Americas

Senate OKs NDAA Bill Requiring Chamber’s Approval for US Withdrawal From NATO

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Senate on Wednesday advanced an amendment to the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to require the upper chamber of Congress’ approval before the United States can withdraw from the NATO alliance.
Sputnik
US senators advanced the amendment in a vote of 65-28.
The amendment bans the US president from suspending, terminating, denouncing or withdrawing from NATO without the advice and consent of two-thirds of the Senate.
"With this bipartisan bill, we are sending a strong message that Congress stands with NATO," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who sponsored the amendment, said in a statement.
The Wednesday session also the upper chamber reject an amendment to the NDAA that would have required a congressional declaration of war prior to the United States engaging in an Article 5 response pursuant to its NATO obligations.
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US senators axed the amendment with a vote of 16 in favor and 83 against.
The measure was backed by US Senator Rand Paul.
“We do need to reaffirm the power and the necessity of declaring war because we are ignoring it by continuing to be involved in military activity and war around the globe without ever having voted on it as we are mandated by the Constitution,” Paul said in a statement on the bill.
Article 1 Section 8 of the US Constitution states that Congress has the power to declare war on behalf of the US.
The amendment was sponsored by Senator Rand Paul, who tried to attach the measure last year to a resolution backing Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO. Lawmakers likewise rejected the measure then.
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