Congressional Record, Volume 153 Issue 50 (Thursday, March 22, 2007)

[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 50 (Thursday, March 22, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H2875-H2931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1591, U.S. TROOP READINESS,
VETERANS' HEALTH, AND IRAQ ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, 2007

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 261, I call up
the bill (H.R. 1591) making emergency supplemental appropriations for
the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes, and
ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 261, the
amendment printed in House Report 110-64 is adopted and the bill, as
amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:

H.R. 1591

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year
ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes, namely:

TITLE I--SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR

CHAPTER 1

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

Public Law 480 Title II Grants

For an additional amount for ``Public Law 480 Title II
Grants'', during the current fiscal year, not otherwise
recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including
interest thereon, under the Agricultural Trade Development
and Assistance Act of 1954, for commodities supplied in
connection with dispositions abroad under title II of said
Act, $450,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

CHAPTER 2

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Legal Activities

SALARIES AND EXPENSES, GENERAL LEGAL ACTIVITIES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses,
General Legal Activities'', $1,648,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

SALARIES AND EXPENSES, UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses,
United States Attorneys'', $5,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

United States Marshals Service

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$2,750,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

National Security Division

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$1,736,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Federal Bureau of Investigation

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$118,260,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Drug Enforcement Administration

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$8,468,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$4,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is

[[Page H2876]]

designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Federal Prison System

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$17,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

CHAPTER 3

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--MILITARY

MILITARY PERSONNEL

Military Personnel, Army

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Army'',
$8,878,899,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Military Personnel, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Navy'',
$1,100,410,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Military Personnel, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $1,495,828,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Military Personnel, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Military Personnel, Air
Force'', $1,229,334,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Reserve Personnel, Army

For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Army'',
$173,244,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Reserve Personnel, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Navy'',
$82,800,000: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Reserve Personnel, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Marine
Corps'', $15,000,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Reserve Personnel, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Reserve Personnel, Air
Force'', $14,100,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

National Guard Personnel, Army

For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Army'', $552,725,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

National Guard Personnel, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``National Guard Personnel,
Air Force'', $24,600,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Operation and Maintenance, Army

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army'', $20,897,672,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Navy

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy'', $5,115,397,000, of which up to $120,293,000 may be
transferred to Coast Guard ``Operating Expenses'', for
reimbursement for activities which support activities
requested by the Navy: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps'', $1,503,694,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force'', $6,909,259,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Defense-Wide'', $2,855,993,000, of which not to exceed
$300,000,000, to remain available until expended, may be used
for payments to reimburse Pakistan, Jordan, and other key
cooperating nations, for logistical, military, and other
support provided, or to be provided, to United States
military operations, notwithstanding any other provision of
law: Provided, That such payments may be made in such amounts
as the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the
Secretary of State, and in consultation with the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget, may determine, in his
discretion, based on documentation determined by the
Secretary of Defense to adequately account for the support
provided, and such determination is final and conclusive upon
the accounting officers of the United States, and 15 days
following notification to the appropriate congressional
committees: Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense
shall provide quarterly reports to the congressional defense
committees on the use of funds provided in this paragraph:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Army Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army Reserve'', $74,049,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Navy Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Navy Reserve'', $111,066,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as

[[Page H2877]]

making appropriations for contingency operations directly
related to the global war on terrorism, and other
unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Marine Corps Reserve'', $13,591,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Air Force Reserve

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air Force Reserve'', $10,160,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Army National Guard

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Army National Guard'', $133,569,000: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operation and Maintenance, Air National Guard

For an additional amount for ``Operation and Maintenance,
Air National Guard'', $38,429,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Afghanistan Security Forces Fund

For an additional amount for ``Afghanistan Security Forces
Fund'', $5,906,400,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Iraq Security Forces Fund

For an additional amount for ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'',
$3,842,300,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Iraq Freedom Fund

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Iraq Freedom Fund'',
$155,600,000, to remain available for transfer until
September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Fund

For an additional amount for ``Joint Improvised Explosive
Device Defeat Fund'', $2,432,800,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2009: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Strategic Reserve Readiness Fund

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

In addition to amounts provided in this or any other Act,
for training, operations, repair of equipment, purchases of
equipment, and other expenses related to improving the
readiness of non-deployed United States military forces,
$2,500,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the Secretary of Defense may transfer funds provided
herein only to appropriations for military personnel,
operation and maintenance, procurement, and defense working
capital funds to accomplish the purposes provided herein:
Provided further, That the funds transferred shall be merged
with and shall be available for the same purposes and for the
same time period as the appropriation to which transferred:
Provided further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not
fewer than five days prior to making transfers under this
authority, notify the congressional defense committees in
writing of the details of any such transfers made pursuant to
this authority: Provided further, That funds shall be
transferred to the appropriation accounts not later than 120
days after the enactment of this Act: Provided further, That
the transfer authority provided in this paragraph is in
addition to any other transfer authority available to the
Department of Defense: Provided further, That upon a
determination that all or part of the funds transferred from
this appropriation are not necessary for the purposes
provided herein, such amounts may be transferred back to this
appropriation: Provided further, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

PROCUREMENT

Aircraft Procurement, Army

For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Army'', $461,850,000, to remain available until September 30,
2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Missile Procurement, Army

For an additional amount for ``Missile Procurement, Army'',
$160,173,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Procurement of Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army

For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Weapons and
Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army'', $3,474,389,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2009: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Procurement of Ammunition, Army

For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Army'', $681,500,000, to remain available until September 30,
2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Other Procurement, Army

For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Army'',
$10,197,399,000, to remain available until September 30,
2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Aircraft Procurement, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement,
Navy'', $995,797,000, to remain available until September 30,
2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Weapons Procurement, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Weapons Procurement, Navy'',
$171,813,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Navy and Marine

[[Page H2878]]

Corps'', $159,833,000, to remain available until September
30, 2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Other Procurement, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Navy'',
$937,407,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Procurement, Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Marine Corps'',
$1,885,383,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Aircraft Procurement, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Aircraft Procurement, Air
Force'', $2,474,916,000, to remain available until September
30, 2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Missile Procurement, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Missile Procurement, Air
Force'', $140,300,000, to remain available until September
30, 2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Procurement of Ammunition, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Procurement of Ammunition,
Air Force'', $95,800,000, to remain available until September
30, 2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Other Procurement, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Other Procurement, Air
Force'', $2,042,183,000, to remain available until September
30, 2009: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Procurement, Defense-Wide

For an additional amount for ``Procurement, Defense-Wide'',
$934,930,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST AND EVALUATION

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army

For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Army'', $60,781,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy

For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Navy'', $295,737,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Air Force'', $132,928,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide

For an additional amount for ``Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation, Defense-Wide'', $545,904,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

REVOLVING AND MANAGEMENT FUNDS

Defense Working Capital Funds

For an additional amount for ``Defense Working Capital
Funds'', $1,315,526,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

National Defense Sealift Fund

For an additional amount for ``National Defense Sealift
Fund'', $5,000,000: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

OTHER DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PROGRAMS

Defense Health Program

For an additional amount for ``Defense Health Program'',
$2,789,703,000; of which $2,289,703,000 shall be for
operation and maintenance, which shall remain available until
September 30, 2008; and of which $500,000,000 shall be for
research, development, test and evaluation, which shall
remain available until September 30, 2009: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Drug Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense

For an additional amount for ``Drug Interdiction and
Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', $259,115,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

RELATED AGENCIES

Intelligence Community Management Account

For an additional amount for ``Intelligence Community
Management Account'', $57,426,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 1301. Appropriations provided in this chapter are
available for obligation until September 30, 2007, unless
otherwise provided in this chapter.

(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Sec. 1302. Upon his determination that such action is
necessary in the national interest, the Secretary of Defense
may transfer between appropriations up to $3,500,000,000 of
the funds made available to the Department of Defense in this
chapter: Provided, That the Secretary shall notify the
Congress promptly of each transfer made pursuant to the
authority in this section: Provided further, That the
authority provided in this section is in addition to any
other transfer authority available to the Department of
Defense and

[[Page H2879]]

is subject to the same terms and conditions as the authority
provided in section 8005 of the Department of Defense
Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 109-289; 120 Stat.
1257), except for the fourth proviso.
Sec. 1303. Funds appropriated in this chapter, or made
available by the transfer of funds in or pursuant to this
chapter, for intelligence activities are deemed to be
specifically authorized by the Congress for purposes of
section 504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50
U.S.C. 414(a)(1)).
Sec. 1304. None of the funds provided in this chapter may
be used to finance programs or activities denied by Congress
in fiscal years 2006 or 2007 appropriations to the Department
of Defense or to initiate a procurement or research,
development, test and evaluation new start program without
prior written notification to the congressional defense
committees.

(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Sec. 1305. During fiscal year 2007, the Secretary of
Defense may transfer amounts in or credited to the Defense
Cooperation Account, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2608, to such
appropriations or funds of the Department of Defense as he
shall determine for use consistent with the purposes for
which such funds were contributed and accepted: Provided,
That such amounts shall be available for the same time period
as the appropriation to which transferred: Provided further,
That the Secretary shall report to the Congress all transfers
made pursuant to this authority: Provided further, That funds
made available pursuant to this section are designated as
making appropriations for contingency operations directly
related to the global war on terrorism, and other
unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).
Sec. 1306. (a) Authority To Provide Support.--Of the amount
appropriated by this chapter under the heading, ``Drug
Interdiction and Counter-Drug Activities, Defense'', not to
exceed $100,000,000 may be used for support for counter-drug
activities of the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan:
Provided, That such support shall be in addition to support
provided for the counter-drug activities of such Governments
under any other provision of the law.
(b) Types of Support.--
(1) Except as specified in subsection (b)(2) of this
section, the support that may be provided under the authority
in this section shall be limited to the types of support
specified in section 1033(c)(1) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105-85, as
amended by Public Laws 106-398, 108-136, and 109-364) and
conditions on the provision of support as contained in
section 1033 shall apply for fiscal year 2007.
(2) The Secretary of Defense may transfer vehicles,
aircraft, and detection, interception, monitoring and testing
equipment to said Governments for counter-drug activities.
Sec. 1307. (a) From funds made available for operation and
maintenance in this chapter to the Department of Defense, not
to exceed $456,000,000 may be used, notwithstanding any other
provision of law, to fund the Commander's Emergency Response
Program, for the purpose of enabling military commanders in
Iraq and Afghanistan to respond to urgent humanitarian relief
and reconstruction requirements within their areas of
responsibility by carrying out programs that will immediately
assist the Iraqi and Afghan people.
(b) Quarterly Reports.--Not later than 15 days after the
end of each fiscal year quarter, the Secretary of Defense
shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report
regarding the source of funds and the allocation and use of
funds during that quarter that were made available pursuant
to the authority provided in this section or under any other
provision of law for the purposes of the programs under
subsection (a).
Sec. 1308. Supervision and administration costs associated
with a construction project funded with appropriations
available for operation and maintenance, and executed in
direct support of the Global War on Terrorism only in Iraq
and Afghanistan, may be obligated at the time a construction
contract is awarded: Provided, That for the purpose of this
section, supervision and administration costs include all in-
house Government costs.
Sec. 1309. Section 9010 of division A of Public Law 109-289
is amended by striking ``2007'' each place it appears and
inserting ``2008''.
Sec. 1310. Section 1005(c)(2) of the National Defense
Authorization Act, FY 2007 (Public Law 109-364) is amended by
striking ``$310,277,000'' and inserting ``$376,446,000''.
Sec. 1311. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this or any other Act shall be obligated or
expended by the United States Government for a purpose as
follows:
(1) To establish any military installation or base for the
purpose of providing for the permanent stationing of United
States Armed Forces in Iraq.
(2) To exercise United States control over any oil resource
of Iraq.

(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Sec. 1312. (a) Of the funds appropriated or made available
in this chapter under the heading ``Operation and
Maintenance, Defense-Wide'', up to $100,000,000 may be made
available for transfer to the Department of State ``Economic
Support Fund'' account to support provincial reconstruction
teams in Iraq and Afghanistan: Provided, That these funds may
be transferred by the Secretary of Defense only if he
determines such amounts are required to assist in
reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(b) The transfer authority in this section is in addition
to any other transfer authority available to the Department
of Defense.
(c) The Secretary shall, not fewer than five days prior to
making transfers under this authority, notify the
congressional defense committees in writing of the details of
such transfer.
Sec. 1313. None of the funds made available in this Act may
be used in contravention of the following laws enacted or
regulations promulgated to implement the United Nations
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment (done at New York on
December 10, 1984):
(1) Section 2340A of title 18, United States Code;
(2) Section 2242 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and
Restructuring Act of 1998 (division G of Public Law 105-277;
112 Stat. 2681-822; 8 U.S.C. 1231 note) and regulations
prescribed thereto, including regulations under part 208 of
title 8, Code of Federal Regulations, and part 95 of title
22, Code of Federal Regulations;
(3) Sections 1002 and 1003 of the Department of Defense,
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes
in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006
(Public Law 109-148); and
(4) The limitation included in this section also applies to
renditions.
Sec. 1314. (a) Not more than 50 percent of the amount of
the funds appropriated by this Act under each of the headings
``Iraq Security Forces Fund'' and ``Afghanistan Security
Forces Fund'' shall be available for obligation or
expenditure until the Secretary of Defense submits the
initial report required by subsection (b) and the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget submits the initial
report required by subsection (c).
(b) Report by Secretary of Defense.--
(1) The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
congressional defense committees a report that contains
individual transition readiness assessments by unit of Iraq
and Afghan security forces. The Secretary of Defense shall
submit to the congressional defense committees updates of the
report required by this subsection on a monthly basis until
October 1, 2008. The report and updates of the report
required by this subsection shall be submitted in classified
form.
(2) In this subsection, the term ``congressional defense
committees'' means the Committees on Appropriations and Armed
Services of the House of Representatives and the Committees
on Appropriations and Armed Services of the Senate.
(c) Report by OMB.--
(1) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense; the Commander,
Multi-National Security Transition Command--Iraq; the
Commander, Combined Security Transition Command--Afghanistan;
and the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate, shall submit to the
Committees on Appropriations not later than 60 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act and every 90 days
thereafter a report on the proposed use of all funds under
each of the headings ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'' and
``Afghanistan Security Forces Fund'' on a project-by-project
basis, for which the obligation of funds is anticipated
during the three month period from such date, including
estimates by the commanders referred to in this paragraph of
the costs required to complete each such project.
(2) The report required by this subsection shall include
the following:
(A) The use of all funds on a project-by-project basis for
which funds appropriated under the headings referred to in
paragraph (1) were obligated prior to the submission of the
report, including estimates by the commanders referred to in
paragraph (1) of the costs to complete each project.
(B) The use of all funds on a project-by-project basis for
which funds were appropriated under the headings referred to
in paragraph (1) in prior appropriations Acts, or for which
funds were made available by transfer, reprogramming, or
allocation from other headings in prior appropriations Acts,
including estimates by the commanders referred to in
paragraph (1) of the costs to complete each project.
(C) An estimated total cost to train and equip the Iraq and
Afghan security forces, disaggregated by major program and
sub-elements by force, arrayed by fiscal year.
(d) Notification.--The Secretary of Defense shall notify
the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate of any proposed new projects
or transfers of funds between sub-activity groups in excess
of $15,000,000 using funds appropriated by this Act under the
headings ``Iraq Security Forces Fund'' and ``Afghanistan
Security Forces Fund''.
Sec. 1315. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this chapter may be obligated or expended to
provide award fees to any defense contractor contrary to the
provisions of section 814 of the National Defense
Authorization Act, FY 2007 (Public Law 109-364).
Sec. 1316. (a) Not more than 90 percent of the funds
appropriated in this chapter for operation and maintenance
shall be available for obligation unless and until the
Secretary

