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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4210 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4210

    To authorize the President to establish a program to assist the 
   transition to full NATO membership of Poland, Hungary, the Czech 
                Republic, and Slovakia by January 1999.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 14, 1994

  Mr. Gilman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To authorize the President to establish a program to assist the 
   transition to full NATO membership of Poland, Hungary, the Czech 
                Republic, and Slovakia by January 1999.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``NATO Expansion Act of 1994''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On January 10, 1994, the leaders of the NATO member 
        nations meeting in Brussels, Belgium, issued an invitation to 
        European countries that do not belong to NATO to participate in 
        a program of expanded cooperation with NATO called the 
        Partnership for Peace.
            (2) In that invitation, the leaders of the NATO member 
        nations stated: ``We reaffirm that the Alliance, as provided in 
        Article 10 of the Washington Treaty, remains open to the 
        membership of other European states in a position to further 
        the principles of the Treaty and to contribute to the security 
        of the North Atlantic area. We expect and would welcome NATO 
        expansion that would reach to democratic states to our East, as 
        part of an evolutionary process, taking into account political 
        and security developments in the whole of Europe.''.
            (3) The political and economic transformation of the 
        formerly communist-ruled countries of Europe has been under way 
        since 1989. In establishing a new Strategic Concept for NATO in 
        November 1991, the leaders of the NATO member nations observed: 
        ``All the countries that were formerly adversaries of NATO have 
        dismantled the Warsaw Pact and rejected ideological hostility 
        to the West. They have in varying degrees, embraced and begun 
        to implement policies aimed at achieving pluralistic democracy, 
        the rule of law, respect for human rights and a market 
        economy.''.
            (4) In particular, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and 
        Slovakia have made significant progress toward establishing 
        democratic institutions, free market economies, civilian 
        control of their armed forces, and the rule of law since the 
        fall of their previous communist governments.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the leaders of the NATO member nations are to be 
        commended for reaffirming that NATO membership remains open to 
        European countries emerging from communist domination and for 
        welcoming eventual expansion of NATO to include such countries;
            (2) Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia 
        should be in a position to further the principles of the North 
        Atlantic Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North 
        Atlantic area not later than January 10, 1999, 5 years from the 
        date of the establishment of the Partnership for Peace, and, in 
        accordance with Article 10 of such Treaty, should be invited to 
        become full NATO members not later than that date, provided 
        these countries--
                    (A) maintain their progress toward establishing 
                democratic institutions, free market economies, 
                civilian control of their armed forces, and the rule of 
                law; and
                    (B) remain committed to protecting the rights of 
                all their citizens and respecting the territorial 
                integrity of their neighbors;
            (3) the United States, other NATO member nations, and NATO 
        itself should furnish appropriate assistance to facilitate the 
        transition of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia 
        to full NATO membership not later than January 10, 1999; and
            (4) other European countries emerging from communist 
        domination may be in a position at a future date to further the 
        principles of the North Atlantic Treaty and to contribute to 
        the security of the North Atlantic area, and at the appropriate 
        time they should receive assistance to facilitate their 
        transition to full NATO membership and should be invited to 
        become full NATO members.

SEC. 4. AUTHORITY FOR PROGRAM TO FACILITATE TRANSITION TO NATO 
              MEMBERSHIP.

    (a) In General.--The President may establish a program to assist 
the transition to full NATO membership of Poland, Hungary, the Czech 
Republic, Slovakia, and other European countries emerging from 
communist domination designated by the President pursuant to subsection 
(e).
    (b) Conduct of Program.--The program established under subsection 
(a) shall facilitate the transition to full NATO membership of the 
countries described in such subsection by supporting and encouraging, 
inter alia--
            (1) joint planning, training, and military exercises with 
        NATO forces;
            (2) greater interoperability of military equipment, air 
        defense systems, and command, control, and communications 
        systems; and
            (3) conformity of military doctrine.
    (c) Type of Assistance.--In carrying out the program established 
under subsection (a), the President may provide to the countries 
described in such subsection the following types of security 
assistance:
            (1) The transfer of excess defense articles under section 
        516 of Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, without regard to the 
        restrictions in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (a) of 
        such section (relating to the eligibility of countries for such 
        articles under such section).
            (2) The transfer of nonlethal excess defense articles under 
        section 519 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, without 
        regard to the restriction in subsection (a) of such section 
        (relating to the justification of the foreign military 
        financing program for the fiscal year in which a transfer is 
        authorized).
            (3) Assistance under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign 
        Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to the Economic Support Fund).
            (4) Assistance under chapter 5 of part II of that Act 
        (relating to international military education and training).
            (5) Assistance under section 23 of the Arms Export Control 
        Act (relating to the ``Foreign Military Financing Program'').
    (d) Additional assistance.--In addition to the security assistance 
provided under subsection (c), the President may, in carrying out the 
program established under subsection (a), provide assistance from funds 
appropriated after the date of the enactment of this Act under the 
following accounts:
            (1) The ``Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund'' account.
            (2) The ``Countries in Transition'' account.
    (e) Designation of Other European Countries Emerging From Communist 
Domination.--The President may designate other European countries 
emerging from communist domination to receive assistance under the 
program established under subsection (a) if the President determines 
and reports to the appropriate congressional committees that such 
countries--
            (1) have made significant progress toward establishing 
        democratic institutions, a free market economy, civilian 
        control of their armed forces, and the rule of law; and
            (2) are likely, within 5 years of such determination, to be 
        in a position to further the principles of the North Atlantic 
        Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic 
        area.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENTS.

    The President is authorized to confer, pursuant to agreement with 
any country eligible to participate in the Partnership for Peace, 
rights in respect of the military and related civilian personnel 
(including dependents of any such personnel) and activities of that 
country in the United States comparable to the rights conferred by that 
country in respect of the military and related civilian personnel 
(including dependents of any such personnel) and activities of the 
United States in that country.

SEC. 6. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and at least once every year thereafter, the President 
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 
the implementation of this Act.
    (b) Contents.--Each such report shall include--
            (1) an assessment of the progress made by Poland, Hungary, 
        the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and other European countries 
        emerging from communist domination designated by the President 
        pursuant to section 4(e) toward meeting the standards for NATO 
        membership set forth in Article 10 of the North Atlantic 
        Treaty, including--
                    (A) an assessment of the progress of such countries 
                toward establishing democratic institutions, free 
                market economies, civilian control of their armed 
                forces, and the rule of law; and
                    (B) the commitment of such countries in protecting 
                the rights of all their citizens and respecting the 
                territorial integrity of their neighbors;
            (2) a description of all assistance provided under the 
        program established under section 4, or otherwise provided by 
        the United States Government to facilitate the transition to 
        full NATO membership of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, 
        Slovakia, and other European countries emerging from communist 
        domination designated by the President pursuant to section 
        4(e);
            (3) a description of all assistance provided by other NATO 
        member nations or NATO itself to facilitate the transition to 
        full NATO membership of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, 
        Slovakia, and other European countries emerging from communist 
        domination designated by the President pursuant to section 
        4(e); and
            (4) a description of any agreement entered into pursuant to 
        section 5.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on 
        Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, and the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and 
        the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed 
        Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            (2) NATO.--The term ``NATO'' means the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization.
            (3) Other european countries emerging from communist 
        domination.--The term ``other European countries emerging from 
        communist domination'' means--
                    (A) any member of the Conference on Security and 
                Cooperation in Europe located--
                            (i) in the territory of the former Union of 
                        Soviet Socialist Republics; or
                            (ii) in the territory of the former 
                        Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; or
                    (B) Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, 
                or Albania.

                                 <all>
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