III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 18, 2019 

Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself and Mr. YOUNG) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

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. 

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’’; 


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•SRES 278 IS 

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 nonNATO 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 Nicola ́s 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 Erdog ̆an 

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 


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•SRES 278 IS 

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 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) declares that the Republic of Turkey’s re3 ceipt of the Russian S–400 air and missile defense 

4 system is a significant transaction within the mean5 ing of section 231 of the Countering America’s Ad6 versaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) of 2017 

7 (22 U.S.C. 9525); 

8 (2) calls for full implementation of sanctions 

9 under CAATSA; 

10 (3) calls upon the President to consult with 

11 NATO Member States, pursuant to Article 4 of the 

12 North Atlantic Treaty, signed at Washington April 

13 4, 1949, based upon threats to the political inde14 pendence and security of the Parties by the Russian 

15 actions described in the preamble; and 


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•SRES 278 IS 

1 (4) calls upon the President, during such con2 sultation with NATO Member States, to review the 

3 Treaty with regard to the factors ‘‘affecting peace 

4 and security in the North Atlantic area’’ described 

5 in the preamble, and to consider the continued inclu6 sion of the Republic of Turkey in NATO. 

Æ 


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