,,iii  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #ed  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! 
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #g            
7legislative day1 ,febru>y #f71 #bjag   
,mr4 ,blum5?al 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,g>dn]1 
,mr4 ,rubio1 & ,mrs4 ,mc,caskill7       
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign        
,relations  ,,resolution  ,express+ !   
unwav]+ commitm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to !
 ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization4 
,:]eas1 foll[+ ,_w ,w> ,,ii1 ! ,unit$   
,/ates reject$ isolationism1 e/abli%$   
its role z a _w lead]1 & develop$ an    
int]national alliance sy/em t protect$ !
 ,unit$ ,/ates :ile support+ democracy1 
fre$om1 & economic prosp]ity ) ,european
 nations2 ,:]eas1 #gj ye>s ago1 ! ,unit$
 ,/ates ann\nc$ ! ,m>%all ,plan =       
,europe1 a /rategic inve/m5t 9 ,europe1 
z well z articulat$ ! ,truman ,doctr9e1 
:i* s\ght to conta9 a gr[+ ,soviet ?reat
 9 ,s\!rn ,europe2 ,:]eas1 9 #aidi1 !   
,unit$ ,/ates1 ,canada1 ,belgium1       
,d5m>k1 ,france1 ,icel&1 ,italy1        

,luxemburg1 ! ,ne!rl&s1 ,norway1        
,portugal1 & ! ,unit$ ,k+dom sign$ !    
,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty t =m$ ! basis ( 
! ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 
79 ?is preamble ref]r$ to z ,,nato72    
,:]eas ,,nato 0 creat$ to protect       
c\ntries f a gr[+ ,soviet ?reat1 promote
 int]national peace & /ability1 & def5d 
fre$om2 ,:]eas1 to date1 #bh c\ntries h 
jo9$ ,,nato2 ,:]eas1 = m ?an #fg ye>s1  
,,nato has s]v$ z a c5tral pill> (      
,unit$ ,/ates national security & a     
det]r5t aga9/ adv]s>ies & ext]nal       
?reats2 ,:]eas ,,nato cont9ues to       
improve its collective def5se measures1 
enhance its milit>y capabilities to     
address a full spectrum ( complex       
?reats1 & p>tn] ) non-,,nato c\ntries to
 promote int]national /ability2 ,:]eas  
,article #e ( ! ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty 
is an integral "p ( ,,nato & /ates t the
 ,p>ties agree t an arm$ attack aga9/ "o
 or m ( !m 9 ,europe or ,nor? ,am]ica   
%all be consid]$ an attack aga9/ !m all 
'''2 ,:]eas ,,nato invok$ ,article #e = 

! fir/ "t less ?an #bd h\rs aft] !      
,septemb] #aa1 #bjja1 t]rori/ attacks   
aga9/ ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas1 9        
,afghani/an1 ,,nato allies & p>tn]s h   
s]v$ alongside ,unit$ ,/ates =ces s9ce  
#bjja1 rea*+ a peak ( m ?an #db1jjj ally
 & p>tn] =ces1 #f1cjj ,,nato =ces       
cont9ue to s]ve today alongside ! #f1ijj
 ,unit$ ,/ates =ces !re1 & m ?an #a1ajj 
,,nato ally & p>tn] =ces h paid !       
ultimate price 9 s]vice to ! collective 
def5se ( ,,nato2 ,:]eas ,,nato took !   
lead 9 help+ combat ! t]rori/ ?reat 9   
,afghani/an ?r\gh ! ,int]national       
,security ,assi/ance ,=ce & ,op]ation   
,resolute ,support1 contribut+ to !     
safety ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & !            
int]national community2 ,:]eas all #bh  
,,nato allies & _m ,,nato p>tn]s are    
contribut+ to ! ,global ,coalition to   
,c\nt] ! ,islamic ,/ate ( ,iraq & !     
,levant2 ,:]eas approximately #ah1jjj   
milit>y p]sonnel are curr5tly engag$ 9  
,,nato missions ar\nd ! _w1 conduct+    
op]ations 9 ,afghani/an1 ,kosovo1 !     

,m$it]ranean1 & (f ! ,horn ( ,africa2   
,:]eas ,,nato conducts a range ( m>itime
 security op]ations 9 ! ,m$it]ranean &  
is ess5tial to e/abli%+ /ability along !
 bord]s ( ,europe & to respond+ to !    
ongo+ refugee & migrant crisis2 ,:]eas1 
= ne>ly #aj ye>s1 ,,nato has provid$    
airlift support = ! mission ( ! ,african
 ,union 9 ,somalia1 z well z assi/$ )   
tra9+ ! ,african ,/&by ,=ce at ! reque/ 
( ! ,african ,union2 ,:]eas1 = m ?an #ag
 ye>s1 ,,nato has l$ peace-support      
op]ations 9 ,kosovo to ma9ta9 safety &  
security 9 a volatile region2 ,:]eas    
,,nato has ?ree /&+ =ces on active duty 
at all times to def5d ! ,alliance1 air  
polic+ capability1 m>itime =ces1 & an   
integrat$ air def5se sy/em2 ,:]eas      
,,nato allies & ! int]national community
 cont9ue to look to ,,nato to det] !    
increas+ly revan*i/ activities (        
,russia2 ,:]eas ,*airman ( ! ,jo9t      
,*iefs ( ,/aff1 ,g5]al ,joseph ,dun=d1  
te/ifi$ be=e ! ,committee on ,arm$      
,s]vices ( ! ,s5ate on ,july #ai1 #bjae1

 t ,russia pres5ts ! greate/ exi/5tial  
?reat to ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 ,:]eas !      
malign actions ( ,russia--its #bjjh     
incursion into ,georgia1 its illegal    
annexation ( ,crimea1 its cont9u$       
milit>y action 9 ,ukra9e1 its t>get+ (  
civilians 9 ,syria1 its ongo+ in=mation 
w> 9 ,europe1 its cont9u$ violations ( !
 ,int]m$iate ,nucle> ,=ces ,agreem5t1 & 
its cyb]attacks aim$ at influ5c+ ,unit$ 
,/ates elections--h violat$ int]national
 laws & norms2 ,:]eas ,russia cont9ues  
to use dis9=mation campaigns & promote  
/ate propag&a to discr$it democracy &   
und]m9e ,,nato memb]s2 ,:]eas1 s9ce !   
illegal annexation ( ,crimea & direct   
support to ! conflict 9 ,ea/]n ,ukra9e  
by ,russia 9 #bjad1 ,,nato memb]s h     
und]tak5 ! bigge/ re9=cem5t ( !         
collective def5se ( ,,nato s9ce ! end ( 
! ,cold ,w>1 enhanc+ alli$ read9ess &   
det]r5ce measures 9 response to ,russian
 aggression2 ,:]eas ! ef=ts ( ,,nato to 
confront & det] ,russian aggression 9   
,ea/]n ,europe h includ$ a ?ree-fold    

increase 9 ! size ( ! ,,nato ,response  
,=ce 7,,nrf7 to #dj1jjj troops2 !       
creation ( a ,spe>head ,=ce ( #e1jjj    
troops capable ( deploy+ )9 a few days  
to respond to any ?reat aga9/ an ally1  
p>ticul>ly on ! ea/]n flank ( ,,nato2 ! 
=w>d deploym5t ( up to #d1jjj troops to 
,pol&1 ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania2 an
 increase 9 ! air polic+ & m>itime      
missions ( ,,nato 9 ,ea/]n ,europe2 & a 
significant increase 9 ,,nato tra9+ &   
milit>y ex]cises 9 ,ea/]n ,europe2      
,:]eas1 foll[+ ! invasion ( ,ukra9e by  
,russia 9 #bjad1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates        
e/abli%$ ,op]ation ,atlantic ,resolve & 
! ,european ,reassurance ,initiative to 
reassure ,,nato allies t ! ,unit$ ,/ates
 w\ld uphold its global security        
commitm5ts & "w 9 coord9ation )         
,european p>tn]s to det] ,russian       
aggression2 ,:]eas1 s9ce #bjad1         
,op]ation ,atlantic ,resolve & !        
,european ,reassurance ,initiative h    
demon/rat$ ! cont9u$ commitm5t ( !      
,unit$ ,/ates to its ,,nato allies &    

p>tn]s by engag+ 9 det]r5ce & security  
measures aga9/ pot5tial ,russian        
aggression 9 ! region2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$  
,/ates is fur!r /r5g!n+ its =ce pres5ce 
9 ,europe ?r\gh ! cont9u\s deploym5t (  
an armor$ brigade combat team to ,pol&  
on a rotat+ basis2 ,:]eas1 on ,janu>y   
#f1 #bjag1 z a "p ( ,op]ation ,atlantic 
,resolve1 #c1ejj ,unit$ ,/ates troops f 
! #d? ,infantry ,division 9 ,=t ,c>son1 
,colorado1 along ) m ?an #b1ejj milit>y 
vehicles1 7 deploy$ to ,ea/]n ,europe to
 det] regional aggression2 ,:]eas       
cont9u$ ,unit$ ,/ates lead]%ip 9 ,,nato 
is critical to ensur+ t ,,nato rema9s ! 
greate/ milit>y alliance 9 hi/ory2      
,:]eas all ,,nato memb]s h recommitt$   
!mselves to %>+ ! security burd5 (      
,,nato at ! #bjad ,,nato ,wales ,summit 
by pl$g+ to meet ! def5se sp5d+ t>get = 
,,nato memb]s ( #b p]c5t ( gross dome/ic
 product )9 #aj ye>s2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$   
,/ates1 ,greece1 ,pol&1 ,e/onia1 & !    
,unit$ ,k+dom all h exce$$ t def5se     
sp5d+ t>get2 ,:]eas1 s9ce ! ,wales      

,summit1 ,latvia1 ,li?uania1 & _m o!r   
allies h increas$ def5se sp5d+ 9 an ef=t
 to meet t def5se sp5d+ t>get2 ,:]eas   
,,nato rema9s committ$ to its op5 door  
policy on enl>gem5t1 work+ ) c\ntries 9 
! ,euro-,atlantic region t aspire to jo9
 ,,nato to help meet ! requirem5ts =    
memb]%ip2 ,:]eas1 at ! #bjaf ,,nato     
,w>saw ,summit1 ,,nato ,heads ( ,/ate & 
,gov]nm5t =mally invit$ ,mont5egro to   
become ! #bi? memb] ( ,,nato2 ,:]eas    
,g5]al ,james ,jones1 ,unit$ ,/ates     
,m>9e ,corps 7retir$71 =m] ,national    
,security ,advisor1 te/ifi$ be=e !      
,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices ( ! ,s5ate 
9 ,july #bjaf t our #bg ,,nato allies   
(f] ,am]ica =w>d bas+1 :i* all[s u to   
bett] fight enemies l ,,isis & det]     
adv]s>ies l ! new ,russia & to meet %>$ 
*all5ges4 ,tw5ty-eight c\ntries act+ z  
"o is a p[]ful alliance2 ,:]eas         
,secret>y ( ,def5se ,james ,mattis      
te/ifi$ be=e ! ,committee on ,arm$      
,s]vices ( ! ,s5ate1 dur+ 8 he>+ z      
nom9ee = ,secret>y ( ,def5se1 t we mu/  

also embrace our int]national alliances 
& security p>tn]%ips4 ,hi/ory is cle>3  
,nations ) /rong allies ?rive & ^? )\t  
!m )]2 ,:]eas !re is a long tradition ( 
/rong bip>tisan agreem5t t p>ticipation 
9 ,,nato /r5g!ns ! security ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates2 ,:]eas ,,nato is ! fir/         
peacetime milit>y alliance ! ,unit$     
,/ates ent]$ into outside ! ,we/]n      
,hemisph]e & today rema9s ! l>ge/       
peacetime milit>y alliance 9 ! _w2      
,:]eas a fractur$ ,,nato alliance w\ld  
h>m ! int]e/s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates &       
embold5 adv]s>ies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 &  
,:]eas a /rong & unit$ ,europe is       
important to ,unit$ ,/ates /rategic     
int]e/s3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! ,s5ate--
 7#a7 pl$ges t ! ,unit$ ,/ates w cont9ue
 to ma9ta9 /rong lead]%ip & /r5g!n its  
commitm5ts to ! ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty 
,organization 79 ?is resolution ref]r$  
to z ,,nato72  7#b7 /rongly enc\rages   
,,nato memb]s to fulfill _! pl$ge to    
inve/ at lea/ #b p]c5t ( gross dome/ic  
product on def5se sp5d+1 inve/ at lea/  

#bj p]c5t ( su* sp5d+ on major equipm5t 
7includ+ rese>* & developm5t71 & %\ld]  
appropriate responsibility )9 ,,nato2   
7#c7 recognizes ! hi/oric contribution &
 sacrifice ,,nato memb] c\ntries h made 
:ile combat+ t]rorism 9 ,afghani/an     
?r\gh ! ,int]national ,security         
,assi/ance ,=ce & ,op]ation ,resolute   
,support2 &  7#d7 honors ! m5 & wom5 :o 
s]v$ "u ,,nato & gave _! lives to       
promote peace1 security1 & int]national 
coop]ation s9ce #aidi4