Sec. 1234. Statement of policy on United States efforts in Europe to reassure United States partners and allies and deter aggression by the Government of the Russian Federation
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Congress makes the following findings: The Russian Federation, under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, continues to demonstrate its intent to expand its sphere of influence and limit Western influence both regionally and globally. In March 2016, at a House Armed Services Committee hearing discussing worldwide threats, Major General James Marrs, Director for Intelligence in the Joint Staff stated, principally, what we are seeing in Russia…is just a breadth of capabilities from strategic systems to anti access area denial to even, I would say, a growing adeptness at operating sort of just short of traditional military conflict that is posing a significant challenge in the future .
In July 2015, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee, that Russia presents the greatest threat to our national security . In November 2015, Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter, discussed the need for adapting our operational posture and contingency plans…to deter Russia’s aggression . In February 2016, the Rand Corporation released its report, Reinforcing Deterrence on NATO’s Eastern Flank , concluding that at a maximum it would take Russian forces approximately 60 hours to reach the capitals of Estonia and Latvia, exhibiting the challenge to North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO)member countries of successfully defending such territory with its current posture and capability. In February 2016, the Center for Strategic and International Studies released its report, Evaluating U.S. Army Force Posture in Europe , calling for increased pre-positioned sets of United States military equipment, increased rotational forces and associated enablers, increased logistics capabilities, and increased investment in combating unconventional warfare methods in Europe. In February 2016, the National Commission on the Future of the Army released its findings and recommendations, which included Recommendation 14 calling for stationing an Armored Brigade Combat Team Forward in Europe and Recommendation 15 calling for the conversion of Army Europe Aviation Headquarters to a warfighting mission command. In the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 ( Public Law 114–92 ) and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 ( Public Law 113–291 ), Congress authorized approximately $1,800,000,000 for the European Reassurance Initiative to reassure allies through expanded United States military presence in Europe through rotational deployments of United States troops, bilateral and multilateral exercises, improved infrastructure, increased pre-positioned United States military equipment, and building partnership capacity. The budget of the President for fiscal year 2017 submitted to Congress under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, includes $3,420,000,000 for the European Reassurance Initiative to begin the transition from primarily reassuring United States partners and allies to deterring the Russian Federation. The request encompasses a large increase of conventional resources, including additional rotational deployments of United States troops and pre-positioning an Armored Brigade Combat Team’s worth of equipment into Europe. The request also includes increased funding for unconventional warfare resources, including cyber and special operations forces, as well as for intelligence and indicators and warning. It is the policy of the United States to reassure United States partners and allies in Europe and to work with United States partners and allies to deter aggression by the Government of the Russian Federation in order to enhance regional and global security and stability. The policy described in paragraph
(1)shall, among other things, be carried out through a comprehensive defense strategy and guidance to outline the future path of defense resources and capabilities in the European theater. Such strategy and guidance shall include— use and expansion of conventional methods, including increased United States presence, pre-positioning of United States military equipment, increased infrastructure, and building partnership capacity in Europe; emphasis on developing capabilities for countering unconventional methods of warfare, including cyber warfare, economic warfare, information operations, and intelligence operations; and encouraging security assistance and capabilities of partners and allies, including NATO member countries.
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Sec. 1234
Statement of policy on United States efforts in Europe to reassure United States partners and allies and deter aggression by the Government of the Russian Federation
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