II 110th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 2880 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 17, 2008 Mr. Gregg introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To provide that funds made available for reconstruction assistance for Iraq may be made available only to the extent that the Government of Iraq matches such assistance on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Iraq Responsibility Act.

2.

Matching requirement

(a)

Requirement

Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as provided in subsection (b), funds appropriated or otherwise made available by an Act making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for fiscal year 2009, 2010, or 2011 and available for assistance for Iraq shall be made available only to the extent that the Government of Iraq matches such assistance on a dollar-for-dollar basis. (b)

Exception

The matching requirement under subsection (a) does not apply to funds made available for— (1)grants and cooperative agreements for programs to promote democracy and human rights; (2)humanitarian demining; or (3)assistance for refugees and internally displaced persons.

3.

Certification and vetting

(a)

Certification

(1)

Certification prior to obligation of funds

The Secretary of State shall certify to the appropriate congressional committees before the initial obligation of any funds described under section 2(a) that the Government of Iraq has matched and obligated such funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The certification shall include a report describing the amounts obligated by the Government of Iraq for all programs funded through such assistance. (2)

Annual reports on compliance with matching requirement

Not later than September 30, 2009, and annually thereafter until September 30, 2012, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees detailing the obligation and expenditure of funds by the Government of Iraq in accordance with section 2. (b)

Vetting

Before the initial obligation of any funds described under section 2(a), the Secretary of State shall, in consultation with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies, take all appropriate steps to ensure that such funds are not provided to or through any individual, private or government entity, or education institution that the Secretary knows or has reason to believe advocates, plans, sponsors, or engages in, terrorist activities. (c)

Appropriate congressional committees defined

In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.