House votes overwhelmingly to back NATO mutual defense pact

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House has overwhelmingly approved a resolution reaffirming the U.S. commitment to NATO's mutual defense 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 defense 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 percent of its nation's gross domestic product on defense by 2024.

Trump lectured NATO members about increasing their defense spending.