[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1460 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1460

   To commend the members of the United States Armed Forces on their 
performance and bravery in Iraq, to repeal the Authorization for Use of 
Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (Public Law 107-243), to require 
 the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress a plan for the phased 
 redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq, to establish a 
  Coordinator for Iraq Stabilization, and to place conditions on the 
obligation of funds to the Government of Iraq based on the achievement 
        of benchmarks established by Iraq and the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 2007

 Mrs. Tauscher (for herself, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Harman, Mr. 
Davis of Alabama, and Mr. Crowley) 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 commend the members of the United States Armed Forces on their 
performance and bravery in Iraq, to repeal the Authorization for Use of 
Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (Public Law 107-243), to require 
 the Secretary of Defense to submit to Congress a plan for the phased 
 redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq, to establish a 
  Coordinator for Iraq Stabilization, and to place conditions on the 
obligation of funds to the Government of Iraq based on the achievement 
        of benchmarks established by Iraq and the United States.

    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 ``Change the Course in Iraq Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) members of the United States Armed Forces have shown 
        great valor and courage in Iraq in the performance of their 
        duties; and
            (2) the sacrifice of the members of the Armed Forces and 
        the sacrifice of their families are recognized and appreciated.

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF PUBLIC LAW 107-243.

    The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution 
of 2002 (Public Law 107-243) is hereby repealed.

SEC. 4. REDEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM IRAQ.

    (a) Plan Required.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
congressional defense committees a plan for the phased redeployment of 
United States Armed Forces from Iraq.
    (b) Requirements.--The plan required by subsection (a) shall limit 
the presence of the Armed Forces in Iraq to the following missions:
            (1) Defeating Al-Qaeda and other foreign terrorists.
            (2) Training Iraqi security forces.
            (3) Protecting United States forces.

SEC. 5. DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVE FOR STABILITY IN IRAQ AND THE REGION.

    It is the sense of Congress that the United States should increase 
its diplomatic efforts with the Government of Iraq to help stabilize 
Iraq and the region.

SEC. 6. COORDINATOR FOR IRAQ STABILIZATION.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the President shall appoint a Coordinator for 
Iraq Stabilization (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
``Coordinator'').
    (b) Duties.--The Coordinator shall have a robust mandate to develop 
and coordinate United States initiatives with respect to Iraq, and 
shall report regularly to the President and the Secretary of State.
    (c) Statement of Policy.--In carrying out the duties specified in 
subsection (b), Congress strongly urges the Coordinator to pursue 
efforts with the Government of Iraq to include the following:
            (1) Supporting the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.
            (2) Preventing destabilizing actions and interventions by 
        Iraq's neighbors.
            (3) Securing Iraq's borders, including the use of joint 
        patrols with neighboring countries.
            (4) Preventing the expansion of the instability and 
        conflict beyond Iraq's borders.
            (5) Promoting economic assistance, commerce, trade, 
        political support, and if possible, military assistance for the 
        Iraqi Government from non-neighboring Muslim nations.
            (6) Energizing countries to support national political 
        reconciliation in Iraq.
            (7) Validating Iraq's legitimacy by resuming diplomatic 
        relations, where appropriate, and reestablishing embassies in 
        Baghdad.
            (8) Assisting Iraq in establishing active working embassies 
        in key capitals in the region.
            (9) Helping Iraq reach a mutually acceptable agreement on 
        Kirkuk.
            (10) Assisting the Iraqi Government in achieving certain 
        security, political, and economic milestones, including 
        national reconciliation, equitable distribution of oil 
        revenues, and the dismantling of militias.
            (11) Supporting the holding of a conference or meeting in 
        Baghdad of the League of Arab League States or the Organization 
        of the Islamic Conference both to assist the Iraqi Government 
        in promoting national reconciliation in Iraq and to reestablish 
        the diplomatic presence of such organizations in Iraq.
            (12) Creating an Iraq International Support Group 
        consisting of all countries that border Iraq as well as other 
        key countries in the region and the world. The five permanent 
        members of the United Nations Security Council and the European 
        Union should also be members. The Support Group should develop 
        specific approaches to neighboring countries to take into 
        account the interests, perspectives, and potential 
        contributions such countries can make.

SEC. 7. LIMITATION ON ASSISTANCE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ.

