[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 5, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H4177-H4180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UPHOLDING THE FOUNDING DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC
TREATY ORGANIZATION AND ESTABLISHING A CENTER FOR DEMOCRATIC RESILIENCE
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 831) calling on the United States Government to
uphold the founding democratic principles of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization and establish a Center for Democratic Resilience within
the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 831
Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is
the world's preeminent political and military alliance
committed to democracy and the collective defense of its
members;
Whereas the preamble of NATO's founding North Atlantic
Treaty, signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949, declares
the alliance is ``founded on the principles of democracy,
individual liberty, and the rule of law'';
Whereas democracies across the alliance face external
threats from authoritarian regimes such as Russia and China
and internal threats from proponents of illiberalism;
Whereas Russia launched a full-scale invasion of sovereign
and democratic Ukraine on February 24, 2022, placing it on
the frontlines in the contest between democratic values and
autocracy;
Whereas in his address to Congress, President Zelensky
remarked ``Right now, the destiny of our country is being
decided. The destiny of our people, whether Ukrainians will
be free, whether they will be able to preserve their
democracy.'';
Whereas Vladimir Putin's unprovoked full-scale invasion of
Ukraine has united the NATO alliance;
Whereas there is a broad agreement within the alliance of
the need to strengthen the democracies of NATO members,
partners, and aspirant countries;
Whereas, in April 2020, NATO Secretary General Jens
Stoltenberg appointed an independent Reflection Group tasked
with supporting a forward-looking reflection process meant to
strengthen the political dimension of the alliance;
Whereas the Reflection Group's report, ``NATO 2030: United
for a New Era'', included analyses and recommendations for
the alliance to address `` `democratic recession,' the global
erosion of democratic norms, and the rise of
authoritarianism'', including--
(1) ``A shared democratic identity is what distinguishes
the Alliance from the principal threats and challenges it
faces.'';
(2) ``NATO should reassert its core identity as an Alliance
rooted in the principles of democracy.'';
(3) ``Any commitment to strengthening NATO's political
cohesion therefore has to be orientated toward those shared
values and ideals, grounded in democracy, rule of law and
individual liberty.''; and
(4) recommending the establishment of a Center of
Excellence for Democratic Resilience in order to strengthen
NATO democracies against external threats;
Whereas the Brussels Summit Communique issued by the Heads
of State and Government participating in the meeting of the
North Atlantic Council in Brussels on June 14, 2021, stated--
(1) ``NATO is the strongest and most successful Alliance in
history. It guarantees the security of our territory and our
one billion citizens, our freedom, and the values we share,
including individual liberty, human rights, democracy, and
the rule of law.'';
(2) ``State and non-state actors challenge the rules-based
international order and seek to undermine democracy across
the globe.''; and
(3) ``We reaffirm the Alliance's shared democratic
principles as well as our commitment to the spirit and the
letter of the North Atlantic Treaty.'';
Whereas in Brussels the Allies also committed to updating
NATO's Strategic Concept;
Whereas NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has
reiterated that one of the primary purposes of updating the
Strategic Concept must be a recommitment to the founding
values of the alliance;
Whereas the NATO Parliamentary Assembly supports a new
Strategic Concept that reaffirms that the support and
strengthening of democratic institutions is foundational to
the collective security of Allies;
Whereas Russia's full-scale invasion of sovereign and
democratic Ukraine underscores the importance of placing
shared democratic values at the heart of NATO's Strategic
Concept; and
Whereas the NATO Parliamentary Assembly has endorsed and
advanced a proposal to establish a NATO Center for Democratic
Resilience within NATO headquarters for the purposes of
monitoring and identifying challenges to democracy, human
rights, and the rule of law and facilitating democracy and
governance assistance to member, partner, and aspirant
states, when requested: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms its unequivocal support for the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as an alliance founded on
democratic principles;
(2) urges NATO to continue to provide unwavering support to
the people of Ukraine as they fight for their sovereignty,
territorial integrity, and a democratic future;
(3) calls on the President to use the voice and vote of the
United States to adopt a new Strategic Concept for NATO that
is clear about its support for shared democratic values and
committed to enhancing NATO's capacity to strengthen
democratic institutions within NATO member, partner, and
aspirant countries; and
(4) calls on the President to use the voice and vote of the
United States to establish a Center for Democratic Resilience
within NATO headquarters.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Virginia (Mr. Connolly) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia.
