{"id":32947,"date":"2019-01-23T00:03:46","date_gmt":"2019-01-23T00:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/23\/us-house-votes-overwhelmingly-to-bar-us-exit-from-nato\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:15:48","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:15:48","slug":"us-house-votes-overwhelmingly-to-bar-us-exit-from-nato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/congress\/2019\/01\/23\/us-house-votes-overwhelmingly-to-bar-us-exit-from-nato\/","title":{"rendered":"US House votes overwhelmingly to bar US exit from NATO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Tuesday evening that seeks to bar President Donald Trump from withdrawing from NATO amid renewed concerns over his commitment to the 29-nation military pact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a bipartisan 357-22 vote<\/a>, the Democrat-led lower chamber sent the Senate the NATO Support Act, which would prohibit the use of federal funds to withdraw from the 70-year-old alliance. Twenty-two Republicans voted no, while 28 Republicans and 26 Democrats did not vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond asserting Congress\u2019 power of the purse, the bill affirms support for NATO and its mutual defense clause, for Montenegro\u2019s accession, for \u201crobust\u201d U.S. funding for the European Deterrence Initiative and for the goal that each member nation spend at least 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense by 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The action comes as trans-Atlantic ties have been frayed by disputes over defense spending, trade and America\u2019s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal. After reports Trump floated the idea of a withdrawal last summer, Trump said<\/a> last week, “We will be with NATO 100 percent, but as I told the countries, you have to step up,\u201d defense spending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., sponsored the bill with backing from House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y. At a press conference Tuesday, the lawmakers praised the alliance for its role in ending the Cold War and in supporting U.S.-led operations in Iraq and Afghanistan today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat we have to realize is that NATO is not just a transactional relationship.\u201d Panetta said. \u201cOur sole focus can\u2019t just be on who pays what and who gets what. Being a member of NATO is not like being a member of a country club.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engel called splintering the NATO alliance one of Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s top goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why its so disturbing, so troubling to see the United States sending mixed signals about the alliance or treating it as a burden,\u201d Engel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis bill reiterates Congress’ commitment to NATO and would prohibit withdrawal from NATO. It sends a clear message to the administration that this branch of government supports the alliance,\u201d Engel said in a floor speech ahead of the vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump has bashed the alliance over burden sharing, made overtures to Putin and said he believes he has the authority to pull out of NATO if he chooses \u2014 even as his administration has worked to support the alliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill had four Republican cosponsors, including Texas Rep. Will Hurd, who tweeted after the vote, \u201cThese recent votes show that there is overwhelming bipartisan support from Congress, a coequal branch of government, to value our allies and stand up to our enemies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vote followed news the top U.S. diplomat for Europe is resigning after only 16 months on the job. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell will leave his post in mid-February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the bill\u2019s co-sponsors, Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., called Congress \u201cthe only check we have\u201d after the departure of former generals Jim Mattis as defense secretary, H.R. McMaster as national security adviser and John Kelly as chief of staff \u2014 and Nikki Haley as United Nations ambassador.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re all gone now, we\u2019re all that\u2019s left, and its urgent and essential, therefore, that Congress play its constitutional role and take this action,\u201d said Malinowski, a former U.S. diplomat and now a freshman congressman on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This measure and a similar one in the Senate, which would require Trump get two-thirds consent from the Senate to pull America out of NATO, have raised questions about the constitutional separation of powers. The bipartisan Senate bill, led by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., is cosponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sponsors of the House bill expressed optimism the two bills would be reconciled, suggesting that Congress\u2019s power of the purse is solid enough footing to proceed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s often been said the Constitution is an invitation to struggle, and what we are saying here is we are not leaving NATO without a struggle,\u201d Malinowski said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The #NATO<\/a> alliance is central to American security and maintaining peace and stability worldwide. I was proud to join @RepJimmyPanetta<\/a>, @RepMalinowski<\/a>, and @RepHoulahan<\/a> to discuss the bipartisan NATO Support Act before it is voted on by the House tonight. https:\/\/t.co\/BYzthu0yJI<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jyds2qxnQd<\/a><\/p>— Steny Hoyer (@RepStenyHoyer) January 22, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>