110 HR 3695 IH: Freeze Private Contractors in Iraq U.S. House of Representatives 2007-09-27 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3695 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 27, 2007 Mr. Hall of New York (for himself, Ms. Hooley, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Bishop of New York, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. Hinchey) 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 prohibit an increase in the number of private security contractors performing security functions with respect to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Freeze Private Contractors in Iraq Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives found in a hearing on February 7, 2007 that private security contractors operating in Iraq had cost the Federal Government almost $4,000,000,000. (2)In an April 2007 report, the Government Accountability Office found that military commanders and contract oversight personnel do not receive sufficient training to effectively manage contracts and contractors in Iraq. (3)Tens of thousands of foreign private security contractors, many heavily armed, are working in Iraq and are extremely unpopular among Iraqis. (4)During the course of its military involvement in Iraq, the United States has for the first time in its history depended on contractors to provide extensive security in a hostile environment. (5)The extensive use of contractors in Iraq has made it difficult to conduct proper oversight and has significantly increased the risk of fraud, abuse, and preventable acts of violence, and has outsourced protecting Americans in Iraq to private companies.

3.

Prohibition on increasing the number of private security contractors in Iraq

A covered agency may not enter into a covered contract if the award of the contract would result in an increase in the number of personnel performing security functions with respect to Operation Iraqi Freedom under covered contracts with that agency greater than the number of personnel performing such functions under such contracts with that agency on September 1, 2007.

4.

Definitions

In this Act: (1)

Covered contract

The term covered contract means— (A)a prime contract awarded by an agency, if the work to be performed under the contract includes security functions; (B)a subcontract at any tier under any prime contract awarded by an agency, if the work to be performed under the subcontract includes security functions; or (C)a task order issued under a task or delivery order contract entered into by an agency, if the work to be performed under the task order includes security functions. (2)

Security functions

The term security functions, with respect to activities carried out under a contract in a theater in which the United States is engaged in a contingency operation, means— (A)any activities for which personnel are allowed to carry weapons in the performance of the contract; (B)the performance of— (i)convoy security; (ii)guarding vital facilities and personnel; or (iii)tactical security work; or (C)any other activity in support of the contingency operation, as determined by the theater security contract coordinating officer. (3)

Covered agency

The term covered agency means any of the following: (A)The Department of State. (B)The Department of Defense. (C)The United States Agency for International Development. (4)

Contingency operation

The term contingency operation has the meaning given the term in section 101(13) of title 10, United States Code.