Kaine & Rubio Applaud Senate Passage of Their Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Any U.S. President from Leaving NATO
Bill was included in Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), applauded Senate passage of their bipartisan bill to prohibit any President of the United States from withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) without Senate approval or an Act of Congress. The legislation was included in the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed by a bipartisan vote of 87-13.
“NATO has held strong in response to Putin’s war in Ukraine and rising challenges around the world,” said Kaine. “The Senate’s vote today to pass my bipartisan bill to prevent any U.S. President from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO reaffirms U.S. support for this crucial alliance that is foundational for our national security. It also sends a strong message to authoritarians around the world that the free world remains united.”
“The Senate should maintain oversight on whether or not our nation withdraws from NATO. We must ensure we are protecting our national interests and protecting the security of our democratic allies,” said Rubio.
Kaine and Rubio successfully fought to include their bipartisan bill as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2024 NDAA. Specifically, the amendment would require the advice and consent of the Senate or an Act of Congress before suspending, terminating, or withdrawing U.S. membership in NATO. If any U.S. President attempts to leave NATO without Senate approval or an Act of Congress, the amendment prohibits any funding from being used to do so.
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