S.Amdt. 3281

This amendment proposes the creation of the Baltic Security Initiative. Its purpose is to deepen security cooperation between the United States and the military forces of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• Objectives: The initiative seeks to achieve U.S. national security goals by deterring aggression from the Russian Federation and implementing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's new Strategic Concept. It also aims to improve cyber defenses, resilience to hybrid threats, and regional planning for capabilities such as:

  • Long-range precision fire systems.
  • Integrated air and missile defense.
  • Maritime domain awareness.
  • Land forces development, including large caliber ammunition stockpiling.
  • Command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
  • Special operations forces development.
  • Security enhancements and coordination with Poland.

• Strategy and Reporting: The Secretary of Defense must submit a strategy report to the Senate and House Committees on Armed Services within one year. This report must consider current security assistance programs, threats from Russian aggression (including the 2022 invasion of Ukraine with Belarus' support), and threats from the People's Republic of China.

• Funding: The amendment authorizes $350,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2028. It also states that Congress believes the Secretary should seek matching funds from the participating Baltic countries.