Sec. 1238. Sense of Senate on strategic competition with the Russian Federation and related activities of the Department of Defense
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It is the sense of the Senate that— the 2018 National Defense Strategy affirms the re-emergence of long-term strategic competition with the Russian Federation as a principal priority for the Department of Defense that requires sustained investment due to the magnitude of the threat posed to United States security, prosperity, and alliances and partnerships; given the continued military modernization of the Russian Federation, including the development of long-range strike systems and other advanced capabilities, the United States should prioritize efforts within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to implement timely measures to ensure that the deterrence and defense posture of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization remains credible and effective; the United States should reaffirm support for the open-door policy of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; to enhance deterrence against aggression by the Russian Federation, the Department of Defense should— continue— to prioritize funding for the European Deterrence Initiative to address capability gaps, capacity shortfalls, and infrastructure requirements of the Joint Force in Europe; to increase pre-positioned stocks of equipment in Europe; and rotational deployments of United States forces to Romania and Bulgaria while pursuing training opportunities at military locations such as Camp Mihail Kogalniceanu in Romania and Novo Selo Training Area in Bulgaria; increase— focus and resources to address the changing military balance in the Black Sea region; the frequency, scale, and scope of North Atlantic Treaty Organization and other multilateral exercises in the Black Sea region, including with the participation of Ukraine and Georgia; and presence and activities in the Arctic, including special operations training and naval operations and training; maintain robust naval presence at Souda Bay, Greece, and pursue opportunities for increased United States presence at other locations in Greece; enhance military-to-military engagement among Western Balkan countries to promote interoperability with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and regional security cooperation; and expand information sharing, improve planning coordination, and increase the frequency, scale, and scope of exercises with Sweden and Finland to deepen interoperability; and to counter Russian Federation activities short of armed conflict, the Department of Defense should— integrate with United States interagency efforts to employ all elements of national power to counter Russian Federation hybrid warfare; and bolster the capabilities of allies and partners to counteract Russian Federation coercion, including through expanded cyber cooperation and enhanced resilience against disinformation and malign influence.