[[Page H2880]]

of Defense submits to the congressional defense committees a
report detailing the use of contracted services in support of
United States military and reconstruction activities in Iraq
and Afghanistan: Provided, That the Secretary of Defense
shall prepare the report in consultation with the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget and the Secretary of
State: Provided further, That the report shall provide
detailed information specifying the number of contracts,
private contractors, and contractor personnel used to provide
services in fiscal year 2006, with sub-allocations by major
service categories: Provided further, That the report also
shall include estimates of the number of contracts to be
executed in fiscal year 2007 with the associated number of
contractors and contractor personnel, and provide information
regarding the Federal department(s) or agency(s) responsible
for executing these contracts: Provided further, That the
report shall be submitted to the congressional defense
committees not later than 90 days after enactment of this
Act.
(b) Amounts appropriated for operation and maintenance in
this chapter are hereby reduced by $815,000,000 to reflect
savings attributable to efficiencies and management
improvements in the funding of contracts in the military
departments: Provided, That the Secretary of Defense shall
allocate this reduction proportionally to each operation and
maintenance account contained in this chapter: Provided
further, That the Secretary of Defense shall, not fewer than
five days prior to making such reductions, notify the
congressional defense committees in writing of the details of
such reductions.
Sec. 1317. Section 1477 of title 10, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``A death gratuity'' and
inserting ``Subject to subsection (d), a death gratuity'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e) and,
in such subsection, by striking ``If an eligible survivor
dies before he'' and inserting ``If a person entitled to all
or a portion of a death gratuity under subsection (a) or (d)
dies before the person'' ; and
(3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new
subsection (d):
``(d) During the period beginning on the date of the
enactment of this subsection and ending on September 30,
2007, a person covered by section 1475 or 1476 of this title
may designate another person to receive not more than 50
percent of the amount payable under section 1478 of this
title. The designation shall indicate the percentage of the
amount, to be specified only in 10 percent increments up to
the maximum of 50 percent, that the designated person may
receive. The balance of the amount of the death gratuity
shall be paid to or for the living survivors of the person
concerned in accordance with paragraphs (1) through (5) of
subsection (a).''.
Sec. 1318. Section 9007 of division A of Public Law 109-289
is amended by striking ``20'' and inserting ``170''.
Sec. 1319. Section 1403(a) of the Floyd D. Spence National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 (as enacted
into law by Public Law 106-398), as amended by section 1052
of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2006 (Public Law 109-163) and section 1073 of the John Warner
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007
(Public Law 109-364), is amended by striking ``September 30,
2007'' and inserting ``June 30, 2008''.
Sec. 1320. There is appropriated to the Secretary of
Defense such sums as may be necessary to implement the
recommendations of the Army Inspector General with regard to
trained military attorneys dedicated to representing soldiers
who are pursuing claims before physical evaluation boards and
earlier in the Army disability evaluation system process.

CHAPTER 4

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES

National Nuclear Security Administration

Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

For an additional amount for ``Defense Nuclear
Nonproliferation'', $150,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

CHAPTER 5

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Departmental Management and Operations

ANALYSIS AND OPERATIONS

For an additional amount for ``Analysis and Operations'',
$35,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008, to
be used for expansion of the State and Local Fusion Center
program: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Customs and Border Protection

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$100,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008,
to be used to increase the number of inspectors, intelligence
analysts and support staff responsible for container security
inspections, and for other efforts to improve supply chain
security: Provided, That up to $1,000,000 shall be
transferred to ``Salaries and Expenses, Federal Law
Enforcement Training Center'' for basic training costs:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

AIR AND MARINE INTERDICTION, OPERATIONS,

MAINTENANCE, AND PROCUREMENT

For an additional amount for ``Air and Marine Interdiction,
Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement'', $150,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2008, to be used to
complete and expand airwings on the Northern Border:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Transportation Security Administration

AVIATION SECURITY

For an additional amount for ``Aviation Security'',
$1,250,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That of the total amount provided under this heading,
$1,000,000,000 shall be for explosive detection procurement
and installation, $90,000,000 shall be for expansion of
checkpoint explosive detection pilot systems, and
$160,000,000 shall be for screening of cargo carried on
passenger aircraft: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

National Protection and Programs

INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION AND INFORMATION SECURITY

For an additional amount for ``Infrastructure Protection
and Information Security'', $25,000,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008, to be used for development of State
and local interoperability plans in conjunction with the
SAFECOM program office: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Federal Emergency Management Agency

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For salaries and expenses of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, $25,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008, for regional disaster communications
capability and support for mutual aid agreements: Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
making appropriations for contingency operations directly
related to the global war on terrorism, and other
unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

STATE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS

For an additional amount for ``State and Local Programs'',
$415,000,000, of which $190,000,000 shall be for port
security grants and $225,000,000 shall be for intercity rail
passenger transportation, freight rail, and transit security
grants: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS

For an additional amount for ``Emergency Management
Performance Grants'', $100,000,000: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Domestic Nuclear Detection Office

SYSTEMS ACQUISITION

For an additional amount for ``Systems Acquisition'',
$400,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the

[[Page H2881]]

amount provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 1501. (a) Limitation on Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--None of the funds made available in this
or any other Act shall be used by the Secretary of Homeland
Security to approve a site security plan for a chemical
facility, unless the facility meets or exceeds security
standards or requirements established for such a facility by
the State or local government for the area where the facility
is located.
(2) Definitions.--In this subsection, each of the terms
``site security plan'' and ``chemical facility'' has the
meaning that the term has in section 550 of the Department of
Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 109-
295; 120 Stat. 1388).
(b) Amendments.--Section 550 of the Department of Homeland
Security Appropriations Act, 2007 (Public Law 109-295; 120
Stat. 1388) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``the Secretary may not
disapprove a site security plan submitted under this section
based on the presence or absence of a particular security
measure, but'';
(2) in subsection (c), by striking ``consistent with
similar'' and inserting ``identical to the protections
given'';
(3) in subsection (c), by striking ``, site security plans,
and other information submitted to or obtained by the
Secretary under this section, and related vulnerability or
security information, shall be treated as if the information
were classified material'' and inserting ``and site security
plans shall be treated as sensitive security information (as
that term is used in section 1520.5 of title 49, Code of
Federal Regulations)''; and
(4) in subsection (d), by striking ``: Provided, That
nothing in this section confers upon any person except the
Secretary a right of action against an owner or operator of a
chemical facility to enforce any provision of this section''.

CHAPTER 6

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Salaries and Expenses

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$6,437,000, as follows:

Allowances and Expenses

For an additional amount for allowances and expenses as
authorized by House resolution or law, $6,437,000 for
business continuity and disaster recovery, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

CHAPTER 7

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Military Construction, Army

For an additional amount for ``Military Construction,
Army'', $1,329,240,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision
of law, such funds may be obligated and expended to carry out
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That of the
funds provided under this heading, not to exceed $168,200,000
shall be available for study, planning, design, and architect
and engineer services: Provided further, That of the funds
provided under this heading, $25,600,000 shall not be
obligated or expended until the Secretary of Defense submits
an updated 1391 form that addresses the actual housing
requirement for the Consolidated Compound in Kabul,
Afghanistan, to the Committees on Appropriations of the House
of Representatives and Senate and an approval is issued:
Provided further, That of the funds made available under this
heading, $369,690,000 shall not be obligated or expended
until the Secretary of Defense submits a detailed report
explaining how military road construction is coordinated with
NATO and coalition nations: Provided further, That of the
funds made available under this heading, $401,700,000 shall
not be obligated or expended until the Secretary of Defense
submits a detailed spending plan, including a 1391 form for
each project, to support Army end-strength growth to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and Senate and an approval is issued: Provided further, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as
making appropriations for contingency operations directly
related to the global war on terrorism, and other
unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps

For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Navy
and Marine Corps'', $389,300,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008: Provided, That notwithstanding any other
provision of law, such funds may be obligated and expended to
carry out planning and design and military construction
projects not otherwise authorized by law: Provided further,
That of the funds provided under this heading, not to exceed
$49,600,000 shall be available for study, planning, design,
and architect and engineer services: Provided further, That
of the funds made available under this heading, $200,000,000
shall not be obligated or expended until the Secretary of
Defense submits a detailed spending plan, including a 1391
form, for each project to support Marine Corps end-strength
growth to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and Senate and an approval is issued:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Military Construction, Air Force

For an additional amount for ``Military Construction, Air
Force'', $60,200,000, to remain available until September 30,
2008: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of
law, such funds may be obligated and expended to carry out
planning and design and military construction projects not
otherwise authorized by law: Provided further, That of the
funds provided under this heading, not to exceed $3,900,000
shall be available for study, planning, design, and architect
and engineer services: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Department of Defense Base Closure Account 2005

For deposit into the Department of Defense Base Closure
Account 2005, established by section 2906A(a)(1) of the
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C.
2687 note), $3,136,802,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That within 30 days of the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit a detailed
spending plan to the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and Senate: Provided further, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as
making appropriations for contingency operations directly
related to the global war on terrorism, and other
unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant to section
402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veterans Benefits Administration

COMPENSATION AND PENSIONS

For an additional amount for ``Compensation and Pensions'',
$20,000,000, to remain available until expended, for a pilot
program for disability examinations as authorized by law (38
U.S.C. 5101 note).

Veterans Health Administration

MEDICAL SERVICES

For an additional amount for ``Medical Services'',
$414,982,000, to remain available until expended, of which
$30,000,000 shall be for a new Level I comprehensive
polytrauma center; $56,000,000 shall be for prosthetics;
$100,000,000 shall be for contract mental health care when
appointment waiting times exceed 30 days; and $228,982,000
shall be for treatment of veterans of the global war on
terror: Provided, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION

For an additional amount for ``Medical Administration'',
$256,300,000, to remain available until expended, of which
$6,300,000 shall be used for polytrauma support clinic teams
for case management: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

MEDICAL FACILITIES

For an additional amount for ``Medical Facilities'',
$595,000,000, to remain available until expended, of which
$45,000,000 shall be used for upgrades to polytrauma care
centers; and $550,000,000 shall be for non-recurring
maintenance as identified in the Department of Veterans
Affairs Facility Condition Assessment report: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as
making appropriations for contingency operations directly
related to the global war on terrorism, and other
unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant to

[[Page H2882]]

section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH

For an additional amount for ``Medical and Prosthetic
Research'', $35,000,000, to remain available until expended,
which shall be used for research initiatives related to
Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom survivors:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Departmental Administration

General Operating Expenses

For an additional amount for ``General Operating
Expenses'', $62,000,000, to remain available until expended,
of which $1,250,000 shall be for digitization of records and
$60,750,000 shall be for expenses related to hiring and
training new claims processing personnel: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Information Technology Systems

For an additional amount for ``Information Technology
Systems'', $35,000,000, to remain available until expended,
for system development upgrades to address global war on
terror requirements: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Construction, Major Projects

For an additional amount for ``Construction, Major
Projects'', $23,800,000, to remain available until expended,
which shall be for the authorized completion of a spinal cord
injury center: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Construction, Minor Projects

For an additional amount for ``Construction, Minor
Projects'', $260,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

CHAPTER 8

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Administration of Foreign Affairs

DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Diplomatic and Consular
Programs'', $966,954,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008, of which $102,155,000 for World Wide Security
Upgrades is available until expended: Provided, That of the
amount available under this heading, $258,000 shall be
transferred to, and merged with, funds available in fiscal
year 2007 for expenses for the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom: Provided further, That
$395,000,000 of the amount available for Iraq operations
shall not be obligated until the Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives receives and approves a
detailed plan for expenditure, prepared by the Secretary of
State, and submitted within 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act: Provided further, That up to
$50,000,000 may be made available to establish and maintain a
civilian reserve corps: Provided further, That none of the
funds for a civilian reserve corps may be obligated without
specific authorization in a subsequent Act of Congress:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'', $46,800,000, to remain available until December
31, 2008: Provided, That $45,500,000 shall be transferred to
the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction for
reconstruction oversight: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs

For an additional amount for ``Educational and Cultural
Exchange Programs'', $20,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

International Organizations

Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities

For an additional amount for ``Contributions for
International Peacekeeping Activities'', $288,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

RELATED AGENCY

Broadcasting Board of Governors

International Broadcasting Operations

For an additional amount for ``International Broadcasting
Operations'', for activities related to broadcasting to the
Middle East, $10,000,000, to remain available until September
30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

BILATERAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE

Funds Appropriated to the President

United States Agency for International Development

Child Survival and Health Programs Fund

For an additional amount for ``Child Survival and Health
Programs Fund'', $161,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

International Disaster and Famine Assistance

For an additional amount for ``International Disaster and
Famine Assistance'', $135,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Operating Expenses of the United States Agency for International
Development

For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses of the
United States Agency for International Development'',
$10,700,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Operating Expenses of the United States Agency for International
Development Office of Inspector General

For an additional amount for ``Operating Expenses of the
United States Agency for International Development Office of
Inspector General'', $3,500,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Other Bilateral Economic Assistance

Economic Support Fund

For an additional amount for ``Economic Support Fund'',
$2,953,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th

[[Page H2883]]

Congress), as made applicable to the House of Representatives
by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Assistance for Eastern Europe and the Baltic States

For an additional amount for ``Assistance for Eastern
Europe and the Baltic States'', $239,000,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Department of State

International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement

For an additional amount for ``International Narcotics
Control and Law Enforcement'', $334,500,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Migration and Refugee Assistance

For an additional amount for ``Migration and Refugee
Assistance'', $111,500,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund

For an additional amount for ``United States Emergency
Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund'', $35,000,000, to
remain available until expended: Provided, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs

For an additional amount for ``Nonproliferation, Anti-
Terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs'', $87,500,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as making
appropriations for contingency operations directly related to
the global war on terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-
related operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Department of the Treasury

International Affairs Technical Assistance

For an additional amount for ``International Affairs
Technical Assistance'', $2,750,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

MILITARY ASSISTANCE

Funds Appropriated to the President

Foreign Military Financing Program

For an additional amount for ``Foreign Military Financing
Program'', $260,000,000: Provided, That the amount provided
under this heading is designated as making appropriations for
contingency operations directly related to the global war on
terrorism, and other unanticipated defense-related
operations, pursuant to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Peacekeeping Operations

For an additional amount for ``Peacekeeping Operations'',
$225,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as making appropriations for contingency
operations directly related to the global war on terrorism,
and other unanticipated defense-related operations, pursuant
to section 402 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 1801. Section 3001(o)(1)(B) of the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense and for the
Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004 (Public Law 108-
106; 117 Stat. 1238; 5 U.S.C. App., note to section 8G of
Public Law 95-452) is amended by striking ``fiscal year
2006'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2006, 2007, or 2008''.
Sec. 1802. (a) Limitation on Economic Support Fund
Assistance for Lebanon.--None of the funds made available in
this Act under the heading ``ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND'' for cash
transfer assistance for the Government of Lebanon may be made
available for obligation until the Secretary of State reports
to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate on Lebanon's economic reform
plan and on the specific conditions and verifiable benchmarks
that have been agreed upon by the United States and the
Government of Lebanon pursuant to the Memorandum of
Understanding on cash transfer assistance for Lebanon.
(b) Limitation on Foreign Military Financing Program and
International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement
Assistance for Lebanon.-- None of the funds made available in
this Act under the heading ``FOREIGN MILITARY FINANCING
PROGRAM'' or ``INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT'' for military or police assistance to Lebanon
may be made available for obligation until the Secretary of
State submits to the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and the Senate a report on
procedures established to determine eligibility of members
and units of the armed forces and police forces of Lebanon to
participate in United States training and assistance programs
and on the end use monitoring of all equipment provided under
such programs to the Lebanese armed forces and police forces.
(c) Report Required.--Not later than 45 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall
submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report on the Government of
Lebanon's actions to implement section 14 of United Nations
Security Council Resolution 1701 (August 11, 2006).

