[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 14, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2100-S2101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 251--CELEBRATING THE 2023 NATO SUMMIT IN VILNIUS, 
LITHUANIA, AND EXPRESSING PRIORITIES RELATED TO TRANSATLANTIC SECURITY 
                     AND THE NATO STRATEGIC CONCEPT

  Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Grassley, and Mr. Tillis) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 251

       Whereas the United States signed the North Atlantic Treaty, 
     done at Washington, D.C., April 4, 1949 (commonly known as 
     the ``Washington Treaty''), to provide collective security 
     and strengthen security and political cooperation with allies 
     of the United States;
       Whereas the United States and its allies recognized that 
     security cooperation was a necessary precursor to enhanced 
     political and economic stabilization and engagement;
       Whereas, in 1991, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     (commonly known as ``NATO'' and the ``Alliance'') issued an 
     unclassified Strategic Concept for the first time, outlining 
     the basic principles and plans of the Alliance to address 
     security challenges and strategic threats;
       Whereas, in 1994, NATO established the Partnership for 
     Peace to enable partner countries to share information and 
     modernize and democratize their political and security 
     infrastructure with NATO;
       Whereas, in 1999, NATO established the Membership Action 
     Plan to facilitate the accession of aspiring member countries 
     by providing advice, assistance, and support in meeting the 
     political and military principles of the Alliance;
       Whereas any country that wishes may pursue NATO membership 
     consistent with the 1995 Study on Enlargement and Article 10 
     of the Washington Treaty by--
       (1) pursuing formal accession talks with the Alliance;
       (2) sending a letter of intent to NATO, including a 
     timeline for the completion of necessary reforms recommended 
     by the Alliance;
       (3) working with member countries so that accession 
     protocols are signed and ratified by such member countries;
       (4) receiving an invitation from the Secretary General of 
     NATO to accede to the Washington Treaty; and
       (5) acceding to the Washington Treaty in accordance with 
     national procedures and by depositing instruments of 
     accession;
       Whereas, following the terrorist attacks on the United 
     States on September 11, 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 of the 
     Washington Treaty for the first time, calling on the Alliance 
     to provide for collective defense;
       Whereas Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, which were among 
     the first Eastern European nations to declare independence 
     from the Soviet Union, formally joined NATO in 2004 and have 
     provided notable support for NATO operations, including--
       (1) operations in Iraq and Afghanistan;
       (2) operations that have been enhanced in response to 
     increased threats; and
       (3) operations in response to the invasion of Ukraine by 
     the Russian Federation in February 2022;
       Whereas, in 2006, the Alliance agreed that each member 
     country would commit at least 2 percent of their Gross 
     Domestic Product to defense spending to ensure sustained 
     readiness;

[[Page S2101]]

