To reaffirm the strategic importance of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty to the member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its contribution to maintaining stability throughout the world.

SA 240. Mr. GRAHAM (for himself, Mr. Brown, Mr. McCain, Mr.
Blumenthal, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Reed, Mr. Tillis, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Casey,
Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Coons, Mr. Portman, Mr. Corker, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr.
Cochran, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Young, Mr. Franken, Mr. Wicker, Mrs. Shaheen,
Mr. Barrasso, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Warner, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Kaine,
Mr. Murphy, Mr. Markey, Ms. Warren, Mr. Carper, Mr. Blunt, Mr.
Sullivan, and Mr. Alexander) submitted an amendment intended to be
proposed

[[Page S3495]]

by him to the bill S. 722, to impose sanctions with respect to Iran in
relation to Iran's ballistic missile program, support for acts of
international terrorism, and violations of human rights, and for other
purposes; as follows:

At the end, add the following:

SEC. 13. SENSE OF SENATE ON THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF
ARTICLE 5 OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY.

(a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
(1) The principle of collective defense of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is immortalized in
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty in which members
pledge that ``an armed attack against one or more of them in
Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against
them all''.
(2) For almost 7 decades, the principle of collective
defense has effectively served as a strategic deterrent for
the member nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
and provided stability throughout the world, strengthening
the security of the United States and all 28 other member
nations.
(3) Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in
New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, the Alliance agreed
to invoke Article 5 for the first time, affirming its
commitment to collective defense.
(4) Countries that are members of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization have made historic contributions and sacrifices
while combating terrorism in Afghanistan through the
International Security Assistance Force and the Resolute
Support Mission.
(5) The recent attacks in the United Kingdom underscore the
importance of an international alliance to combat hostile
nation states and terrorist groups.
(6) At the 2014 NATO summit in Wales, the member countries
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization decided that all
countries that are members of NATO would spend an amount
equal to 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense
by 2024.
(7) Collective defense unites the 29 members of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization, each committing to protecting
and supporting one another from external adversaries, which
bolsters the North Atlantic Alliance.
(b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate--
(1) to express the vital importance of Article 5 of the
North Atlantic Treaty, the charter of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization, as it continues to serve as a critical
deterrent to potential hostile nations and terrorist
organizations;
(2) to remember the first and only invocation of Article 5
by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in support of the
United States after the terrorist attacks of September 11,
2001;
(3) to affirm that the United States remains fully
committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and will
honor its obligations enshrined in Article 5; and
(4) to condemn any threat to the sovereignty, territorial
integrity, freedom, or democracy of any country that is a
member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
______