; Whereas NATO is one of our oldest and strongest military alliances that was created to counter the former Soviet Union’s aggression, and, more recently, provides a needed deterrent capability against an increasingly belligerent Russia; Whereas the Russian Federation has increased militarization in the region in the last few years, and the prime target of this aggression is our European allies, and NATO is a critical defense against this type of military aggression; Whereas the Russian Federation has increasingly used cyberwarfare as a weapon against democracies and democratic institutions, including in Estonia in 2007, Lithuania in 2008, Ukraine in 2014, Germany in 2015, and the United States in 2016; Whereas in response to the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States, in close coordination with its European partners, imposed a series of escalating rounds of sanctions on business transactions in the United States with respect to both Russian individuals and Russian companies, and in addition through travel bans; Whereas in response to the Russian Federation’s interference in the 2016 United States elections, the United States issued sanctions against Russian intelligence agents and entities, expelled 35 Russian personnel registered with the Russian diplomatic mission in the United States and listed them as persona non grata , and shut down two Russian compounds in Maryland and New York alleged to have been used for intelligence activities; Whereas the FBI generally does not publicize ongoing investigations, except in extraordinary circumstances in which it believes it is in the public interest, and FBI Director Comey testified at the HPSCI Hearing, This is one of those circumstances ; Whereas Director Comey further testified that the FBI is investigating the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election