CHAPTER 9

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS TITLE

Sec. 1901. (a) Congress finds that it is Defense Department
policy that units should not be deployed for combat unless
they are rated ``fully mission capable''.
(b) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available in this or any other Act may be used to deploy any
unit of the Armed Forces to Iraq unless the chief of the
military department concerned has certified in writing to the
Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Armed
Services at least 15 days in advance of the deployment that
the unit is fully mission capable.
(c) For purposes of subsection (b), the term ``fully
mission capable'' means capable of performing assigned
mission essential tasks to prescribed standards under the
conditions expected in the theater of operations, consistent
with the guidelines set forth in the Department of Defense
readiness reporting system.
(d) The President, by certifying in writing to the
Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Armed
Services that the deployment to Iraq of a unit that is not
assessed fully mission capable is required for reasons of
national security and by submitting along with the
certification a report in classified and unclassified form
detailing the particular reason or reasons why the unit's
deployment is necessary despite the chief of the military
department's assessment that the unit is not fully mission
capable, may waive the limitation prescribed in subsection
(b) on a unit-by-unit basis.
Sec. 1902. (a) Congress finds that it is Defense Department
policy that Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard units
should not be deployed for combat beyond 365 days or that
Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve units should not be
deployed for combat beyond 210 days.
(b) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available in this or any other Act may be obligated or
expended to initiate the development of, continue the
development of, or execute any order that has the effect of
extending the deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom of--
(1) any unit of the Army, Army Reserve, or Army National
Guard beyond 365 days; or
(2) any unit of the Marine Corps or Marine Corps Reserve
beyond 210 days.
(c) The limitation prescribed in subsection (b) shall not
be construed to require force levels in Iraq to be decreased
below the total United States force levels in Iraq prior to
January 10, 2007.
(d) The President, by certifying in writing to the
Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Armed
Services that the extension of a unit's deployment in Iraq
beyond the periods specified in subsection (b) is required
for reasons of national security and by submitting along with
the certification a report in classified and unclassified
form detailing the particular reason or reasons why the
unit's extended deployment is necessary, may waive the
limitations prescribed in subsection (b) on a unit-by-unit
basis.
Sec. 1903. (a) Congress finds that it is Defense Department
policy that Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard units
should not be redeployed for combat if the unit has been
deployed within the previous 365 consecutive days or that
Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve units should not be
redeployed for combat if the unit has been deployed within
the previous 210 days.
(b) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available in this or any other Act may be obligated or
expended to initiate

[[Page H2884]]

the development of, continue the development of, or execute
any order that has the effect of deploying for Operation
Iraqi Freedom of--
(1) any unit of the Army, Army Reserve, or Army National
Guard if such unit has been deployed within the previous 365
consecutive days; or
(2) any unit of the Marine Corps or Marine Corps Reserve if
such unit has been deployed within the previous 210
consecutive days.
(c) The limitation prescribed in subsection (b) shall not
be construed to require force levels in Iraq to be decreased
below the total United States force levels in Iraq prior to
January 10, 2007.
(d) The President, by certifying in writing to the
Committees on Appropriations and the Committees on Armed
Services that the redeployment of a unit to Iraq in advance
of the periods specified in subsection (b) is required for
reasons of national security and by submitting along with the
certification a report in classified and unclassified form
detailing the particular reason or reasons why the unit's
redeployment is necessary, may waive the limitations
prescribed in subsection (b) on a unit-by-unit basis.
Sec. 1904. (a) The President shall make and transmit to
Congress the following determinations, along with reports in
classified and unclassified form detailing the basis for each
determination, on or before July 1, 2007:
(1) whether the Government of Iraq has given United States
Armed Forces and Iraqi Security Forces the authority to
pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite
militias, and is making substantial progress in delivering
necessary Iraqi Security Forces for Baghdad and protecting
such Forces from political interference; intensifying efforts
to build balanced security forces throughout Iraq that
provide even-handed security for all Iraqis; ensuring that
Iraq's political authorities are not undermining or making
false accusations against members of the Iraqi Security
Forces; eliminating militia control of local security;
establishing a strong militia disarmament program; ensuring
fair and just enforcement of laws; establishing political,
media, economic, and service committees in support of the
Baghdad Security Plan; and eradicating safe havens;
(2) whether the Government of Iraq is making substantial
progress in meeting its commitment to pursue reconciliation
initiatives, including enactment of a hydro-carbon law;
adoption of legislation necessary for the conduct of
provincial and local elections; reform of current laws
governing the de-Baathification process; amendment of the
Constitution of Iraq; and allocation of Iraqi revenues for
reconstruction projects; and
(3) whether the Government of Iraq and United States Armed
Forces are making substantial progress in reducing the level
of sectarian violence in Iraq.
(b) On or before October 1, 2007, the President--
(1) shall certify to the Congress that the Government of
Iraq has enacted a broadly accepted hydro-carbon law that
equitably shares oil revenues among all Iraqis; adopted
legislation necessary for the conduct of provincial and local
elections, taken steps to implement such legislation, and set
a schedule to conduct provincial and local elections;
reformed current laws governing the de-Baathification process
to allow for more equitable treatment of individuals affected
by such laws; amended the Constitution of Iraq consistent
with the principles contained in article 137 of such
constitution; and allocated and begun expenditure of $10
billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects,
including delivery of essential services, on an equitable
basis; or
(2) shall report to the Congress that he is unable to make
such certification.
(c) If in the transmissions to Congress required by
subsection (a) the President determines that any of the
conditions specified in such subsection have not been met, or
if the President is unable to make the certification
specified in subsection (b) by the required date, the
Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the
Armed Forces from Iraq and complete such redeployment within
180 days.
(d) If the President makes the certification specified in
subsection (b), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the
redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq not later than
March 1, 2008, and complete such redeployment within 180
days.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds
appropriated or otherwise made available in this or any other
Act are immediately available for obligation and expenditure
to plan and execute a safe and orderly redeployment of the
Armed Forces from Iraq, as specified in subsections (c) and
(d).
(f) After the conclusion of the 180-day period for
redeployment specified in subsections (c) and (d), the
Secretary of Defense may not deploy or maintain members of
the Armed Forces in Iraq for any purpose other than the
following:
(1) Protecting American diplomatic facilities and American
citizens, including members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
(2) Serving in roles consistent with customary diplomatic
positions.
(3) Engaging in targeted special actions limited in
duration and scope to killing or capturing members of al-
Qaeda and other terrorist organizations with global reach.
(4) Training members of the Iraqi Security Forces.
(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 50 percent
of the funds appropriated by title I of this Act for
assistance to Iraq under each of the headings ``IRAQ SECURITY
FORCES FUND'', ``ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND'', and ``INTERNATIONAL
NARCOTICS CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT'' shall be withheld
from obligation until the President has made a certification
to Congress regarding the matters specified in subsection
(b)(1).
(h) The requirement to withhold funds from obligation
pursuant to subsection (g) shall not apply with respect to
funds made available under the heading ``ECONOMIC SUPPORT
FUND'' for continued support for the Community Action Program
and Community Stabilization Program in Iraq administered by
the United States Agency for International Development or for
programs and activities to promote democracy in Iraq.
Sec. 1905. (a) Coordinator for Iraq Assistance.--Not later
than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
President shall appoint a Coordinator for Iraq Assistance
(hereinafter in this section referred to as the
``Coordinator''), by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, who shall report directly to the President.
(b) Duties.--The Coordinator shall be responsible for--
(1) Developing and implementing an overall strategy for
political, economic, and military assistance for Iraq;
(2) Coordinating and ensuring coherence of Iraq assistance
programs and policy among all departments and agencies of the
Government of the United States that are implementing
assistance programs in Iraq, including the Department of
State, the United States Agency for International
Development, the Department of Defense, the Department of the
Treasury, and the Department of Justice;
(3) Working with the Government of Iraq in meeting the
benchmarks described in section 1904(b) of this Act in order
to ensure Iraq continues to be eligible to receive United
States assistance described in such section;
(4) Coordinating with other donors and international
organizations that are providing assistance for Iraq;
(5) Ensuring adequate management and accountability of
United States assistance programs for Iraq;
(6) Resolving policy and program disputes among departments
and agencies of the United States Government that are
implementing assistance programs in Iraq; and
(7) Coordinating United States assistance programs with the
reconstruction programs funded and implemented by the
Government of Iraq.
(c) Rank and Status.--The Coordinator shall have the rank
and status of ambassador.
Sec. 1906. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none
of the funds in this or any other Act may be used to close
Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

SEC. 1907. CONGRESSIONAL PLEDGE TO FULLY SUPPORT MEMBERS OF
THE ARMED FORCES IN HARM'S WAY.

(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On September 14, 2001, both the Senate and the House of
Representatives passed S.J. Res. 23 of the 107th Congress,
which became Public Law 107-40 and authorized the use of
military force in Afghanistan.
(2) On October 10, 2002, the House of Representatives
passed H.J. Res. 114 of the 107th Congress, which authorized
the use of military force in Iraq.
(3) After passage by the Senate, H.J. Res. 114 became
Public Law 107-243, the Authorization for Use of Military
Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.
(4) Members of the United States Armed Forces have served
honorably in their mission to fight terrorism and protect the
greater security of the United States.
(5) These members of the Armed Forces and their families
have made many sacrifices, in many cases the ultimate
sacrifice, to protect the security of the United States and
the freedom Americans hold dear.
(6) Congress and the American people are forever grateful
to the members of the Armed Forces for the service they have
provided to the United States.
(b) Faithful Support of Congress.--Congress will fully
support the needs of members of the Armed Forces who the
Commander in Chief has deployed in harm's way in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and
their families.

SEC. 1908. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS REGARDING PRESIDENT AS
COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND CONGRESSIONAL POWER TO
DECLARE WAR.

(a) It is the sense of Congress that Congress acknowledges
the President as the Commander in Chief, and that role is
granted solely to the President by article II, section 2, of
the United States Constitution.
(b) It is further the sense of Congress that Congress has
the power solely to declare war under article I, section 8,
clause 11, of the United States Constitution.

SEC. 1909. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING CONDUCT OF IRAQ WAR BY
COMMANDERS.

It is the sense of Congress that, because the commanders of
the United States Armed Forces in Iraq have the training,
experience, and first-hand knowledge of the situation on the
ground--
(1) the commanders should be allowed to conduct the war and
manage the movements of the troops; and
(2) Congress should remain focused on executing its
oversight role.

[[Page H2885]]

TITLE II--ADDITIONAL HURRICANE DISASTER

RELIEF AND RECOVERY

CHAPTER 1

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 2101. In addition to the funds provided elsewhere in
this Act, $25,000,000 is appropriated to the Secretary of
Agriculture, to remain available through September 30, 2008,
to resume the 2005 Hurricanes Livestock Indemnity Program to
provide additional compensation to livestock producers in the
geographic area covered by the natural disaster declaration
related to Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita that suffered
losses in excess of the maximum amount of assistance
authorized under the 2005 Hurricanes Livestock Indemnity
Program. The total amount of assistance that an eligible
producer may receive for such additional livestock losses
under this section, the 2005 Hurricanes Livestock Indemnity
Program, or any other provision of law may not exceed twice
the maximum amount of assistance authorized under the 2005
Hurricanes Livestock Indemnity Program. The amount provided
under this section is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress),
as made applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).
Sec. 2102. In addition to the funds provided elsewhere in
the Act, $15,000,000 is appropriated to the Secretary of
Agriculture, to remain available through September 30, 2008,
for the purpose of providing assistance, in connection with
the provision of emergency financial assistance for losses
for 2005 or 2006 crops due to damaging weather or any related
condition, to producers with respect to irrigated crops in
the geographic area covered by the natural disaster
declaration related to Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita
that, due to contamination by saltwater intrusion resulting
from Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita, were planted in
2006 and suffered a loss or were prevented from being
planted. However, the factors otherwise applicable under
section 1480.12(g) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations,
shall not apply to the provision of such assistance. The
amount provided under this section is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).
Sec. 2103. In addition to the funds provided elsewhere in
this Act, $100,000,000 is appropriated to the Secretary of
Agriculture, to remain available through September 30, 2008,
to resume the 2005 Hurricanes Citrus Program to provide
additional compensation to citrus producers in the geographic
area covered by the natural disaster declaration related to
Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita that suffered losses in
excess of the maximum amount of assistance authorized under
the 2005 Hurricanes Citrus Program. The total amount of
assistance that an eligible producer may receive for such
additional citrus losses under this section, the 2005
Hurricanes Citrus Program, or any other provision of law may
not exceed twice the maximum amount of assistance authorized
under the 2005 Hurricanes Citrus Program. The amount provided
under this section is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress),
as made applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

CHAPTER 2

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES

For an additional amount for ``Operations, Research, and
Facilities'' for necessary expenses related to the
consequences of Hurricane Katrina on the shrimp and menhaden
fishing industries, $120,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2008: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress),
as made applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Exploration Capabilities

For an additional amount for ``Exploration Capabilities''
for necessary expenses related to the consequences of
Hurricane Katrina, $35,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2009: Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress),
as made applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 2201. Up to $48,000,000 of amounts made available to
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in Public
Law 109-148 and Public Law 109-234 for emergency hurricane
and other natural disaster-related expenses may be used to
reimburse hurricane-related costs incurred by NASA in fiscal
year 2005: Provided, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

CHAPTER 3

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE--CIVIL

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

Corps of Engineers--Civil

CONSTRUCTION

For an additional amount for ``Construction'' to reduce the
risk of hurricane and storm damage to the Mississippi coastal
area, $37,080,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That such sums shall be subject to authorization:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

FLOOD CONTROL AND COASTAL EMERGENCIES

For an additional amount for ``Flood Control and Coastal
Emergencies'', as authorized by section 5 of the Act of
August 18, 1941 (33 U.S.C. 701n), for necessary expenses
related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina,
$1,300,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That this amount shall be used to restore the flood damage
reduction and hurricane and storm damage reduction projects,
and related works, to provide the level of protection for
which they were designed, and to accelerate completion of
unconstructed portions of authorized hurricane, storm damage
reduction and flood control projects in the greater New
Orleans and south Louisiana area at full Federal expense:
Provided further, That the Chief of Engineers, acting through
the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, shall
provide, at a minimum, a monthly report to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations detailing the allocation
and obligation of these funds, beginning not later than July
30, 2007: Provided further, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress),
as made applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 2301. Up to $650,000,000 of the appropriations made
available under the heading ``Flood Control and Coastal
Emergencies'' in title II, Chapter 3 of Public Law 109-234,
for projects in the greater New Orleans metropolitan area
that remain available as of the date of enactment of this Act
may be used by the Secretary of the Army to improve
protection at the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, as described
under the heading ``Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies'',
in Chapter 3 of Public Law 109-234: Provided, That the
obligation of these funds may be made without regard to
individual amounts specified in title II, Chapter 3 of Public
Law 109-234: Provided further, That the expenditure of such
funds shall not be considered a transfer or reprogramming
under any provision of law and shall be carried out in
accordance with the terms and conditions specified in an Act
making appropriations for energy and water development or any
other appropriations Act making additional funds available
for energy and water development: Provided further, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

CHAPTER 4

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Disaster Loans Program Account

For an additional amount for ``Disaster Loans Program
Account'' for administrative expenses to carry out the
disaster loan program, $25,069,000, to remain available until
expended, which may be transferred to and merged with ``Small
Business Administration, Salaries and Expenses'': Provided,
That the amount provided under this heading is designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con.
Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

CHAPTER 5

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

DISASTER RELIEF

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Disaster Relief'',
$4,310,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That $4,000,000 shall be transferred to ``Office of Inspector
General'': Provided further, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress),
as made applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 2501. (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, including any agreement, the Federal share
of assistance, including direct Federal assistance, provided
for the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama,
and Texas in connection with Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma,
Dennis, and Rita under sections 403, 406, 407, and 408 of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster

[[Page H2886]]

Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170b, 5172,
5173, and 5174) shall be 100 percent of the eligible costs
under such sections.
(b) Applicability.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Federal
share provided by subsection (a) shall apply to disaster
assistance provided before the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) Limitation.--In the case of disaster assistance
provided under sections 403, 406, and 407 of the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the
Federal share provided by subsection (a) shall be limited to
assistance provided for projects for which project worksheets
have been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency
before the date of enactment of this Act.
Sec. 2502. (a) Community Disaster Loan Act.--
(1) In general.--Section 2(a) of the Community Disaster
Loan Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-88) is amended by striking
``Provided further, That notwithstanding section 417(c)(1) of
the Stafford Act, such loans may not be canceled:''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall be effective on the date of enactment of the Community
Disaster Loan Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-88).
(b) Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 4 of title II of the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War
on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234)
is amended under the heading ``Federal Emergency Management
Agency Disaster Assistance Direct Loan Program Account'' by
striking ``Provided further, That notwithstanding section
417(c)(1) of such Act, such loans may not be canceled:''.
(2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)
shall be effective on the date of enactment of the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War
on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234).
(c) The amounts provided in this section are designated as
emergency requirements pursuant to section 501 of H. Con.
Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).
Sec. 2503. (a) In General.--Section 2401 of the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War
on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234)
is amended by striking ``12 months'' and inserting ``24
months''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section
shall be effective on the date of enactment of the Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War
on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (Public Law 109-234).

