A bipartisan pair of senators reintroduced a invoice Wednesday that may prohibit any U.S. president from withdrawing from NATO with out Senate approval or an act of Congress.
“NATO serves as a vital navy alliance that protects shared nationwide pursuits and enhances America’s worldwide presence,” stated Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in an announcement launched as NATO leaders, together with President Biden, meet in Europe. “Any choice to go away the alliance must be rigorously debated and regarded by the U.S. Congress with the enter of the American individuals.”
Rubio reintroduced the invoice alongside Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.); the 2 serve collectively on the Senate International Relations Committee and are longtime advocates of the alliance.
The invoice has been reintroduced in a number of periods of Congress, together with when considerations rose over former President Trump’s reported threats to withdraw from the alliance.
The invoice’s reintroduction comes on the final day of a NATO summit in Lithuania, the place conversations concerning Ukraine becoming a member of the group have been a sizzling matter.
“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s brutal conflict in Ukraine and Finland’s accession and Sweden’s pending accession into NATO all underscore the identical factor: NATO is stronger than ever,” Kaine stated. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan invoice to reaffirm the US’ dedication to NATO and guarantee any U.S. president can’t unilaterally resolve to go away the alliance with out congressional approval.”
If the president tries to go away NATO with out Senate approval or an act of Congress, the invoice would prohibit funding to take action and permit congressional authorized counsel to problem any administration’s try in courtroom.
The invoice has eight Democratic co-sponsors.
