[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5630 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5630
To enhance congressional oversight by requiring the President to
transmit periodically to Congress a consolidated, comprehensive report
on the implementation of the National Strategy for Victory in Iraq.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 15, 2006
Ms. Bordallo introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations, 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 enhance congressional oversight by requiring the President to
transmit periodically to Congress a consolidated, comprehensive report
on the implementation of the National Strategy for Victory in Iraq.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Iraq Congressional Oversight
Enhancement Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On October 16, 2002, the Authorization for Use of
Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-
243) was enacted into law.
(2) On March 19, 2003, the President, pursuant to the
authorities provided to the President by Public Law 107-243,
committed United States Armed Forces to combat operations in
Iraq.
(3) On April 9, 2003, Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist regime
fell to Coalition Forces.
(4) On April 16, 2003, the Emergency Wartime Supplemental
Appropriations Act, 2003 (Public Law 108-11) was enacted into
law, which included $2,500,000,000 for the relief and
reconstruction of Iraq.
(5) On May 12, 2003, the Coalition Provisional Authority
(CPA) subsumed the Organization for Reconstruction and
Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), and citing United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1483 (2003) and the laws of war,
vested itself with executive, legislative, and judicial
authority over the Iraqi government until such time as the
Iraqi government gained its sovereignty.
(6) On November 6, 2003, the Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Act for Defense and for the Reconstruction of
Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004 (Public Law 108-106) was enacted
into law, which included an additional $18,400,000,000 for the
relief and reconstruction of Iraq.
(7) On June 28, 2004, the new Iraqi government gained its
sovereignty.
(8) On January 30, 2005, the Iraqi people successfully
elected their first interim National Assembly.
(9) On March 16, 2005, the 275-member interim Iraqi
National Assembly convened to appoint an interim national
government and to begin the drafting of a constitution.
(10) On September 18, 2005, the interim Iraqi National
Assembly completed negotiations on the draft constitution.
(11) On October 15, 2005, the Iraqi people approved the
draft constitution by a national referendum.
(12) On November 30, 2005, the President, through the
National Security Council, issued the National Strategy for
Victory in Iraq.
(13) On December 15, 2005, the people of Iraq voted to
elect the first permanent National Assembly in accordance with
the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq.
(14) On March 16, 2006, the newly-elected National Assembly
convened for their first session.
(15) On May 20, 2006, the Iraqi Prime Minister-designee
named a cabinet, except for the posts of Minister of Defense
and Minister of Interior, and the Prime Minister-designee and
the cabinet received a vote of confidence from the National
Assembly.
(16) On June 7, 2006, Iraq's National Assembly approved the
individuals that the Iraqi Prime Minister nominated for
Minister of Defense, Minister of Interior, and National
Security Advisor, completing the formation of Iraq's first
permanent democratic government.
SEC. 3. STATEMENTS OF POLICY.
Congress makes the following statements of policy:
(1) Congress remains supportive of and inspired by the
service and sacrifice made by and dedication and commitment to
a democratic, stable, and prosperous Iraq displayed by members
of the United States Armed Forces and civilian personnel in
Iraq and by personnel serving world-wide in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom.
(2) Congress remains supportive of and inspired by the
service and sacrifice made by and dedication and commitment to
a democratic, stable, and prosperous Iraq displayed by the
military and civilian personnel of Coalition countries serving
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Iraqi patriots
working toward a better future for their country and the
children of Iraq.
(3) Congress recognizes the complex and interdependent
nature of the challenges associated with the political,
security, infrastructure, and economic development of and
governance capacity building at and between the national,
national capital city, regional, provincial, provincial capital
city, and strategic municipal levels of government within Iraq.
(4) Congress recognizes the achievements to date made by
the United States Armed Forces, Coalition Forces, Iraqi
Security Forces, and civilian personnel toward the political,
security, infrastructure, and economic development of Iraq.
(5) Congress recognizes the issuance of the President's
National Strategy for Victory in Iraq on November 30, 2005.
(6) Congress supports the formation of a democratic,
pluralistic, federal, and united Government of Iraq.
(7) Congress urges elected Iraqis to maintain their
commitment to and preserve a national unity government.
(8) Congress remains deeply concerned about insurgent
attacks and threats against United States Armed Forces,
Coalition Forces, Iraqi Security Forces, and civilians in Iraq.
(9) Congress is concerned about the increase of ethnic and
sectarian violence in Iraq following the February 22, 2006,
bombing of the Askariya mosque in Samarra, Iraq, and about
continued ethnic and sectarian tensions across Iraq and within
its cities.
(10) Congress is concerned about the increasing power that
unauthorized politically-aligned militias wield in Iraq, their
destabilizing effect on security in Iraq, and the challenges
they present to the development of professional Iraqi Security
Forces.