CHAPTER 6

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT

Notwithstanding section 2002(c) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1397a(c)), funds made available under the heading
``Social Services Block Grant'' in division B of Public Law
109-148 shall be available for expenditure by the States
through the end of fiscal year 2008: Provided, That the
amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Innovation and Improvement

For carrying out activities authorized by subpart 1 of part
D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, $30,000,000, to remain available until expended, for
use by the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama for
the following costs: (1) recruiting and compensating
teachers, principals, other school administrators, and other
educators for positions in reopening public elementary and
secondary schools impacted by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane
Rita, including through such mechanisms as paying salary
premiums, performance bonuses, housing subsidies and
relocation costs; and (2) activities to build the capacity of
reopening such public elementary and secondary schools to
provide an effective education, including the design,
adaptation, and implementation of high-quality formative
assessments; the establishment of partnerships with nonprofit
entities with a demonstrated track record in recruiting and
retaining outstanding teachers and other school leaders; and
paid release time for teachers and principals to identify and
replicate successful practices from the fastest-improving and
highest-performing schools: Provided, That the Secretary of
Education shall allocate such funds among such States that
submit applications; that such allocation shall be based on
the number of public elementary and secondary schools in each
State that were closed for 30 days or more during the period
beginning on August 29, 2005, and ending on December 31,
2005, due to Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita; and that
such States shall in turn allocate funds, on a competitive
basis, to local education agencies, giving priority to such
agencies with the highest percentages of public elementary
and secondary schools that are closed as a result of such
hurricanes as of the date of enactment of this Act and the
highest percentages of public elementary and secondary
schools with a student-teacher ratio of at least 25 to 1:
Provided further, That not later than 60 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the State educational agency, in
cooperation with local educational agencies, teachers'
unions, local principals' organizations, local parents'
organizations, local business organizations, and local
charter schools organizations, shall develop a plan for a
rating system for performance bonuses and if the State
educational agency has failed to reach such an agreement that
is satisfactory to all consulting entities by such deadline,
the State educational agency shall immediately notify
Congress of such failure and reasons for it and shall, not
later than 30 days after such notification, establish and
implement a rating system that shall be based on strong
learning gains for students and growth in student
achievement, based on classroom observation and feedback at
least 4 times annually, conducted by multiple sources
(including principals and master teachers), and evaluated
against research-validated rubrics that use planning,
instructional, and learning environment standards to measure
teaching performance: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Hurricane Education Recovery

programs to restart school operations

Funds made available under section 102 of the Hurricane
Education Recovery Act (title IV of division B of Public Law
109-148) may be used by the States of Louisiana, Mississippi,
Alabama, and Texas, in addition to the uses of funds
described in section 102(e) for the following costs: (1)
recruiting and compensating teachers, principals, other
school administrators, and other educators for positions in
reopening public elementary and secondary schools impacted by
Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita, including through such
mechanisms as paying salary premiums, performance bonuses,
housing subsidies and relocation costs; and (2) activities to
build the capacity of reopening such public elementary and
secondary schools to provide an effective education,
including the design, adaptation, and implementation of high-
quality formative assessments; the establishment of
partnerships with nonprofit entities with a demonstrated
track record in recruiting and retaining outstanding teachers
and other school leaders; and paid release time for teachers
and principals to identify and replicate successful practices
from the fastest-improving and highest-performing schools:
Provided, That not later than 60 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the State educational agency, in
cooperation with local educational agencies, teachers'
unions, local principals' organizations, local parents'
organizations, local business organizations, and local
charter schools organizations, shall develop a plan for a
rating system for performance bonuses and if the State
educational agency has failed to reach such an agreement that
is satisfactory to all consulting entities by such deadline,
the State educational agency shall immediately notify
Congress of such failure and reasons for it and shall, not
later than 30 days after such notification, establish and
implement a rating system that shall be based on strong
learning gains for students and growth in student
achievement, based on classroom observation and feedback at
least 4 times annually, conducted by multiple sources
(including principals and master teachers), and evaluated
against research-validated rubrics that use planning,
instructional, and learning environment standards to measure
teaching performance: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Higher Education

For an additional amount under part B of title VII of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (``HEA'') for institutions of
higher education (as defined in section 102 of that Act) that
are located in an area in which a major disaster was declared
in accordance with section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act related to
hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico in calendar year 2005,
$30,000,000: Provided, That such funds shall be available to
the Secretary of Education only for payments to help defray
the expenses (which may include lost revenue, reimbursement
for expenses already incurred, and construction) incurred by
such institutions of higher education that were forced to
close for at least 30 consecutive calendar days between
August 25, 2005, and January 1, 2006, as a result of damage
directly caused by such hurricanes and for payments to enable
such institutions to provide grants to students who attend
such institutions for academic years beginning on or after
July 1, 2006: Provided further, That such payments shall be
made in accordance with criteria established by the Secretary
and made publicly available without regard to section 437 of
the General Education Provisions Act, section 553 of title 5,
United States Code, or part B of title VII of the HEA:
Provided further, That the amount provided under this heading
is designated as an

[[Page H2887]]

emergency requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

GENERAL PROVISION--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 2601. Section 105(b) of title IV of division B of
Public Law 109-148 is amended by adding at the end the
following new sentence: ``With respect to the program
authorized by section 102 of this Act, the waiver authority
in subsection (a) of this section shall be available until
the end of fiscal year 2008.''.

CHAPTER 7

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Public and Indian Housing

TENANT-BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE

For an additional amount for the purposes specified under,
and subject to the provisions of, this heading in chapter 9
of title I of division B of Public Law 109-148 (119 Stat.
2779), $80,000,000, to remain available until December 31,
2007: Provided, That the third proviso under such heading in
Public Law 109-148 shall be applied to amounts made available
under this heading and under such heading in Public Law 109-
148 by substituting ``until December 31, 2007'' for ``for up
to 18 months'': Provided further, That $80,000,000 shall be
rescinded from unobligated balances remaining from the
amounts made available under such heading in Public Law 109-
148: Provided further, That the amount provided under this
heading is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to
section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made
applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).

Office of Inspector General

For an additional amount for ``Office of Inspector
General'' for necessary expenses related to the consequences
of Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$10,240,000, to remain available until September 30, 2007:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

TITLE III--AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE

SEC. 3101. CROP DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

(a) Assistance Available.--There are hereby appropriated to
the Secretary of Agriculture such sums as are necessary, to
remain available until expended, to make emergency financial
assistance available to producers on a farm that incurred
qualifying quantity or quality losses for the 2005 or 2006
crop, or for the 2007 crop before the date of the enactment
of this Act, due to damaging weather or any related condition
(including losses due to crop diseases, insects, and delayed
harvest), as determined by the Secretary. However, to be
eligible for assistance, the crop subject to the loss must
have been harvested before the date of the enactment of this
Act or, in the case of prevented planting or other total
loss, would have been harvested before the date of the
enactment of this Act in the absence of the damaging weather
or any related condition.
(b) Election of Crop Year.--If a producer incurred
qualifying crop losses in more than one of the 2005, 2006, or
2007 crop years, the producer shall elect to receive
assistance under this section for losses incurred in only one
of such crop years. The producer may not receive assistance
under this section for more than one crop year.
(c) Administration.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
Secretary of Agriculture shall make assistance available
under this section in the same manner as provided under
section 815 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and
Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2001 (Public Law 106-387; 114 Stat. 1549A-55), including
using the same loss thresholds for quantity and economic
losses as were used in administering that section, except
that the payment rate shall be 50 percent of the established
price, instead of 65 percent.
(2) Loss thresholds for quality losses.--In the case of a
payment for quality loss for a crop under subsection (a), the
loss thresholds for quality loss for the crop shall be
determined under subsection (d).
(d) Quality Losses.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (3), the amount of a
payment made to producers on a farm for a quality loss for a
crop under subsection (a) shall be equal to the amount
obtained by multiplying--
(A) 65 percent of the payment quantity determined under
paragraph (2); by
(B) 50 percent of the payment rate determined under
paragraph (3).
(2) Payment quantity.--For the purpose of paragraph (1)(A),
the payment quantity for quality losses for a crop of a
commodity on a farm shall equal the lesser of--
(A) the actual production of the crop affected by a quality
loss of the commodity on the farm; or
(B) the quantity of expected production of the crop
affected by a quality loss of the commodity on the farm,
using the formula used by the Secretary of Agriculture to
determine quantity losses for the crop of the commodity under
subsection (a).
(3) Payment rate.--For the purpose of paragraph (1)(B) and
in accordance with paragraphs (5) and (6), the payment rate
for quality losses for a crop of a commodity on a farm shall
be equal to the difference between--
(A) the per unit market value that the units of the crop
affected by the quality loss would have had if the crop had
not suffered a quality loss; and
(B) the per unit market value of the units of the crop
affected by the quality loss.
(4) Eligibility.--For producers on a farm to be eligible to
obtain a payment for a quality loss for a crop under
subsection (a), the amount obtained by multiplying the per
unit loss determined under paragraph (1) by the number of
units affected by the quality loss shall be at least 25
percent of the value that all affected production of the crop
would have had if the crop had not suffered a quality loss.
(5) Marketing contracts.--In the case of any production of
a commodity that is sold pursuant to 1 or more marketing
contracts (regardless of whether the contract is entered into
by the producers on the farm before or after harvest) and for
which appropriate documentation exists, the quantity
designated in the contracts shall be eligible for quality
loss assistance based on the 1 or more prices specified in
the contracts.
(6) Other production.--For any additional production of a
commodity for which a marketing contract does not exist or
for which production continues to be owned by the producer,
quality losses shall be based on the average local market
discounts for reduced quality, as determined by the
appropriate State committee of the Farm Service Agency.
(7) Quality adjustments and discounts.--The appropriate
State committee of the Farm Service Agency shall identify the
appropriate quality adjustment and discount factors to be
considered in carrying out this subsection, including--
(A) the average local discounts actually applied to a crop;
and
(B) the discount schedules applied to loans made by the
Farm Service Agency or crop insurance coverage under the
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).
(8) Eligible production.--The Secretary of Agriculture
shall carry out this subsection in a fair and equitable
manner for all eligible production, including the production
of fruits and vegetables, other specialty crops, and field
crops.
(e) Payment Limitations.--
(1) Limit on amount of assistance.--Assistance provided
under this section to a producer for losses to a crop,
together with the amounts specified in paragraph (2)
applicable to the same crop, may not exceed 95 percent of
what the value of the crop would have been in the absence of
the losses, as estimated by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(2) Other payments.--In applying the limitation in
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall include the following:
(A) Any crop insurance payment made under the Federal Crop
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) or payment under
section 196 of the Federal Agricultural Improvement and
Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) that the producer receives
for losses to the same crop.
(B) The value of the crop that was not lost (if any), as
estimated by the Secretary.
(3) Duplicative payments.--The Secretary of Agriculture
shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that no
producer on a farm receives duplicative payments under this
section and any other Federal program for the same loss.
(f) Eligibility Requirements and Limitations.--The
producers on a farm shall not be eligible for assistance
under this section with respect to losses to an insurable
commodity or noninsurable commodity if the producers on the
farm--
(1) in the case of an insurable commodity, did not obtain a
policy or plan of insurance for the insurable commodity under
the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) for
the crop incurring the losses;
(2) in the case of a noninsurable commodity, did not file
the required paperwork, and pay the administrative fee by the
applicable State filing deadline, for the noninsurable
commodity under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) for the
crop incurring the losses; or
(3) were not in compliance with highly erodible land
conservation and wetland conservation provisions.
(g) Timing.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of
Agriculture shall make payments to producers on a farm for a
crop under this section not later than 60 days after the date
the producers on the farm submit to the Secretary a completed
application for the payments.
(2) Interest.--If the Secretary does not make payments to
the producers on a farm by the date described in paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall pay to the producers on a farm
interest on the payments at a rate equal to the current (as
of the sign-up deadline established by the Secretary) market
yield on outstanding, marketable obligations of the United
States with maturities of 30 years.
(h) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Insurable commodity.--The term ``insurable commodity''
means an agricultural commodity (excluding livestock) for
which the producers on a farm are eligible to obtain a policy
or plan of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7
U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).
(2) Noninsurable commodity.--The term ``noninsurable
commodity'' means a crop for which the producers on a farm
are eligible to

[[Page H2888]]

obtain assistance under section 196 of the Federal
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C.
7333).

SEC. 3102. LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE.

(a) Livestock Compensation Program.--
(1) Availability of assistance.--There are hereby
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture such sums as are
necessary, to remain available until expended, to carry out
the livestock compensation program established under subpart
B of part 1416 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, as
announced by the Secretary on February 12, 2007 (72 Fed. Reg.
6443), to provide compensation for livestock losses during
calendar years 2005 and 2006, and during calendar year 2007
before the date of the enactment of this Act, due to a
disaster, as determined by the Secretary, including wildfire
in the State of Texas and other States and blizzards in the
States of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and
Oklahoma. However, the payment rate for compensation under
this subsection shall be 75 percent of the payment rate
otherwise applicable under such program.
(2) Eligible applicants.--In carrying out the program
described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall provide
assistance to any applicant that--
(A) conducts a livestock operation that is located in a
disaster county with eligible livestock specified in
paragraph (1) of section 1416.102(a) of title 7, Code of
Federal Regulations (72 Fed. Reg. 6444), an animal described
in section 10806(a)(1) of the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002 (21 U.S.C. 321d(a)(1)), or other
animals designated by the Secretary as livestock for purposes
of this subsection; and
(B) meets the requirements of paragraphs (3) and (4) of
section 1416.102(a) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations,
and all other eligibility requirements established by the
Secretary for the program.
(3) Election of losses.--If a producer incurred eligible
livestock losses in more than one of the 2005, 2006, or 2007
calendar years, the producer shall elect to receive payments
under this subsection for losses incurred in only one of such
calendar years, and such losses must have been incurred in a
county declared or designated as a disaster county in that
same calendar year.
(4) Mitigation.--In determining the eligibility for or
amount of payments for which a producer is eligible under the
livestock compensation program, the Secretary shall not
penalize a producer that takes actions (recognizing disaster
conditions) that reduce the average number of livestock the
producer owned for grazing during the production year for
which assistance is being provided.
(5) Limitation.--The Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum
extent practicable, that no producer on a farm receives
duplicative payments under this subsection and another
Federal program with respect to any loss.
(6) Definitions.--In this subsection:
(A) Disaster county.--The term ``disaster county'' means--
(i) a county included in the geographic area covered by a
natural disaster declaration; and
(ii) each county contiguous to a county described in clause
(i).
(B) Natural disaster declaration.--The term ``natural
disaster declaration'' means--
(i) a natural disaster declared by the Secretary during
calendar year 2005 or 2006, or calendar year 2007 before the
date of the enactment of this Act, under section 321(a) of
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1961(a)); or
(ii) a major disaster or emergency designated by the
President during calendar year 2005 or 2006, or calendar year
2007 before the date of the enactment of this Act, under the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
(b) Livestock Indemnity Payments.--
(1) Availability of assistance.--There are hereby
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture such sums as are
necessary, to remain available until expended, to make
livestock indemnity payments to producers on farms that have
incurred livestock losses during calendar years 2005 and
2006, and during calendar year 2007 before the date of the
enactment of this Act, due to a disaster, as determined by
the Secretary, including hurricanes, floods, anthrax,
wildfires in the State of Texas and other States, and
blizzards in the States of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New
Mexico, and Oklahoma.
(2) Election of losses.--If a producer incurred eligible
livestock losses in more than one of the 2005, 2006, or 2007
calendar years, the producer shall elect to receive payments
under this subsection for losses incurred in only one of such
calendar years. The producer may not receive payments under
this subsection for more than one calendar year.
(3) Payment rates.--Indemnity payments to a producer on a
farm under paragraph (1) shall be made at a rate of not less
than 30 percent of the market value of the applicable
livestock on the day before the date of death of the
livestock, as determined by the Secretary.
(4) Livestock defined.--In this subsection, the term
``livestock'' means an animal that--
(A) is specified in clause (i) of section 1416.203(a)(2) of
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (72 Fed. Reg. 6445), or
is designated by the Secretary as livestock for purposes of
this subsection; and
(B) meets the requirements of clauses (iii) and (iv) of
such section.
(c) Limit on Amount of Assistance.--The Secretary of
Agriculture shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable,
that no producer on a farm receives duplicative payments
under this section and any other Federal program for the same
loss.

