Congressman Gerry Connolly, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has been appointed chairman of the U.S. Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
This appointment comes after Connolly’s prior service as Acting Head of the Delegation, Committee Rapporteur, and delegate for the Assembly.
“I am honored to receive this appointment from Speaker Pelosi. As chairman, I will help reaffirm – with absolute clarity – the longstanding U.S. commitment to NATO and Euro-Atlantic security,” explained Connolly. “On the eve of the 70th Anniversary of the Alliance, Russian aggression towards NATO Allies and around the world reminds us of the importance of this critical military and political alliance.”
The delegation works with legislators from NATO partners by focusing on a parliamentary-level understanding of critical security issues and works towards consensus building and broader transparency of NATO policies.
The bipartisan U.S. delegation to NATO PA will send a clear message to our Allies that the Congress and the American public stand firmly behind them, said Connolly.
“NATO remains the foundation of U.S. foreign policy to promote a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace,” said Connolly. “The alliance has a critical central mission. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty preserves our solemn duty to one another — an attack against one is an attack against all. This is a mandatory, treaty obligation. It is firm.”
Connolly looks forward to working with Assembly President Madeline Moon and our allied delegations on addressing the internal and external challenges that exist for NATO and playing a pivotal role in the open dialogue between U.S. legislators and those who represent constituencies around the globe.
“It is more critical now than ever that the Alliance operate from a position of strength and common resolve – that is the mission that will define this new chapter for our delegation,” said Connolly. “NATO PA is a place where Allied parliamentarians can work together for a peaceful and prosperous future, and I am confident that we will strengthen our partnerships in the process.”
For more information on the assembly, go to https://www.nato-pa.int/.
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