[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 65 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 65

   To recognize the extraordinary performance of the Armed Forces in 
  achieving the military objectives of the United States in Iraq, to 
encourage the President to issue a proclamation calling upon the people 
     of the United States to observe a national day of celebration 
    commemorating military success in Iraq, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2009

   Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas introduced the following bill; which was 
  referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the 
Committees on Foreign Affairs and Veterans' 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 recognize the extraordinary performance of the Armed Forces in 
  achieving the military objectives of the United States in Iraq, to 
encourage the President to issue a proclamation calling upon the people 
     of the United States to observe a national day of celebration 
    commemorating military success in Iraq, 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 ``Military Success in Iraq 
Commemoration Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The invasion of Iraq by the United States Armed Forces 
        was one of the best executed military operations in the history 
        of modern warfare.
            (2) The Armed Forces successfully toppled the regime of 
        Saddam Hussein and captured the key cities of a large nation in 
        only 21 days.
            (3) The Armed Forces in Iraq performed magnificently in 
        capturing or killing key enemies of the United States, 
        including key operatives of al Qaida; Tariq Aziz, the former 
        deputy prime-minister of Iraq; Uday Hussein and Qusay Hussein, 
        the sons of Saddam Hussein and two of the regime's most 
        accomplished practitioners of cruelty, barbarism, and terror; 
        Ali Hassan al-Majid, better known as ``Chemical Ali''; and the 
        dictator of Baghdad himself, Saddam Hussein.
            (4) Because of the skill and dedication of the members of 
        the Armed Forces, the entire world has now been assured that 
        Iraq does not possess weapons of mass destruction that could 
        threaten the United States or any member nation of the 
        international community.
            (5) The success of the military operations conducted by the 
        Armed Forces in Iraq and the deposing of Saddam Hussein removed 
        a significant threat to the security of United States allies in 
        the Middle East region.
            (6) The Armed Forces performed magnificently in conducting 
        military operations designed to ensure that the people of Iraq 
        enjoy the benefits of a democratically-elected government 
        governing a country that is capable of sustaining itself 
        economically and politically and defending itself militarily.
            (7) Since March 2003, the Armed Forces have trained more 
        160,000 Iraqi security personnel.
            (8) In June 2004, the Armed Forces facilitated the transfer 
        of sovereignty from the Coalition Provisional Authority to the 
        interim Government of Iraq, which governed Iraq until December 
        2005 when national elections were held in which more than 8 
        million Iraqi men and women voted in elections that were free 
        and fair.
            (9) In October 2005, Saddam Hussein was captured by the 
        Armed Forces and turned over to the Government of Iraq to stand 
        trial on charges of crimes against humanity.

SEC. 3. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY CONCERNING ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OBJECTIVES 
              OF THE AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST 
              IRAQ RESOLUTION OF 2002.

    Congress makes the following declarations of policy:
            (1) The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against 
        Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243; approved on 
        October 16, 2002) is the basis of authority pursuant to which 
        the President launched the invasion of Iraq in March 2003.
            (2) Public Law 107-243 authorized the President to use 
        military force against Iraq to achieve the following two 
        objectives:
                    (A) To defend the national security of the United 
                States--
                            (i) by disarming Iraq of any weapons of 
                        mass destruction that could threaten the 
                        security of the United States and international 
                        peace in the Persian Gulf region;
                            (ii) by ensuring that the regime of Saddam 
                        Hussein would not provide weapons of mass 
                        destruction to international terrorists, 
                        including al Qaida;
                            (iii) by changing the Iraqi regime so that 
                        Saddam Hussein and his Baathist regime no 
                        longer pose a threat to the people of Iraq or 
                        Iraq's neighbors; and
                            (iv) by bringing to justice any members of 
                        al Qaida bearing responsibility for the attacks 
                        on the United States, its citizens, and 
                        interests, including the attacks that occurred 
                        on September 11, 2001, known or found to be in 
                        Iraq.
                    (B) To enforce all relevant United Nations Security 
                Council resolutions regarding Iraq.
            (3) The objectives of Public Law 107-243 described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) have in fact been 
        achieved.

SEC. 4. PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL DAY OF CELEBRATION COMMEMORATING 
              MILITARY SUCCESS IN IRAQ.

    Congress encourages the President to issue a proclamation calling 
upon the people of the United States to observe a national day of 
celebration commemorating military success in Iraq.

SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR STATE AND LOCAL ACTIVITIES COMMEMORATING MILITARY 
              SUCCESS IN IRAQ.

    (a) Grants.--The Secretary of Defense may award grants to State and 
local governments for the following purposes:
            (1) To conduct suitable activities commemorating military 
        success in Iraq.
            (2) To create appropriate memorials honoring those who lost 
        their lives securing military success in Iraq.
    (b) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Defense such funds as may be necessary to carry out this 
section.

SEC. 6. GRANTS FOR VETERANS OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

    (a) Grants.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall award to each 
veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom a grant in the amount of $5,000. The 
purpose of the grant is to facilitate the veteran's transition to 
civilian life.
    (b) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs such funds as may be necessary to carry 
out this section.
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