SEC. 3103. SPINACH.

There is hereby appropriated to the Secretary of
Agriculture $25,000,000, to remain available until expended,
to make payments to growers and first handlers, as defined by
the Secretary, of fresh spinach that were unable to market
spinach crops as a result of the Food and Drug Administration
Public Health Advisory issued on September 14, 2006. The
payment made to a grower or first handler under this section
shall not exceed 75 percent of the value of the unmarketed
spinach crops.

SEC. 3104. EMERGENCY CONSERVATION PROGRAM.

There is hereby appropriated to the Secretary of
Agriculture $20,000,000, to remain available until expended,
to provide assistance under the Emergency Conservation
Program under title IV of the Agriculture Credit Act of 1978
(16 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) for the cleanup and restoration of
farmland damaged by freezing temperatures at any time during
the period beginning on January 1, 2007, and ending on the
date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3105. PAYMENT LIMITATIONS.

(a) Reduction in Payments to Reflect Payments for Same or
Similar Losses.--The amount of any payment for which a
producer is eligible under sections 3101 and 3102 shall be
reduced by any amount received by the producer for the same
loss or any similar loss under--
(1) the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico,
and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-148; 119
Stat. 2680); or
(2) an agricultural disaster assistance provision contained
in the announcement of the Secretary of Agriculture on
January 26, 2006.
(b) Adjusted Gross Income Limitation.--Section 1001D of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308-3a) shall apply with
respect to assistance provided under sections 3101, 3102,
3103, and 3104.

SEC. 3106. ADMINISTRATION.

(a) Regulations.--The Secretary of Agriculture may
promulgate such regulations as are necessary to implement
sections 3101 and 3102.
(b) Procedure.--The promulgation of the implementing
regulations and the administration of sections 3101 and 3102
shall be made without regard to--
(1) the notice and comment provisions of section 553 of
title 5, United States Code;
(2) the Statement of Policy of the Secretary of Agriculture
effective July 24, 1971 (36 Fed. Reg. 13804), relating to
notices of proposed rulemaking and public participation in
rulemaking; and
(3) chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly
known as the ``Paperwork Reduction Act'').
(c) Congressional Review of Agency Rulemaking.--In carrying
out this section, the Secretary of Agriculture shall use the
authority provided under section 808 of title 5, United
States Code.
(d) Use of Commodity Credit Corporation; Limitation.--In
implementing sections 3101 and 3102, the Secretary of
Agriculture may use the facilities, services, and authorities
of the Commodity Credit Corporation. The Corporation shall
not make any expenditures to carry out sections 3101 and 3102
unless funds have been specifically appropriated for such
purpose.

SEC. 3107. MILK INCOME LOSS CONTRACT PROGRAM.

Notwithstanding subsections (c)(3), (f), and (g) of section
1502 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7
U.S.C. 7982), there is hereby appropriated $283,000,000, to
remain available until expended, for payments under such
section, using the payment rate specified in subsection
(c)(3)(B) of such section, from September 1, 2007, through
September 30, 2008. Of such amount, $252,000,000 shall be
available only on or after September 30, 2007, and only so
long as an Act to provide for the continuation of
agricultural programs for fiscal years after 2007, including
such section 1502, is not enacted.

SEC. 3108. PEANUT STORAGE COSTS.

Notwithstanding subsection (a)(6) of section 1307 of the
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
7957), there is hereby appropriated $74,000,000, to remain
available until expended, for the payment of storage,
handling, and other associated costs for the 2007 crop of
peanuts to ensure proper storage of peanuts for which a loan
is made under such section. Of such amount, $74,000,000 shall
be available only on or after September 30, 2007, and only so
long as an Act to provide for the continuation of
agricultural programs for fiscal years after 2007, including
such section 1307, is not enacted.

SEC. 3109. LOSSES DUE TO APHIS EMERGENCY ORDER.

There is hereby appropriated to the Secretary of
Agriculture $5,000,000, to remain available until expended,
to provide compensation to aquaculture operations and other
persons in the United States engaged in the business of
breeding, rearing, or transporting live fish to cover all or
a portion of the economic losses incurred by the operation or
person as a result of the emergency order issued by the
Animal and Plant Health

[[Page H2889]]

Inspection Service on October 24, 2006, prohibiting the
importation of specified species of live fish from Ontario
and Quebec, Canada, and the interstate movement of these same
species of fish from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan,
Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, or Wisconsin due to outbreaks
of viral hemorrhagic septicemia. The operation or person
seeking compensation shall be required to document to the
satisfaction of the Secretary the economic losses so incurred
as a result of the emergency order.

SEC. 3110. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.

The amounts provided in this title are designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

TITLE IV--OTHER MATTERS

CHAPTER 1

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'',
$48,000,000.

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 4101. Of the funds made available through
appropriations to the Food and Drug Administration for fiscal
year 2007, not less than $4,000,000 shall be for the Office
of Women's Health of such Administration.
Sec. 4102. None of the funds made available to the
Department of Agriculture for fiscal year 2007 may be used
for a risk-based inspection program for poultry or meat
unless the Secretary of Agriculture considers such program to
be a rule under chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code.

CHAPTER 2

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

OPERATIONS, RESEARCH, AND FACILITIES

For an additional amount for ``Operations, Research, and
Facilities'', National Marine Fisheries Service, $60,400,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2008: Provided, That
the National Marine Fisheries Service shall cause such
amounts to be distributed among fishing communities, Indian
tribes, individuals, small businesses, including fishermen,
fish processors, and related businesses, and other persons
for assistance to mitigate the economic and other social
effects caused by the commercial fishery failure as
determined by the Secretary on August 10, 2006: Provided
further, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

CHAPTER 3

Sec. 4301. (a) Section 102(a)(3)(B) of the Help America
Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15302(a)(3)(B)) is amended by
striking ``January 1, 2006'' and inserting ``January 1,
2008''.
(b) The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect
as if included in the enactment of the Help America Vote Act
of 2002.

CHAPTER 4

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

General Provisions

(RESCISSION)

Sec. 4401. Of the unobligated balances made available
pursuant to section 505 of Public Law 109-90, $89,800,000 are
rescinded.
Sec. 4402. The last two provisos under the heading
``Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border
Protection--Salaries and Expenses'' in Public Law 109-90
shall remain in effect through September 30, 2007.
Sec. 4403. (a) In General.--Any contract, subcontract, or
task order described in subsection (b) shall contain the
following:
(1) A requirement for a technical review of all designs,
design changes, and engineering change proposals, and a
requirement to specifically address all engineering concerns
identified in the review before the obligation of further
funds may occur.
(2) A requirement that the Coast Guard maintain technical
warrant holder authority, or the equivalent, for major
assets.
(3) A requirement for independent cost estimates of major
changes.
(4) A requirement for measurement of contractor and
subcontractor performance based on the status of all work
performed.
(b) Contracts, Subcontracts, and Task Orders Covered.--
Subsection (a) applies to--
(1) any major procurement contract entered into by the
Coast Guard;
(2) any subcontract entered into under such a contract; and
(3) any task order issued pursuant to such a contract or
subcontract.
(c) Plan for Expenditure of Deepwater Funds.--The funds
appropriated in Public Law 109-295 for the Integrated
Deepwater Systems program may not be obligated until the
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives receive and approve a plan for expenditure
that--
(1) defines activities, milestones, yearly costs, and
lifecycle costs for each procurement of a major asset,
including an independent cost estimate for each;
(2) identifies lifecycle staffing and training needs of
Coast Guard project managers and of procurement and contract
staff;
(3) identifies all Integrated Product Teams that are not
chaired by Coast Guard personnel and explains why the Coast
Guard does not chair;
(4) identifies competition to be conducted in each
procurement;
(5) does not rely on a single industry entity or contract;
(6) contains very limited indefinite delivery/indefinite
quantity contracts and explains the need for any indefinite
delivery/indefinite quantity contracts;
(7) complies with all applicable acquisition rules,
requirements, and guidelines, and incorporates the best
systems acquisition management practices of the Federal
Government;
(8) complies with the capital planning and investment
control requirements established by the Office of Management
and Budget, including circular A-11, part 7;
(9) includes a certification by the Chief Procurement
Officer of the Department of Homeland Security that the Coast
Guard has established sufficient controls and procedures to
comply with all contracting requirements and that any
apparent conflicts of interest have been sufficiently
addressed;
(10) includes a description of the process used to act upon
deviations from the contractually specified performance
requirements and clearly explains the actions taken on such
deviations; and
(11) is reviewed by the Government Accountability Office.
Sec. 4404. (a) In General.--With respect to contracts
entered into after May 1, 2007, and except as provided in
subsection (b), no entity performing lead system integrator
functions in the acquisition of a major system by the
Department of Homeland Security may have any direct financial
interest in the development or construction of any individual
system or element of any system of systems.
(b) Exception.--An entity described in subsection (a) may
have a direct financial interest in the development or
construction of an individual system or element of a system
of systems if--
(1) the Secretary of Homeland Security certifies to the
Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives and the House Committee on Homeland Security
that--
(A) the entity was selected by the Department of Homeland
Security as a contractor to develop or construct the system
or element concerned through the use of competitive
procedures; and
(B) the Department took appropriate steps to prevent any
organizational conflict of interest in the selection process;
or
(2) the entity was selected by a subcontractor to serve as
a lower-tier subcontractor, through a process over which the
entity exercised no control.
(c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to preclude an entity described in subsection (a)
from performing work necessary to integrate two or more
individual systems or elements of a system of systems with
each other.
(d) Regulations Update.--Not later than May 1, 2007, the
Secretary of Homeland Security shall update the acquisition
regulations of the Department of Homeland Security in order
to specify fully in such regulations the matters with respect
to lead system integrators set forth in this section.
Included in such regulations shall be (1) a precise and
comprehensive definition of the term ``lead system
integrator'', modeled after that used by the Department of
Defense, and (2) a specification of various types of
contracts and fee structures that are appropriate for use by
lead system integrators in the production, fielding, and
sustainment of complex systems.

CHAPTER 5

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Wildland Fire Management'',
$100,000,000, to remain available until expended, for urgent
wildland fire suppression activities: Provided, That such
funds shall only become available if funds previously
provided for wildland fire suppression will be exhausted
imminently and the Secretary of the Interior notifies the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing of
the need for these additional funds: Provided further, That
such funds are also available for repayment to other
appropriation accounts from which funds were transferred for
wildfire suppression: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

For an additional amount for ``Resource Management'' for
the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild
birds, including the investigation of morbidity and mortality
events, targeted surveillance in live wild birds, and
targeted surveillance in hunter-taken birds, $7,398,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2008.

National Park Service

OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM

For an additional amount for ``Operation of the National
Park System'' for the detection of highly pathogenic avian
influenza in wild birds, including the investigation of
morbidity and mortality events, $525,000, to remain available
until September 30, 2008.

[[Page H2890]]

U.S. Geological Survey

SURVEYS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND RESEARCH

For an additional amount for ``Surveys, Investigations, and
Research'' for the detection of highly pathogenic avian
influenza in wild birds, including the investigation of
morbidity and mortality events, targeted surveillance in live
wild birds, and targeted surveillance in hunter-taken birds,
$5,270,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Wildland Fire Management'',
$400,000,000, to remain available until expended, for urgent
wildland fire suppression activities: Provided, That such
funds shall only become available if funds provided
previously for wildland fire suppression will be exhausted
imminently and the Secretary of Agriculture notifies the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in writing of
the need for these additional funds: Provided further, That
such funds are also available for repayment to other
appropriation accounts from which funds were transferred for
wildfire suppression: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 4501. There is appropriated not to exceed $400,000,000
to the Department of Agriculture, to be used for one-time
payments to be allocated, to the maximum extent practicable,
in the same amounts and in the same manner as were paid to
States and others in 2006 under the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-393;
16 U.S.C. 500 note): Provided, That the amount provided under
this heading is designated as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress),
as made applicable to the House of Representatives by section
511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th Congress).
Sec. 4502. Section 20515 of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by inserting before
the period: ``; and of which, not to exceed $9,019,000 shall
be available, in addition to amounts otherwise available, for
contract support costs''.
Sec. 4503. Section 20512 of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by inserting after
the first dollar amount: ``, of which, not to exceed
$5,000,000 shall be available, in addition to amounts
otherwise available, for contract support costs; and of
which, not to exceed $7,300,000 may be transferred to the
`Indian Health Facilities' account,''.
Sec. 4504. Section 20501 of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by inserting after
$55,663,000 ``of which $13,000,000 shall be for Save
America's Treasures''.

CHAPTER 6

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Of the amount provided by the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) for ``National Institute of
Allergy and Infectious Diseases'', $49,500,000 shall be
transferred to ``Public Health and Social Services Emergency
Fund'' to carry out activities relating to advanced research
and development as provided by section 319L of the Public
Health Service Act.

Administration for Children and Families

LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE

For an additional amount to make payments under section
2604(a)-(d) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of
1981 (42 U.S.C. 8623(a)-(d)), $200,000,000: Provided, That
grantees may obligate the funds made available by this
paragraph through September 30, 2008, to meet the home energy
assistance needs arising from an emergency as defined in
section 2603(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 8622(1)) or for energy
crisis intervention under section 2604(c) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 8623(c)) except that, in carrying out this paragraph,
the Governor of a State (or equivalent authority in the case
of grantee other than a State) shall be treated as the
Secretary for purposes of such section 2603(1): Provided
further, That the amount provided by this paragraph is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).
For an additional amount to make payments under section
2604(e) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981
(42 U.S.C. 8623(e)), $200,000,000: Provided, That the amount
provided by this paragraph is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

Office of the Secretary

PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES EMERGENCY FUND

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For an additional amount for ``Public Health and Social
Services Emergency Fund'' to prepare for and respond to an
influenza pandemic, $969,650,000 to remain available until
expended: Provided, That $870,000,000 shall be for activities
including the development and purchase of vaccine,
antivirals, necessary medical supplies, diagnostics, and
other surveillance tools: Provided further, That products
purchased with these funds may, at the discretion of the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, be deposited in the
Strategic National Stockpile: Provided further, That
notwithstanding section 496(b) of the Public Health Service
Act, funds may be used for the construction or renovation of
privately owned facilities for the production of pandemic
vaccine and other biologicals, where the Secretary finds such
a contract necessary to secure sufficient supplies of such
vaccines or biologicals: Provided further, That funds
appropriated herein may be transferred to other appropriation
accounts of the Department of Health and Human Services, as
determined by the Secretary to be appropriate, to be used for
the purposes specified in this sentence: Provided further,
That not less than $34,650,000 shall be for the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention for laboratory diagnostics and
analytical capabilities: Provided further, That the amount
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res. 376
(109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

COVERED COUNTERMEASURE PROCESS FUND

For carrying out section 319F-4 of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-6e) to compensate individuals for
injuries caused by H5N1 vaccine, in accordance with the
declaration regarding avian influenza viruses issued by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services on January 26, 2007,
pursuant to section 319F-3(b) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 247d-
6d(b)), $50,000,000 to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Sec. 4601. Section 20602 of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by striking ``of
which no less than $5,000,000 shall be'' and inserting the
following: ``of which $7,500,000 (together with an additional
$7,000,000 which shall be transferred by the Pension Benefit
Guaranty Corporation as an authorized administrative cost)
shall be available when needed through September 30, 2008,''.
Sec. 4602. Section 20608(a) of the Continuing
Appropriations Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law
109-289, as amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by
inserting ``and which shall be available for obligation by
the States through December 31, 2007,'' after ``Public Law
103-353,''.
Sec. 4603. Section 20625(b)(1) of the Continuing
Appropriations Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law
109-289, as amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by--
(1) striking ``$7,172,994,000'' and inserting
``$7,176,431,000'';
(2) amending subparagraph (A) to read as follows: ``(A)
$5,454,824,000 shall be for basic grants under section 1124
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA),
of which up to $3,437,000 shall be available to the Secretary
of Education on October 1, 2006, to obtain annually updated
educational-agency-level census poverty data from the Bureau
of the Census;''; and
(3) amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows: ``(C) not
to exceed $2,352,000 may be available for section 1608 of the
ESEA and for a clearinghouse on comprehensive school reform
under part D of title V of the ESEA;''.
Sec. 4604. The provision in the first proviso under the
heading ``Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research''
in the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2006,
relating to alternative financing programs under section
4(b)(2)(D) of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 shall not
apply to funds appropriated by the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007.

