,,iii  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #hcd  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #ai1        
#bjbd,mr4 ,graham 7= himself1 ,mr4      
,cornyn1 ,mrs4 ,britt1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 &   
,mr4 ,hag]ty7 submitt$ ! foll[+         
resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee
 on ,=eign ,relations  ,,resolution     
,reaffirm+ ! ,republic ( ! ,philipp9es' 
claim ov] ,second ,?omas ,%oal &        
support+ ! ,filip9o p 9 _! ef=ts to     
combat aggression by ! ,p's ,republic ( 
,*9a 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea4  ,:]eas ,second
 ,?omas ,%oal 7also kn[n z ,ayung9      
,%oal7 is locat$ )9 ! ,spratly ,isl&s   
inside ! ,philipp9es' exclusive economic
 zone2 ,:]eas 9 #aiea1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates &
 ! ,republic ( ! ,philipp9es sign$ !    
,unit$ ,/ates-,philipp9es ,mutual       
,def5se ,treaty1 mak+ ! two c\ntries    
treaty allies2 ,:]eas 9 #aiii1 !        
,philipp9e ,navy int5tionally gr\nd$ !  
,,brp ,si]ra ,madre on ,second ,?omas   
,%oal to e/abli% a m>itime outpo/ 9 !   
,spratly ,isl&s2 ,:]eas s9ce gr\nd+ !   

,,brp ,si]ra ,madre1 ! ,philipp9es has  
cont9u\sly ho/$ a cont+5t ( ,philipp9e  
,m>9es on ! %ip2 ,:]eas ! ,p's ,republic
 ( ,*9a falsely claims indisputable     
sov]eignty ov] ,second ,?omas ,%oal &   
o!r areas surr\nd+ ! %oal2 ,:]eas ! ,p's
 ,republic ( ,*9a has repeat$ly engag$ 9
 increas+ly ho/ile & aggressive behavior
 t[>ds ,filip9o fi%]m5 & ,coa/ ,gu>d    
vessels ar\nd ,second ,?omas ,%oal1     
includ+ by deploy+ te> gas1 fir+ wat]   
cannons1 delib]ately ramm+ o!r vessels1 
& block+ ,philipp9e vessels' m>itime    
r\tes2 ,:]eas 9 ,decemb] #bjbc1 a vessel
 op]at$ by ! ,coa/ ,gu>d ( ! ,p's       
,republic ( ,*9a surr\nd$ a ,filip9o    
supply %ip & assault$ x ) wat] cannons z
 x op]at$ 9 an area ar\nd ,second ,?omas
 ,%oal2 ,:]eas on ,may #ai1 #bjbd1 !    
,coa/ ,gu>d ( ! ,p's ,republic ( ,*9a   
h>ass$ & attempt$ to /op a ,philipp9e   
vessel t 0 evacuat+ sick p]sonnel f !   
,,brp ,si]ra ,madre2 ,:]eas on ,june    
#ag1 #bjbd1 ! ,coa/ ,gu>d ( ! ,p's      
,republic ( ,*9a brutally assault$ a    

,philipp9e ,coa/ ,gu>d vessel en r\te to
 resupply ! ,,brp ,si]ra ,madre1 :i*    
injur$ at lea/ eight ,filip9o sailors & 
caus$ "o ,filip9o sailor to lose a ?umb2
 ,:]eas on ,july #bb1 #bjbd1 x 0 report$
 t ! ,p's ,republic ( ,*9a & ! ,republic
 ( ! ,philipp9es rea*$ an agreem5t      
design$ to r$uce ho/ilities ar\nd       
,second ,?omas ,%oal2 ,:]eas on ,augu/  
#ai1 #bjbd1 ! ,p's ,republic ( ,*9a     
ignor$ ! ,july #bb1 #bjbd1 agreem5t &   
int5tionally ramm$ two ,philipp9e ,coa/ 
,gu>d vessels on a resupply mission ne> 
,second ,?omas ,%oal2 ,:]eas on ,augu/  
#bf1 #bjbd1 ! ,p's ,republic ( ,*9a     
deploy$ #dj %ips to block two ,philipp9e
 vessels1 :i* 7 attempt+ to resupply !  
,,brp ,t]esa ,magbanua1 ! flag%ip ( !   
,philipp9e ,coa/ ,gu>d2 ,:]eas on ,augu/
 #ca1 #bjbd1 vessels op]at$ by ! ,p's   
,republic ( ,*9a repeat$ly ramm$ &      
surr\nd$ ! ,,brp ,t]esa ,magbanua 9 an  
area ea/ ( ,second ,?omas ,%oal1 :i*    
caus$ damages to its hull2 ,:]eas       
,secret>y ( ,def5se ,lloyd ,au/9 has    

reit]at$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates policy t an    
arm$ attack on ,philipp9e ,arm$ ,=ces'  
public vessels or aircraft 9 ! ,pacific1
 includ+ ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea1 w\ld invoke  
,u4,s4 def5se commitm5ts "u our mutual  
def5se treaty2 ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,/ate has reaffirm$ t ! ,unit$ ,/ates   
/&s ) its ally1 ! ,philipp9es1 &        
condemns ! dang]\s & escalatory actions 
by ! ,p's ,republic ( ,*9a 7,,prc7 aga9/
 lawful ,philipp9e m>itime op]ations 4 4
 42 & ,:]eas1 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate has   
also /at$1 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates reaffirms t 
,article ,,iv ( ! #aiea ,unit$          
,/ates-,philipp9es ,mutual ,def5se      
,treaty ext5ds to arm$ attacks on       
,philipp9e arm$ =ces1 public vessels1 or
 aircraft--includ+ ^? ( its ,coa/       
,gu>d--any:]e 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea3 ,n[1  
!re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7          
recognizes t-- 7,a7 ,second ,?omas ,%oal
 lies )9 ! exclusive economic zone ( !  
,republic ( ! ,philipp9es2 &  7,b7 !    
,p's ,republic ( ,*9a's ef=t to h>ass & 
endang] ,philipp9e vessels 9 ! area are 

violations ( ,philipp9e sov]eign rights2
  7#b7 supports ef=ts to increase       
milit>y assi/ance to ! ,republic ( !    
,philipp9es to assi/ 9 its ef=t to      
combat blatant aggression by ! ,p's     
,republic ( ,*9a 9 ! ,s\? ,*9a ,sea1    
includ+ ne> ,second ,?omas ,%oal2  7#c7 
reaffirms ! commitm5ts made by ! ,unit$ 
,/ates to ! ,republic ( ! ,philipp9es 9 
! #aiea ,unit$ ,/ates-,philipp9es       
,mutual ,def5se ,treaty2 &  7#d7        
enc\rages increas$ coop]ation & tra9+ ) 
! ,republic ( ! ,philipp9es1 includ+ ) !
 ,philipp9e ,coa/ ,gu>d1 & /rong        
inve/m5ts 9 ,unit$ ,/ates %ipbuild+ &   
o!r ,unit$ ,/ates milit>y capabilities  
to ensure t our obligations to !        
,philipp9es w be c>ri$ out4