III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 506 

Expressing the sense of the Senate in support of the North Atlantic Treaty 

Organization and the NATO summit to be held in Warsaw, Poland 

from July 8–9, 2016, and in support of committing NATO to a security 

posture capable of deterring threats to the Alliance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 21, 2016 

Mr. CORKER (for himself and Mr. CARDIN) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate in support of the North 

Atlantic Treaty Organization and the NATO summit 

to be held in Warsaw, Poland from July 8–9, 2016, 

and in support of committing NATO to a security posture capable of deterring threats to the Alliance. 

Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty, signed April 4, 1949, in 

Washington, District of Columbia, which created the 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (‘‘NATO’’), proclaims: ‘‘[Members] are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation of their peoples, 

founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty 

and the rule of law. They seek to promote stability and 

well-being in the North Atlantic area. They are resolved 


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•SRES 506 IS 

to unite their efforts for collective defence and for the 

preservation of peace and security.’’; 

Whereas NATO has been the backbone of the European security architecture for 67 years, evolving to meet the changing transatlantic geopolitical and security environment; 

Whereas NATO continues its mission in Afghanistan following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United 

States; 

Whereas, at the NATO Wales Summit in September 2014, 

NATO reaffirmed the Alliance’s role in transatlantic security and its ability to respond to emerging security 

threats and challenges; 

Whereas Alliance members at the NATO Wales Summit defined the new security paradigm when they stated, ‘‘Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine have fundamentally challenged our vision of a Europe whole, free, and 

at peace. Growing instability in our southern neighborhood, from the Middle East to North Africa, as well as 

transnational and multi-dimensional threats, are also 

challenging our security. These can all have long-term 

consequences for peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic 

region and stability across the globe.’’; 

Whereas, at the 2014 NATO Wales Summit, Alliance members addressed this changed security environment by 

committing to enhancing readiness and collective defense; 

increasing defense spending and boosting military capabilities; and improving NATO support for partner countries through the Defense Capacity Building Initiative; 

Whereas, although Article 14 of the Wales Declaration calls 

on all members of the alliance to spend a minimum of 

2 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on deVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:46 Jun 22, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR506.IS SR506

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fense within a decade, currently only five members are 

achieving that target; 

Whereas, after the 2014 Wales Summit, the Russian military 

invaded Ukraine, adding Crimea to the list of areas illegally controlled by Moscow, including Georgia’s Abkhazia 

and South Ossetia regions; 

Whereas Russian-backed separatists in Eastern Ukraine continue to destabilize the region with support from the Government of the Russian Federation; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation continues to undertake provocative, unprofessional, and dangerous actions towards NATO air and naval forces and 

continues to exercise hybrid warfare capabilities against 

member and nonmember states along its western borders; 

Whereas Poland and the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, 

and Lithuania are on the frontlines of renewed Russian 

aggression and hybrid warfare, including disinformation 

campaigns, cyber threats, and snap military exercises 

along the Alliance’s eastern flank; 

Whereas President Barack Obama proposed a quadrupling of 

the European Reassurance Initiative in fiscal year 2017 

to $3,400,000,000 in order to enhance the United States 

commitment to NATO, to support Europe’s defense, and 

to deter further Russian aggression; 

Whereas the cornerstone of NATO’s collective defense initiative is the Readiness Action Plan, intended to enable a 

continuous NATO military presence on the Alliance’s periphery, especially its easternmost states, which includes 

enhanced troop rotations, military exercises, and the establishment of a Very High Readiness Task Force; 


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Whereas, in follow-up to commitments made at the NATO 

Wales Summit, NATO and the Government of Georgia 

agreed on a ‘‘Substantial Package’’ of cooperation and 

defense reform initiatives to strengthen Georgia’s resilience and self-defense capabilities and develop closer security cooperation and interoperability with NATO members, including through the establishment of the Joint 

Training and Evaluation Center, which was inaugurated 

in 2015; 

Whereas the threat of transnational terrorism has resulted in 

attacks in Turkey, France, Belgium, and the United 

States, and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant 

(ISIL) continues to pose a real and evolving threat to 

member states, other countries in Europe, and the broader international community; 

Whereas the migration crisis from the Syrian civil war, the 

conflict in Afghanistan, and economic and humanitarian 

crises in Africa have placed a great strain on member 

states; 

Whereas the NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, is an opportunity to enhance and more deeply entrench those principles and build on our collective security, which continue 

to bind the Alliance together and guide our efforts today; 

and 

Whereas, on May 19, 2016, Foreign Ministers of NATO 

member states signed an Accession Protocol to officially 

endorse and legally move forward Montenegro’s membership in the Alliance, which, consistent with NATO’s 

‘‘Open Door policy’’, would indeed further the principles 

of the North Atlantic Treaty and contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area: Now, therefore, be it 


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1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the service of the brave men and 

3 women who have served to safeguard the freedom 

4 and security of the United States and the whole of 

5 the transatlantic alliance; 

6 (2) encourages Alliance members at the NATO 

7 Warsaw Summit to promote unity and solidarity, 

8 and to ensure a robust security posture capable of 

9 deterring any potential adversary, in the face of the 

10 complex and changing security environment con11 fronting the Alliance on its eastern, northern, and 

12 southern fronts; 

13 (3) urges all NATO members to invest at least 

14 two percent of GDP in defense spending and carry 

15 an equitable burden in supporting the resource re16 quirements and defense capabilities of the Alliance; 

17 (4) reaffirms its commitment to NATO’s collec18 tive security as guaranteed by Article 5 of the North 

19 Atlantic Treaty; 

20 (5) recognizes Georgia’s troop contributions to 

21 missions abroad, its robust defense spending, and its 

22 ongoing efforts to strengthen its democratic and 

23 military institutions for NATO accession; and 

24 (6) recognizes the ongoing work of NATO’s 

25 Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, with 


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1 12,000 troops advising and assisting Afghanistan’s 

2 security ministries, and army and police commands 

3 across the country. 

Æ 


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