House Endorses Expanding NATO Into Sweden and Finland

The bipartisan consensus for expanding NATO remains strong as the House approved a resolution on Monday endorsing Sweden and Finland’s memberships in a vote of 394-18, with only Republicans voting in opposition.

On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee easily gave approval for Sweden and Finland’s NATO bids, setting up a vote in the Senate that could come as soon as next week. The Senate panel approved the measure by voice vote, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a critic of NATO expansion, taking a neutral stance by voting “present.”

In order for the US to approve Sweden and Finland joining NATO, it needs to be ratified by two-thirds of the Senate. While there may be some Republicans that vote against the measure, it’s likely the effort to expand NATO will easily pass through the Senate.