WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, attended the 2018 NATO Summit in Brussels and participated in a panel discussion focusing on the importance of the United States’ role in NATO. 

Click HERE to watch the discussion.

“The United States of America is only as strong as her allies, and we must reaffirm our commitment to the alliances we have built to defend freedom against adversaries,” said Senator Tillis. “There is no applause line among the American people for ‘let’s get out of NATO,’ and I am very confident NATO will be stronger and more unified ten years from now with more members and funding. Unlike authoritarian countries, the United States has co-equal branches to decide our treaties. The NATO alliance has wide-spread support among members of the U.S. Congress and any attempt to leave this important organization would not be final until Congress has spoken.”

 
Earlier this year, Senators Tillis and Jeanne Shaheen re-established the Senate NATO Observer Group to closely monitor and inform Senators outside of national security committees about defense spending commitments of Alliance members, the process of upgrading military capabilities, the Alliance’s counter-terrorism capability and the ability of NATO member states to address non-conventional warfare. The NATO Summit will convene Alliance members to engage on national security issues impacting member states and the global community at-large, and to strengthen transatlantic bonds. 

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