[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 15 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. J. RES. 15

                To revise United States policy on Iraq.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 25, 2007

  Mr. Biden introduced the following joint resolution; which was read 
        twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
                To revise United States policy on Iraq.

Whereas in October 2002, Congress approved, and the President signed into law, 
        the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 
        2002 (Public Law 107-243);
Whereas the preamble of Public Law 107-243 sets forth the threats to the 
        national security of the United States that required the authorization 
        for the use of force, and those threats were the Iraqi regime led by 
        Saddam Hussein, its weapons of mass destruction programs, its past 
        record of using chemical weapons, and its record of harboring and 
        supporting international terrorist organizations;
Whereas Saddam Hussein has been executed after conviction for committing crimes 
        against humanity, United States intelligence and military units have not 
        discovered weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and thorough reviews by 
        the Iraq Survey Group and the Special Advisor to the Director of Central 
        Intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction concluded that Iraq 
        did not have any active weapons of mass destruction programs in the 
        final years of the Saddam Hussein regime;
Whereas with the removal of the Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein, the 
        determination that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, 
        and the establishment of a democratic constitution and a freely-elected 
        government in Iraq, the United States objectives set forth in Public Law 
        107-243 are no longer relevant to the current situation;
Whereas sectarian violence is the primary cause of instability in Iraq;
Whereas, Iraqis must reach a comprehensive and sustainable political settlement 
        in order to achieve stability, and the failure of the Iraqis to reach 
        such a settlement is a primary cause of increasing violence in Iraq; and
Whereas the responsibility for halting sectarian violence in Iraq must rest 
        primarily with the Government of Iraq and Iraqi security forces, and not 
        United States Armed Forces: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This joint resolution may be cited as the ``United States Policy in 
Iraq Resolution of 2007''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this joint resolution to repeal the 
authorization for the use of force provided in 2002, to transition 
United States Armed Forces in Iraq to a more limited mission, and to 
secure the phased redeployment from Iraq of such forces not essential 
to that new mission.

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF 2002 RESOLUTION.

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

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION FOR THE USE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES.

    (a) Authorization.--The President is authorized to continue 
participation by United States Armed Forces in Multi-National Force--
Iraq, or as part of a successor force, for the purposes of--
            (1) protecting United States and coalition personnel and 
        infrastructure;
            (2) training, equipping, and providing logistical support 
        to Iraqi Security Forces;
            (3) conducting targeted counter-terrorism operations; and
            (4) assisting the Government of Iraq to maintain the 
        security of its international borders.
    (b) Transition of Mission.--The President shall promptly transition 
the mission of United States forces in Iraq from the mission authorized 
by section 3(a) of the Authorization for Use of Military Force 
Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243) to the limited purposes set 
forth in subsection (a).
    (c) Commencement of Phased Redeployment From Iraq.--The President 
shall commence the phased redeployment of United States forces from 
Iraq not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this joint 
resolution, with the goal of redeploying, by March 31, 2008, all United 
States combat forces from Iraq except for those essential for the 
limited purposes set forth in subsection (a).
    (d) War Powers Resolution Requirements.--
            (1) Specific statutory authorization.--Consistent with 
        section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress 
        declares that this section is intended to constitute specific 
        statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of 
        the War Powers Resolution.
            (2) Applicability of other requirements.--Nothing in this 
        joint resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers 
        Resolution.

SEC. 5. CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this joint resolution shall be construed to--
     (a) limit measures necessary to provide for the safety and 
security of the Multi-National Force--Iraq, including United States 
Armed Forces; or
    (b) authorize offensive combat activities by United States Armed 
Forces in Iran, Syria, or any other state in the Middle East region.

SEC. 6. REPORT.

    The President shall submit to Congress not later than 90 days after 
enactment of this joint resolution, and every 90 days thereafter, a 
report outlining the activities of the United States Armed Forces 
pursuant to this joint resolution, and on the progress that has been 
made in training the security forces of Iraq and promoting a 
sustainable political settlement.

SEC. 7. DURATION OF AUTHORIZATION.

    The authorization under Section 4(a) shall expire on the date that 
is 12 months after the date of enactment of this joint resolution, 
unless Congress extends such authorization.
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