A bill to endorse further enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and to facilitate the timely admission of Albania, Croatia, Georgia, and Macedonia to NATO, and for other purposes.

Summary: NATO Freedom Consolidation Act of 2006 - Supports enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Designates Albania, Croatia, Georgia, and Macedonia as eligible to receive assistance under the NATO Participation Act of 1994.

States that such designation: (1) is in addition to the designation of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia pursuant to the NATO Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996, the designation of Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Bulgaria pursuant to the European Security Act of 1998, and the designation of Slovakia pursuant to the Gerald B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act of 2002 as eligible to receive assistance under the NATO Participation Act of 1994; and (2) shall not preclude the designation by the President of other countries as eligible to receive assistance under the NATO Participation Act of 1994.

Specifies FY2007 amounts under the Arms Export Control Act for: (1) Albania; (2) Croatia; (3) Georgia; and (4) Macedonia.

Affirms that Congress stands ready to consider, and if all applicable criteria are satisfied, to support efforts by Ukraine to join NATO.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``NATO Freedom Consolidation Act of 
2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The sustained commitment of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO) to mutual defense has made possible the 
        democratic transformation of Central and Eastern Europe. 
        Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization can and 
        should play a critical role in addressing the security 
        challenges of the post-Cold War era in creating the stable 
        environment needed for those emerging democracies in Europe.
            (2) Lasting stability and security in Europe requires the 
        military, economic, and political integration of emerging 
        democracies into existing European structures.
            (3) In an era of threats from terrorism and the 
        proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization is increasingly contributing to 
        security in the face of global security challenges for the 
        protection and interests of its member states.
            (4) In the NATO Participation Act of 1994 (title II of 
        Public Law 103-447; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), Congress declared 
        that ``full and active participants in the Partnership for 
        Peace in a position to further the principles of the North 
        Atlantic Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North 
        Atlantic area should be invited to become full NATO members in 
        accordance with Article 10 of such Treaty at an early 
        date...''.
            (5) In the NATO Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996 (title 
        VI of section 101(c) of title I of division A of Public Law 
        104-208; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), Congress called for the prompt 
        admission of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia 
        to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and declared that 
        ``in order to promote economic stability and security in 
        Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, 
        Albania, Moldova, and Ukraine...the process of enlarging NATO 
        to include emerging democracies in Central and Eastern Europe 
        should not be limited to consideration of admitting Poland, 
        Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovenia as full members of 
        the NATO Alliance''.
            (6) In the European Security Act of 1998 (title XXVII of 
        division G of Public Law 105-277; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), 
        Congress declared that ``Poland, Hungary, and the Czech 
        Republic should not be the last emerging democracies in Central 
        and Eastern Europe invited to join NATO'' and that ``Romania, 
        Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Bulgaria...would make an 
        outstanding contribution to furthering the goals of NATO and 
        enhancing stability, freedom, and peace in Europe should they 
        become NATO members [and] upon complete satisfaction of all 
        relevant criteria should be invited to become full NATO members 
        at the earliest possible date''.
            (7) In the Gerald B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act 
        of 2002 (Public Law 107-187; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), Congress 
        endorsed ``...the vision of further enlargement of the NATO 
        Alliance articulated by President George W. Bush on June 15, 
        2001, and by former President William J. Clinton on October 22, 
        1996''.
            (8) At the Madrid Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization in July 1997, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech 
        Republic were invited to join the Alliance, and the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization heads of state and government 
        issued a declaration stating ``[t]he alliance expects to extend 
        further invitations in coming years to nations willing and able 
        to assume the responsibilities and obligations of 
        membership...[n]o European democratic country whose admission 
        would fulfill the objectives of the [North Atlantic] Treaty 
        will be excluded from consideration''.
            (9) At the Washington Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization in April 1999, the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization heads of state and government issued a communique 
        declaring ``[w]e pledge that NATO will continue to welcome new 
        members in a position to further the principles of the [North 
        Atlantic] Treaty and contribute to peace and security in the 
        Euro-Atlantic area...[t]he three new members will not be the 
        last...[n]o European democratic country whose admission would 
        fulfill the objectives of the Treaty will be excluded from 
        consideration, regardless of its geographic location...''.
            (10) In May 2000 in Vilnius, Lithuania, the foreign 
        ministers of Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the 
        Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia issued a 
        statement (later joined by Croatia) declaring that--
                    (A) their countries will cooperate in jointly 
