IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 256 
Expressing support for the countries of Eastern Europe and the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 6, 2017 
Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. SIRES, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. BARR, 
Mrs. WAGNER, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. DONOVAN, 
Mr. ISSA, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. MCEACHIN, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. HUNTER, 
Mr. EVANS, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. BANKS of Indi-
ana, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. KENNEDY, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. 
CARTWRIGHT, Mr. TURNER, Mr. COOK, Mr. WITTMAN, Ms. KELLY of Il-
linois, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. SUOZZI, Mr. COLE, Mr. KEATING, Mr. POE 
of Texas, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, and Ms. STEFANIK) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for the countries of Eastern Europe and 
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. 
Whereas the United States has shown strong commitment to 
the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and 
democratic development of the countries that emerged 
from the ashes of the former Soviet Union and the com-
munist bloc it once dominated; 
Whereas many of these countries have, during the past three 
decades, undertaken the considerable political and eco-
nomic reforms necessary to achieve the aspirations for 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Apr 07, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR256.IH
HR256
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 256 IH 
European and Euro-Atlantic integration, or are con-
tinuing to do so; 
Whereas the incorporation of Eastern European countries 
into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has 
contributed toward a vision of Europe that is aimed at 
promoting stability and cooperation, at building a Europe 
whole and free, united in peace, democracy and common 
values; 
Whereas the mission of NATO since its founding in 1949 is 
to promote democratic values, cooperation on defense and 
security issues, and the peaceful resolution of disputes; 
Whereas NATO remains the most important and critical se-
curity link between the United States and Europe; 
Whereas NATO allies and partners in Central and Eastern 
Europe, including countries of the Western Balkans, and 
the former Soviet Union have stood alongside the United 
States in joint peace operations in the Western Balkans, 
Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere around the globe; 
Whereas Russia’s aggressive actions against neighboring 
members of the NATO Alliance and nearby NATO part-
ner countries, including its many violations of Baltic air-
space, occupation of Georgian territory in 2008, annex-
ation of Crimea in 2014, and continued threats to 
Moldovan territorial integrity and sovereignty, not only 
violate its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act and 
subsequent Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe (OSCE) agreements but are also key contributors 
to Europe’s instability; 
Whereas NATO reaffirmed its military security commitment 
to the Baltic States in response to increased Russian 
military activities; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Apr 07, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR256.IH
HR256
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 256 IH 
Whereas NATO allies increased their assistance to NATO 
partner countries by endorsing the Substantial NATO– 
Georgia Package in support of Georgia at the Wales 
Summit, the Comprehensive Assistance Package in sup-
port of Ukraine at the Warsaw Summit, and developed 
a phased Defense and Related Security Capacity Building 
package in support of Moldova; 
Whereas the European Reassurance Initiative represents the 
United States commitment to enduring peace, stability, 
and territorial integrity in Europe as members and part-
ners of the NATO Alliance; 
Whereas British Prime Minister Theresa May stated, ‘‘On 
defense and security cooperation, we’re united in our rec-
ognition of NATO as the bulwark of our collective de-
fense and we reaffirmed our unshakeable commitment to 
this alliance. We’re 100% behind NATO.’’; 
Whereas Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid stated, ‘‘Our 
NATO allies can rely on us to act as agreed in recent 
summits in Chicago, Wales and Warsaw, our UN part-
ners have appreciated and respected our role in peace-
keeping operations and our European partners know that 
Estonia is a reliable partner when there is a crisis’’ and 
Estonian Prime Minister Ju¨ri Ratas stated, ‘‘Our com-
mitment to NATO is steadfast.’’; 
Whereas Latvian President Raimonds Ve¯jonis stated, ‘‘We 
[Latvia] continue increasing our defense spending con-
sistently on our own, and our allies appreciate that. A 
historic decision on deployment of four multinational bat-
talions in the Baltic States and Poland was made at the 
NATO Summit in Warsaw this summer. This is by far 
the most serious proof of NATO’s readiness to defend 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:19 Apr 07, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR256.IH
HR256
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 256 IH 
independence of the Eastern European countries, includ-
ing Latvia.’’; 
Whereas Czech Republic Prime Minster Bohuslav Sobotka 
stated, ‘‘NATO is the basis for our security’’ and that he 
hopes ‘‘the United States will remain a solid NATO part-
ner.’’; and 
Whereas the United States must remain committed to our 
NATO allies in the face of any aggression irrespective of 
their ability to meet the NATO benchmark of spending: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) condemns any threat to the sovereignty, ter-
ritorial integrity, freedom and democracy of the Bal-
tic States; 
(2) condemns the clear, gross, and uncorrected 
ongoing violation of the Helsinki principles by the 
Russian Federation with respect to the sovereignty 
and territorial integrity of Ukraine; 
(3) supports keeping United States sanctions 
imposed against Russia relating to Crimea in effect 
until Ukraine’s sovereignty over Crimea has been re-
stored, as well as sanctions relating to the Donbas 
until the Minsk agreements are fully implemented; 
(4) considers it essential for the United States 
to maintain and increase political, economic, and se-
curity support for the countries of Central and East-
ern Europe; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Apr 07, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR256.IH
HR256
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HRES 256 IH 
(5) appreciates the spirit of friendship of the 
countries of Central and Eastern Europe, including 
those of the Western Balkans, their commitment to 
collective security, and their contributions, past and 
present, to peace operations around the globe; 
(6) supports keeping the door to NATO mem-
bership open to those countries that are eligible to 
join the Alliance and meet all the necessary require-
ments for membership; 
(7) supports and encourages the democratic as-
pirations of the people of all countries concerned, in-
cluding Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova; and 
(8) calls for continued support to the United 
States European Reassurance Initiative. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:08 Apr 07, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR256.IH
HR256
lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS