,,iv #aaf? ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #hhi ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,m>* #i1 #bjbj,mr4 ,%imkus 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 ,mr4 ,bacon1 ,mr4 ,*abot1 ,mr4 ,coh51 ,mr4 ,connolly1 ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick1 ,mr4 ,g>am5di1 ,mr4 ,heck1 ,mr4 ,himes1 ,ms4 ,kaptur1 ,mr4 ,k9z+]1 ,mr4 ,lamborn1 ,mr4 ,conaway1 ,mr4 ,langev91 ,mr4 ,cook1 ,mr4 ,diaz-,bal>t1 ,mr4 ,gallego1 ,miss ,gonzlez-,coln ( ,pu]to ,rico1 ,mr4 ,keat+1 ,mr4 ,l[5?al1 ,mr4 ,panetta1 ,mr4 ,trone1 ,mr4 ,turn]1 ,mr4 ,vela1 ,mr4 ,walb]g1 ,mr4 ,web] ( ,texas1 ,mrs4 ,davis ( ,cali=nia1 & ,ms4 ,slotk97 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs ,,resolution ,recogniz+ ! ,baltic ,/ates ( ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania on ! #cj? anniv]s>y ( ! re/oration ( _! indep5d5ce4 ,:]eas1 #c decades ago1 ! peoples ( ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania inspir$ ! _w ?r\gh _! victory ov] ! =ces ( ,soviet totalit>ianism aft] decades ( resi/ance2 ,:]eas ! ,baltic ,/ates ( ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania orig9ally decl>$ _! indep5d5ce 9 #aiah & e/abli%$ diplomatic relations ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates z indep5d5t c\ntries on ,july #bh1 #aibb2 ,:]eas1 #ajj ye>s ago ?is ye>1 ,soviet ,russia sign$ treaties ) ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania recogniz+ _! sov]eignty & r5\nc+ all t]ritorial claims ov] ea* ,baltic ,/ate 9 p]petuity2 ,:]eas1 on ,augu/ #bc1 #aici1 ! ,soviet ,union & ,nazi ,g]many sign$ ! ,molotov-,ribb5trop ,pact1 :i* conta9$ a secret protocol divid+ ,ea/]n ,europe into sph]es ( influ5ce1 ) ! ,baltic ,/ates ultimately be+ assign$ to ! ,soviet ,union1 lead+ soon aft] to ! =cible incorporation ( ! ,baltic ,/ates into ! ,soviet ,union2 ,:]eas1 foll[+ ,_w ,w> ,,ii1 ! ,soviet ,union occupi$ ! ,baltic ,/ates1 impos+ = m ?an #e decades its model ( ,soviet totalit>ianism1 :i* ! ,unit$ ,/ates nev] recogniz$1 in/ead ma9ta9+ #ih ye>s ( cont9u\s diplomatic relations ) ! ,baltic ,/ates2 ,:]eas1 9 ,augu/ #aihi1 approximately #b1jjj1jjj p jo9$ h&s 9 ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania to =m a #cgc-mile human *a9 across ! #c /ates kn[n z ! ,baltic ,*a9 ( ,fre$om2 ,:]eas1 9 ,febru>y #aiij1 ! p ( ,li?uania p>ticipat$ 9 ! fir/ free election to select a new p>liam5t1 :i* promptly vot$ = re/oration ( indep5d5ce1 mak+ ,li?uania ! fir/ occupi$ ,soviet republic to decl>e ! re/oration ( indep5d5ce on ,m>* #aa1 #aiij1 a move subsequ5tly foll[$ by ,latvia on ,may #d1 #aiij1 & ,e/onia on ,augu/ #bj1 #aiia2 ,:]eas1 9 ,janu>y #aiia1 ,soviet milit>y =ces tri$ to qua% ! gr[+ indep5d5ce re/oration movem5t1 lead+ to approximately #ad ,li?uanian dea?s1 z well z #f ,latvian dea?s & _m injuries2 ,:]eas1 9 ,febru>y & ,m>* #aiia1 ! ,li?uanian1 ,e/onian1 & ,latvian p vot$ ov]:elm+ly 9 support ( _! respective indep5d5ce re/oration ref]5dums1 :i* ! ,unit$ ,/ates recogniz$ lat] t ye>2 ,:]eas ! ,baltic ,/ates help$ pave ! pa? = democracy & fre$om across ,ea/]n ,europe1 lead+ to ! fall ( ! ,soviet ,union2 ,:]eas1 aft] re/oration ( indep5d5ce1 ! economies ( ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania em]g$ z mod]n m>ket economies lead+ 9 te*nology & f9ancial s]vices sectors2 ,:]eas ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania cont9ue to demon/rate _! commitm5t to advanc+ democratic values1 peace1 & security ?r\gh _! memb]%ip & active p>ticipation 9 ! ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato71 ! ,european ,union 7,,eu71 & ! ,organisation = ,economic ,co-op]ation & ,developm5t 7,,oecd72 ,:]eas ! ,baltic ,/ates h be5 loyal ,,nato allies1 contribut+ to regional security & global security ?r\gh op]ations 9 ,afghani/an & lead]%ip 9 ! ,,nato ,coop]ative ,cyb] ,def5ce ,c5tre ( ,excell5ce 9 ,e/onia1 ! ,,nato ,/rategic ,communications ,c5tre ( ,excell5ce 9 ,latvia1 & ! ,,nato ,en]gy ,security ,c5tre ( ,excell5ce 9 ,li?uania2 ,:]eas ! ,baltic ,/ates fur!r _! contributions to ! security ( ! ,euro-,atlantic area by sp5d+ at lea/ #b p]c5t ( ,gross ,dome/ic ,product 7,,gdp7 = def5se1 & contribute to global security ?r\gh det]m9$ p>ticipation 9 int]national alli$ op]ations & missions2 ,:]eas1 s9ce _! re/oration ( indep5d5ce 9 #aiij & #aiia1 ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania h fac$ consid]able ,russian aggressive behavior1 intimidation1 & cyb] attacks1 & z a result h work$ to %ape total def5se /rategies to c\nt] ,russian int]v5tion2 ,:]eas ! ,gov]nm5t ( ! ,russian ,f$]ation has pursu$ an aggressive dis9=mation campaign 9 ! ,baltic ,/ates1 includ+ intimidation ( ,we/]n civilians & troops /ation$ 9 ,europe & abroad via hack+1 pu%+ propag&a1 & o!r cyb] attacks1 & has increas$ air provocations 9 ,ea/]n ,europe2 ,:]eas ! pres5ce ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 ! ,baltic ,/ates rema9s a crucial factor = ensur+ security 9 ! region & complem5ts ! ef=ts ( ,,nato to /r5g!n its det]r5ce & def5se po/ure1 includ+ an ,enhanc$ ,=w>d ,pres5ce po/ure 9 ! ea/]n "p ( ! ,alliance ) mult9ational battlegr\ps2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjai1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ! ,baltic ,/ates sign$ ! ,security ,coop]ation ,roadmaps outl9+ jo9t security coop]ation priorities = #bjai to #bjbd2 ,:]eas ! ,baltic ,/ates h be5 models = democratic gov]nance ) /rong in/itutions & respect = civil lib]ties & ! rule ( law1 *]i%$ %>$ values betwe5 ! ,baltic ,/ates & ! ,unit$ ,/ates2 & ,:]eas ! democratic developm5t & progress ( ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania s9ce ^? c\ntries rega9$ indep5d5ce has e/abli%$ ! ,baltic ,/ates z #c %9+ beacons = fre$om3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives-- 7#a7 congratulates ! ,baltic ,/ates ( ,e/onia1 ,latvia1 & ,li?uania on ! #cj? anniv]s>y ( ! re/oration ( _! indep5d5ce2 7#b7 commits cont9u$ support = ! ,baltic allies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ?r\gh economic & security coop]ation1 fur!r /r5g!n+ transatlantic ties & regional pres5ce2 7#c7 reaffirms ! commitm5t ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates to ! ,nor? ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization & ! endur+ transatlantic alliance2 7#d7 recognizes ! c\rage & resili5ce ( ! ,e/onian1 ,latvian1 & ,li?uanian p 9 _! fight = fre$om & democracy 9 ! face ( ,russian aggressive behavior2 & 7#e7 expresses ! wi% t ! next #cj ye>s ( fri5d%ip betwe5 ! ,baltic ,/ates & ! ,unit$ ,/ates are j z full ( positive a*ievem5ts & progress z ! la/ #cj ye>s h be54