Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded on April 4, 1949, to counter Soviet expansion, prevent further world wars from emerging in Europe, and develop a commitment to transatlantic security, and is built on the democratic principles of freedom, security, and national sovereignty; Whereas 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the signing of the NATO founding treaty known as the Washington Treaty and our mutual commitments with European allies; Whereas Article 5 of the Washington Treaty underpins the principle of collective defense and has served as a guiding value and commitment of United States foreign policy for 75 years; Whereas the United States will host the 75th anniversary NATO summit in July 2024 which will serve as a milestone summit and reaffirm the long-lasting legacy of the NATO alliance; Whereas, in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11, 2023, NATO Heads of State and Government reaffirmed the Alliance’s shared values of individual liberty, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law; Whereas United States Article 5 commitments regarding collective defense augment United States deterrence capabilities against adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran who seek to spread their malign influence; Whereas NATO’s open door policy is a vital tenet of the alliance; Whereas NATO has facilitated the expansion of vital intelligence sharing, increased interoperability of forces, expanded cyber defense capabilities, and served as a forum to combat shared challenges; Whereas transatlantic cooperation through NATO serves as a bulwark against the proliferation of malign influence from adversaries; Whereas authoritarian regimes such as the Russian Federation, China, North Korea, and Iran have increased collaboration in political, economic, and security sectors, sought to undermine democratic principles, and sow distrust in democratic institutions; Whereas Article 5 of the Washington Treaty was invoked for the only time following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States