General Leave
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H. Res. 831, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Greg Meeks and Ranking Member Mike
McCaul for helping bring this bipartisan resolution to the floor today.
I also want to thank my partner in so much of this enterprise with
respect to NATO and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Turner).
H. Res. 831, which we introduced together, Mr. Turner and I, calls on
the
[[Page H4178]]
United States Government to uphold the founding democratic principles
of NATO and establish a Center for Democratic Resilience within NATO
itself.
NATO's founding document, signed here in Washington, D.C., on April
4, 1949, this very week, is clear: NATO is an alliance of democracies.
The preamble to the treaty notes the determination of allies ``to
safeguard the freedom, common heritage, and civilization of their
peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty,
and the rule of law.''
The alliance's commitment to shared democratic values is what
distinguishes NATO from any other military alliance. Without it, NATO
is just another military bloc that does not like Russia.
This commitment cannot remain purely aspirational or rhetorical. It
must be operationalized. That is why we believe we need formal
architecture within NATO dedicated to the promotion and advocacy of
democracy.
There are divisions and units within NATO dedicated to collective
defense, terrorism, interoperability, hybrid warfare, cyber, climate
change, and a number of other security challenges. But after 72 years,
there is not even a broom closet at NATO headquarters dedicated to the
promotion of democratic institution-building within the alliance itself
or with respect to the members.
{time} 1400
The effort to establish a NATO Center for Democratic Resilience is an
idea first proposed in 2019 as part of a white paper this Member of
Congress wrote on ``NATO at 70.''
As the current president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, I have
taken that recommendation and made the strengthening of NATO's founding
democratic values our number one priority.
The assembly has, in turn, endorsed this idea, the establishment of a
Center for Democratic Resilience and made it a central component of the
assembly's pro-democracy agenda within NATO.
And we were pleased to see the proposal included in the Group of
Experts' report commissioned by the NATO Secretary General as we
prepare for updating the strategic concept.
The U.S. delegation to the NATO PA, which includes Chairman Meeks and
Representatives Mike Turner of Ohio, Linda Sanchez, Brett Guthrie,
Rick Larsen, Neal Dunn, Brendan Boyle, Jack Bergman, Dina Titus, Austin
Scott, and Filemon Vela, has jointly written to the Secretary of State,
Antony Blinken, and our Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, encouraging
the Biden administration to work with our NATO allies to operationalize
support for our shared democratic principles and to establish this
Center for Democratic Resilience.
And to the credit of the Biden administration and the U.S. Ambassador
to NATO, Julie Smith, they have followed up on our recommendation.
When we met with the North Atlantic Council in February in Brussels,
Ambassador Smith made a forceful case for the establishment of the
center, and we were encouraged to see several NATO Ambassadors join her
in taking up the mantle and arguing in favor of the proposal.
Today, the values upon which the alliance have been founded are being
challenged by external enemies of democracy, all too tragically being
witnessed in the Ukraine.
These forces aim to undermine the faith in and political support for
our common democracies and the alliance itself.
The strongest weapon we possess to counter effectively Putin or Xi's
authoritarianism is a vibrant, robust, and immutable expression of the
liberal democratic values that bind us.
Putin's renewed, full-scale aggression against Ukraine is a blatant
attack on the most basic principles underlying the international order
since the end of World War II, principles which Moscow has freely
signed on to but ignored. President Putin seeks to crush Ukraine's
democracy, intimidate other countries where the embers of democratic
ambition burn, and, by implication, undermine all democracies
everywhere.
We must respond by uniting around and strengthening our commitment to
our shared democratic values and the rules-based order. The NATO treaty
is clear: We are an alliance of democracies.
As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during the recent
ministerial in Riga, Latvia: ``NATO was created to defend democracy,
freedom, and the rule of law. These values define who we are. They are
not optional.''