(11) Congress urges the Government of Iraq to continue to
pursue policies to promote the development of--
(A) a market-based economy in Iraq that increases
private-sector employment opportunities for Iraqi
workers;
(B) private-sector investment opportunities for
domestic and international investors; and
(C) a government budget process that reflects an
appropriate level of investment in the development of
and the continued operations and maintenance for Iraq's
national infrastructure.
(12) Congress notes that the National Strategy for Victory
in Iraq is not specific regarding vital measures or other
benchmarks in Iraq's political, security, infrastructure, and
economic development that need to be met to signal to Congress
and the American people that victory in Iraq has been achieved
and the majority of United States Armed Forces currently
deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom can be redeployed to their
peacetime duty stations.
(13) Congress notes the findings of the reports pursuant to
the section entitled ``Measuring Stability and Security in
Iraq'' of House Conference Report 109-72 accompanying H.R.
1268, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense,
the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Public Law
109-13), submitted by the Secretary of Defense (in consultation
with other appropriate members of the National Security
Council) to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the
Majority Leader of the Senate, and the congressional defense
committees that identifies security, economic, and Iraqi
Security Force training performance standards and goals,
accompanied by a notional timetable for achieving these goals.
(14) Congress notes the report submitted pursuant to the
United States Policy in Iraq Act (section 1227 of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-
163); 119 Stat. 3465-3467), and the current military mission
and the diplomatic, political, economic, and military measures
that are being or have been undertaken to successfully complete
or support that mission.
(15) Congress reaffirms the findings of the section
entitled ``Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq'' of House
Conference Report 109-72 and of section 1227 of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, and notes the
advantages of consolidating various reports into a single
report, from the President, that reflects the requirements of
both laws referenced in paragraphs (13) and (14) and that
includes the requirements of section 4 of this Act.
(16) Congress is concerned that the reports submitted to
Congress pursuant to the section entitled ``Measuring Stability
and Security in Iraq'' of House Conference Report 109-72 and of
section 1227 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2006, do not provide sufficient content,
information, data, and analysis for Congress to comprehensively
evaluate the mission in Iraq.
(17) Congress urges that the reports transmitted pursuant
to section 4 of this Act be organized and written to provide
content, information, data, and analysis on the mission in Iraq
as it pertains to the political, security, infrastructure, and
economic development of and governance capacity building at and
between the national, national capital city, regional,
provincial, provincial capital city, and strategic municipal
levels of government within Iraq.
(18) It is the duty of Congress under Article I, Section 8
of the United States Constitution to ``raise and support
Armies,'' and that by requiring the President to report to
Congress on Operation Iraqi Freedom, Congress is better able to
carry out this constitutional duty.
SEC. 4. REPORT.
(a) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the President shall, in accordance with, in support of,
and to more clearly define the National Strategy for Victory in Iraq,
transmit to Congress a report that--
(1) consolidates the requirements of the section entitled
``Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq'' of House
Conference Report 109-72 accompanying H.R. 1268, Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on
Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005 (Public Law 109-13) and the
United States Policy in Iraq Act (section 1227 of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Public Law 109-
163); 119 Stat. 3465-3467) by containing the information
required to be submitted to Congress pursuant to the
requirements of such provisions of law;
(2) identifies the specific or vital measures or other
benchmarks that define the terms of completion of and
conditions for victory for Operation Iraqi Freedom and their
correlation with the strategic objectives and lines of action
outlined in the appendix of the National Strategy for Victory
in Iraq;
(3) describes the nature and substance of the programs
implemented to achieve such strategic objectives and lines of
action; and
(4) analyzes using metrics the effectiveness of such
programs toward achieving the specific vital measures or other
benchmarks required to be identified by paragraph (2).
(b) Update.--
(1) In general.--The President shall transmit to Congress
an update of the report required by subsection (a) not less
than once every 120 days after the date on which the President
transmits the report required by such subsection until such
time as Operation Iraqi Freedom has been completed.
(2) Contents.--Each update of the report--
(A) may reflect adjustments to the specific or
vital measures or other benchmarks identified pursuant
to subsection (a)(2), or to the nature or substance of
the programs described in subsection (a)(3), as
realties, circumstances, and events in Iraq change or
evolve; and
(B) shall include detailed justifications as to why
adjustments to such specific or vital measures or other
benchmarks, or to the nature or substance of such
programs, were made.
(c) Additional Requirements.--The report required by subsection (a)
and updates of the report required by subsection (b) shall be--
(1) organized and written to provide content, data,
information, and analysis on the complex interdependent nature
of the challenges associated with the political, security,
infrastructure, and economic development of and governance
capacity building at and between the national, national capital
city, regional, provincial, provincial capital city, and
strategic municipal levels of government within Iraq; and
(2) accompanied by a comprehensive all-source intelligence
analysis of Iraq that includes information by and from the
national, national capital city, regional, provincial,
provincial capital city, and strategic municipal levels of
government within Iraq.
(d) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) and updates of the
report required by subsection (b) shall be transmitted in unclassified
form but may contain a classified annex.
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