110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 645
To provide for the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from
Iraq, to authorize assistance for Iraq, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 23, 2007
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. MILLER of North Carolina,
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. VELAZQUEZ, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. FATTAH,
and Mr. BISHOP of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on
Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction
of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from
Iraq, to authorize assistance for Iraq, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title- This Act may be cited as the `Comprehensive Strategy for
Iraq Act of 2007'.
(b) Table of Contents- The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Declaration of policy.
Sec. 3. Expiration of congressional authorization for use of military
force against Iraq.
Sec. 4. Prohibition on use of funds to establish or maintain permanent
United States military presence in Iraq.
Sec. 5. Preparation and submission of United States exit strategy from
Iraq and subsequent United States role in Iraq.
Sec. 6. Assistance for employment programs and democracy, governance,
and related programs in Iraq.
Sec. 7. Presidential Special Envoys for Iraq Regional Security.
Sec. 9. Sense of Congress.
SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY.
Congress declares that it is the policy of the United States--
(1) to enhance the national security of the United States by pursuing
a strategy that restores United States military readiness, promotes success
in the Global War on Terrorism, and contributes to peace and stability
in Iraq and the greater Middle East region;
(2) to begin withdrawing United States Armed Forces from Iraq and to complete
the withdrawal in an orderly manner and at the earliest practicable date,
relinquishing to the Government of Iraq full responsibility for maintaining
security and public safety;
(3) to recognize the elected Government of Iraq as the legitimate government
of a fully sovereign country and encourage it to take greater responsibility
over its natural resources, security, and public safety within its borders;
(4) to support reconstruction efforts by the Government of Iraq and to
help involve the international community in those and other stabilization
efforts;
(5) to promote national reconciliation in Iraq, including constitutional
revisions to assure the participation of all Iraqis in the Government
of Iraq, equitable sharing of oil revenues, integration of former Baathists
into the national life of Iraq, dismantling of sectarian militias, and
a dialogue among sectarian communities on the future of Iraq;
(6) to provide diplomatic and political support to the Government of Iraq
to achieve stability and an enduring democracy;
(7) to transfer to Iraqi Security Forces all bases now controlled by United
States Armed Forces, and to maintain no permanent bases or other long-term
United States military presence in Iraq;
(8) to fully support the total control and authority over Iraq's oil assets
by the sovereign Government of Iraq; and
(9) to vigorously prosecute a war on terrorist organizations and networks
around the world through an integrated, comprehensive, and global strategy.
SEC. 3. EXPIRATION OF CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY
FORCE AGAINST IRAQ.
(a) Findings- Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The sole authority for combat operations by the United States Armed
Forces in Iraq is the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against
Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note).
(2) In Public Law 107-243, Congress authorized the use of the Armed Forces
as `necessary and appropriate' to `defend the national security of the
United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq,' and to `enforce
all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq'.
(3) Original missions assigned to the Armed Forces in accordance with
Public Law 107-243--to identify and destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction
capabilities, prevent Iraqi Government support for international terrorism,
and end the authoritarian rule of Saddam Hussein--are no longer operative,
and on December 6, 2006, the Iraq Study Group concluded that `sectarian
violence is now the principle challenge to stability in Iraq'.
(4) If the authority to use the Armed Forces as provided under Public
Law 107-243 is terminated, the President does not have authority to continue
combat operations in Iraq without specific authorization by Congress in
law.
(b) Expiration- The authority for the President to use the Armed Forces
as provided by Public Law 107-243 expires on December 31, 2007.
(c) Rule of Construction- No provision of law, other than Public Law 107-243,
shall be construed as providing authority for combat operations in Iraq.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN PERMANENT
UNITED STATES MILITARY PRESENCE IN IRAQ.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds appropriated or otherwise
made available under any provision of law may not be obligated or expended
for the purpose of establishing or maintaining a permanent United States
military presence in Iraq through the establishment or use of military installations
or facilities in Iraq intended to be under the exclusive control of the
Armed Forces rather than under the control of the Government of Iraq.
SEC. 5. PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF UNITED STATES EXIT STRATEGY FROM
IRAQ AND SUBSEQUENT UNITED STATES ROLE IN IRAQ.
(a) Strategy Required- No later than 30 days after the enactment of this
act, the President shall submit to Congress a report outlining a strategy
to bring combat operations by the United States Armed Forces in Iraq to
an end.
(b) Content of Strategy- The strategy required by this section shall include
the following elements:
(1) A plan for phasing out the number of members of the Armed Forces in
Iraq so that the use of military force, as authorized by the Authorization
for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law
107-243; 50 U.S.C. 1541 note), ends no later than December 31, 2007.
