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 89, 2016, and in support of committing NATO to a security posture capable of deterring threats to the Alliance.

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 89, 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 [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 Alliances 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 Georgias 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 Alliances 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 Europes defense, and to deter further Russian aggression; Whereas the cornerstone of NATOs collective defense initiative is the Readiness Action Plan, intended to enable a continuous NATO military presence on the Alliances 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 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 NATOs Open Door policy 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 NATOs 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 Georgias 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 NATOs Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, with 12,000 troops advising and assisting Afghanistans 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.

Summary: Recognizes the men and women who have served to safeguard the freedom and security of the United States and the transatlantic alliance. Encourages alliance members at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Warsaw Summit to promote unity and ensure a robust security posture in the face of the complex and changing security environment confronting NATO. Urges all NATO members to invest at least 2% of GDP in defense spending and carry an equitable burden in supporting NATO's resource requirements and defense capabilities, including an increased forward defense posture in NATO frontline states. Reaffirms the Senate's commitment to NATO's collective security. Welcomes the progress of NATO's ballistic missile defense mission and the achievement of recent U.S. milestones in this area through the partnership of allies, including Romania and Poland. Recognizes: Georgia's troop contributions to missions abroad and its ongoing efforts to strengthen its democratic and military institutions for NATO accession; and the ongoing work of NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and the significant commitment NATO allies and coalition partners have dedicated to Afghanistan since 2001, including the 1,134 troops who have lost their lives in that conflict.