I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3064 

To require a comprehensive, multilateral assessment of the military requirements of Baltic countries to deter and resist aggression by the Russian 

Federation, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 3, 2019 

Mr. CONAWAY introduced the following bill; 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 

A BILL 

To require a comprehensive, multilateral assessment of the 

military requirements of Baltic countries to deter and 

resist aggression by the Russian Federation, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Baltic Reassurance 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The Russian Federation seeks to diminish 

2 the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 

3 and recreate its sphere of influence in Europe using 

4 coercion, intimidation, and outright aggression. 

5 (2) Deterring the Russian Federation from 

6 such aggression is vital for transatlantic security. 

7 (3) The illegal occupation of Crimea by the 

8 Russian Federation and its continued engagement of 

9 destabilizing and subversive activities against inde10 pendent and free states is of increasing concern. 

11 (4) The Russian Federation also continues to 

12 disregard treaties, international laws and rights to 

13 freedom of navigation, territorial integrity, and sov14 ereign international borders. 

15 (5) The Russian Federation’s continued occupa16 tion of Georgian and Ukrainian territories and the 

17 sustained military buildup in the Russian Federa18 tion’s Western Military District and Kaliningrad has 

19 threatened continental peace and stability. 

20 (6) The Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and 

21 Lithuania are particularly vulnerable to an increas22 ingly aggressive and subversive Russian Federation. 

23 (7) In a declaration to celebrate 100 years of 

24 independence of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania 

25 issued on April 3, 2018, the Trump Administration 


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1 reaffirmed United States commitments to these Bal2 tic countries to ‘‘improve military readiness and ca3 pabilities through sustained security assistance’’ and 

4 ‘‘explore new ideas and opportunities, including air 

5 defense, bilaterally and in NATO, to enhance deter6 rence across the region’’. 

7 (8) These highly valued NATO allies of the 

8 United States have repeatedly demonstrated their 

9 commitment to advancing mutual interests as well 

10 as those of the NATO alliance. 

11 (9) The Baltic countries also continue to par12 ticipate in United States-led exercises to further pro13 mote coordination, cooperation, and interoperability 

14 among allies and partner countries, and continue to 

15 demonstrate their reliability and commitment to pro16 vide for their own defense. 

17 (10) Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia each hosts 

18 a respected NATO Center of Excellence that pro19 vides expertise to educate and promote NATO allies 

20 and partners in areas of vital interest to the alliance. 

21 (11) United States support and commitment to 

22 allies across Europe has been a lynchpin for peace 

23 and security on the continent for over 70 years. 

24 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

25 It is the sense of Congress as follows: 


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1 (1) The United States is committed to the secu2 rity of the Baltic countries and should strengthen 

3 cooperation and support capacity-building initiatives 

4 aimed at improving the defense and security of such 

5 countries. 

6 (2) The United States should lead a multilat7 eral effort to develop a strategy to deepen joint ca8 pabilities with Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, NATO al9 lies, and other regional partners, to deter against ag10 gression from the Russian Federation in the Baltic 

11 region, specifically in areas that would strengthen 

12 interoperability, joint capabilities, and military readi13 ness necessary for Baltic countries to strengthen 

14 their national resilience. 

15 (3) The United States should explore the feasi16 bility of providing long range, mobile air defense sys17 tems in the Baltic region, including through 

18 leveraging cost-sharing mechanisms and multilateral 

19 deployment with NATO allies to reduce financial 

20 burdens on host countries. 

21 SEC. 4. DEFENSE ASSESSMENT. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 

23 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 

24 shall, in consultation with appropriate counterparts of 

25 Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, North Atlantic Treaty OrganiVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:31 Jun 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3064.IH H3064

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1 zation (NATO) allies, and other regional partners, con2 duct a comprehensive, multilateral assessment of the mili3 tary requirements of such countries to deter and resist ag4 gression by the Russian Federation that— 

5 (1) provides an assessment of past and current 

6 initiatives to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, 

7 readiness, and interoperability of Lithuania, Latvia, 

8 and Estonia’s national defense capabilities; and 

9 (2) assesses the manner in which to meet those 

10 objectives, including future resource requirements 

11 and recommendations, by undertaking activities in 

12 the following areas: 

13 (A) Activities to increase the rotational 

14 and forward presence, improve the capabilities, 

15 and enhance the posture and response readiness 

16 of the United States or forces of NATO in the 

17 Baltic region. 

18 (B) Activities to improve air defense sys19 tems, including modern air-surveillance capabili20 ties. 

21 (C) Activities to improve counter-un22 manned aerial system capabilities. 

23 (D) Activities to improve command and 

24 control capabilities through increasing commu25 nications, technology, and intelligence capacity 


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1 and coordination, including secure and hard2 ened communications. 

3 (E) Activities to improve intelligence, sur4 veillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. 

5 (F) Activities to enhance maritime domain 

6 awareness. 

7 (G) Activities to improve military and de8 fense infrastructure, logistics, and access, par9 ticularly transport of military supplies and 

10 equipment. 

11 (H) Investments to ammunition stocks and 

12 storage. 

13 (I) Activities and training to enhance cyber 

14 security and electronic warfare capabilities. 

15 (J) Bilateral and multilateral training and 

16 exercises. 

17 (K) New and existing cost-sharing mecha18 nisms with United States and NATO allies to 

19 reduce financial burden. 

20 (b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

21 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 

22 shall submit to the congressional defense committees a re23 port that includes each of the following: 

24 (1) A report on the findings of the assessment 

25 conducted pursuant to subsection (a). 


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1 (2) A list of any recommendations resulting 

2 from such assessment. 

3 (3) An assessment of the resource requirements 

4 to achieve the objectives described in subsection 

5 (a)(1) with respect to the national defense capability 

6 of Baltic countries, including potential investments 

7 by host countries. 

8 (4) A plan for the United States to use appro9 priate security cooperation authorities or other au10 thorities to— 

11 (A) facilitate relevant recommendations in12 cluded in the list described in paragraph (2); 

13 (B) expand joint training between the 

14 Armed Forces and the military of Lithuania, 

15 Latvia, or Estonia, including with the participa16 tion of other NATO allies; and 

17 (C) support United States foreign military 

18 sales and other equipment transfers to Baltic 

19 countries especially for the activities described 

20 in subparagraphs (A) through (I) of subsection 

21 (a)(2). 

22 SEC. 5. CONGRESSIONAL DEFENSE COMMITTEES DEFINED. 

23 In this Act, the term ‘‘congressional defense commit24 tees’’ means— 


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1 (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the 

2 Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee 

3 on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; 

4 and 

5 (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the 

6 Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee 

7 on Appropriations of the Senate. 

Æ 


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