Biden Expected to Sign the Bill that will Bar Presidents To Break Away From NATO without Congress Approval
Legislation enacted by Congress would make it impossible for any president to remove the US from NATO without the Senate’s consent or an Act of Congress.
Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida) led the legislation, which was incorporated into the yearly National Defense Authorization Act. The Act was approved by the House on Thursday and is anticipated to be signed by President Biden.
The clause is part of the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual defense policy bill approved by the House on Thursday.
Why NATO is so Important for the US?
North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO plays a major role in US defense and foreign affairs. The Collective Defence Clause of the treaty states that if any member state is attacked by a country, all the members will wage war against the aggressor.
This clause is of extreme importance for the US as Russia and China are always triggering issues with the US. This treaty also helps small countries to protect themselves from the aggression of a bigger state. One particular example is Finland.
Why This Bill Has Been Proposed?
This legislation is enacted to keep US in the NATO to safeguard the country against any foreign aggression, particularly Russia. The increasing military dominance of Russia and threats from China are the main concerns of US Security.
Concerns about Donald Trump’s potential attempt to break away from the alliance if he wins reelection have long existed. Trump is specifically against NATO’s collective defense clause. This legislation aims to counter the same if Trump tries to withdraw from NATO if he is reelected as the President of the United States.
Recent Role of the US in NATO
As a show of force against Putin’s war, Biden has committed additional soldiers and military resources to Europe, making significant investments in the NATO alliance during his time. Along with overseeing ongoing efforts to gain Sweden’s complete membership, he has also overseen the alliance’s expansion to include Finland.
