Bell Baltic Bill Passes Out of House Foreign Affairs Committee

Washington, D.C.— Today, Representative Wesley Bell (D-Mo.)’s Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2025, a bipartisan measure to ensure the United States maintains a clear, comprehensive understanding of the threats facing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania from hostile actors, including Russia, China, Iran, Belarus, and North Korea, passed out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee with a 41-3 vote. 

Under the legislation, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, will be required to deliver a detailed report to Congress within 180 days assessing emerging military, cyber, hybrid, and political threats to the Baltic nations. The report will also identify opportunities to strengthen U.S.–Baltic defense cooperation, reinforce the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) collective defense posture, bolster cybersecurity infrastructure, and enhance democratic resilience in the region.

“The Baltic States are among our most steadfast and reliable allies, standing on the frontlines of Russian aggression and other merging threats. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania continue to invest heavily in their defense and are upholding their commitments within NATO amidst an increasingly complex security landscape,” said Rep. Bell. “The Baltic Security Assessment Act will provide the United States with a clearer, more comprehensive understanding of the evolving threats facing the region. I'm glad to see this bill pass out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House must now act to get this bill signed into law so we can strengthen our support for the Baltics and stay ahead of growing hybrid threats.” 

The Baltic Security Assessment Act is co-led by Reps. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and has 80 bipartisan co-sponsors. The bill is being led in the Senate by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa). The legislation is endorsed by The Joint Baltic American National Committee.

Rep. Bell is a member of the bipartisan House Baltic Caucus and the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus.