That the Senate—
celebrates the 10th anniversary of the establishment of NATO Allied Command Transformation (NATO ACT);
recognizes NATO ACT’s leading role in transforming Alliance forces and capabilities, using new concepts such as the NATO Response Force and new doctrines in order to improve the Alliance’s military effectiveness;
expresses appreciation for the continuing and close partnership between the United States Government and NATO to transform the Alliance;
remembers the 64 years NATO has served to ensure peace, security, and stability in Europe throughout the world, and urges the United States Government to continue to seek new ways to deepen and expand its important relationships with NATO;
recognizes the service of the brave men and women who have served to safeguard the freedom and security of the United States and the whole of the transatlantic alliance;
honors the sacrifices of United States personnel, allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and partners in Afghanistan;
recognizes the outstanding partnership between the local community in Norfolk, Virginia and NATO personnel assigned to ACT;
reaffirms that NATO, through the new Strategic Concept, is committed to helping the Alliance adapt and prepare for the complex and demanding future security;
urges all NATO members to take concrete steps to implement the Strategic Concept and to utilize the taskings from the 2012 NATO summit in Chicago, Illinois, to address current NATO operations, future capabilities and burden-sharing issues, and strengthen the relationship between NATO and partners around the world;
calls upon the President to use the momentum of the occasion of the 10th anniversary of NATO ACT—
to engage each of the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in a dialogue about the long-term health of the Alliance, and strongly encourage each of the member states to make a serious effort to protect defense budgets from further reductions, better allocate and coordinate the resources presently available, and recommit to spending at least 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense; and
to examine and report to Congress on recommendations that will lead to a stronger Alliance in terms of military capability and readiness across the 28 member states, with particular focus on the smaller member states; and
conveys appreciation for the steadfast partnership between NATO and the United States.