                seeking membership in the North Atlantic Treaty 
                Organization in the next round of enlargement of the 
                North Atlantic Treaty Organization;
                    (B) the realization of membership in the North 
                Atlantic Treaty Organization by one or more of these 
                countries would be a success for all; and
                    (C) eventual membership in the North Atlantic 
                Treaty Organization for all of these countries would be 
                a success for Europe and for the North Atlantic Treaty 
                Organization.
            (11) On June 15, 2001, in a speech in Warsaw, Poland, 
        President George W. Bush stated ``[a]ll of Europe's new 
        democracies, from the Baltic to the Black Sea and all that lie 
        between, should have the same chance for security and freedom--
        and the same chance to join the institutions of Europe--as 
        Europe's old democracies have...I believe in NATO membership 
        for all of Europe's democracies that seek it and are ready to 
        share the responsibilities that NATO brings...[a]s we plan to 
        enlarge NATO, no nation should be used as a pawn in the agenda 
        of others...[w]e will not trade away the fate of free European 
        peoples...[n]o more Munichs...[n]o more Yaltas...[a]s we plan 
        the Prague Summit, we should not calculate how little we can 
        get away with, but how much we can do to advance the cause of 
        freedom''.
            (12) On October 22, 1996, in a speech in Detroit, Michigan, 
        former President William J. Clinton stated ``NATO's doors will 
        not close behind its first new members...NATO should remain 
        open to all of Europe's emerging democracies who are ready to 
        shoulder the responsibilities of membership...[n]o nation will 
        be automatically excluded...[n]o country outside NATO will have 
        a veto...[a] gray zone of insecurity must not reemerge in 
        Europe''.
            (13) At the Prague Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization in November 2002, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, 
        Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia were invited to join 
        the Alliance in the second round of enlargement of the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization since the end of the Cold War, and 
        the North Atlantic Treaty Organization heads of state and 
        government issued a declaration stating ``NATO's door will 
        remain open to European democracies willing and able to assume 
        the responsibilities and obligations of membership, in 
        accordance with Article 10 of the Washington Treaty''.
            (14) On May 8, 2003, the United States Senate unanimously 
        approved the Resolution of Ratification to Accompany Treaty 
        Document No. 108-4, Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 
        1949 on Accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, 
        Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, inviting Bulgaria, Estonia, 
        Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to join the 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
            (15) At the Istanbul Summit of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization in June 2004, the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization heads of state and government issued a communique 
        reaffirming that NATO's door remains open to new members, 
        declaring ``[w]e celebrate the success of NATO's Open Door 
        Policy, and reaffirm tody that our seven new members will not 
        be the last. The door to membership remains open. We welcome 
        the progress made by Albania, Croatia, and the former Yugoslav 
        Republic of Macedonia (1) in implementing their Annual National 
        Programmes under the Membership Action Plan, and encourage them 
        to continue pursuing the reforms necessary to progress toward 
        NATO membership. We also commend their contribution to regional 
        stability and cooperation. We want all three countries to 
        succeed and will continue to assist them in their reform 
        efforts. NATO will continue to assess each country's candidacy 
        individually, based on the progress made towards reform goals 
        pursued through the Membership Action Plan, which will remain 
        the vehicle to keep the readiness of each aspirant for 
        membership under review. We direct that NATO Foreign Ministers 
        keep the enlargement process, including the implementation of 
        the Membership Action Plan, under continual review and report 
        to us. We will review at the next Summit progress by aspirants 
        towards membership based on that report''.
            (16) Georgia has stated its desire to join the Euro-
        Atlantic community, and in particular, is seeking to join North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization. Georgia is working closely with 
        the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its members to meet 
        criteria for eventual membership in NATO.
            (17) At a press conference with President Mikhail 
        Saakashvili of Georgia in Washington, D.C. on July 5, 2006, 
        President George W. Bush stated that ``... I believe that NATO 
        would benefit with Georgia being a member of NATO, and I think 
        Georgia would benefit. And there's a way forward through the 
        Membership Action Plan...And I'm a believer in the expansion of 
        NATO. I think it's in the world's interest that we expand 
        NATO''.
            (18) Following a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in New 
        York on September 21, 2006, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop 
        Scheffer announced the launching of an Intensified Dialogue on 
        membership between the Alliance and Georgia.
            (19) Contingent upon their continued implementation of 
        democratic, defense, and economic reform, and their willingness 
        and ability to meet the responsibilities of membership in the 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Congress calls for the 
        timely admission of Albania, Croatia, Georgia, and Macedonia to 
        the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to promote security and 
        stability in Europe.
            (20) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization heads of state 
        and government will hold a North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        Summit in Riga, Latvia, in November 2006.

SEC. 3. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY.

