WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) will travel to Brussels to participate in the 2018 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit this week in their capacity as co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, which they re-established earlier this year. Under Tillis and Shaheen’s guidance, the Senate NATO Observer Group expanded its mission 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.
“As co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, we welcome the opportunity to reinforce America’s commitment to NATO’s unity, strength and resolve,” said Tillis. “NATO is an alliance that has ensured security and peace among member states and regions throughout the world for almost seventy years. At the Summit, I look forward to working with our member states to strengthen our alliance and deliver on our common goals to preserve peace and maintain our commitment to deterrence and defense.”
“I’m glad to be joining Senator Tillis and Alliance members to participate in the NATO Summit, which comes at a significant time for our country and world,” said Shaheen. “The strength of our transatlantic bond has never been more critical to combat national and global security threats. I look forward to engaging with other US and world leaders in the days ahead about how member states can continue down a path of diplomacy, and work together to address the many issues impacting the stability of our international community and economy.”
Tillis and Shaheen will participate in the “US Role in NATO/Future of the Transatlantic Bond” panel, which will focus on the United States’ role in NATO. The Senators will also partake in a number of bilateral meetings with foreign delegations to ensure support for NATO unity and transatlantic security.
Earlier today, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a resolution sponsored by Tillis and Shaheen, as well as Senate Commissioners of the Helsinki Commission, that emphasizes the importance of NATO to the collective security of the transatlantic region, and urges member states to work together to strengthen the Alliance at the NATO Summit this weekend.
Senators Tillis and Shaheen are both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
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