[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 960 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 960

To enhance the national security interests of the United States both at 
home and abroad by setting a deliberate timetable for the redeployment 
 of United States Armed Forces from Iraq by December 31, 2007, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2007

Mr. Sestak (for himself, Ms. Shea-Porter, and Mr. Cohen) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, 
and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 the national security interests of the United States both at 
home and abroad by setting a deliberate timetable for the redeployment 
 of United States Armed Forces from Iraq by December 31, 2007, 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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing America's Security through 
Redeployment from Iraq Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The men and women of the United States Armed Forces 
        have performed brilliantly in Iraq and served the Nation 
        courageously.
            (2) The worsening situation in Iraq is a product of ongoing 
        sectarian violence in which the United States Armed Forces have 
        been asked to take sides and referee an ongoing civil war.
            (3) Sending more United States troops to Iraq, and 
        remaining there indefinitely, will only further increase the 
        dependence of the people of Iraq on the United States, both 
        politically and militarily, at a time when Iraqis should be 
        shouldering increased responsibility for their country.
            (4) The failure to confidently engage diplomatically with 
        all countries in the region, including Iran and Syria, has 
        foreclosed opportunities to further the stability of Iraq.
            (5) The loss of national treasure--with billions of dollars 
        in reconstruction aid unaccounted for, and billions of dollars 
        being spent for a conflict with elusive, ever-changing goals, 
        while United States ground forces are strained almost to the 
        breaking point--has negatively impacted United States military 
        readiness and hindered the ability of the United States to 
        focus on other security priorities both at home and abroad.
            (6) As a result, continuing in the current direction in 
        Iraq means less security and a greater strategic security risk 
        for the United States by diverting the attention and resources 
        needed to advance more significant United States security goals 
        in the Global War on Terror and to address regional challenges 
        from Afghanistan, North Korea, and Iran to the Western Pacific 
        and Middle East regions.
            (7) Maintaining a strong United States military presence in 
        the Middle East and Southwest Asia regions is necessary to 
        ensure the protection and advancement of United States and 
        allied interests.

SEC. 3. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY.

    Congress makes the following declarations of policy:
            (1) The United States must communicate unequivocally to the 
        political leaders in Iraq that they must take the difficult 
        political steps necessary to cease the sectarian violence in 
        Iraq, including building coalitions among competing sects, 
        ensuring minority rights, balancing power between provincial 
        and central governments, and sharing oil revenues among all 
        regions of Iraq.
            (2) The United States must create strong incentives for 
        countries in the region to engage constructively with Iraq.
            (3) The policy goals of paragraphs (1) and (2) cannot be 
        accomplished by continuing an open-ended United States military 
        commitment to Iraq. Rather, only by setting a deliberate 
        timetable for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces 
        from Iraq will the United States be able to ensure that the 
        political leaders of Iraq acknowledge and accept that they must 
        take the difficult political steps necessary to cease the 
        sectarian violence in Iraq, understanding that they would 
        otherwise bear the consequences of not assuming responsibility 
        for their country.

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

    (a) Redeployment Required.--
            (1) Requirement.--Except as provided in subsection (b), not 
        later than December 31, 2007, all United States Armed Forces 
        serving in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom shall be 
        redeployed outside of Iraq, to locations within the Middle East 
        or Southwest Asia regions or to other regions or nations, or 
        returned to the United States.
            (2) Purpose and pace of redeployment.--The redeployment 
        required by this subsection shall be carried out for purposes 
        of both enhancing the global security interests of the United 
        States and improving the military readiness of the United 
        States. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the 
        redeployment is carried out at deliberate, orderly pace that 
        allows for the full security of members of the Armed Forces.
    (b) Exceptions to Redeployment Requirement.--The redeployment 
required by subsection (a) shall not apply to the following:
            (1) Special operations forces.--Special operations forces 
        assigned outside of Iraq that conduct either targeted counter-
        terrorism operations or periodic support operations of the 
        Iraqi security forces in Iraq.
            (2) Military liaison teams.--Military or civilian personnel 
        on military liaison teams involved in military-to-military 
        contacts and comparable activities between the United States 
        and Iraq, as authorized under section 168 of title 10, United 
        States Code.
            (3) Air support.--Members of the Air Force, Navy, and 
        Marine Corps assigned to locations outside Iraq for purposes of 
        conducting air operations in Iraq (including air operations in 
        support of combat operations) to support the Iraqi security 
        forces.
            (4) Counter-terrorism operations.--Members of the Armed 
        Forces conducting targeted counter-terrorism operations in 
        Iraq.
            (5) Security for united states diplomatic missions in 
        iraq.--Members of the Armed Forces providing security for the 
        United States Embassy and other United States diplomatic 
        missions in Iraq.
            (6) Defense attache.--Personnel conducting routine 
        functions of the Office of Defense Attache.

SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS.

    Funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of 
Defense under any provision of law for Operation Iraqi Freedom may be 
obligated or expended after December 31, 2007, only for personnel 
described in and activities carried out pursuant to section 4(b).

SEC. 6. DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS BY THE UNITED STATES.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States should take a leadership role in 
        diplomatic efforts and negotiations necessary for countries in 
        the region, including Iran and Syria, to work together to 
        ensure the long-term stability of Iraq, which is in the best 
        interests of such countries and the United States; and
            (2) the United States should convene an international 
        conference to bring together countries throughout the world to 
        provide economic aid for rebuilding the infrastructure of Iraq 
        and other reconstruction efforts in Iraq that are essential to 
        ensure the long-term stability of Iraq.
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