[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1980 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1980

  To establish the Senate NATO Observer Group, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 5, 2025

  Mr. Tillis (for himself and Mrs. Shaheen) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and 
                             Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish the Senate NATO Observer Group, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. UNITED STATES SENATE NATO OBSERVER GROUP.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Senate a group 
of Senators to address and advise on matters relating to the North 
Atlantic Treaty Organization, to be known as the ``Senate NATO Observer 
Group''.
    (b) Functions.--The Senate NATO Observer Group shall--
            (1) serve as a forum for addressing matters relating to the 
        North Atlantic Treaty Organization that fall within the 
        jurisdictions of 2 or more committees of the Senate;
            (2) advise the Senate on issues relating to the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization, including North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization enlargement; and
            (3) with respect to any matter involving the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization and the United States Government, 
        particularly during negotiations on North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization enlargement, engage in close interactions between 
        and among the executive branch, the Senate, the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization, any other member country of the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization, and any country that is a 
        candidate for membership in the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization.
    (c) Appointment of Members.--
            (1) 119th congress.--During the 119th Congress, the Senate 
        NATO Observer Group shall exist in the manner established by 
        the majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate in 
        the Congressional Record at the beginning of first session of 
        the 119th Congress.
            (2) Subsequent congresses.--
                    (A) Appointment.--Beginning in the 120th Congress, 
                not later than 60 days after the date on which of the 
                first session of each Congress convenes, the majority 
                leader and the minority leader of the Senate shall each 
                appoint to the Senate NATO Observer Group not more than 
                7 Senators.
                    (B) Co-chairs.--Of the members appointed under 
                subparagraph (A), the majority leader and the minority 
                leader of the Senate shall each appoint 1 co-
                chairperson of the Senate NATO Observer Group.
    (d) Foreign Travel.--Each co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer 
Group and 1 designated staff member may engage in foreign travel for 
official purposes if such travel is authorized by the other co-chair of 
the Senate NATO Observer Group.
    (e) Interparliamentary Services.--The Office of Interparliamentary 
Services of the Senate shall be designated to provide administrative 
support and protocol functions to the Senate NATO Observer Group, and 
for special delegations or travel authorized by the majority leader or 
the minority leader of the Senate.
    (f) Use of Foreign Currencies.--Beginning on the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group 
are authorized to use funds in accordance with the provisions of law 
relating to foreign currencies, as codified in section 1754 of title 
22, United States Code, for activities critical to carrying out the 
functions of the Senate NATO Observer Group.
    (g) Report.--Not less frequently than annually, the Senate NATO 
Observer Group shall submit to the majority leader and minority leader 
of the Senate and the chairperson and ranking member of the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on the activities 
undertaken by the Senate NATO Observer Group during the preceding 
fiscal year, including with respect to travel, legislative efforts, and 
public diplomacy initiatives.
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