CHAPTER 7

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

PAYMENT TO WIDOWS AND HEIRS OF DECEASED MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

For payment to Gloria W. Norwood, widow of Charles W.
Norwood, Jr., late a Representative from the State of
Georgia, $165,200.

ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL

CAPITOL POWER PLANT

For an additional amount for ``Capitol Power Plant'',
$50,000,000, for asbestos abatement and other improvements,
to remain available until September 30, 2011: Provided, That
the amount provided under this heading is designated as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 501 of H. Con. Res.
376 (109th Congress), as made applicable to the House of
Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H. Res. 6 (110th
Congress).

[[Page H2891]]

CHAPTER 8

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

International Commissions

INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO

CONSTRUCTION

For an additional amount for ``International Boundary and
Water Commission, United States and Mexico, Construction'',
$10,000,000, to remain available until expended, as
authorized.

GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS CHAPTER

Sec. 4801. (a) Middle East Foundation.--Section 534(k) of
the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related
Programs Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-102) is
amended, in the second proviso, by inserting after
``subsection (b) of that section'' the following: ``and the
requirement that a majority of the members of the board of
directors be United States citizens provided in subsection
(d)(3)(B) of that section''.
Sec. 4802. Notwithstanding any provision of title I of
division B of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007
(division B of Public Law 109-289, as amended by Public Laws
109-369, 109-383, and 110-5), the dollar amount limitation of
the first proviso under the heading, ``Administration of
Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic and Consular Programs'', in title
IV of the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109-108; 119
Stat. 2319) shall not apply to funds appropriated under such
heading for fiscal year 2007.
Sec. 4803. Amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2007 for
``Bilateral Economic Assistance--Department of the Treasury--
Debt Restructuring'' may be used to assist Liberia in
retiring its debt arrearages to the International Monetary
Fund, the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, and the African Development Bank.

CHAPTER 9

Sec. 4901. Funds provided for the ``National Transportation
Safety Board, Salaries and Expenses'' in section 21031 of the
Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007 (division B of
Public Law 109-289, as amended by Public Law 110-5) include
amounts necessary to make lease payments due in fiscal year
2007 on an obligation incurred in 2001 under a capital lease.
Sec. 4902. Section 21033 of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by adding after the
second proviso: ``: Provided further, That paragraph (2)
under such heading in Public Law 109-115 (119 Stat. 2441)
shall be funded at $149,300,000, but additional section 8
tenant protection rental assistance costs may be funded in
2007 by using unobligated balances, notwithstanding the
purposes for which such amounts were appropriated, including
recaptures and carryover, remaining from funds appropriated
to the Department of Housing and Urban Development under this
heading, the heading `Annual Contributions for Assisted
Housing', the heading `Housing Certificate Fund', and the
heading `Project-Based Rental Assistance' for fiscal year
2006 and prior fiscal years: Provided further, That paragraph
(3) under such heading in Public Law 109-115 (119 Stat. 2441)
shall be funded at $47,500,000: Provided further, That
paragraph (4) under such heading in Public Law 109-115 (119
Stat. 2441) shall be funded at $5,900,000: Provided further,
That paragraph (5) under such heading in Public Law 109-115
(119 Stat. 2441) shall be funded at $1,281,100,000, of which
$1,251,100,000 shall be allocated for the calendar year 2007
funding cycle on a pro rata basis to public housing agencies
based on the amount public housing agencies were eligible to
receive in calendar year 2006, and of which up to $30,000,000
shall be available to the Secretary to allocate to public
housing agencies that need additional funds to administer
their section 8 programs, with up to $20,000,000 to be for
fees associated with section 8 tenant protection rental
assistance''.
Sec. 4903. Section 21033 of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended (prior to amendment
by the preceding section of this chapter) by adding after the
third proviso: ``: Provided further, That notwithstanding
the previous proviso, except for applying the 2007 Annual
Adjustment Factor and making any other specified adjustments,
public housing agencies in the following categories shall
receive renewal funding for calendar year 2007 equal to the
amounts, prior to prorations, such public housing agencies
were eligible to receive in calendar year 2006, prorated at
the calendar year 2006 rate: (1) public housing agencies that
would receive less funding under the previous proviso than
they would receive under this proviso and that are located in
any area declared a major disaster under the Robert T.
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act (42 U.S.C. 1521 et
seq.) with respect to hurricanes that occurred in calendar
years 2004 and 2005; (2) public housing agencies
participating in the Moving to Work Demonstration; (3) public
housing agencies that, during calendar year 2007 but prior to
June 1, 2007, are in receivership, or the Department of
Housing and Urban Development has declared to be in breach of
an Annual Contributions Contract; or (4) public housing
agencies that overspent their allocation for calendar year
2006 and available housing assistance payments balance from
calendar year 2005''.
Sec. 4904. Chapter 10 of title II of the Continuing
Appropriations Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law
109-289, as amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended by
inserting after section 21041 the following new section:
``Sec. 21041A. The provisions under the heading `Department
of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Federal Housing
Enterprise Oversight, Salaries and Expenses' in title III of
division A of Public Law 109-115 shall be applied to funds
appropriated by this division by substituting `$67,568,000'
for `$60,000,000'.''.
Sec. 4905. Section 21033 of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2007 (division B of Public Law 109-289, as
amended by Public Law 110-5) is amended (prior to amendment
by the preceding sections of this chapter) by striking the
sixth proviso.
Sec. 4906. Section 232(b) of the Departments of Veterans
Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law 106-377) is
amended to read as follows:
``(b) Applicability.--In the case of any dwelling unit
that, upon the date of the enactment of this Act, is assisted
under a housing assistance payment contract under section
8(o)(13) as in effect before such enactment, or under section
8(d)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C.
1437f(d)(2)) as in effect before the enactment of the Quality
Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 (title V of
Public Law 105-276), assistance may be renewed or extended
under such section 8(o)(13), as amended by subsection (a),
provided that the initial contract term and rent of such
renewed or extended assistance shall be determined pursuant
to subparagraphs (F) and (H), and subparagraphs (C) and (D)
of such section shall not apply to such extensions or
renewals.''.

GENERAL PROVISION--THIS ACT

Sec. 4910. No part of any appropriation contained in this
Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current
fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.

TITLE V--CONTRACTING REFORM

SEC. 5001. MINIMIZING SOLE-SOURCE CONTRACTS.

(a) Plans Required.--Subject to subsection (c), the head of
each executive agency covered by title III of the Federal
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C.
251 et seq.) and the head of each agency covered by chapter
137 of title 10, United States Code, shall develop and
implement a plan to minimize the use of contracts entered
into using procedures other than competitive procedures by
the agency concerned. The plan shall contain measurable goals
and shall be completed and submitted to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Senate, with a copy provided to the Comptroller General, not
later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
(b) Comptroller General Review.--The Comptroller General
shall review the plans provided under subsection (a) and
submit a report to Congress on the plans not later than 18
months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Requirement Limited to Certain Agencies.--The
requirement of subsection (a) shall apply only to those
agencies that awarded contracts in a total amount of at least
$1,000,000,000 in the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year
in which the report is submitted.

SEC. 5002. MINIMIZING COST-REIMBURSEMENT TYPE CONTRACTS.

(a) Plans Required.--Subject to subsection (c), the head of
each executive agency covered by title III of the Federal
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C.
251 et seq.) and the head of each agency covered by chapter
137 of title 10, United States Code, shall develop and
implement a plan to minimize the use of cost-reimbursement
type contracts by the agency concerned. The plan shall
contain measurable goals and shall be completed and submitted
to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the
House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate, with a copy provided to the Comptroller
General, not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
(b) Comptroller General Review.--The Comptroller General
shall review the plans provided under subsection (a) and
submit a report to Congress on the plans not later than 18
months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Requirement Limited to Certain Agencies.--The
requirement of subsection (a) shall apply only to those
agencies that awarded contracts in a total amount of at least
$1,000,000,000 in the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year
in which the report is submitted.

SEC. 5003. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL
DOCUMENTS FOR NONCOMPETITIVE CONTRACTS.

(a) Civilian Agency Contracts.--Section 303 of the Federal
Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 (41 U.S.C.
253) is amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(j)(1) In the case of a procurement permitted by
subsection (c), the head of an executive agency shall make
publicly available,

[[Page H2892]]

within 14 days after the award of the contract, the documents
containing the justification and approval required by
subsection (f)(1) with respect to the procurement.
``(2) The documents shall be made available on the website
of the agency and through the Federal Procurement Data
System.
``(3) This subsection does not require the public
availability of information that is exempt from public
disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5, United States
Code.''.
(b) Defense Agency Contracts.--Section 2304 of title 10,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection:
``(l)(1) In the case of a procurement permitted by
subsection (c), the head of an agency shall make publicly
available, within 14 days after the award of the contract,
the documents containing the justification and approval
required by subsection (f)(1) with respect to the
procurement.
``(2) The documents shall be made available on the website
of the agency and through the Federal Procurement Data
System.
``(3) This subsection does not require the public
availability of information that is exempt from public
disclosure under section 552(b) of title 5, United States
Code.''.

SEC. 5004. DISCLOSURE OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR OVERCHARGES.

(a) Quarterly Report to Congress.--
(1) The head of each Federal agency or department shall
submit to the chairman and ranking member of each committee
specified in paragraph (2) on a quarterly basis a report that
includes the following:
(A) A list of audits or other reports issued during the
applicable quarter that describe contractor costs in excess
of $1,000,000 that have been identified as unjustified,
unsupported, questioned, or unreasonable under any contract,
task or delivery order, or subcontract.
(B) The specific amounts of costs identified as
unjustified, unsupported, questioned, or unreasonable and the
percentage of their total value of the contract, task or
delivery order, or subcontract.
(C) A list of audits or other reports issued during the
applicable quarter that identify significant or substantial
deficiencies in the performance of any contractor or in any
business system of any contractor under any contract, task or
delivery order, or subcontract.
(2) The report described in paragraph (1) shall be
submitted to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate, the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate, and other committees of jurisdiction.
(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to an agency or
department with respect to a calendar quarter if no audits or
other reports described in paragraph (1) were issued during
that quarter.
(b) Submission of Individual Audits.--The head of each
Federal agency or department shall provide, within 14 days
after a request in writing by the chairman or ranking member
of any of the committees described in subsection (a)(2), a
full and unredacted copy of any audit or other report
described in subsection (a)(1).

TITLE VI--ELIMINATION OF SCHIP SHORTFALL

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services State Children's Health
Insurance Fund

For an additional amount to provide additional allotments
to remaining shortfall States under section 2104(h)(4) of the
Social Security Act, as inserted by section 6001, such sums
as may be necessary, but not to exceed $750,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That the amount provided under this heading is
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
501 of H. Con. Res. 376 (109th Congress), as made applicable
to the House of Representatives by section 511(a)(4) of H.
Res. 6 (110th Congress).

SEC. 6001. ELIMINATION OF REMAINDER OF SCHIP FUNDING
SHORTFALLS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007.

(a) Elimination of Remainder of Funding Shortfalls, Tiered
Match, and Other Limitation on Expenditures.--Section 2104(h)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397dd(h)), as added by
section 201(a) of the National Institutes of Health Reform
Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-482), is amended--
(1) in the heading for paragraph (2), by striking
``remainder of reduction'' and inserting ``part''; and
(2) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
``(4) Additional amounts to eliminate remainder of fiscal
year 2007 funding shortfalls.--
``(A) In general.--From the amounts provided in advance in
appropriations Acts, the Secretary shall allot to each
remaining shortfall State described in subparagraph (B) such
amount as the Secretary determines will eliminate the
estimated shortfall described in such subparagraph for the
State for fiscal year 2007.
``(B) Remaining shortfall state described.--For purposes of
subparagraph (A), a remaining shortfall State is a State with
a State child health plan approved under this title for which
the Secretary estimates, on the basis of the most recent data
available to the Secretary as of the date of the enactment of
this paragraph, that the projected Federal expenditures under
such plan for the State for fiscal year 2007 will exceed the
sum of--
``(i) the amount of the State's allotments for each of
fiscal years 2005 and 2006 that will not be expended by the
end of fiscal year 2006;
``(ii) the amount of the State's allotment for fiscal year
2007; and
``(iii) the amounts, if any, that are to be redistributed
to the State during fiscal year 2007 in accordance with
paragraphs (1) and (2).''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 2104(h) of such Act (42
U.S.C. 1397dd(h)) (as so added), is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ``subject to paragraph
(4)(B) and'';
(2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``subject to paragraph
(4)(B) and'';
(3) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking ``and (3)'' and
inserting ``(3), and (4)''; and
(4) in paragraph (6), by striking ``and (3)'' and inserting
``(3), and (4)''.

TITLE VII--MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE AND SMALL BUSINESS TAX RELIEF

CHAPTER 1

SEC. 7101. SHORT TITLE.

This chapter may be cited as the ``Fair Minimum Wage Act of
2007''.

SEC. 7102. MINIMUM WAGE.

(a) In General.--Section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(1) except as otherwise provided in this section, not
less than--
``(A) $5.85 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after the
date of enactment of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007;
``(B) $6.55 an hour, beginning 12 months after that 60th
day; and
``(C) $7.25 an hour, beginning 24 months after that 60th
day;''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a)
shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment of this
Act.

SEC. 7103. APPLICABILITY OF MINIMUM WAGE TO THE COMMONWEALTH
OF THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS.

(a) In General.--Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act
of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206) shall apply to the Commonwealth of
the Northern Mariana Islands.
(b) Transition.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), the
minimum wage applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands under section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)) shall be--
(1) $3.55 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after the date
of enactment of this Act; and
(2) increased by $0.50 an hour (or such lesser amount as
may be necessary to equal the minimum wage under section
6(a)(1) of such Act), beginning 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act and every 6 months thereafter until the
minimum wage applicable to the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands under this subsection is equal to the minimum
wage set forth in such section.

SEC. 7104. APPLICABILITY OF MINIMUM WAGE TO AMERICAN SAMOA.

(a) Applicability.--
(1) In general.--Section 6 of the Fair Labor Standards Act
of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206) shall apply to American Samoa.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 6(a) of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206(a)) is amended by
striking paragraph (3) and redesignating paragraphs (4) and
(5) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively.
(b) Transition.--
(1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), the
minimum wage applicable to American Samoa under section
6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C.
206(a)(1)) shall be--
(A) $3.55 an hour, beginning on the 60th day after the date
of enactment of this Act; and
(B) increased by $0.50 an hour (or such lesser amount as
may be necessary to equal the minimum wage under section
6(a)(1) of such Act), beginning 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act and every 6 months thereafter until the
minimum wage applicable to American Samoa under this
paragraph is equal to the minimum wage set forth in such
section.
(2) Special rule.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if an
employee is employed in an industry in American Samoa that,
on the date of enactment of this Act, is required to pay a
minimum wage rate under section 697 of title 29, Code of
Federal Regulations, that is higher than the minimum wage
rate required under paragraph (1)(A), the minimum wage
applicable to such employee shall be--
(A) the minimum wage rate required for such an industry
under such section on the date of enactment of this Act; and
(B) increased by $0.50 an hour (or such lesser amount as
may be necessary to equal the minimum wage under section
6(a)(1) of such Act), beginning 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act and every 6 months

[[Page H2893]]

thereafter until the minimum wage applicable to American
Samoa under this subsection is equal to the minimum wage set
forth in such section.

