This July, hundreds of leaders from nations across the world gathered in Washington, D.C. to reaffirm their shared commitment to democracy, rule of law, and collective defense at the NATO 75th Anniversary Summit. Growing from its original 12 member nations to 32 countries now representing 30% of the world’s GDP, NATO has become one of the most critical alliances in history.

Although NATO is headquartered in Brussels, it is no mistake that the summit was held in D.C. The United States, in its role as a founding nation, has been committed for the past 75 years to maintaining a preeminent position in the organization. During times of intense political divide, Congressional support for NATO has remained steadfast. In 2022, the Senate voted 95-1 to ratify Sweden and Finland’s recent entry into NATO. Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA), president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said in his 2024 address to the Assembly that “NATO is, it must be, the indispensable bulwark for democracy itself. And this bulwark is formidable.”

And the bipartisan Senate NATO Observer Group was re-established in 2018 and has since expanded to 7 Democratic and 7 Republican members seeking to “advocate and demonstrate strong Congressional support for NATO” by monitoring and informing the Senate about NATO’s potential enlargement, counterterrorism efforts, and non-conventional warfare policy, among other NATO policy goals.

This support extends to American citizens, too. A 2022 Chicago Council Survey poll found that 81% of Americans believe the United States should maintain or increase its commitment to NATO, the highest level of support recorded since the survey began in 1974. This is for good reason: NATO is good for the economy; United States exports to NATO countries reached $793 billion in 2023. It increases the United States’ ability to accomplish foreign policy priorities like countering authoritarianism, disinformation and terrorism because its mutually beneficial relationships with allies increases cooperation amongst like-minded nations with similar goals. And it keeps the United States safe by providing collective deterrence against its most powerful opponents.

Many of NATO’s policy priorities have shifted since its inception to address emerging threats to North American and European peace and prosperity in non-traditional fields, including countering cyber threats to key infrastructures and tackling issues of environmental security that can lead to violence or humanitarian problems. In recent years, it has focused on countering the growing alignment of authoritarian powers, expanding the alliance’s reach by partnering with countries in the Indo-Pacific like Australia, Japan, and Korea. These strategic goals and partnerships help keep the United States safe from malign actors seeking to sow chaos, strengthen the infrastructure that keeps its technology safe, expand its partnerships with allies in key regions, and reinforce its national security during a time of rapidly changing international conditions.

Amid a divided and polarized Congress, NATO has experienced strong bipartisan support from top Congressional leaders:

• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated: “We in the Senate will send President Zelenskyy and our NATO allies the same message we have shared from day one: America will never turn its back on you.”
• Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated: Republicans “celebrate the peace and prosperity that NATO has secured and will continue to stand by our partners as we prevent needless wars.”

Underscoring its commitment to NATO, Congress recently approved bipartisan legislation that would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without approval from Congress. Co-led by Senators Tim Kaine and Marco Rubio, the amendment expressed Congressional opposition for the “suspension, termination, denunciation, or withdrawal from [the] North Atlantic Treaty” and requires the consent of ⅔ of the Senate or an Act of Congress should any future President seek to withdraw the United States from NATO.

Both the American people and Congress understand that what happens globally has impacts locally. A strong NATO means a stronger, safer, and more prosperous America. In an often-divided political climate, NATO serves as a reminder that Congress is unified in favor of peace, strength, security, and democracy.