II 110th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 308 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 16, 2007 Mr. Dodd introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To prohibit an escalation in United States military forces in Iraq without prior authorization by Congress.

1.

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)On October 10, 2002, Congress adopted House Joint Resolution 114 (107th Congress), the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, at the request of the President. (2)On October 16, 2002, House Joint Resolution 114 (107th Congress) was signed into law by President George W. Bush as Public Law 107–243. (3)On March 19, 2003, United States forces entered Iraq to carry out Operation Iraqi Freedom. (4)Congress honors the valor and sacrifice of United States forces in Iraq and will always endeavor to ensure that there are sufficient resources made available to support them while they are there. (5)On March 22, 2003, President George W. Bush stated in a radio address that the objective of Operation Iraqi Freedom was to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism, and to free the Iraqi people. (6)On April 19, 2003, the government of Saddam Hussein in Iraq was deposed. (7)On December 15, 2005, Iraq held democratic elections to select a new government pursuant to a constitution endorsed in a referendum conducted on October 15, 2005. (8)On February 22, 2006, insurgents attacked the Askariya Shrine in Samarra, Iraq, an event that ignited a wave of sectarian violence that has escalated over the ensuing months and resulted in the deaths of more than 16,000 Iraqis during 2006. (9)On May 21, 2006, the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki took office in Iraq. (10)Efforts by Iraqi and United States forces in the summer and autumn of 2006, Operation Together Forward and Operation Together Forward II, have failed to halt sectarian conflict in the Baghdad area of Iraq. (11)On October 5, 2006, Senator John Warner, a coauthor of House Joint Resolution 114 (107th Congress), stated that the resolution (H.J. Res. 114) in my judgment was drawn up at a time when none of us, from the President on down, could ever envision the seriousness of this situation now, in terms of sectarian violence, and—and I underline—just the possibility of a civil war.. He further stated that therefore it seems to me Congress should focus on a dramatic change if our troops are to be employed in that type of combat. We would have to go back and focus on what we have done and determine whether or not we have to do anything further to support the President. (12)On December 6, 2006, the Iraq Study Group made 79 recommendations to address the ongoing conflict in Iraq. Among the most important of the recommendations is a call for new and enhanced diplomatic and political efforts in Iraq and the region, and a change in the primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq that will enable the United States to begin to move its combat forces out of Iraq responsibly.

2.

Prohibition on escalation of United States military forces in Iraq without prior authorization by Congress

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the levels of United States military forces in Iraq may not exceed the levels of such forces in Iraq as of January 16, 2007, without specific authority in statute enacted by Congress after the date of the enactment of this Act.