance. Finland and Sweden both possess fully funded, 
modern, self-sufficient, highly capable militaries. Their addition to 
the NATO alliance will help to share the burden of NATO defense

[[Page S3907]]

obligations among NATO allies. This will enable the U.S. to focus its 
own forces where they are needed most, be that in Europe or in the 
Indo-Pacific.

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