Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States remains committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 152) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States remains committed to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of H. Res. 152 to reaffirm American commitment to the values and aspirations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Mr. Speaker, I want to particularly thank our colleague, John Tanner, our good friend from Tennessee and president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, for introducing this resolution. I commend him for his leadership in ensuring that the voices of legislators are heard in the decision-making process of the Alliance.

The NATO PA serves as a unique transatlantic forum for generating public support for Alliance activities, as well as in facilitating dialogue between parliamentarians of member, associate and observer states.

On April 3 and 4, NATO will hold its 60th anniversary summit in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany. The joint hosting of this meeting by two former adversaries poignantly symbolizes NATO's successful role in contributing to the reconstruction and stabilization of Europe following the devastation of World War II.

By serving as a reminder of the peaceful prosperity that has spread across the continent since the bloody battles of the earliest 20th century, this historic summit should bolster the Alliance's commitment to confronting the new challenges that affect NATO interests values.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, the world is a very different place than it was when the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, DC, on April 4, 1949, with the chief aim of deferring then-Soviet aggression. In the 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, NATO has sought to aid the democratization and Euro-Atlantic integration of former Warsaw Pact foes as well as to develop more cooperative relations with the Russian Federation.

NATO looks forward to welcoming the newest members of the Alliance, Albania and Croatia, at the upcoming summit. While pacing the process of enlargement, NATO remains prepared to extend invitations for accession negotiations to other European democracies meeting membership criteria.

In the last decade, NATO had increasingly sought to address new risks emerging from outside the treaty area itself that can threaten Euro- Atlantic peace and security. Such challenges include terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and disruption in the flow of emergency resources. The Alliance should begin considering a new strategic concept that takes into account the changing international security environment and outlines how to develop military capabilities accordingly.

NATO's first and most significant out-of-area mission has been in Afghanistan, where the Alliance is engaged in stabilization and reconstruction efforts amidst ongoing combat operations against the Taliban. We are now embarking on a new chapter of the U.S. and NATO missions to Afghanistan, one centered around the national election for President and on defeating al Qaeda and its Taliban allies.

NATO's role continues to be critical to the future success in Afghanistan, and achieving that success remains a considerable test, Mr. Speaker, of the Alliance's political will and military capabilities. It is crucial that allies remain committed to the mission, remedy shortfalls in all areas affecting successful engagement, and ensure equitable sharing of responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is to be commended for its pivotal role of preserving transatlantic peace and stability over the last 60 years. I strongly support this resolution and urge my colleagues to do the same.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to our friend from Kansas (Mr. Moore).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time at this time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise here today, Mr. Speaker, in support of House Resolution 152, which expresses the sense of the House that the United States remains committed to the NATO Alliance.

For over half a century, NATO has played a vital role in preserving transatlantic peace and security and in safeguarding freedom and democracy. NATO has contributed to the security of the United States and continues to serve as an important component of our broader national security framework. Although the Cold War is over, the Alliance has and must continue to transform itself to better address new challenges confronting NATO member nations.

The job of the Alliance is not over as the security of NATO member states continues to be threatened by those who seek to spread destruction, oppression and instability. Addressing these challenges will not be easy, and much needs to be done to strengthen the strategic capabilities of the Alliance.

The upcoming summit in Strasbourg, France, and Kehl, Germany, in April serves as an opportunity not only to reaffirm NATO's fundamental purpose but also to articulate a concrete vision for the Alliance in the 21st century.

I would like to thank our distinguished colleague, Congressman Tanner, for introducing this important resolution. I would also like to express particular support for the language in the resolution that states that NATO must ensure equitable sharing of contributions to NATO operations by its members, encourages the Alliance to

begin considering a new strategic concept that would take into account the challenging security environment, and calls on NATO to recognize and help address the threat posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and by terrorism.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for this very important resolution. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization's principal objective is to foster mutual understanding among Alliance parliamentarians of the key security challenges facing the transatlantic partnership. This organization provides a critical forum for international dialogue on an array of security, political and economic matters.

I am honored to represent the United States as a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, a group of bipartisan lawmakers representing all NATO countries who regularly meet to discuss matters of crucial importance, I believe it's crucial and critical to the United States' interests at home and abroad to maintain a solid line of communication with our neighbors in the global community.

That's why, Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be part of our country's NATO Parliamentary Assembly delegation, and I will continue to do my part to foster greater communications and cooperation. Now more than ever, we must support efforts to build relationships between nations so that we can work together to address the issues that affect our entire world.