S.Res. 156 — Agreed to in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 156 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES May 23, 2013 Mr. Warner submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations July 24, 2013 Reported by Mr. Menendez, with an amendment and an amendment to the preamble July 31, 2013 Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate on the 10-year anniversary of NATO Allied Command Transformation. Whereas, on June 19, 2003, NATO’s Allied Command Transformation (ACT), was formally established to increase military effectiveness and prepare the Alliance for future security challenges; Whereas, on June 19, 2013, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of NATO ACT; Whereas the security of the United States and its NATO allies have been enhanced by the establishment and continued work of NATO ACT; Whereas for the past 10 years, ACT has been leading NATO's military transformation, and providing relevant and timely support to NATO operations, while developing partnerships around the globe to adapt to the changing global security environment; Whereas ACT is the only NATO headquarters in the United States, and the only permanent NATO headquarters outside of Europe; Whereas ACT provides state of the art education, training, and application of best practices and lessons learned from past operations, and equips Alliance troops with the tools they need to win today’s wars; Whereas ACT improves NATO’s defense planning and develops compatible equipment and common standards necessary to keep Alliance capabilities aligned; Whereas NATO ACT has been integral to a NATO mission of promoting a Europe that is whole, undivided, free, and at peace; Whereas NATO ACT strengthened the ability of NATO to perform a full range of missions throughout the world; Whereas NATO ACT has provided crucial support and participation in the NATO International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, as NATO endeavors to help the people of Afghanistan create the conditions necessary for security and successful development and reconstruction; Whereas ACT employs personnel from 26 of the 28 NATO member nations and six of the 41 NATO Partner nations and contributes more than $100,000,000 annually to the local economy; Whereas NATO has been the cornerstone of transatlantic security cooperation and an enduring instrument for promoting stability in Europe and throughout the world for over 60 years, representing the vital transatlantic bond of solidarity between the United States and Europe, as NATO nations share similar values and interests and are committed to the maintenance of democratic principles; Whereas the Chicago Summit Communique affirms that all NATO members are determined that NATO will continue to play its unique and essential role in ensuring our common defense and security and that NATO continues to be effective in a changing world, against new threats, with new capabilities and new partners; Whereas through the Alliance, the United States and Europe are effective and steadfast partners in security, and ACT is well positioned to contribute to the strength of the Alliance on both continents; Whereas NATO ACT has done much to help NATO meet the global challenges of the 21st century, including the threat of terrorism, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, instability caused by failed states, and threats to global energy security; and Whereas the 10th anniversary of NATO ACT is an opportunity to enhance and more deeply entrench those principles, which continue to bind the alliance together and guide our efforts today: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) celebrates the 10th anniversary of the establishment of NATO Allied Command Transformation (NATO ACT); (2) recognizes NATO ACT’s leading role in transforming Alliance forces and capabilities, using new concepts such as the NATO Response Force and new doctrines in order to improve the Alliance’s military effectiveness; (3) expresses appreciation for the continuing and close partnership between the United States Government and NATO to transform the Alliance; (4) remembers the 64 years NATO has served to ensure peace, security, and stability in Europe throughout the world, and urges the United States Government to continue to seek new ways to deepen and expand its important relationships with NATO; (5) 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; (6) honors the sacrifices of United States personnel, allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and partners in Afghanistan; (7) recognizes the outstanding partnership between the local community in Norfolk, Virginia and NATO personnel assigned to ACT; (8) reaffirms that NATO, through the new Strategic Concept, is committed to helping the Alliance adapt and prepare for the complex and demanding future security; (9) urges all NATO members to take concrete steps to implement the Strategic Concept and to utilize the taskings from the 2012 NATO summit in Chicago, Illinois, to address current NATO operations, future capabilities and burden-sharing issues, and strengthen the relationship between NATO and partners around the world; (10) calls upon the President to use the momentum of the occasion of the 10th anniversary of NATO ACT— (A) to engage each of the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in a dialogue about the long-term health of the Alliance, and strongly encourage each of the member states to make a serious effort to protect defense budgets from further reductions, better allocate and coordinate the resources presently available, and recommit to spending at least 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense; and (B) to examine and report to Congress on recommendations that will lead to a stronger Alliance in terms of military capability and readiness across the 28 member states, with particular focus on the smaller member states; and (11) conveys appreciation for the steadfast partnership between NATO and the United States.