Senate votes to ratify Finland, Sweden NATO membership

Aug. 3 (UPI) -- The Senate on Wednesday voted to ratify Finland and Sweden's applications to join NATO.

The Senate voted 95-1 to approve the resolution with every Democrat and most Republicans voting in favor of ratifying the protocols of accession that Finland and Sweden signed last month.

"Our NATO alliance is the bedrock that has guaranteed democracy in the Western world since the end of World War II," Senate Democratic leader Church Schumer said from the Senate floor Tuesday.

"This strengthens NATO even further and is particularly needed in light of recent Russian aggression."

President Joe Biden thanked the Senate for voting "overwhelmingly" to ratify the applications, adding he was looking forward to welcoming the "two strong democracies with highly capable militaries, into the greatest defensive alliance in history."

"This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan U.S. commitment to NATO and to ensuring our alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow," Biden said.

In mid July, House lawmakers overwhelmingly passed legislation in support of both Nordic countries joining the NATO defensive military alliance in a 394-18 vote with all those casting ballots against it coming from the Republican Party. The legislation also urged all NATO members to do the same.

Ahead of Wednesday's vote, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell gave his support to the two NATO membership bids.

"Their accession will make NATO stronger and America more secure," McConnell said.

"If any senator is looking for a defensible excuse to vote no, I wish them good luck. This is a slam dunk for national security that deserves unanimous bipartisan support."

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was the lone senator to vote against the measure, while Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted "present."

Hawley wrote in an op-ed ahead of the vote that the United States should focus on containing China instead of expanding NATO and reiterated his stance while speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday.

"We cannot strengthen our deterrent posture in the Pacific if we're sending more forces and resources to Europe to defend new allies. That's the bottom line," he said.

Twenty-two countries have already ratified the memberships, while the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey have yet to do so.