CHAPTER 2

SEC. 7201. SHORT TITLE; AMENDMENT OF 1986 CODE; TABLE OF
CONTENTS.

(a) Short Title.--This chapter may be cited as the ``Small
Business Tax Relief Act of 2007''.
(b) Amendment of 1986 Code.--Except as otherwise expressly
provided, whenever in this chapter an amendment or repeal is
expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a
section or other provision, the reference shall be considered
to be made to a section or other provision of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986.
(c) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this
chapter is as follows:

Sec. 7201. Short title; amendment of 1986 Code; table of contents.
Sec. 7202. Extension and modification of work opportunity tax credit.
Sec. 7203. Extension and increase of expensing for small business.
Sec. 7204. Determination of credit for certain taxes paid with respect
to employee cash tips.
Sec. 7205. Waiver of individual and corporate alternative minimum tax
limits on work opportunity credit and credit for taxes
paid with respect to employee cash tips.
Sec. 7206. Family business tax simplification.
Sec. 7207. Denial of lowest capital gains rate for certain dependents.
Sec. 7208. Suspension of certain penalties and interest.
Sec. 7209. Time for payment of corporate estimated taxes.

SEC. 7202. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX
CREDIT.

(a) Extension.--Section 51(c)(4)(B) (relating to
termination) is amended by striking ``2007'' and inserting
``2008''.
(b) Increase in Maximum Age for Designated Community
Residents.--
(1) In general.--Paragraph (5) of section 51(d) is amended
to read as follows:
``(5) Designated community residents.--
``(A) In general.--The term `designated community resident'
means any individual who is certified by the designated local
agency--
``(i) as having attained age 18 but not age 40 on the
hiring date, and
``(ii) as having his principal place of abode within an
empowerment zone, enterprise community, or renewal community.
``(B) Individual must continue to reside in zone or
community.--In the case of a designated community resident,
the term `qualified wages' shall not include wages paid or
incurred for services performed while the individual's
principal place of abode is outside an empowerment zone,
enterprise community, or renewal community.''.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Subparagraph (D) of section
51(d)(1) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) a designated community resident,''.
(c) Clarification of Treatment of Individuals Under
Individual Work Plans.--Subparagraph (B) of section 51(d)(6)
(relating to vocational rehabilitation referral) is amended
by striking ``or'' at the end of clause (i), by striking the
period at the end of clause (ii) and inserting ``, or'', and
by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) an individual work plan developed and implemented
by an employment network pursuant to subsection (g) of
section 1148 of the Social Security Act with respect to which
the requirements of such subsection are met.''.
(d) Treatment of Disabled Veterans Under the Work
Opportunity Tax Credit.--
(1) Disabled veterans treated as members of targeted
group.--
(A) In general.--Subparagraph (A) of section 51(d)(3)
(relating to qualified veteran) is amended by striking
``agency as being a member of a family'' and all that follows
and inserting ``agency as--
``(i) being a member of a family receiving assistance under
a food stamp program under the Food Stamp Act of 1977 for at
least a 3-month period ending during the 12-month period
ending on the hiring date, or
``(ii) entitled to compensation for a service-connected
disability, and--

``(I) having a hiring date which is not more that 1 year
after having been discharged or released from active duty in
the Armed Forces of the United States, or
``(II) having aggregate periods of unemployment during the
1-year period ending on the hiring date which equal or exceed
6 months.''.

(B) Definitions.--Paragraph (3) of section 51(d) is amended
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(C) Other definitions.--For purposes of subparagraph (A),
the terms `compensation' and `service-connected' have the
meanings given such terms under section 101 of title 38,
United States Code.''.
(2) Increase in amount of wages taken into account for
disabled veterans.--Paragraph (3) of section 51(b) is
amended--
(A) by inserting ``($12,000 per year in the case of any
individual who is a qualified veteran by reason of subsection
(d)(3)(A)(ii))'' before the period at the end, and
(B) by striking ``Only first $6,000 of'' in the heading and
inserting ``Limitation on''.
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to individuals who begin work for the employer
after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7203. EXTENSION AND INCREASE OF EXPENSING FOR SMALL
BUSINESS.

(a) Extension.--Subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(5), (c)(2),
and (d)(1)(A)(ii) of section 179 (relating to election to
expense certain depreciable business assets) are each amended
by striking ``2010'' and inserting ``2011''.
(b) Increase in Limitations.--Subsection (b) of section 179
is amended--
(1) by striking ``$100,000 in the case of taxable years
beginning after 2002'' in paragraph (1) and inserting
``$125,000 in the case of taxable years beginning after
2006'', and
(2) by striking ``$400,000 in the case of taxable years
beginning after 2002'' in paragraph (2) and inserting
``$500,000 in the case of taxable years beginning after
2006''.
(c) Inflation Adjustment.--Subparagraph (A) of section
179(b)(5) is amended--
(1) by striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2007'',
(2) by striking ``$100,000 and $400,000'' and inserting
``$125,000 and $500,000'', and
(3) by striking ``2002'' in clause (ii) and inserting
``2006''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31,
2006.

SEC. 7204. DETERMINATION OF CREDIT FOR CERTAIN TAXES PAID
WITH RESPECT TO EMPLOYEE CASH TIPS.

(a) In General.--Subparagraph (B) of section 45B(b)(1) is
amended by inserting ``as in effect on January 1, 2007, and''
before ``determined without regard to''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section
shall apply to tips received for services performed after
December 31, 2006.

SEC. 7205. WAIVER OF INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE ALTERNATIVE
MINIMUM TAX LIMITS ON WORK OPPORTUNITY CREDIT
AND CREDIT FOR TAXES PAID WITH RESPECT TO
EMPLOYEE CASH TIPS.

(a) Allowance Against Alternative Minimum Tax.--
Subparagraph (B) of section 38(c)(4) is amended by striking
``and'' at the end of clause (i), by inserting a comma at the
end of clause (ii), and by adding at the end the following
new clauses:
``(iii) the credit determined under section 45B, and
``(iv) the credit determined under section 51.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to credits determined under sections 45B and 51
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2006, and to carrybacks of such
credits.

SEC. 7206. FAMILY BUSINESS TAX SIMPLIFICATION.

(a) In General.--Section 761 (defining terms for purposes
of partnerships) is amended by redesignating subsection (f)
as subsection (g) and by inserting after subsection (e) the
following new subsection:
``(f) Qualified Joint Venture.--
``(1) In general.--In the case of a qualified joint venture
conducted by a husband and wife who file a joint return for
the taxable year, for purposes of this title--
``(A) such joint venture shall not be treated as a
partnership,
``(B) all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and
credit shall be divided between the spouses in accordance
with their respective interests in the venture, and
``(C) each spouse shall take into account such spouse's
respective share of such items as if they were attributable
to a trade or business conducted by such spouse as a sole
proprietor.
``(2) Qualified joint venture.--For purposes of paragraph
(1), the term `qualified joint venture' means any joint
venture involving the conduct of a trade or business if--
``(A) the only members of such joint venture are a husband
and wife,
``(B) both spouses materially participate (within the
meaning of section 469(h) without regard to paragraph (5)
thereof) in such trade or business, and
``(C) both spouses elect the application of this
subsection.''.
(b) Net Earnings From Self-Employment.--
(1) Subsection (a) of section 1402 (defining net earnings
from self-employment) is amended by striking ``, and'' at the
end of paragraph (15) and inserting a semicolon, by striking
the period at the end of paragraph (16) and inserting ``;
and'', and by inserting after paragraph (16) the following
new paragraph:
``(17) notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this
subsection, each spouse's share of income or loss from a
qualified joint venture shall be taken into account as
provided in section 761(f) in determining net earnings from
self-employment of such spouse.''.
(2) Subsection (a) of section 211 of the Social Security
Act (defining net earnings from self-employment) is amended
by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (14), by striking
the period at the end of paragraph (15) and inserting ``;
and'', and by inserting after paragraph (15) the following
new paragraph:
``(16) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this
subsection, each spouse's share of income or loss from a
qualified joint venture shall be taken into account as
provided in section 761(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986 in determining net earnings from self-employment of such
spouse.''.

[[Page H2894]]

SEC. 7207. DENIAL OF LOWEST CAPITAL GAINS RATE FOR CERTAIN
DEPENDENTS.

(a) In General.--Subsection (h) of section 1 is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(12) Certain individuals not eligible for lowest rate.--
``(A) In general.--In the case of an individual described
in subparagraph (B)--
``(i) the amount determined under paragraph (1)(A)(ii)(II)
shall not be less than the amount of taxable income which
would (without regard to this subsection) be taxed at a rate
below 15 percent, and
``(ii) the sum of the amounts determined under
subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (1) shall be an amount
equal to the rate of tax specified in paragraph (1)(C)
multiplied by so much of the adjusted net capital gain (or,
if less, taxable income) as exceeds the excess (if any) of--

``(I) the amount of taxable income which would (without
regard to this subsection) be taxed at a rate below 15
percent, over
``(II) the taxable income reduced by the adjusted net
capital gain.

``(B) Individuals to whom paragraph applies.--
``(i) In general.--For purposes of this paragraph, an
individual is described in this subparagraph if--

``(I) such individual meets the age requirements of section
152(c)(3) (determined without regard to subparagraph (B)
thereof), and
``(II) such individual's earned income (as defined in
section 911(d)(2)) for the taxable year does not exceed one-
half of such individual's support (within the meaning of
section 152) for such taxable year.

``(ii) Special rules for joint returns.--In the case of a
joint return--

``(I) the taxpayer and the taxpayer's spouse shall be
treated as a single individual for purposes of applying
subclause (II) of clause (i), and
``(II) the taxpayer shall be treated as an individual
described in this subparagraph only if the taxpayer and the
taxpayer's spouse are described in clause (i) (determined
after application of subclause (I)).''.

(b) Alternative Minimum Tax.--Section 55 is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(f) Certain Individuals Not Eligible for Lowest Rate.--In
the case of an individual described in section 1(h)(12)(B),
no amount shall be determined under subsection (b)(3)(B).''.
(c) Coordination With Sunset of Provisions of the Jobs and
Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003.--Subparagraph
(A) of section 1(h)(12), as added by this section, is amended
by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (i), by striking the
period at the end of clause (ii) and inserting ``, and'', and
by adding at the end the following new clause:
``(iii) no amount of qualified 5-year gain shall be taken
into account under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) (as in
effect after the application of section 303 of the Jobs and
Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003).''.
(d) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the
amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years
beginning after December 31, 2006.
(2) Sunset of jgtrra.--The amendment made by subsection (c)
shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date
specified in section 303 of the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief
Reconciliation Act of 2003.

SEC. 7208. SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN PENALTIES AND INTEREST.

(a) In General.--Paragraphs (1)(A) and (3)(A) of section
6404(g) are each amended by striking ``18-month period'' and
inserting ``22-month period''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall apply to notices provided by the Secretary of the
Treasury, or his delegate, after the date which is 6 months
after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 7209. TIME FOR PAYMENT OF CORPORATE ESTIMATED TAXES.

Subparagraph (B) of section 401(1) of the Tax Increase
Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 is amended by
striking ``106.25 percent'' and inserting ``112.75 percent''.
This Act may be cited as the ``U.S. Troop Readiness,
Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act, 2007''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) and
the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) each will control 2 hours.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 12 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, why are we here? We are here because 4 years ago the
President plunged us into a preemptive war in Iraq, a country that had
not attacked the United States, and we took that action on the basis of
bad information, manipulated intelligence, with no visible plans for
governing after the war was over.

{time} 1630

Mr. Speaker, that attack diverted us from the hunt for bin Laden, the
person who did attack us.
The war has now gone on for 4 years and, as a result, we have seen
chaos and carnage. We have seen over 3,000 American service men and
women die, many times more wounded and maimed. We have seen our
influence decimated throughout the Middle East. We have seen our
reputation as the democratic hope of the world tarnished by stories
about torture and rendition.
I voted against that war. There were 215 Republicans who voted for it
and 6 that voted against it. There were 81 Democrats who voted for it
and 126 Democrats who voted against it. We had 132 votes, in total,
against going to war. And ever since that time, we have been trying to
get to 218 votes so we can turn this country and this war around.
Over the last 4 years, this war has been fought with virtually no
sense of shared sacrifice. Military families have done double and
triple duty, while the rest of America has had to accept the sacrifice
of a tax cut. That is about all that has been asked of most Americans.
We have spent a huge amount of our national treasure, and now the
President is asking for another almost $100 billion for this war and
asking for an additional $3.5 billion for his own domestic priorities.
This bill is our response. It says to the President: ``Okay, you can
have that money, but only under certain terms and conditions.'' And we
try to do three things: number one, to redirect a greater effort to the
right war in Afghanistan, rather than the wrong war in Iraq. Secondly,
we try to protect our troops to the maximum extent possible and correct
the neglect that they have suffered as they have returned from the
battlefield. And, thirdly, we are trying to send a message to Iraq
politicians that they need to change direction; that we will no longer
tolerate an open-ended, interminable babysitting job; that they must
get together and begin to resolve their own differences.
This bill sets a timetable for repositioning our troops out of Iraq.
The exact timetable will be determined by the performance of the Iraqis
and whether or not they meet important political and military
benchmarks.
And this bill establishes a target for finishing our redeployment in
any circumstance. It recognizes that our troops won the war, but it
also recognizes that the President's plan calls upon troops to do
something that they do not have the power to do, namely, to convince
Iraqi factions to reach reasonable compromises on their own turf.
It sets reasonable conditions for moving our troops into a different
posture. It holds Iraqis accountable to standards that the President
himself has laid out. And it puts us on a new direction with respect to
the war in Iraq.
And it does some other things, too. It completes action on a number
of leftover pieces of business that the previous Congress left to this
new incoming Congress.
The President himself asked for $3.4 billion to deal with the needs
of FEMA. We are also finishing action on the BRAC action which requires
$3.1 billion in additional funding. We are finishing action on the need
to improve family military housing to the tune of $3.4 billion. We are
finishing action on rebuilding the lives and providing other assistance
to the Katrina victims after the most devastating natural disaster in
the history of our country.
We are finishing the action on the agriculture disaster problem that
Congress wrestled with for well over a year in the previous Congress
without coming to resolution. And we are providing the final $1 billion
in funds to combat a potential pandemic flu, funds which the President
himself requested in an emergency appropriation in the year 2005.
And we are also finishing action on the action begun last year by the
Congress in trying to deal with the fact that 14 States are going to
run out of child health money; and we need, therefore, to provide $750
million to see to it that low-income families and children in low-
income families are not pushed off those State health care rolls. This
is a request that has come in from Republican and Democratic Governors
alike.
And we have also provided some additional funding, above what the
President asked for, items which are not

