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[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 506 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

<DOC>

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, Mr. Cardin, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mr. Rubio) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

                             June 27, 2016

    Reported by Mr. Corker, with amendments and an amendment to the 
                                preamble

                              July 6, 2016

      Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 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 NATO, through its contributions to the common defense, including its 
        invocation of Article 5 after the attacks of September 11, 2001, has 
        significantly contributed to the security of the United States and has 
        served as a force multiplier for 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 defense 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;
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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the service of the brave men and women who 
        have served to safeguard the freedom and security of the United 
        States and the whole of the transatlantic alliance;
            (2) encourages Alliance members at the NATO Warsaw Summit 
        to promote unity and solidarity, and to ensure a robust 
        security posture capable of deterring any potential adversary, 
        in the face of the complex and changing security environment 
        confronting the Alliance on its eastern, northern, and southern 
        fronts;
            (3) urges all NATO members to invest at least two percent 
        of GDP in defense spending and carry an equitable burden in 
        supporting the resource requirements and defense capabilities 
        of the Alliance, including an increased forward defense posture 
        in NATO frontline states;
            (4) reaffirms its commitment to NATO's collective security 
        as guaranteed by Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty;
            (5) welcomes the progress of NATO's ballistic missile 
        defense mission, adopted at the 2010 Lisbon Summit, and the 
        achievement of recent United States milestones in this area 
        through the partnership of allies, including Romania and 
        Poland;
            (6) recognizes Georgia's troop contributions to missions 
        abroad, its robust defense spending, and its ongoing efforts to 
        strengthen its democratic and military institutions for NATO 
        accession; and
            (7) recognizes the ongoing work of NATO's Resolute Support 
        Mission in Afghanistan, with 12,000 troops advising and 
        assisting Afghanistan's security ministries, and army and 
        police commands across the country, and the significant 
        commitment NATO allies and coalition partners have dedicated to 
        Afghanistan since 2001, including at least 1,134 troops from 
        NATO allies and coalition partners of the United States who 
        lost their lives in that conflict.
                                 <all>
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