A bipartisan pair of senators reintroduced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit any U.S. president from withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval or an act of Congress.
“NATO serves as an essential military alliance that protects shared national interests and enhances America’s international presence,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in a statement released as NATO leaders, including President Biden, meet in Europe. “Any decision to leave the alliance should be rigorously debated and considered by the U.S. Congress with the input of the American people.”
“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine and Finland’s accession and Sweden’s pending accession into NATO all underscore the same thing: NATO is stronger than ever,” Kaine said. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to NATO and ensure any U.S. president can’t unilaterally decide to leave the alliance without congressional approval.”
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) reintroduced the bill alongside Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.); both of which serve together on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The bill has been reintroduced in multiple sessions of Congress, including when former President Trump threatened to withdraw from the alliance.
If passed, the bill would prevent any president from leaving NATO without Senate approval or an act of congress, as well as prohibit funding to do so, and would allow congressional legal counsel to challenge any administration’s attempt in court.
The bill would require that two-thirds of Senators sign on with the President’s proposal to pull the US out of NATO.
Senators Blumenthal (D-CT), Moran (R-KS), Feinstein (D-CA), Cardin (D-MD), King (I-ME), Klobuchar (D-MN), Merkley (D-OR), and Durbin (D-IL) introduced the resolution along with Rubio and Kaine.
The bill has not passed the full Senate yet.
