,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #djaf ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #ah1 #bjbj,mr4 ,menendez introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,a ,,bill ,to reiterate the support of ,congress for the relationship between the ,united ,states and the ,federal ,republic of ,germany1 to prevent the weakening of the deterrence capacity of the ,united ,states in ,europe1 to prohibit use of funds to withdraw the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces from ,europe1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,maintaining ,united ,states ,national ,security ,interests in ,europe ,act4 #b4 ,findings2 sense of ,congress 7a7 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the #bjag ,national ,security ,strategy states1 the ,united ,states will deepen collaboration with our ,european allies and partners to confront forces threatening to undermine our common values1 security interests1 and shared vision4 ,the ,united ,states and ,europe will work together to counter ,russian subversion and aggression1 and the threats posed by ,north ,korea and ,iran4 ,we will continue to advance our shared principles and interests in international forums44 7#b7 ,after the end of ,world ,war ,,ii1 the presence of foreign military forces in ,germany was governed by a law signed in ,april #aidi that allowed ,france1 the ,united ,kingdom1 and the ,united ,states to retain forces in ,germany4 7#c7 ,the initial law was succeeded by the ,convention on the ,presence of ,foreign ,forces in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany1 signed at ,paris on ,october #bc1 #aied1 allowing eight ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization 7,,nato7 members1 specifically ,belgium1 ,canada1 ,denmark1 ,france1 ,luxembourg1 the ,netherlands1 the ,united ,kingdom1 and the ,united ,states1 to maintain a long-term presence of military forces in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany4 7#d7 ,the ,federal ,republic of ,germany has made significant contributions to the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization alliance1 and by hosting the largest ,united ,states ,armed ,forces presence in ,europe1 the ,federal ,republic of ,germany has borne a significant burden in the interest of collective security4 7#e7 ,as of ,june #bjbj1 the ,united ,states presence in various locations in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany1 including in ,stuttgart at the ,united ,states ,european ,command and the ,united ,states ,africa ,command1 consists of-- 7,a7 approximately-- 7i7 #ce1jjj members of the ,armed ,forces2 7ii7 #aj1jjj ,department of ,defense civilian employees2 and 7iii7 #b1jjj defense contractors2 7,b7 personnel of the ,department of ,state and other ,united ,states ,government agencies2 and 7,c7 the dependents of individuals described in subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b74 7#f7 ,the ,united ,states presence in ,europe1 including in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany-- 7,a7 protects and defends the ,united ,states and ,united ,states allies and partners by deterring conflict with the ,russian ,federation and other adversaries2 7,b7 strengthens and supports the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization alliance and critical partnerships in ,europe2 and 7,c7 serves as an essential support platform for carrying out vital national security engagements in ,afghanistan1 the ,middle ,east1 ,africa1 and ,europe4 7#g7 ,the deep bilateral ties between the ,united ,states and the ,federal ,republic of ,germany have led to decades of economic prosperity for both countries and their allies and have strengthened human rights and democracy around the world4 7b7 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states should continue to maintain and strengthen the bilateral relationship with the ,federal ,republic of ,germany and the relationships with other ,european allies2 7#b7 the ,united ,states should maintain a robust military presence in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany so as to deter further aggression from the ,russian ,federation or aggression from other adversaries against the ,united ,states and its allies and partners2 and 7#c7 the ,united ,states should remain committed to strong collaboration with ,european allies as outlined in the #bjag ,national ,security ,strategy4 #c4 ,prohibition on use of funds to withdraw the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces from ,europe 7a7 ,in general ,except as provided in subsection 7b71 notwithstanding any other provision of law1 no ,federal funds are authorized to be appropriated1 obligated1 expended1 or otherwise made available to take any action-- 7#a7 to withdraw or otherwise reduce the overall presence1 including the rotational presence1 of ,united ,states ,armed ,forces personnel and civilian employees of the ,department of ,defense in ,europe2 7#b7 to close or change the status of any base or other facility of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces located in ,europe2 or 7#c7 to withdraw or otherwise reduce the overall presence of ,united ,states ,armed ,forces assets in ,europe4 7b7 ,exceptions ,the prohibition under subsection 7a7 shall not apply if-- 7#a7 the host government transmits to the ,united ,states ,government a written request for such a withdrawal or other reduction2 or 7#b7 7,a7 the ,president declares the intent to take an action described in subsection 7a72 7,b7 not later #ahj days before initiating an action described in subsection 7a71 the ,president submits to the appropriate committees of ,congress notice of such intent that includes-- 7i7 a justification for the action2 7ii7 the number of members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces or civilian employees of the ,department of ,defense to be withdrawn or reduced1 as applicable2 7iii7 a description of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces assets to be withdrawn or reduced1 as applicable2 7iv7 a description of any base or facility of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces in ,europe to be subject to closure or change of status1 as applicable2 7v7 an explanation of the national security benefit of the action to the ,united ,states and the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization2 and 7vi7 a plan to offset the reduction in ,united ,states and ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization conventional deterrence against ,russian ,federation aggression caused by the action2 and 7,c7 the action is expressly authorized by a joint resolution of ,congress or an ,act of ,congress enacted after the date of the declaration described in subparagraph 7,a74 7c7 ,public testimony ,not later than #ad days after the submittal of the notice required by subparagraph 7,b71 the ,secretary of ,state and the ,secretary of ,defense shall testify before the appropriate committees of ,congress in public session on such withdrawal or reduction4 #d4 ,report to ,congress on decision to withdraw the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces from ,germany 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president1 in consultation with the ,secretary of ,state1 the ,secretary of ,defense1 and the ,chairman of the ,joint ,chiefs of ,staff1 shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress1 a report that details the decisionmaking process used to arrive at the decision to withdraw members of the ,armed ,forces from the ,federal ,republic of ,germany announced on ,june #ae1 #bjbj4 7b7 ,elements ,the report required by subsection 7a7 shall include the following3 7#a7 ,an assessment of whether any withdrawal of or reduction in ,united ,states ,armed ,forces personnel in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany was ordered by a ,presidential directive4 7#b7 ,a description of the interagency process undertaken to inform the decision outlined in any such ,presidential directive or other document calling for such a withdrawal or reduction4 7#c7 ,a description of the communications with the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization1 the ,government of the ,federal ,republic of ,germany1 or other ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization member countries about the potential decision to change ,united ,states force posture in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany4 7#d7 ,an analysis of the ,united ,states national security implications of the proposed withdrawal or reduction of ,united ,states ,armed ,forces presence in the ,federal ,republic of ,germany4 #e4 ,appropriate committees of ,congress defined ,in this ,act1 the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,select ,committee on ,intelligence1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,armed ,services1 the ,permanent ,select ,committee on ,intelligence1 and the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives4