House votes overwhelmingly to back NATO mutual defence pact

WASHINGTON – The House has overwhelmingly approved a resolution reaffirming the U.S. commitment to NATO’s mutual defence pact.

Lawmakers passed the measure Tuesday, 423-4, roughly a month after President Donald Trump failed to explicitly state his support for Article 5 during a visit to NATO headquarters. Article 5 is the alliance’s “one for all, all for one” agreement. Trump did eventually back the collective defence accord.

House Speaker Paul Ryan sponsored the resolution, which was also backed by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

The resolution also voices strong support for a decision made at a NATO summit in 2014 calling for each member to spend at least 2 per cent of its nation’s gross domestic product on defence by 2024.

Trump lectured NATO members about increasing their defence spending.