    (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Iraq Study Group Report advised, ``Sustained 
        increases in U.S. troop levels would not solve the fundamental 
        cause of violence in Iraq, which is the absence of national 
        reconciliation . . . Past experience indicates that the 
        violence would simply rekindle as soon as U.S. forces are 
        moved.''.
            (2) The goal of United States policy in Iraq, as stated by 
        President George W. Bush, is an Iraq that can ``govern itself, 
        sustain itself, and defend itself''.
            (3) In accordance with Recommendation 21 of the Iraq Study 
        Group Report, if the Iraqi Government does not make substantial 
        progress toward the achievement of milestones on national 
        reconciliation, security, and governance, the United States 
        should reduce its political, military, or economic support for 
        the Iraqi Government. There must be consequences if Iraq does 
        not perform.
            (4) In a November 2006 Department of Defense report to 
        Congress regarding the status of security in Iraq, 91 of 118 
        battalions, 30 of 36 brigades, and six of ten divisions were in 
        the lead when conducting operations, with the United States in 
        supporting roles. The Iraqi Ground Forces Command had command 
        and control of two of the ten Iraqi Army divisions and only two 
        of Iraq's 18 provinces were in Provincial Iraqi Control, 
        operating independently of Coalition forces. Thus, there is an 
        urgent, near-term need for putting a time-table on when Iraqi 
        forces need to be trained, equipped, and in the lead of 
        security operations, tied to conditional funding, which may 
        give the Iraqi Government the incentive it needs to take 
        control of its security.
            (5) The Iraq Study Group's recommendations for Iraq's goals 
        for national reconciliation, security, and governance include--
                    (A) the reintegration of Baathists and Arab 
                nationalists into the government;
                    (B) disarming, demobilizing, and reintegrating 
                militia members into civilian society;
                    (C) the accruing of oil revenues to the central 
                government to be shared on the basis of population; and
                    (D) amending the Iraq Constitution.
            (6) The Iraq Study Group estimated the United States has 
        appropriated $34 billion to support the reconstruction of Iraq, 
        of which $21 billion has been appropriated for the Iraq Relief 
        and Reconstruction Fund.
            (7) As part of the comprehensive strategy supported by the 
        Iraq Study Group, the United States should embark on a ``robust 
        diplomatic effort to establish an international support 
        structure intended to stabilize Iraq and ease tensions in other 
        countries of the region''.
            (8) In his address to the Nation on the Iraq War on January 
        10, 2007, President Bush stated America would hold the 
        Government of Iraq to the benchmarks it has announced--the 
        Iraqi Government plans to take responsibility for security in 
        all of Iraq's provinces by November 2007, Iraq will pass 
        legislation to share oil revenues among all Iraqis, the Iraqi 
        Government will spend $10 billion of its own money on 
        reconstruction and infrastructure projects that will create new 
        jobs, Iraqis plan to hold provincial elections later in 2007, 
        and the Iraqi Government will reform de-Baathification laws and 
        establish a fair process for considering amendments to the Iraq 
        Constitution.
            (9) In the State of the Union Address on January 23, 2007, 
        President Bush stated ``Iraq's leaders know that our commitment 
        is not open-ended. They have promised to deploy more of their 
        own troops to secure Baghdad, and they must do so. They have 
        pledged that they will confront violent radicals of any faction 
        or political party. And they need to follow through and lift 
        needless restrictions on Iraqi and coalition forces, so these 
        troops can achieve their mission of bringing security to all of 
        the people of Baghdad. Iraq's leaders have committed themselves 
        to a series of benchmarks to achieve reconciliation--to share 
        oil revenues among all of Iraq's citizens, to put the wealth of 
        Iraq into the rebuilding of Iraq, to allow more Iraqis to re-
        enter their nation's civic life, to hold local elections, and 
        to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province.''.
    (b) Limitation on Assistance.--
            (1) In general.--Beginning on December 31, 2007, assistance 
        described in paragraph (2) may be provided to the Government of 
        Iraq only if the President certifies to the congressional 
        defense committees that--
                    (A) the Iraqi Government has approved laws to--
                            (i) reintegrate Baathists and Arab 
                        nationalists into the government;
                            (ii) disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate 
                        militia members into civilian society; and
                            (iii) provide for the accruing of oil 
                        revenues to the central government to be shared 
                        on the basis of population;
                    (B) the Iraqi Government has amended the Iraq 
                Constitution as appropriate to guarantee the rights of 
                all Iraqi citizens;
                    (C) the Iraqi Government is making significant 
                progress to control its security forces, including 
                significant progress to ensure that the security forces 
                are able to take the lead in security operations; and
                    (D) each of Iraq's provinces is under the control 
                of provincial Iraqi governmental authorities.
            (2) Assistance described.--Assistance referred to in 
        paragraph (1) is assistance provided under any provision of law 
        for the Iraqi security forces or for the relief and 
        reconstruction of Iraq.

SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) Armed forces.--The term ``Armed Forces'' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United 
        States Code.
            (2) Congressional defense committees.--The term 
        ``congressional defense committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Armed Services and the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
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