IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1098 

Commending the United States military servicemembers and NATO allies 

who successfully planned, coordinated, deployed, and trained as part 

of the DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020 Exercise. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 

Mr. VELA (for himself, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. COOK, Mr. COSTA, Mrs. DAVIS

of California, Mr. GUTHRIE, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, 

Mr. TURNER, and Mr. WILSON of South Carolina) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period 

to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 

concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the United States military servicemembers and 

NATO allies who successfully planned, coordinated, deployed, and trained as part of the DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020 Exercise. 

Whereas United States military planners prepared a concept 

of operations to deploy 20,000 United States troops and 

12,000 pieces of equipment by air, land, and sea, which 

would have been the largest military deployment from the 

United States to Europe in over 25 years; 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 1098 IH 

Whereas, as part of DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020, United 

States civilian and military ships coordinated their movements across the Atlantic Ocean, validating their ability 

to move thousands of troops and equipment through contested waters during opposed transit convoy operations; 

Whereas, additionally, the Army leveraged the use of its 

Prepositioned Stocks located in Europe that were deployed to exercise sites throughout Europe for 

sustainment; 

Whereas, through this elaborate coordination, the United 

States military validated its ability to rapidly deploy and 

sustain massive military capability to deter adversaries 

from conducting destabilizing hostilities against democratic institutions; 

Whereas NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) planned the training and logistics for 

37,000 troops across 18 NATO countries that would participate in 6 complex exercises to demonstrate NATO’s 

ability to deter aggression while protecting peace 

throughout Europe, enhance relationships, readiness, and 

interoperability among NATO allies, and achieve the objectives of the United States National Defense Strategy 

and strategic objectives of NATO; 

Whereas United States commanders and partner countries 

quickly adapted exercise plans to the COVID–19 crisis in 

Europe by adjusting troop movements and activities to 

protect the force and its readiness from a highly infectious pandemic; 

Whereas, by leveraging existing NATO institutions and 

agreements, NATO forces completed, on short notice, 

more than 350 flights to transport over 1,000 tons of 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 1098 IH 

medical supplies, established in excess of 100 field hospitals containing more than 25,000 medical beds, and 

supported civilian medical and security efforts to respond 

to a global health emergency; 

Whereas, despite the COVID–19 pandemic, military leaders 

were able to safely proceed with DEFENDER-EUROPE 

2020 training objectives during two coordinated phases; 

Whereas, starting with Allied Spirit, the first phase, United 

States and Polish forces completed a Division-size wet 

gap crossing of 6,000 troops and 100 vehicles over several hundred feet of river, and the exercise was also able 

to test casualty evacuation capabilities over arduous terrain, validating United States and Polish forces interoperability in deploying rapidly together; and 

Whereas, during the second phase of DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020, in the Emergency Deployment Readiness 

Exercise, the United States Army validated its ability to 

surge and rapidly redeploy combat vehicles and over 500 

troops to Poland under the Department of Defense’s Dynamic Force Employment concept, and these flexes in 

operational plans ensured that military forces could adapt 

logistical and protective requirements vital in sustaining 

the force during an emergent threat: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms the United States commitment to 

3 the NATO alliance that through collective engage4 ment expands America’s economic, diplomatic, and 

5 military capabilities in responding to adversarial and 

6 rogue nations, because through these instruments of 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 1098 IH 

1 power the United States is better able to protect its 

2 shared economic security interests in Europe and 

3 throughout the world; 

4 (2) commends United States military 

5 servicemembers for their complex operational plan6 ning, execution, and response to emerging threats 

7 that demonstrated America’s military might and 

8 ability to quickly adapt to the evolving operational 

9 environment in order to achieve its strategic objec10 tives; 

11 (3) commends the courage and perseverance 

12 that United States forces demonstrated while de13 ployed to Europe, as their selfless efforts saved lives 

14 in allied nations by directly contributing to NATO’s 

15 response to COVID–19, and additionally, their resil16 ience enabled DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020 to con17 tinue and validate multiple operational capabilities 

18 that had long gone untested; and 

19 (4) commends the NATO allies who partici20 pated in DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020, which en21 hanced communications, interoperability, readiness, 

22 and sustainment among allied forces, as investing in 

23 such exercises is necessary for developing new tacVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:10 Sep 02, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR1098.IH HR1098

pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
5 

•HRES 1098 IH 

1 tics, technologies, and partnerships that will ensure 

2 NATO’s strategic advantage over time. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS