Title: Expressing support for the sovereign decision of Finland and Sweden to apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as calling on all members of NATO to ratify the protocols of accession swiftly.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for Finland and Sweden's historic decision to apply to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The resolution also opposes any attempt by the Russian government to obstruct Finland and Sweden's decision to apply to join NATO.
Finally, the resolution calls on the member states of NATO to formally support the accession of Finland and Sweden into the transatlantic alliance.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1130 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1130

Expressing support for the sovereign decision of Finland and Sweden to 
apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as 
  calling on all members of NATO to ratify the protocols of accession 
                                swiftly.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 18, 2022

 Mr. Keating (for himself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Swalwell, Mrs. Wagner, 
  Mr. Beyer, Mr. Bergman, Mrs. Dingell, Ms. Kuster, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. 
  Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Meeks, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Connolly, Mr. 
     Turner, Mr. Lynch, and Mr. Kinzinger) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the sovereign decision of Finland and Sweden to 
apply to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as well as 
  calling on all members of NATO to ratify the protocols of accession 
                                swiftly.

Whereas Finland and Sweden have made a historic decision to deepen their 
        security ties with the transatlantic community;
Whereas a more resilient security architecture in Europe advances democracy, 
        human rights, and values consistent with the North Atlantic Treaty, 
        hereinafter referred to as NATO;
Whereas, on April 4, 1949, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, 
        Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and 
        the United States formed NATO to serve as a defensive alliance based on 
        promoting democratic values and the peaceful mediation of disputes;
Whereas NATO membership is open to ``any other European state in a position to 
        further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security 
        of the North Atlantic area'';
Whereas Finland and Sweden are European states committed to democratic values 
        and the peaceful resolution of disputes;
Whereas Finland and Sweden have been members of NATO's Partnership for Peace 
        program since 1994 and have contributed to NATO-led operations in the 
        Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq;
Whereas NATO established the Partnership Interoperability Initiative at the 
        Wales Summit in 2014 to develop military-to-military interoperability 
        between select partner nations enabling them to contribute to future 
        crisis management, including NATO-led operations;
Whereas Finland and Sweden were designated inaugural Enhanced Opportunities 
        Partners at the Wales Summit in 2014;
Whereas the hard-fought post-World War II European security architecture has 
        been upended by the Russian Federation's cruel full-scale invasion of 
        Ukraine which began on February 24, 2022;
Whereas Russia's invasion has fomented the worst European humanitarian crisis 
        since World War II with 6,000,000 people fleeing Ukraine and 10,000,000 
        more internally displaced within Ukraine;
Whereas Finland and Sweden's populations expressed support for NATO membership;
Whereas Finland and Sweden's highly capable militaries are interoperable with 
        NATO forces and would increase and fortify NATO's collective security by 
        increasing the security and stability of the Baltic Sea region and 
        Northern Europe;
Whereas Finland and Sweden are two nations with a strong democratic foundation 
        that share the transatlantic community's dedication to democratic 
        principles and the rule of law;
Whereas Russian Government officials have issued threats directed at Finland and 
        Sweden should they exercise their sovereign right to apply for NATO 
        membership;
Whereas despite these threats from Russia, Finland and Sweden's national 
        institutions have reviewed their policies of military nonalignment and 
        their governments and parliaments have expressed support for applying 
        for NATO membership; and
Whereas in the best interests of their respective peoples, the European security 
        architecture, the rule of international law, and democracy in Europe, 
        Finland and Sweden have announced their support for NATO membership: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for Finland and Sweden's sovereign 
        and historic decision to apply to the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO);
            (2) recognizes that Finland and Sweden's sovereign and 
        historic decision to apply to NATO is reflective of the will of 
        those respective governments' peoples;
            (3) urges all members of NATO to meet the 2-percent defense 
        spending pledge as agreed upon during 2014 Wales Summit;
            (4) opposes any attempt by the Russian Government to 
        obstruct Finland and Sweden's sovereign and historic decision 
        to apply to join NATO;
            (5) recognizes that the accession of Finland and Sweden to 
        NATO requires all 30 Allies to sign and ratify protocols of 
        accession; and
            (6) calls on the member states of NATO to formally support 
        the accession of Finland and Sweden into the transatlantic 
        alliance.
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