,,iv  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,h4 ,,res4 #ajcf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(    
,,repres5tatives  ,july #bf1 #bjah,ms4  
,frankel ( ,florida 7= h]self1 ,mr4     
,engel1 ,mr4 ,meeks1 & ,mrs4 ,davis (   
,cali=nia7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2
 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign 
,affairs  ,,resolution  ,recogniz+ t    
contributions ( ! ,nor? ,atlantic       
,treaty ,organization are vital to      
,unit$ ,/ates national security4        
,:]eas1 on ,april #d1 #aidi1 ! ,nor?    
,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato7
 0 f\nd$ z a def5sive alliance to       
enhance security coop]ation betwe5 memb]
 /ates & det] a milit>y attack on !     
allies2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y  
pres5ce 9 ,europe has det]r$ ! outbreak 
( ano!r _w w> & protects ! t]ritorial   
integrity ( ,,nato allies2 ,:]eas !     
#bjag ,national ,security ,/rategy ( !  
,unit$ ,/ates ( ,am]ica reaffirms t     
,,nato is "o ( our great advantages ov] 
our competitors1 & ! ,unit$ ,/ates      
rema9s committ$ to ,article #e ( ! ,nor?

 ,atlantic ,treaty2 ,:]eas #bi c\ntries 
h jo9$ ,,nato1 includ+ mo/ rec5tly !    
,republic ( ,mont5egro1 :i* 0 admitt$ 9 
#bjag2 ,:]eas cont9u$ ,,nato enl>gem5t  
has promot$ peaceful democratic         
transitions & /ability 9 ,c5tral &      
,ea/]n ,europe1 key ,unit$ ,/ates       
int]e/s2 ,:]eas ,,nato provides a       
deployable & integrat$ multilat]al      
milit>y capability1 enabl+ ! ,unit$     
,/ates to rapidly %ape & lead coalitions
 to address security ?reats2 ,:]eas jo9t
 ,,nato plann+1 tra9+1 & ex]cises boo/  
,unit$ ,/ates milit>y read9ess & ensure 
int]op]ability1 def9$ 9 ?is context z ! 
ability = ,,nato allies to act toge!r   
coh]5tly1 effectively & effici5tly to   
a*ieve tactical1 op]ational & /rategic  
objectives2 ,:]eas ,,nato has play$ a   
critical role 9 secur+ /ability 9 !     
,balkans1 includ+ ?r\gh its curr5t      
deploym5t ( approximately #c1baj        
non-,unit$ ,/ates troops 9 ,kosovo z "p 
( ,,nato's ,kosovo ,=ce 7,,k=71 an      
int]national peacekeep+ mission 9       

exi/5ce s9ce #aiii2 ,:]eas ,,nato invok$
 ,article #e ( ! ,nor? ,atlantic        
,treaty1 its collective def5se clause1 =
 ! fir/ & only "t 9 response to !       
t]rori/ attacks on ! ,unit$ ,/ates t    
occurr$ on ,septemb] #aa1 #bjja2 ,:]eas 
,,nato has deploy$ ?\s&s ( troops to    
,afghani/an1 :]e m ?an #a1ajj non-,unit$
 ,/ates ,,nato ally & p>tn] =ces h be5  
kill$2 ,:]eas ,admiral ,james ,/avridis1
 a =m] ,,nato ,supreme ,alli$ ,comm&]1  
te/ifi$ t1 ,i sign$1 sadly1 ?\s&s (     
lett]s ( condol5ce to ,europeans :o di$ 
fight+ because ! ,unit$ ,/ates _h be5   
attack$42 ,:]eas 9 #bjja1 ,,nato agre$  
on eight measures to support ! ,unit$   
,/ates on c\nt]-t]rorism1 includ+       
enhanc+ intellig5ce-%>+ & provid+       
blanket ov]flight cle>ances & access = !
 ,unit$ ,/ates to ports & airfields =   
op]ations aga9/ t]rorism2 ,:]eas ,,nato 
allies are re9=c+ ,,nato's ea/]n flank  
by lead+ ?ree ( ! f\r battlegr\ps (     
,,nato's ,enhanc$ ,=w>d ,pres5ce 9      
,e/onia1 ,latvia1 ,li?uania1 & ,pol&2   