And as President Zelenskyy of Ukraine said during his recent address
to this body, to the Congress: ``Right now, the destiny of our
country''--Ukraine--``is being decided. The destiny of our people,
whether Ukrainians will be free, whether they will be able to preserve
their democracy.''
NATO stands for the preservation of that democracy. And we believe
the center called for in this resolution must be part of NATO's work to
build a bulwark against authoritarianism and democratic backsliding as
we proceed.
I thank the bipartisan group of members of the U.S. delegation to
NATO PA for their support as they joined us in this effort, and I urge
my colleagues to vote in favor of this strong bipartisan resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
NATO is the most successful military alliance in history.
Our shared democratic values are a critical piece of that success. We
are reminded of the importance of this alliance daily as Putin
continues his inhumane assault on innocent civilians in Ukraine.
Together, with our NATO allies and partners, we are unified in a
strategic approach to counter our adversaries.
Ukraine is not alone on the front lines of the global battle between
democracy and authoritarianism. The United States and our NATO allies
are supporting Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin's unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of
Ukraine has unified the NATO alliance.
Most recently, the world watched in horror as images from Bucha have
surfaced; mass graves and bodies strewn throughout the street.
NATO must be resolute in its efforts to continue its support for
Ukraine.
This resolution introduced by Congressman Connolly and myself will
affirm the democratic values of NATO and establish a Center for
Democratic Resilience.
Having served as the President of NATO PA, I support the fundamental
role this organization plays in strengthening and defending democracies
worldwide. I also congratulate my colleague for his efforts in support
of this global organization, Congressman Connolly, who currently serves
as the President of NATO PA, has represented the United States very
well there, and brings forth a resolution that is of great importance
to the founding issues and certainly the substance of NATO.
The resolution we are considering today advances this goal by
reaffirming that NATO is an alliance founded on democratic principles
and calling on the U.S. to support the establishment of this center
within NATO headquarters.
This center would and could monitor challenges and threats to
democracy, natural rights, and the rule of law among member nations.
Partnering with democracy promotion organizations, the center will
assist member states and aspiring member states to preserve and foster
democracy among their ranks.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me today in support of
this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Ohio for his
leadership. He is the former President of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly, as well, and he has provided unwavering support for America's
leadership in this alliance and for the alliance itself. And he is a
highly respected figure on both sides of the Atlantic, and I thank him
for his leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
(Mr. Brendan F. Boyle).
Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my
colleagues, both of whom have served as not only Members of this House
and members of the parliamentary assembly, but both have led that body
as president emeritus and our current president, Mr. Connolly.
[[Page H4179]]
I was there in Brussels with my colleagues just a month ago in the
days immediately preceding Vladimir Putin's brutal Russian invasion of
Ukraine. And there our delegation, on a bipartisan basis, made the case
for this resolution, made the case for why such a center is needed now
more than ever.
We are seeing an attack not only on the people of Ukraine, but on our
democratic values. They are at stake in a way today that they haven't
been since the fall of the Berlin Wall. And in some sense, they haven't
been under this sort of attack since 1945.
I am proud to be a part, as Mr. Connolly mentioned, of our NATO
Parliamentary Assembly. We will be going this weekend to another such
NATO PA meeting.
This association, this alliance is needed now more than ever. I am so
proud to see this country redouble its commitment to the alliance, but
as Mr. Connolly has said time and time again, this cannot just be an
alliance built on our shared interest, it must be an alliance based on
our shared values.
So I strongly support this resolution, and I urge its unanimous
bipartisan adoption.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).
Miss GONZALEZ-COLON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and former
president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Mike Turner, for
yielding.
Today, I am here as a proud cosponsor of H. Res. 831. I stand
alongside our esteemed colleagues, the president of the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly, Congressman Gerry Connolly, and past president,
Congressman Mike Turner, to support the establishment of a Center of
Democratic Resilience within NATO.
Just yesterday, we celebrated 73 years since the formation of NATO,
an alliance that has assured mutual defense to one another. Beyond our
strategic military alliances, we also share a commitment to our
democratic principles. And I think that is the most important thing
about this resolution.
