{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-cosponsors-accountability-reporting-for-nato-freeloaders/", "Dr. Rand Paul Cosponsors Accountability Reporting for NATO Freeloaders", "2025-06-24", "2025", "2025-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "As NATO convenes today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul cosponsored legislation by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) addressing inadequate burden sharing among the United States\u2019 allies and NATO member nations.\n\nThe Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act would incentivize delinquent nations to contribute their fair share for defense measures by requiring the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to compile annual reports on allied nations\u2019 defense contributions and their ability to fulfill commitments. U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) cosponsored both pieces of legislation.\n\n\u201cOur NATO allies expect the U.S. to be the sugar daddy and the world\u2019s policeman while they sit back and let us do the heavy lifting. President Trump was right, it\u2019s time for them to pull their own weight. Congress must stop giving blank checks to our allies and start demanding accountability. That\u2019s why I\u2019m pushing for the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act and the Allied Burden Sharing Report Act, to show the American people exactly who\u2019s paying the bills and who\u2019s shirking their share,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\n\u201cAmerica has shouldered the burden of NATO freeloaders for decades,\u201d said Senator Mike Lee. \u201cYear after year, our so-called allies shirk their commitments while we pay for the conflicts raging in their backyards. By imposing annual reporting requirements, my legislation will identify delinquent allies \u2013 promoting accountability and putting them on notice to pay their fair share.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nNATO allies committed to spending 2% of their annual GDP on defense measures over a decade ago, but many have failed to deliver \u2013 instead allowing the U.S. to carry the burden of European security. Even as conflict in Ukraine continues in their own backyards, a significant portion of NATO members remain delinquent on their defense commitments. It is unreasonable for the U.S. to continue subsidizing the security of a peripheral theater, while allies neglect to carry their fair share.\n\nAs the alliance convenes today, President Donald Trump has rightfully demanded greater burden sharing and higher defense spending. As the Summit opens, Senator Lee is introducing two pieces of legislation to support this burden sharing agenda. The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and NATO Burden Sharing Report Act require regular reporting on allies\u2019 contributions to the common defense.\n\nThese bills promote burden sharing accountability, removing any doubt as to who the delinquent allies are and equipping Congress with the information it needs to perform necessary oversight.\n\nThe Allied Burden Sharing Report Act:\n\nRequires DOD to prepare an annual report on the defense spending of all 59 U.S. allies \u2013 including:\n\nAnnual defense spending of each allied nation, both as a nominal figure and percentage of GDP\n\nActivities of each allied nation that contribute to military or stability operations in which the Armed Forces of the U.S. are a participant or could be called upon per the obligations of a cooperative defense agreement of which the United States is a signatory\n\nAny limitation placed by an allied nation on the use of such contributions\n\nAny actions undertaken by the U.S. or by other countries to minimize such limitations\n\nThe NATO Burden Sharing Report Act:\n\nApplies only to NATO member countries and includes all of the above reporting requirements plus:\n\nA description of each member\u2019s hard vs. soft power contributions for Ukraine\n\nDefense industrial base health and comparative advantages\n\nSize and structure of armed forces\n\nAny areas where the country would be fully reliant on allied assets\n\nFMS deliveries or contracts in the previous year\n\nAny change in defense spending over the previous year and anticipated future spending\n\nCoutesy of Sen. Mike Lee: One-Pager | Bill Text \u2013 Allies | Bill Text \u2013 NATO\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:34:38Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-cosponsors-accountability-reporting-for-nato-freeloaders/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6685340777039528, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}