    Congress--
            (1) reaffirms its previous expressions of support for 
        continued enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        contained in the NATO Participation Act of 1994, the NATO 
        Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996, the European Security Act 
        of 1998, and the Gerald B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act 
        of 2002;
            (2) supports the commitment to further enlargement of the 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization to include European 
        democracies that are able and willing to meet the 
        responsibilities of Membership, as expressed by the Alliance in 
        its Madrid Summit Declaration of 1997, its Washington Summit 
        Communique of 1999, its Prague Summit Declaration of 2002, and 
        its Istanbul Summit Communique of 2004; and
            (3) endorses the vision of further enlargement of the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization articulated by President George W. 
        Bush on June 15, 2001, and by former President William J. 
        Clinton on October 22, 1996, and urges our allies in the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization to work with the United States to 
        realize a role for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 
        promoting global security, including continued support for 
        enlargement to include qualified candidate states, specifically 
        by entering into a Membership Action Plan with Georgia and 
        recognizing the progress toward meeting the responsibilities 
        and obligations of NATO membership by Albania, Croatia, 
        Georgia, and Macedonia at the NATO Summit in Riga, Latvia.

SEC. 4. DESIGNATION OF ALBANIA, CROATIA, GEORGIA, AND MACEDONIA AS 
              ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE UNDER THE NATO 
              PARTICIPATION ACT OF 1994.

    (a) Designation.--
            (1) Albania.--The Republic of Albania is designated as 
        eligible to receive assistance under the program established 
        under section 203(a) of the NATO Participation Act of 1994 
        (title II of Public Law 103-447; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), and 
        shall be deemed to have been so designated pursuant to section 
        203(d)(1) of such Act.
            (2) Croatia.--The Republic of Croatia is designated as 
        eligible to receive assistance under the program established 
        under section 203(a) of the NATO Participation Act of 1994, and 
        shall be deemed to have been so designated pursuant to section 
        203(d)(1) of such Act.
            (3) Georgia.--Georgia is designated as eligible to receive 
        assistance under the program established under section 203(a) 
        of the NATO Participation Act of 1994, and shall be deemed to 
        have been so designated pursuant to section 203(d)(1) of such 
        Act.
            (4) Macedonia.--The Republic of Macedonia is designated as 
        eligible to receive assistance under the program established 
        under section 203(a) of the NATO Participation Act of 1994, and 
        shall be deemed to have been so designated pursuant to section 
        203(d)(1) of such Act.
    (b) Rule of Construction.--The designation of the Republic of 
Albania, the Republic of Croatia, Georgia, and the Republic of 
Macedonia pursuant to subsection (a) as eligible to receive assistance 
under the program established under section 203(a) of the NATO 
Participation Act of 1994--
            (1) is in addition to the designation of Poland, Hungary, 
        the Czech Republic, and Slovenia pursuant to section 606 of the 
        NATO Enlargement Facilitation Act of 1996 (title VI of section 
        101(c) of title I of division A of Public Law 104-208; 22 
        U.S.C. 1928 note), the designation of Romania, Estonia, Latvia, 
        Lithuania, and Bulgaria pursuant to section 2703(b) of the 
        European Security Act of 1998 (title XXVII of division G of 
        Public Law 105-277; 22 U.S.C. 1928 note), and the designation 
        of Slovakia pursuant to section 4(a) of the Gerald B. H. 
        Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-187; 
        22 U.S.C. 1928 note) as eligible to receive assistance under 
        the program established under section 203(a) of the NATO 
        Participation Act of 1994; and
            (2) shall not preclude the designation by the President of 
        other countries pursuant to section 203(d)(2) of the NATO 
        Participation Act of 1994 as eligible to receive assistance 
        under the program established under section 203(a) of such Act.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF SECURITY ASSISTANCE FOR COUNTRIES DESIGNATED 
              UNDER THE NATO PARTICIPATION ACT OF 1994.

    Of the amounts made available for fiscal year 2007 under section 23 
of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763)--
            (1) $3,200,000 is authorized to be available on a grant 
        basis for the Republic of Albania;
            (2) $3,000,000 is authorized to be available on a grant 
        basis for the Republic of Croatia;
            (3) $10,000,000 is authorized to be available on a grant 
        basis for Georgia; and
            (4) $3,600,000 is authorized to be available on a grant 
        basis for the Republic of Macedonia.

SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    Congress affirms that it stands ready to consider, and if all 
applicable criteria are satisfied, to support efforts by Ukraine to 
join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, should Ukraine decide that 
is wishes to pursue membership in the Alliance.

            Passed the Senate November 16, 2006.

            Attest:

                                             EMILY J. REYNOLDS,

                                                             Secretary.