(2) A description of the timetable for withdrawing the Armed Forces from
Iraq, including a date for the initial withdrawal of the Armed Forces
and specific objectives for additional troop reductions before December
31, 2007.
(3) A description of the remaining mission of the Armed Forces in Iraq,
including an enumeration of the goals and objectives of that mission and
a strategy for achieving these goals and objectives.
(4) An assessment of any need for a military mission to begin after December
31, 2007, except that any such mission shall only be advisory in nature
and shall exclude combat operations by Armed Forces personnel.
(5) An assessment of the need to maintain one or more units of the Armed
Forces in the region as a regional counterterrorism strike force to rapidly
respond to terrorism threats against the United States and its interests.
(6) A plan for turning over authority for all remaining security and government
operations in Iraq to the Government of Iraq.
(7) An assessment of remaining needs for the training and fielding of
the Iraqi Security Forces.
(8) An assessment of remaining reconstruction needs in Iraq.
SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE FOR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS AND DEMOCRACY, GOVERNANCE,
AND RELATED PROGRAMS IN IRAQ.
(a) Assistance for Employment Programs-
(1) ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED- Subject to paragraph (2), the President is
authorized to provide assistance for projects designed to provide employment
opportunities for the people of Iraq. Projects funded under this subsection
shall be carried out on an equitable basis in all regions of Iraq, as
appropriate.
(2) CERTIFICATION- Assistance may be provided under paragraph (1) only
if the President certifies to Congress that the Government of Iraq has
successfully concluded an agreement that will allow for the peaceful sharing
of power and resources among major ethnic and sectarian factions in Iraq.
(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- To carry out this subsection, there
are authorized to be appropriated to the President $2,000,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010.
(b) Assistance for Democracy, Governance, and Related Programs-
(1) ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED- The President is authorized to provide assistance
to strengthen democracy, governance, human rights, the rule of law, and
religious freedom in Iraq.
(2) REQUIREMENT- To the maximum extent practicable, not less than 50 percent
of amounts made available to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year
shall be expended to support the development of democratic institutions
at the local and provincial levels in Iraq.
(3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- To carry out this subsection, there
are authorized to be appropriated to the President $300,000,000 for each
of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010.
SEC. 7. PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL ENVOYS FOR IRAQ REGIONAL SECURITY.
(a) Appointment of Special Envoys- Not later than 15 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the President shall appoint two Presidential
Special Envoys for Iraq Regional Security.
(b) Duties- The Presidential Special Envoys appointed pursuant to subsection
(a) shall have the following duties:
(1) Enter into discussions with the Government of Iraq and governments
of neighboring countries to support Iraq's efforts to achieve peace and
stability and to take necessary actions to prevent regional instability.
(2) Organize and obtain commitments to participate in a regional conference
on Iraq's future, to include representatives of the Government of the
United States, the Government of Iraq, the United Nations, the League
of Arab States, the European Union, and the governments of neighboring
countries, including, at minimum, the Governments of Egypt, Iran, Jordan,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey.
(3) Organize an Iraq Support Group, consisting of representatives of the
entities described in paragraph (2), to coordinate regional and international
policy in support of Iraq's efforts to achieve peace and stability.
(4) Work with officials of the Government of Iraq and other domestic stakeholders
to organize a forum for negotiations on national reconciliation.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations- To carry out this section, there is
authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year
2008.
SEC. 8. REPORT.
(a) Report Required- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on the following:
(1) The efforts of the United States to promote regional dialogue on Iraq's
future, including efforts by the Presidential Special Envoys for Iraq
Regional Security to carry out the duties specified in section 7(b) of
this Act.
(2) The status of pledges of financial assistance for the relief and reconstruction
of Iraq made by members of the international community at the Madrid International
Conference on Reconstruction in Iraq and other international conferences
for the relief and reconstruction of Iraq since March 2003.
(3) The efforts of the United States to encourage other countries and
international institutions to fulfill the pledges of financial assistance
described in paragraph (2).
(b) Definition- In this section, the term `appropriate congressional committees'
means--
(1) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services,
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives;
and
(2) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services,
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
SEC. 9. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the Government of the United States should
redeploy such diplomatic, political, and military assets as are necessary--
(1) to complete Operation Enduring Freedom, including to defeat remaining
Taliban and al Qaeda forces threatening the stability of Afghanistan;
and
(2) to support efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and deny terrorists
haven in other regions of the world in which terrorist organizations threaten
the interests of the United States.
END
