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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on the Value of the NATO Alliance
Record date · January 1, 2020
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What This Bill Does
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on September 5, 2018, to evaluate the strategic importance of NATO. Senators and expert witnesses discussed the alliance's role in U.S. national security, the necessity of member states meeting defense spending targets, and the impact of recent political rhetoric on the alliance's stability.
This hearing addresses the U.S. commitment to the NATO alliance, which impacts national defense strategy, military spending, and international security obligations involving the U.S. and its European partners.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
NATO Member States
These nations are subject to ongoing U.S. pressure to meet the 2% defense spending requirement.
U.S. Taxpayers
They fund the U.S. defense budget, which includes the costs associated with European security and NATO participation.
Key Facts
- The hearing took place on September 5, 2018, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
- This was the third in a series of Senate hearings focused on Russia.
- Article 5 of the NATO treaty has been invoked only once in its 69-year history, following the September 11 attacks on the United States.
- The U.S. spends less than 1% of its total defense budget directly on NATO.
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- Total U.S. costs associated with European security, including forward presence and missile defense, account for 5% of total U.S. defense spending.
- Chairman Corker stated that while he supports urging NATO allies to meet the 2% defense spending target, he believes weakening the alliance is contrary to U.S. national interests.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
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Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
NATO Value Debate
The hearing highlights a clear tension between the Senate committee's traditional support for NATO and the administration's questioning of the alliance's value.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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