The U.S. House of Representatives voted 394-18 on Monday for a resolution supporting the admittance of Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
18 Republicans voted “no” including one from New Jersey: Jeff Van Drew (R, NJ-02).
Van Drew was joined by fellow Republicans Andy Biggs of Arizona, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, outgoing Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Ben Cline, Bob Good, and Morgan Griffith of Virginia, Michael Cloud and Chip Roy of Texas, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom McClintock of California, Mary Miller of Illinois, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
NATO was established in 1949 to promote the common defense of its member states amid the rise of the Soviet Union as a superpower in the post-WWII geopolitical environment. Members of the alliance are obligated by treaty to come to one another’s defense. “Article 5” has only been invoked once, however, in the immediate aftermath of the September 11th terror attacks.
Finland and Sweden appear on track for membership after Turkey dropped its initial objections in June.
Some Republicans have accused the Biden White House of further provoking Russian aggression by supporting NATO’s eastward expansion.
Others have cited President Trump’s criticism that few NATO countries carry their own weight in defraying the cost of Europe’s defense; as of March 2022, only 6 of 30 current NATO nations had met the alliance’s defense spending requirement of 2% of their respective GDPs. The South Jersey Republican cited allies’ failures to live up to their obligations as well as pressing needs at home as reasons for his decision.
“I believe the best way to strengthen the NATO alliance is for existing member nations to pay their fair share towards our joint security agreement and to finally end their reliance on Russian oil and gas which thus far they’ve been either unable or unwilling to do,” said Congressman Van Drew. “A record number of Americans died last year – more than 100,000 total – from fentanyl and other drugs pouring across our Southern border while this Administration turns a blind eye yet they’re willing to commit the full force of the United States Military to defend Finland’s 800+ mile border with the Russian Federation.”
Van Drew is considered to be heavily favored for reelection in a redrawn South Jersey district which Jack Ciattarelli carried by 25-points last November. Van Drew also boasts a 34-to-1 campaign cash advantage over NJ-02 Democrat nominee Tim Alexander.
