[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 759 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 759
Recognizing the importance of the alliance between the United States
and the Baltic States and expressing support for that alliance,
including for the Baltic Security Initiative, amidst foreign
aggression.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 10, 2024
Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Daines, Mr.
Bennet, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Merkley, and Ms. Duckworth) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the importance of the alliance between the United States
and the Baltic States and expressing support for that alliance,
including for the Baltic Security Initiative, amidst foreign
aggression.
Whereas the Republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (referred to in this
preamble as ``the Baltic States'') first declared independence in 1918,
with the United States establishing diplomatic relations with the Baltic
States on July 28, 1922, leading to a strong and unbroken partnership
for more than a century;
Whereas the United States never recognized the occupation of the Baltic States
by the Soviet Union after World War II and maintained continuous
diplomatic relations with the Baltic States;
Whereas, in August 1989, approximately 2,000,000 people joined hands in the
Baltic States to form a 373-mile human chain known as the ``Baltic Chain
of Freedom'';
Whereas Lithuania became the first occupied Soviet republic to declare the
restoration of independence on March 11, 1990, a move followed by Latvia
on May 4, 1990, and Estonia on August 20, 1991;
Whereas, in January 1991, Soviet military forces tried unsuccessfully to quash
the growing independence restoration movements of the Baltic States,
leading to approximately 14 Lithuanian deaths, as well as 6 Latvian
deaths and many injuries;
Whereas, in February and March 1991, the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian
people voted overwhelmingly for independence through referendums paving
the path for democracy and freedom and the fall of the Soviet Union;
Whereas, since the restoration of independence, the Baltic States have served as
models of democratic governance that share values with the United
States, including strong institutions, respect for civil liberties and
the rule of law, and modern market economies;
Whereas the Baltic States continue to demonstrate their enduring commitment to
democratic values, peace, and security through their membership and
active participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred
to in this preamble as ``NATO''), the European Union, and the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development;
Whereas the Baltic States have been loyal NATO allies and demonstrated their
commitment to transatlantic security by exceeding the NATO defense
spending goal of not less than 2 percent of gross domestic product per
year;
Whereas, since the 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Baltic
States have demonstrated significant support for Ukraine by providing
between 1.3 and 1.6 percent of their gross domestic product in military
and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and welcoming more than 130,000
Ukrainian refugees;
Whereas the Baltic States have faced Russian intimidation, espionage, and
cyberattacks since the restoration of independence, and have created
total defense strategies to counter aggression by the Russian
Federation;
Whereas the Russian Federation continues to pursue an aggressive disinformation
campaign against the Baltic States, including intimidation of Western
civilians and troops stationed in Europe and abroad through hacking,
propaganda, and other cyberattacks, and has increased air provocations
across the Baltic States, including disruptions of civilian air traffic;
Whereas the unilateral removal of buoys on the Narva River on the Estonian-
Russian border in May 2024 by the Russian Federation was another attempt
to provoke a NATO ally and illustrates disregard for sovereignty and
territorial integrity by the Russian Federation;
Whereas the Republic of Belarus has embraced the aggression of the Russian
Federation by hosting its tactical nuclear weapons and Wagner Group
mercenaries, and by inciting insecurity at its border with Lithuania and
Poland by pushing migrants over the border;
Whereas Lithuania has faced severe economic and diplomatic coercion from the
People's Republic of China after the establishment of a trade
relationship with Taiwan;
Whereas the presence of the United States Armed Forces in the Baltic States and
Poland ensures regional security and complements NATO efforts to
strengthen its deterrence and defense posture within the eastern flank
of NATO, including an Enhanced Forward Presence posture in the Baltic
States, which host multinational NATO battlegroups; and
Whereas dedicated funding for the Baltic Security Initiative since fiscal year
2021 has helped strengthen United States security cooperation with the
Baltic States as well as enhance the national deterrent capabilities of
the Baltic States and further develop NATO integration and
interoperability: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the
security of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania through the enduring
transatlantic participation of the United States in the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance;
(2) supports continued security assistance for Estonia,
Latvia, and Lithuania, including through the Baltic Security
Initiative, to further strengthen transatlantic ties; and
(3) recognizes the contribution of the Estonian, Latvian,
and Lithuanian people to transatlantic security and defense
while facing constant aggression by the Russian Federation, the
Republic of Belarus, and the People's Republic of China.
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