Establishing an entity designed to promote, protect and strengthen
democratic institutions will further advance the collective security of
our allies and NATO's mission of promoting freedom, human rights,
democracy, and of course, the rule of law.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the honor to serve as a parliamentary member
twice during my time in Congress, and both have given me the
opportunity to witness NATO's defining trait, which is unity.
Unity does not simply mean presenting a united front. It means being
united in spirit and purpose.
Today, as Russia wages war on NATO's borders, that unity of purpose
is more important than ever. It is also clear that Ukraine shares in
our spirit and purpose as well.
That is why this resolution urges NATO to continue to provide
unwavering support to the people of Ukraine as they fight for their
sovereignty, territorial integrity, and a democratic future.
We cannot, and we must not, allow Russia to dictate the terms of a
sovereign nation's policy. I continue to support Ukraine to be afforded
the opportunity to join our defensive alliance. I think it is clear
that the past attempts to placate through indefinite delays for Georgia
and Ukraine have ended in tragedy.
Tragedy struck Georgia in 2008, and Ukraine again in 2014 and 2020,
and are evidence of how effective denying them membership to NATO is
for protecting peace.
Evidence, especially in Bucha, indicates sanctioned mass killings,
the rape and murder of small children, and targeting of civilian
shelters housing infants and the elderly. All while the Russian
leadership talks of a country that doesn't exist.
Together, NATO must continue to present a united front. We must
increase, of course, our aid to Ukraine, and we must ensure that
countries make decisions to enter alliances without foreign
interference. And this is the reason this resolution is so important,
because of our principles and our united purpose. We must never cede an
inch of our freedom or our values. I know that united, we can do this.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Harris).
Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise with concern about some of the
wording in the preamble. I think this is the reason why we should
actually go through the normal process, not a suspension process for
something as critical as this resolution.
Clearly, I have no argument against the threat that Russia has
against democracies in Europe. My problem is with page 2, line 3: ``. .
. internal threats from proponents of illiberalism.'' That is a
progressive, leftwing dog whistle for Poland and Hungary. Why in the
world, as Russia is attacking Ukraine, and Poland is the center for
bringing our military assistance into Ukraine, why in the world in a
preamble would we appear to attack one of our NATO allies?
It is unnecessary. It is unwise.
Again, having a Center for Democratic Resilience, I don't have an
argument with that. My argument is with the preamble that clearly
includes inflammatory language toward two of our best allies in NATO:
Poland and Hungary.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I would inform Congressman Harris, the
Ambassador to NATO from Hungary openly supports this center, and I know
Poland does also.
This is something that is important overall for NATO, and it does
have the support of both of those nations, and there is no intention
other than to support democracy in this.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, all I can say is having authored this
language, I don't know what the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris) is
referring to.
When we talk about illiberal forces within the NATO alliance, it is
all-inclusive. The New York Times did an extensive podcast series on
illiberal, rightwing groups within Germany's police and military; not
Hungary, not Poland: Germany.
Many of our colleagues, when we meet in NATO Parliamentary Assembly
meetings, express concern about their own internal challenges to their
own democratic institutions.
{time} 1415
And it is simply false that we are somehow selecting any particular
country. This is a concern expressed by virtually all; and we recognize
that we have got work to do in showing up and building democratic
institutions, even within the alliance; that we can't take it for
granted.
What we say is democracy is resilient, but it can also be fragile;
and that is what this reference is about, and would be recognized by
virtually every NATO member as such.
So while I certainly can understand Mr. Harris wanting to express a
concern, I would hope we have debunked it because it is nowhere even
close to being what he has characterized.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I think this is a really important resolution. It is also timely
because, as Mr. Boyle indicated, we have our next NATO Parliamentary
Assembly meeting in Athens this weekend; and if we are going to have
input to the strategic concept of NATO, which is being revised and will
be adopted next month, in May, we have got to have this in hand as an
expression, a bipartisan expression of the collective concern and
commitment of this body.
I am honored by the fact that this is bipartisan. It passed the House
Foreign Affairs Committee overwhelmingly, and I would hope that later
today we have a strong bipartisan vote on this resolution so we can
bring it to our deliberations in Athens and in Madrid in the next 2
months.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 831, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
[[Page H4180]]
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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