Whereas the Department of Defense State Partnership Program (referred to in this preamble as the State Partnership Program ) has evolved from a program designed to assist countries emerging from behind the Iron Curtain to one that now involves 100 nations and the National Guard of every State and territory of the United States; Whereas members of the National Guard work with partner militaries to bolster capabilities, improve interoperability, and enhance principles of responsible governance; Whereas the State Partnership Program delivers a significant return on investment by broadening the pool of security partners who are willing and able to support defense and security cooperation objectives of the United States around the world; Whereas most of the earliest State Partnership Program partner countries in Europe have gone on to become United States allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and many of them credit the State Partnership Program and their National Guard State partners with helping to make that possible; Whereas the State Partnership Program helps ensure that the Department of Defense has capable, trusted, and interoperable partners; Whereas the State Partnership Program has created 88 enduring, cost-effective partnerships with 100 nations encompassing over 1/2 of the countries in the world; Whereas members of the National Guard typically engage in more than 1,000 State Partnership Program events per year; Whereas the National Guard Bureau is working with the commanders of the combatant commands and the Department of State to increase State Partnership Program partnerships by 2 nations per year for the next 15 years; and Whereas commanders of the combatant commands and United States ambassadors strongly endorse the State Partnership Program for cultivating long-term relationships with partners: Now, therefore, be it