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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 10586 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 10586
To require the President to consult with Congress regarding withdrawal
from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to provide for procedures
to terminate such withdrawal, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 24, 2026
Mr. Panetta (for himself and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the President to consult with Congress regarding withdrawal
from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to provide for procedures
to terminate such withdrawal, 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. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``NATO Shield Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that:
(1) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization constitutes a
cornerstone of United States national security and collective
defense.
(2) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization creates binding
mutual defense obligations that directly affect the likelihood
and scope of armed conflict involving the United States.
(3) Withdrawal from such a treaty would substantially alter
United States exposure to hostilities, deterrence posture, and
global military commitments.
(4) Under article I of the Constitution, Congress retains
authority to declare war and to regulate and govern the Armed
Forces.
(5) The War Powers Resolution reflects Congress intent to
ensure collective judgment in decisions that may lead to
hostilities.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to clarify that withdrawal
from a mutual defense treaty constitutes a decision with direct war
powers implications requiring congressional participation.
SEC. 3. PROCEDURES REGARDING TREATY WITHDRAWAL ACTIONS.
(a) Congressional Notification for Withdrawal Action.--
(1) Consultation requirement.--The President shall consult
with Congress not later than 72 hours after--
(A) considering a withdrawal action;
(B) determining that a withdrawal action is under
consideration by any member of the Cabinet; or
(C) beginning to make a plan to initiate a
withdrawal action.
(2) Reporting requirement.--Not later than 48 hours after
initiating a withdrawal action, the President shall submit to
Congress a report, including--
(A) a legal justification for the withdrawal
action;
(B) a strategic rationale for the withdrawal
action; and
(C) expected military and alliance effects of the
withdrawal action.
(b) Approval or Termination by Joint Resolution.--
(1) Authorization required after 30 days.--A withdrawal
action shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after the
withdrawal action is initiated unless Congress enacts a joint
resolution approving the withdrawal action.
(2) Termination by joint resolution.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), during the 30-day period beginning on the date a
withdrawal action is initiated, the President shall terminate
the withdrawal action if Congress so directs by joint
resolution.
(3) Funding prohibition.--No Federal funds may be used to
implement or continue any withdrawal action terminated pursuant
to paragraph (1) or paragraph (2).
(c) Expedited Congressional Procedures.--
(1) Referral of joint resolution.--A joint resolution
described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (b) shall be
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives or the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate, as the case may be, and such committee shall report one
such joint resolution, together with its recommendations, not
later than twelve calendar days after the date the applicable
withdrawal action is initiated, unless such House shall
otherwise determine by the yeas and nays.
(2) Vote on joint resolution.--Any joint resolution so
reported shall become the pending business of the House in
question (in the case of the Senate the time for debate shall
be equally divided between the proponents and the opponents),
and shall be voted on within three calendar days thereafter,
unless such House shall otherwise determine by yeas and nays.
(3) Reported joint resolution.--Such a joint resolution
passed by one House shall be referred to the committee of the
other House named in paragraph (1) and shall be reported out
not later than fourteen calendar days after such referral. The
joint resolution so reported shall become the pending business
of the House in question and shall be voted on within three
calendar days after it has been reported, unless such House
shall otherwise determine by yeas and nays.
(4) Conference on joint resolution.--In the case of any
disagreement between the two Houses of Congress with respect to
a joint resolution passed by both Houses, conferees shall be
promptly appointed and the committee of conference shall make
and file a report with respect to such resolution or bill not
later than four calendar days after such appointment. In the
event the conferees are unable to agree within 48 hours of such
appointment, they shall report back to their respective Houses
in disagreement. Notwithstanding any rule in either House
concerning the printing of conference reports in the Record or
concerning any delay in the consideration of such reports, such
report shall be acted on by both Houses not later than five
days after such report.
(d) Standing for Relief.--
(1) In general.--In the case of any violation of this
section, a Member of Congress may bring an action in the
appropriate Federal district court for appropriate relief.
(2) Expedited review.--A court shall advance on the docket
and consider an action under paragraph (1) on an expedited
basis, and shall, to the extent practicable, make a disposition
of such action not later than 30 days after such action is
filed.
(e) Withdrawal Action Defined.--In this section, the term
``withdrawal action'' means any formal or informal step to suspend or
terminate the membership of the United States in or withdraw the United
States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, including
transmitting a notification of withdrawal or intent to withdraw from
such Organization to a foreign country that is a member of such
Organization.
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