,i  #aacth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #dcdf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,march #bg1 #bjad    
,mr4 ,turner 7for himself1 ,mrs4        
,walorski1 ,mr4 ,rangel1 ,mr4 ,mc,keon1 
,mr4 ,austin ,scott of ,georgia1 ,mr4   
,shimkus1 ,mr4 ,poe of ,texas1 ,mr4     
,guthrie1 ,mrs4 ,miller of ,michigan1   
,mr4 ,mica1 and ,mr4 ,diaz-,balart7     
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on ,foreign 
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to encourage      
continued enlargement of the ,north     
,atlantic ,treaty ,organization4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,,nato ,alliance ,recognition and   
,promotion ,act4  #b4 ,findings         
,congress finds the following3  7#a7 ,on
 ,march #ab1 #bjad1 the ,north ,atlantic
 ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato7 marks   
the #aeth anniversary of enlargement    
through the accession of #c ,central    
,european countries3 the ,czech         
,republic1 ,poland1 and ,hungary4  7#b7 
,on ,march #bi1 #bjad1 ,,nato marks the 

#ajth anniversary of enlargement through
 the accession of #g ,central ,european 
countries3 ,bulgaria1 ,estonia1 ,latvia1
 ,lithuania1 ,romania1 ,slovakia1 and   
,slovenia4  7#c7 ,on ,april #g1 #bjad1  
,,nato marks the #eth anniversary of    
enlargement through the accession of    
,albania and ,croatia4  7#d7 ,the       
incorporation of these ,european        
countries into ,,nato has contributed   
toward a vision of ,europe that is aimed
 at promoting stability and cooperation1
 at building a ,europe whole and free1  
united in peace1 democracy and common   
values4  7#e7 ,since joining the        
,alliance1 these #ab member states have 
contributed to numerous ,,nato-led peace
 and security and stability operations1 
including participation in the          
,international ,security ,assistance    
,force's 7,,isaf7 mission in            
,afghanistan4  #c4 ,statement of        
,congress ,congress declares that--     
7#a7 ,,nato has been the cornerstone of 
transatlantic security cooperation and  

an enduring instrument for promoting    
stability in ,europe and around the     
world for over sixty-five years2  7#b7  
the incorporation of the ,czech         
,republic1 ,poland1 ,hungary1 ,bulgaria1
 ,estonia1 ,latvia1 ,lithuania1         
,romania1 ,slovakia1 ,slovenia1         
,albania1 and ,croatia has been         
essential to the success of ,,nato in   
this modern era2  7#c7 the ,czech       
,republic1 ,poland1 ,hungary1 ,bulgaria1
 ,estonia1 ,latvia1 ,lithuania1         
,romania1 ,slovakia1 ,slovenia1 ,albania
 and ,croatia has over time added to and
 strengthened the list of key ,european 
allies of the ,united ,states2  7#d7    
since joining ,,nato1 these member      
states have remained committed to the   
collective defense of the ,alliance and 
have demonstrated their will and ability
 to contribute to transatlantic         
solidarity and assume increasingly more 
responsibility for international peace  
and security2  7#e7 these ,,nato member 
states have become reliable partners and

 supporters of aspiring members1 and the
 ,united ,states recognizes their       
continued efforts to aid in further     
enlargement initiatives2 and  7#f7 the  
commitment by these ,,nato members to   
,alliance principles and active         
participation in ,alliance initiatives  
shows the success of ,,nato's           
,open-,door ,policy4  #d4 ,sense of     
,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress 
that--  7#a7 the ,united ,states should 
remain committed to maintaining a       
military presence in ,europe as a means 
of promoting allied interoperability and
 providing visible assurance to ,,nato  
allies in the region2 and  7#b7 at the  
,september #bjad ,,nato ,summit in      
,wales1 the ,united ,states1 along with 
,,nato allies1 should continue to pursue
 enlargement initiatives for the        
aspirant countries4