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[Pages S2209-S2210]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
NATO
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, first I want to take a moment to thank
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg for his remarks at this
morning's joint session of Congress. I am proud that the Secretary
General could be here with us in Washington as the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization celebrates its 70th anniversary this week.
It is no exaggeration to say that over these seven decades, with
steady American leadership, NATO shaped world history for the better.
The proud history of alliance and solidarity has paid huge dividends to
NATO's member states and to the world.
NATO, with American leadership, kept the peace and created the
conditions for an unprecedented period of prosperity for the United
States, as well as its allies. It has deterred major Soviet and Russian
aggression and prevented a third world war.
When communism's Iron Curtain fell over much of the world, we stood
together for democracy. When the post-Cold War transformation could
have roiled Eastern and Central Europe, we stood together for
stability. When brutal killers trampled human rights in the Balkans, we
stood together for innocent lives. And when terrorist fanatics killed
thousands of Americans on September 11, we stood together for freedom.
NATO allies remain with our troops in Afghanistan to this very day.
It is essential that we keep the alliance healthy and strong. The
threats we face are numerous, and not least among them, in a kind of
throwback to the alliance's founding, is an assertive Russia that has
barely even pretended to honor international commitments, brazenly
violated arms control agreements, invaded and occupied Ukraine and
Georgia, and conducted cyber operations and so-called active measures
against NATO allies. As President Trump has made it clear, keeping NATO
strong means that all allies must commit to NATO's collective security.
For our own part, after years of President Obama's defense cuts, the
United States has turned the corner on defense spending, investing more
in readiness and modernization. We need to sustain that progress, but,
of course, NATO allies must live up to their promises to invest in
their own defense. This isn't about meeting an arbitrary budget number
but about building real capabilities that are needed to meet real
requirements identified by the alliance's military commanders. As the
Secretary General has pointed out, our allies are starting to follow
our lead. They are on track to contribute an additional $100 billion in
defense spending.
There are also other ways NATO must adapt to meet the threats of the
21st century. It is essential that the alliance follow through on the
reforms championed by former Secretary Mattis. NATO must modernize its
capabilities to address interoperability challenges, enhance military
mobility across the continent, and improve the speed at which it makes
decisions.
For today, I just want to thank the Secretary General for his address
this morning. Every American should be
[[Page S2210]]
proud of what his presence in this Capitol Building represents about
our Nation's vital role in NATO and NATO's vital role in the world.
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