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 fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation 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, de-
ployed, and trained as part of the DEFENDER-EU-
ROPE 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; 
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Whereas, as part of DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020, United 
States civilian and military ships coordinated their move-
ments across the Atlantic Ocean, validating their ability 
to move thousands of troops and equipment through con-
tested waters during opposed transit convoy operations; 
Whereas, additionally, the Army leveraged the use of its 
Prepositioned Stocks located in Europe that were de-
ployed 
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 demo-
cratic institutions; 
Whereas NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Eu-
rope (SHAPE) planned the training and logistics for 
37,000 troops across 18 NATO countries that would par-
ticipate 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 ob-
jectives 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 infec-
tious 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 
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medical supplies, established in excess of 100 field hos-
pitals 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 sev-
eral hundred feet of river, and the exercise was also able 
to test casualty evacuation capabilities over arduous ter-
rain, validating United States and Polish forces inter-
operability in deploying rapidly together; and 
Whereas, during the second phase of DEFENDER-EU-
ROPE 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 Dy-
namic 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 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) reaffirms the United States commitment to 
the NATO alliance that through collective engage-
ment expands America’s economic, diplomatic, and 
military capabilities in responding to adversarial and 
rogue nations, because through these instruments of 
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power the United States is better able to protect its 
shared economic security interests in Europe and 
throughout the world; 
(2) 
commends 
United 
States 
military 
servicemembers for their complex operational plan-
ning, execution, and response to emerging threats 
that demonstrated America’s military might and 
ability to quickly adapt to the evolving operational 
environment in order to achieve its strategic objec-
tives; 
(3) commends the courage and perseverance 
that United States forces demonstrated while de-
ployed to Europe, as their selfless efforts saved lives 
in allied nations by directly contributing to NATO’s 
response to COVID–19, and additionally, their resil-
ience enabled DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020 to con-
tinue and validate multiple operational capabilities 
that had long gone untested; and 
(4) commends the NATO allies who partici-
pated in DEFENDER-EUROPE 2020, which en-
hanced communications, interoperability, readiness, 
and sustainment among allied forces, as investing in 
such exercises is necessary for developing new tac-
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tics, technologies, and partnerships that will ensure 
NATO’s strategic advantage over time. 
Æ 
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