(CNN) The Democratic-controlled House approved a bill Tuesday that would reiterate strong congressional support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance amid recent reports that President Donald Trump raised the idea of withdrawing from NATO several times last year.

"It's so disturbing -- troubling to see the United States sending mixed signals about our commitment to the alliance, or treating it as a burden," said House Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot Engel, a New York Democrat, at a news conference on Capitol Hill.

"You know what a burden would be?" he asked. "A burden would be for the United States to try and conduct foreign policy without allies, without 28 other countries that share our values and have fought alongside American troops, sharing the burden of lost blood and treasure at times."

Trump has been clear in his criticism of NATO and has knocked allies for failing to pay enough for their defense . Meanwhile, Russia has long attempted to divide the alliance, and a US exit would be seen as a major victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The bill, which passed with bipartisan support by 357-22, states that it's US policy to remain a member of NATO and prohibits funds from being used to withdraw from the alliance.

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