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Week Ending July 13, 2006

H.R.2956 To require the Secretary of Defense to commence the reduction of the number of United States Armed Forces in Iraq to a limited presence by April 1, 2008, and for other purposes.

The bill provides that it is the Sense of Congress that the 2002 Public Law (107-243) authorized the use of military force against Iraq authorized the President to use force as he determined necessary and appropriate to defend US national security against the threat posed by Iraq at that time, that the Iraq Government in power at the time has been removed from power, and that the current government is not a threat to the US or its interests. After four years of US effort, the Government of Iraq must now be responsible for Iraq’s future course.

That ‘Sense’ having been stated, the bill requires the Secretary of Defense to commence reduction of the number of Armed Forces in Iraq beginning no later than 120 days after this bill is enacted and that he shall complete the reduction and transition to a limited presence in Iraq by no later than April 1, 2008.

The bill requires that the reduction and transition be carried out in a safe and orderly manner with maximum attention paid to protection of the Armed Forces being redeployed.

The bill establishes a ‘Comprehensive US Strategy for Iraq that will include:

• A discussion of the US national security interests in Iraq and the broader Middle East region and the diplomatic, political, economic and military components of a comprehensive strategy to maintain and advance those interests as the Forces are being redeployed from Iraq,

• A justification of the minimum force levels required to protect the US national security interests in Iraq after April 1, 2008 including a description of the specific missions to be undertaken by the minimum Forces. The Justification shall include the projected number of Forces necessary to carry out the missions, the projected annual cost of the missions, and their expected duration.

• The President will address whether it is necessary for the Forces to carry out missions that: protect US diplomatic facilities and the US citizens and Forces carrying out other missions, serve in roles consistent with customary diplomatic positions, engage in actions to disrupt and eliminate al-Qaeda organizations and train and equip members of the Iraqi Security Forces.

• The Strategy will include specific plans for diplomatic initiatives to engage the US allies and other in the region to bring stability to Iraq.

The Strategy shall be updated no later that July 1, 2008 and every 90 days thereafter. The updates will include the number of Armed Forces deployed in Iraq and their missions

Sponsor:  Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO-4^th)

Vote: The bill passed 223 to 201 RC 624. The motion to recommit the bill with instructions fell to a point of order sustained by the Chair that it was not germane to the bill. The motion to table the Chair's ruling succeeded by a vote of 224 to 197 RC 623

The motion to recommit the bill required that the bill be returned to the committee with instructions to  insert a complete new text which includes Electronic Surveillance.

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

Earmark Certification:   Not applicable to this bill.

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MORE INFORMATION

It is the sense of Congress that--

(1) the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243), enacted into law on October 16, 2002, authorized the President to use the Armed Forces as the President determined necessary and appropriate in order to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by the Government of Iraq at that time;

(2) the Government of Iraq which was in power at the time the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 was enacted into law has been removed from power and its leader indicted, tried, convicted, and executed by the new freely-elected democratic Government of Iraq;

(3) the current Government of Iraq does not pose a threat to the United States or its interests; and

(4) after more than four years of valiant efforts by members of the Armed Forces and United States civilians, the Government of Iraq must now be responsible for Iraq's future course.

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No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.(TM)