Democratic and Republican senators have renewed their effort to block any U.S. president from leaving NATO. This comes as leaders of the alliance attended an eventful summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. The joint resolution is a fresh effort by Congress to prevent the president from withdrawing from the alliance without the Senate’s approval.
The measure states that “The President shall not suspend, terminate, denounce, or withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty, done at Washington, DC, April 4, 1949, except by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, provided that two-thirds of the Senators present concur or pursuant to an Act of Congress”.
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Lead sponsors include Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, and Republican Senator Marco Rubio, vice chairman of the intelligence committee.
The bill has been introduced repeatedly in recent years, including during the term of former Republican President Donald Trump, who voiced a desire for the United States to leave the military alliance. It has yet to pass the full Senate, but an aide to Kaine noted that it was backed by the foreign relations committee last year with strong bipartisan support.
The renewed effort by Democratic and Republican senators to block any U.S. president from leaving NATO highlights the importance of the alliance and its role in global security. As tensions between the United States and other nations continue to evolve, this bill serves as a reminder of the need for cooperation and unity among NATO member states.
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