IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 286 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States 

remains committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 3, 2019 

Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself and Mr. TURNER) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the United States remains committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 

Whereas, for 70 years, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has served as the world’s preeminent political and military alliance committed to the collective defense of its members and dedicated to ensuring the peace, 

security, and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area; 

Whereas NATO was founded on the principles of democracy, 

individual liberty, and the rule of law; 

Whereas the security of the United States is inseparable from 

the participation and leadership of the United States in 

NATO; 


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•HRES 286 IH 

Whereas NATO continues to promote a Europe that is whole, 

free, and at peace; 

Whereas, since the end of the cold war, NATO has continued 

to redefine and transform itself and take on new missions 

and confront emerging threats such as terrorism, hybrid 

warfare, instability caused by failed states, cyber attacks, 

piracy, and threats to global energy security; 

Whereas after the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United 

States, article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, signed in 

Washington on April 4, 1949, was invoked for the first 

time in the history of the organization; 

Whereas NATO members subsequently deployed tens of thousands of troops to Afghanistan to respond to a dangerous 

terrorist threat; 

Whereas European allies and Canada suffered approximately 

one-third of all fatalities suffered by NATO forces in Afghanistan; 

Whereas NATO has worked to deter Russian aggression, including responding to the illegal invasions and occupations of Georgia and Ukraine by the Russian Federation; 

Whereas the United States recognizes the significant increases in allied national defense budgets following the 

Wales Summit in 2014 and continues to recognize allied 

burden-sharing as a critical component of collective defense; 

Whereas NATO continues to support an open-door membership policy of admitting any European country that can 

contribute to the promotion and protection of freedom, 

democracy, stability, and peace throughout Europe; 


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•HRES 286 IH 

Whereas NATO continues to enhance the security of Europe 

and the world by strengthening partnerships with countries around the world; and 

Whereas Congress recognizes its commitment to the alliance 

by actively participating in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and fulfilling its statutory commitment to the assembly in order to facilitate legislative awareness and understanding of critical security issues affecting the alliance: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) reaffirms its unequivocal support for the 

3 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its 

4 cornerstone article 5 collective defense commitment; 

5 (2) calls on allies to uphold the founding prin6 ciples of the alliance by strengthening democratic in7 stitutions, respecting individual liberty, and rein8 forcing the rule of law; 

9 (3) supports continued progress by all allies to10 wards the fair burden-sharing commitments made at 

11 the Wales Summit; 

12 (4) supports the statutory mandates regarding 

13 United States participation in the NATO Parliamen14 tary Assembly; and 

15 (5) recognizes the success of NATO as a tri16 umph for liberal democracy and a rules-based inter17 national order. 

Æ 


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