       Whereas the Alliance consists of 31 independent member 
     countries, including Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, 
     Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, 
     France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, 
     Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North 
     Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, 
     Slovenia, Spain, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United 
     States;
       Whereas, in response to the unprovoked and illegal war on 
     Ukraine by the Russian Federation, Finland and Sweden applied 
     for NATO membership in May 2022;
       Whereas, during the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, Spain, NATO 
     formally extended an invitation to Finland and Sweden to join 
     the Alliance;
       Whereas Finland formally ascended to the Alliance on April 
     4, 2023, as the most recent country to join NATO;
       Whereas the accession of Sweden into NATO awaits final 
     ratification by Hungary and Turkiye;
       Whereas NATO--
       (1) leads operations in Kosovo and other countries in the 
     Mediterranean region to maintain peace and stability;
       (2) supports operations around the world, including in 
     Europe and the African Union, to advance priorities of the 
     Alliance; and
       (3) facilitates a training mission in Iraq to develop the 
     capacity of the security infrastructure of Iraq;
       Whereas, since the further invasion of Ukraine by the 
     Russian Federation on February 24, 2022, which followed the 
     illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 
     2014, the Alliance is the strongest and most united it has 
     ever been;
       Whereas, as the Russian Federation illegally attacks the 
     sovereignty of Ukraine, individual members of the Alliance 
     have contributed essential military and humanitarian 
     assistance to Ukraine, including through the Ukraine Defense 
     Contact Group established by the United States;
       Whereas, in response to the brutal war on Ukraine by the 
     Russian Federation, NATO enhanced its presence on the eastern 
     flank of the Alliance by reinforcing existing multinational 
     battlegroups and establishing new multinational battlegroups 
     in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia;
       Whereas efforts by NATO to bolster the security of the 
     eastern flank and to counter aggression by the Russian 
     Federation followed efforts in 2016 by establishing NATO 
     forward presences in the northeast and southeast of the 
     Alliance;
       Whereas the Alliance recognizes the strategic importance of 
     the Black Sea region, which the Russian Federation has tried 
     to weaponize, including by attempting to block shipments of 
     grain from Ukraine through the Black Sea, bringing the world 
     to the brink of a global food security crisis;
       Whereas, for the first time in history, the 2022 NATO 
     Strategic Concept recognized that the stated ambitions and 
     coercive policies of the People's Republic of China challenge 
     the interests of the Alliance;
       Whereas the Alliance recognizes that deepening ties between 
     the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation 
     have resulted in immediate and long-term challenges to the 
     rules-based international world order;
       Whereas NATO is prepared to respond to existing and 
     emerging threats to transatlantic security;
       Whereas Vilnius, Lithuania, will host the 2023 NATO Summit 
     following the 700-year jubilee of the city on January 25, 
     2023;
       Whereas the 2023 NATO Summit will highlight the leadership 
     of the Baltic States in NATO and as supporters of democratic 
     values globally;
       Whereas Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are among the top 5 
     per capita contributors of assistance to Ukraine;
       Whereas, despite continued belligerence by the Russian 
     Federation, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have welcomed 
     exiled opposition leaders from the Republic of Belarus and 
     the Russian Federation;
       Whereas the choice of Vilnius as the location for the 2023 
     NATO Summit underscores the Baltic States as vital NATO 
     members and further demonstrates the strength of the 
     Alliance; and
       Whereas the 2023 NATO Summit is an opportunity to build 
     upon the work of previous summits to continue strengthening 
     the Alliance and pave the way for new NATO member countries 
     that can join in upholding democratic values: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms that, for 74 years, the unity and strength of 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization (commonly known as 
     ``NATO'' and the ``Alliance'') has contributed to peace and 
     stability in Europe and around the world;
       (2) celebrates that the 2023 NATO Summit will be held in 
     Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11 and 12, 2023;
       (3) acknowledges individuals around the world who have 
     served in NATO missions and operations since the Alliance was 
     founded;
       (4) supports the sovereignty of all nations to decide 
     whether to pursue membership to the Alliance;
       (5) urges Hungary and Turkiye to ratify the accession of 
     Sweden to NATO without further delay;
       (6) recognizes that Sweden would bring new and unique 
     capabilities to NATO, which would enable the Alliance to 
     respond to existing and emerging threats to transatlantic 
     security;
       (7) encourages the Alliance to operationalize the 2022 
     Strategic Concept, including by countering the aggressive and 
     coercive behavior exhibited by the People's Republic of 
     China;
       (8) expresses support for the decision of NATO to open an 
     office in Tokyo, Japan, to address pacing challenges to 
     transatlantic security in the Indo-Pacific Region;
       (9) asserts that NATO members should consider the 
     commitment to spend 2 percent of Gross Domestic Product as 
     the lowest percent contribution to ensure the sustainability, 
     resilience, and readiness of the Alliance;
       (10) emphasizes that the Alliance should continue to 
     support Ukraine as it fights for freedom, sovereignty, and 
     territorial integrity; and
       (11) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to meet 
     obligations as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty, done at 
     Washington, D.C., April 4, 1949.

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