,:]eas ,,nato is a memb] ( ! ,global    
,coalition to ,defeat ,,isis & supports 
x ?r\gh a non-combat tra9+ & capacity   
build+ mission 9 ,iraq & ) ! deploym5t (
 aircraft to provide intellig5ce &      
great] situational aw>5ess2 ,:]eas !    
,russian ,f$]ation cont9ues to und]m9e  
transatlantic unity & security1 includ+ 
?r\gh its invasions ( ,georgia &        
,ukra9e1 noncompliance ) its arms       
control commitm5ts1 support = ! ,assad  
regime & de/abiliz+ role 9 ,syria1      
int]f]5ce 9 democratic elections1 d[n+ (
 ,malaysia ,airl9es ,flight ,,mh#ag 9   
,ukra9e on ,july #ag1 #bjad1 & its use (
 a n]ve ag5t 9 ,salisbury1 ,unit$       
,k+dom1 on ,m>* #d1 #bjah2 ,:]eas ,,nato
 c>ries out disa/] relief op]ations &   
missions to protect populations aga9/   
natural or humanit>ian disa/]s1 & has   
adopt$ anti-piracy responsibilities to  
ensure fre$om ( ! seas2 ,:]eas ,,nato   
enhances ,unit$ ,/ates cyb]security1    
includ+ ?r\gh ! ,cyb] ,op]ations ,c5t]1 
:i* incorporates cyb] w>f>e into !      

alliance's def5se op]ations1 & !        
,coop]ative ,cyb] ,def5ce ,c5tre (      
,excell5ce1 :i* supports its memb] /ates
 ) cyb] def5ce exp]tise2 ,:]eas ,,nato  
memb] /ates h p>ticipat$ 9 economic     
sanctions & r$uc$ trade activity )      
,russia & ,iran foll[+ ! imposition (   
,unit$ ,/ates sanctions2 ,:]eas at !    
#bjad ,wales ,summit ,decl>ation1 all   
,,nato memb] /ates aim$ to allocate #b  
p]c5t ( _! gross dome/ic product t[>d   
def5se sp5d+ & #bj p]c5t ( _! annual    
def5se sp5d+ on major new equipm5t1     
includ+ relat$ rese>* & developm5t by   
#bjbd2 ,:]eas ,,nato memb]s1 n includ+ !
 ,unit$ ,/ates1 h increas$ def5se sp5d+ 
= #d consecutive ye>s1 & m ?an half (   
,,nato memb] /ates n[ sp5d m ?an #bj    
p]c5t ( _! annual def5se exp5ditures on 
major new equipm5t2 & ,:]eas1 on ,june  
#h1 #bjah1 ,secret>y ( ,def5se ,james   
,mattis /at$ at a ,,nato def5se m9i/]s  
meet+1 ,_m allies are mak+ inve/m5ts    
beyond ! monet>y aspect ( ! ,wales pl$ge
 ''' ,i appreciate ! troops & ! lead]%ip

 ^! nations provide to support ,,nato's 
,kosovo1 ,afghani/an =w>d pres5ce & o!r 
missions43 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,h\se 
( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 reaffirms !    
endur+ commitm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to ! 
,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization   
7,,nato7 z ! b$rock ( transatlantic     
security & /ability2  7#b7 appreciates !
 _m contributions t ,,nato memb] /ates h
 made to support & advance vital ,unit$ 
,/ates security int]e/s2 &  7#c7        
recognizes t cont9u$ ,unit$ ,/ates      
lead]%ip 9 ,,nato is ess5tial to        
address+ evolv+ ?reats to national      
security & to fulfill+ ,,nato's ?ree    
core tasks3 collective def5se1 crisis   
managem5t1 & coop]ative security4