[[Page H2895]]

last year's business, but which we think are important in terms of this
year's business.
We are increasing funding for veterans health and defense health by
$3.4 billion. We are, on the homeland security front, increasing
funding substantially. The President, since days after 9/11, has been
resisting virtually every congressional effort to add funding for
homeland security, for border security, for cargo security and the
like.
We are continuing the effort to provide significantly more money than
the President has asked for. If anybody wants to argue with that, I
would suggest they take it up with the 9/11 Commission. I would suggest
they take it up with the Hart-Rudman Commission. I would suggest they
take it up with the 9/11 families. Everybody but Anne Coulter, I think,
would be responsive to what those families think.
And then we are also providing $1.2 billion in additional funding for
our war in Afghanistan. Mr. Speaker, I sat at CIA headquarters and
watched, right after 9/11, as our predator aircraft were searching
Afghanistan for bin Laden. And I know what the people at that agency
were saying when they expressed their frustration that the President
was diverting a huge share of our resources in the hunt for bin Laden
to prepare for the unilateral attack on Iraq.
What this bill is trying to do is to correct that by, again,
refocusing additional attention on the war against Afghanistan. And I
make absolutely no apology for the funds that we have in here.
Now, some will say this is not a perfect instrument. They will differ
with the time line that we have for the repositioning of troops, and
they will differ with the benchmarks. But what I would say to them is
that what is important in this document today is not the exact wording.
What is important is not the exact timetable. What is important is not
the exact enumeration of benchmarks. What is important is that, for the
first time, this Congress will be exercising its constitutional
responsibilities to provide real oversight on the executive branch of
government, and we will be trying to set this country on a new
direction.
Someone in this House said last week that we are similar in our
position to a board of directors for a corporation. He said the
President is the CEO. The President's Cabinet represents his management
team, and we are the board of directors. And when a board of directors
of a corporation sees that the management of the corporation is leading
it down a disastrous path, it has a fiduciary responsibility to its
stockholders to step in and correct the problem. That is what we are
trying to do in this legislation. In this case, we have a fiduciary
responsibility and a representational responsibility to the taxpayers
and to our constituents, and we are trying to meet that responsibility
today.
Now, there are some who have criticized us for doing so, some in
newspapers and some on this floor. Very frankly, I am getting a bit
tired of those who were consistently wrong from the beginning on the
issue of Iraq, I am getting tired of them lecturing those of us who
were consistently right from the beginning in our opposition to this
war.
And when people ask me why we don't have a better solution, I tell
them of the old story about Eddie Stanky, who used to play second base
for the New York Giants many years ago. And one day, Leo Durocher, the
manager, was hitting ground balls to the infield, and Stanky dropped
two in a row. And so Durocher grabbed a glove and said, ``Here, kid,
I'm going to show you how it's done.'' And he went out to second base,
and the very first ball Durocher dropped. And he turned to Stanky, and
said, ``Kid, you got second base so screwed up, nobody can play it.''
The fact is, if you substitute George Bush for Eddie Stanky and Iraq
for second base, you have got the picture of what the problem is today.
Now, this Congress cannot run foreign policy, but it has an
obligation to try to influence the policy and influence the conduct of
that policy when we see it headed down the wrong path. Mr. Murtha has
tried to lead the way in seeing to it that we face up to those
responsibilities, and this legislation will give us an opportunity to
do that.
I would hope it would be supported on a bipartisan basis.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
might consume.
Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, I rise today to express my opposition
to this emergency supplemental. My colleagues know that I have the
highest level of respect for my chairman, Mr. Obey. Together we worked
as partners in the 109th Congress, passing appropriations bills through
the committee and through the House. Indeed, the Appropriations
Committee is at its best when each of us works together across party
lines and rises above purely partisan politics.
During the last Congress I was privileged to serve as chairman of
this great committee, and Mr. Obey was our distinguished ranking
member. Today, our roles are reversed, and Mr. Obey is now our
chairman.
There is no question that if my friend from Wisconsin were permitted
to write this bill on his own, this would be a much better product.
Instead, the House is being asked to consider a spending bill that
reflects the priorities of Speaker Pelosi and a deeply divided
Democratic Caucus. It attempts to bridge these widening divisions over
the war in Iraq by delivering billions of dollars in unrelated and
unauthorized spending under an emergency designation.
This legislation ought to focus on our troops. It ought to focus on
providing those in harm's way with the resources they need to complete
their mission successfully. It ought to respect, not micromanage, our
combatant commanders in whom we place the ultimate responsibility of
prosecuting military actions.
Instead, this legislation ties the hands of our Commander in Chief
during a time of war, places military decisions in the hands of
politicians, and attempts to buy votes for its passage on the left and
on the right by literally promising something to everyone.
If the majority's goal is to end the war or withdraw our troops, then
that should be addressed in a separate piece of legislation. The
majority cannot have it both ways, pretending, on the one hand, to
support our troops, while on the other undercutting their ability to
prosecute their mission.
Men and women of good conscience can disagree about the war in Iraq.
But on one thing we must all agree, our men and women in uniform must
continue to receive our unqualified support and the resources they need
to complete their mission successfully.
My colleagues, consider carefully the consequences of our actions
here today. Passage of this measure in its present form will signal to
insurgents and terrorists that the United States doesn't have the
political will to continue supporting this fledgling Iraqi democracy.

{time} 1645

Al Qaeda and other enemies of freedom will simply lay in wait until
our troops are withdrawn. And with the collapse of this fragile
democracy, our efforts, and the sacrifices of our troops, will have
been for nothing.
The fight in Iraq is also critical to the future of Israel. A failure
in Iraq will further destabilize the region, posing a direct threat to
Israel. We must not let that occur to our friend and ally.
There should be no carrot big enough to force Members into choosing
between their principled support for our troops in the field and
funding for the many unrelated and parochial items sprinkled throughout
this bill.
Republican Members in the House are simply not going to abandon our
principles, and troops in the field, for the promise of pork back in
our districts. To their credit, many Democrats also continue to express
grave reservations about this approach and about this legislation.
Last year Congress sent the President a clean supplemental bill for
our troops. This Congress, and our country, would be better served by
producing a clean bill free of extraneous spending and unrelated
legislative provisions.
There is no question that the President will veto this bill. In the
meantime our troops will face the uncertainty resulting from the
majority's mixed signals and lack of a clear commitment.

[[Page H2896]]

I am also deeply concerned that the Democrat leadership has brought
this emergency supplemental to the House floor under a closed rule
without opportunity for Members on both sides of the aisle to offer
amendments.
During my tenure as chairman, the House considered six emergency
supplemental appropriations bills. Of these six bills, the two largest
bills, H.R. 1268, was $81.2 billion; the other was a $91.8 billion
supplemental. Those two bills primarily focused on the global war on
terror. In both instances I worked closely with my leadership and the
Rules Committee in seeking rules that permitted open debate, including
amendments, on the House floor. And in both instances, these
supplemental bills were considered under an open rule. The remaining
four bills were noncontroversial and bipartisan in nature and were
considered by unanimous consent on the Suspension Calendar.
I assumed that Chairman Obey would continue in the longstanding
tradition and practice of the committee to advocate open rules on all
appropriations bills. Members on both sides of the aisle benefit by a
process that supports a fair, honest, open, and transparent debate on
the House floor. I was disappointed that Mr. Obey's first bill as
chairman, the fiscal year 2007 continuing resolution, was considered
under a closed rule, with only 1 hour of debate and no opportunity for
amendments.
Consideration of this supplemental under a closed rule is
unprecedented and leaves the minority little choice but to walk away
from the tradition of comity that has marked our longstanding work on
this committee.
By denying Members, both Democrats and Republicans, their right to
offer amendments to this legislation, I can assure you that all bets
are off on getting our committee work done this year. It simply will
not happen. There will be no unanimous consent agreements on the fiscal
year 2008 bills. I spoke personally with Mr. Obey about this and asked
him to carry that message directly to the Speaker.
This legislation is simply too important to have it rushed through
the House with no debate and no opportunity for the body to consider
amendments. Consideration of this legislation under a closed rule
signals to the House, and to the public, that the Speaker has imposed
martial law on the people's House.
Lastly, I would be remiss not to highlight my reservations about the
budgetary aspects of this bill that proposes more than $22 billion in
emergency spending items that are completely unrelated to the global
war on terror or legitimate emergencies in the Gulf Coast region.
I ask my colleagues what does a $25 million bailout for spinach
producers, $60 million for the salmon fishing industry, or $5 million
for fish breeding have to do with the global war on terror?
This legislation also includes authorization language to increase the
minimum wage. Again, I ask my friends why can't the committees of
jurisdiction in the House and the Senate meet in open conference to
resolve the differences between these bills? What place has this
provision in a wartime supplemental?
In short, much of what is included in this bill is completely
unrelated to the global war on terror and has no place in the bill.
Sadly, many items are being designated as emergencies for no other
reason than to make more room for additional spending on the part of
the Democrats under the fiscal 2008 caps.
I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to consider
thoughtfully the precedent set by this legislation. Weigh in your
conscience the effects of undermining the authority of the President,
and future Presidents, and putting at further risk our men and women in
uniform.
Our Congress, and our country, would be better served by sending the
President a clean supplemental free of extraneous spending and
unrelated legislative provisions.
While I respect Chairman Obey, I cannot support this legislation as
it is presently written. I strongly urge a ``no'' vote.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 12 minutes to the distinguished
chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Mr. Murtha.
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, let me explain what is in this bill for the
Members.
We have $4 billion over the amount requested by the President. The
President requested a total of $12.1 billion for military personnel pay
and benefits. The committee recommends increasing the funds for those
programs by $1.4 billion. The committee adds $1.4 billion to cover the
full cost of housing allowance for military members in fiscal year
2007; $2.3 billion to cover the full cost of fielding an additional
36,000 Army troops.
If everybody here remembers, we added 30,000 troops in the
supplemental, which the White House did not ask for, argued about, and
which the Defense Department did not want. And yet now we are short of
troops, and they are trying to blame the Congress for being short of
troops.
We also added money for 9,000 additional marines. The committee
recommends $52.5 billion for military operations, $2.2 billion over the
President's request.
In addition to fully funding the request for military operations, the
committee proposes an additional $2.5 billion to address training and
equipping shortfalls in forces not deployed. We will set up a Reserve
Readiness fund.
The committee recommends adding funds for the war in Afghanistan, $1
billion. That is where the original war started, and that is what you
vote against if you vote against this bill.
$5.9 billion for the Afghanistan Security Forces fund, $3.8 billion
for the Iraq Security Forces fund, and a total of $2.4 billion is
recommended for the joint IED task force.
The recommendations propose an increase of $17 million for DOD's
Family Advocacy program. In other words, all of us hear, when we go
talk with the families, the problems that they have. We add $17 million
for that particular fund.
We have three significant reductions. We reduce some of the buys of
hardware which we think ought to be in the base bill.
The committee bill recommends a total of $24.8 billion for equipment
purchases, a slight decrease to the President's request of $86 million.
The committees proposed an allocation of $1.4 billion to purchase what
they call MRAP vehicles, that is, the vehicles with the V shape, which
we need so badly. And that is what you are voting against if you vote
against this bill: $311 million above the request of the White House.
For Army procurement accounts the committee approves a total of $15
billion: $994 million for tactical radios, $2.2 billion for tactical
trucks, $867 million for up-armored Humvees, $636 million for Bradley
fighting vehicle upgrades. And that is what you are voting against if
you vote against this bill.
The committee bill includes $192 million not requested for three
additional F/A-18s. We take care of the SEABEEs, something they have
talked about that have been decimated by this war, and we put equipment
in for the SEABEEs.
The committee is recommending reductions to several high-profile
programs requested by the President. We deny funding for two Joint
Strike Fighter airplanes because they ought to be in the base bill, and
we will talk about that depending on what they authorize.
The President requested a total of $1.4 billion for research and
development. The committee recommends a total of $1 billion.
Working capital funds: the committee bill provides a total of $1.3
billion for working capital.
Now let me talk about defense health programs. We just saw what we
went through with Walter Reed. Bill Young, who was chairman of the
committee, and I went out to Walter Reed all the time. I had no idea,
as most Members didn't, about what was going on at Walter Reed. And it
really gets to me that every time we went out there, we asked them if
you needed any help and they always told us everything is all right. We
put more money in any way because we knew there would be some problems
come about because of the fact that they were under BRAC. The committee
decided unanimously to eliminate the closing of Walter Reed, especially
during the time of war. We put $1.7 billion above the budget request.

[[Page H2897]]

The additional funding is for $450 million for post-traumatic stress.
And that is not near enough, folks. That is not near enough. We figure
there are going to be 65,000 military people who come back that are
going to have post-traumatic stress. And that is what you are voting
against if you vote against this bill.
We put $450 million in for traumatic brain injury care and research;
$730 million to cover the funding shortfall created by Congress' having
disapproved the Department's proposal to increase the health insurance
premiums. And I am for that, but we didn't fund it. But we fund it in
this bill, and that is what you vote against if you vote against this
bill.
We put $62 million in for amputee care. Let me tell you something
about amputee care. I went out to the amputee center in Brooks. Private
industry put up a place in 18 months; $58 million they raised to put an
amputee center up. We have been working on an amputee center at Walter
Reed. It took us 3 years and it is still not built. Jerry Lewis, Bill
Young, and myself, and it is still not done yet.
We are putting in $12 million for caregivers. The nurses called. They
said, We have got a real problem here. We see these wounded. We see the
people coming home all the time. It affects us mentally. It affects us
emotionally. It affects us psychologically. We need help. So we put $12
million in; $6 million for Landstuhl, where they get the worst
casualties; $2 million for Walter Reed; $2 million for Brooks; and $2
million for the hospital in California.
We put in $14.8 million for burn care. I want to tell you something,
Members. You can go to all the hospitals. When you go to the burn care
centers, you see the results of this war. We go to the hospitals. All
of us go to the hospitals quite often. And let me tell you the burn
centers are the worst when you go.
Now, we also took out 5 percent on contracting. Now, why did we do
that? We did that because contractors are falling all over themselves
and we asked the GAO and we asked the Inspector General of Iraq, How
many contractors do you have? They couldn't tell us. They said, Help us
find out how many contractors we have.
So we asked the Under Secretary of Defense. He couldn't tell us. He
said, I will let you know in a week.
He still hasn't told us. So we took 5 percent out. They will tell us
now how many contractors they have.
And we fenced 10 percent. So that is $800 million for the 5 percent
and then $1.6 billion for the contractors to come out. So that is $2.1
billion we have taken out for the contractors.
We put in for CERP, which is a program in which there is $456 million
provided under operations and maintenance for the commanders.
No permanent bases we said over and over again. We put in no torture,
which has caused us so much problem when they didn't have the people
trained when they were in Abu Ghraib.
Contracting oversight. We have a death gratuity amendment. Military
attorneys, we put some money in for military attorneys.
Meeting readiness guidelines: let me tell you what we do to meet
readiness guidelines. When you talk to these families, they need a year
at home before they are redeployed. Is there anybody that thinks we
should send these folks back before they have a year at home? Is there
anybody that thinks we should extend them when they have 13 months in
country? Is there anybody who thinks we should send troops into combat
who aren't trained and ready? Is there anybody here?

{time} 1700

We put benchmarks in for the Iraqi Government, as the chairman of the
committee explained, because we need to give them the incentive. We
need them to have some benchmarks so they understand that they have to
get this done.
Every time something happens, and this is a problem we have, every
time something happens, we step in. They started out, they said, with
80 percent of the people in the Iraqi units deployed in Iraq. Now it is
50 percent. Where are they? They are on leave. They deserted. They are
not there. So who makes up the difference? Our troops are the ones
making up the difference. We have to force the Iraqis to make up the
difference.
Why are we even thinking about forcing the military to break their
own guidelines because of this surge? Because of the fact they can't
sustain the deployment. So the administration has decided, we are going
to have to send people back with less than a year at home.
We are going to send people back that aren't trained and ready? That
is unacceptable. That is unacceptable to every single Member of
Congress. We have an obligation to the taxpayer under the Constitution
to take care of defense.
We have an obligation to have oversight and auditing and
accountability. We have had 14 hearings so far. We will have at least
40 more hearings before we have the base bill. I am going to put you on
notice right now, the supplemental, the 2008 supplemental, is not going
to come up with the base bill. The 2008 supplemental is going to be
held, because we are going to see if there is going to be progress in
this country before we bring up the 2008 supplemental. We are going to
see if what they say is true. We are going to find out if this
administration is giving us the facts.
We have said to them under the Moran amendment, you have to tell us
how much oil production there is. Oil production is below prewar level.
Electricity production is below prewar level. Unemployment is 60
percent.
Incidents have doubled since I spoke out here a year-and-a-half ago.
Doubled. There are now 1,200 a week. And when I say ``incidents,'' I am
talking about 140,000 troops deployed to Iraq, individually. I heard
Elizabeth Edwards the other day talk about breast cancer, before she
knew it had come back, and she said to me, there is 40,000 people that
have breast cancer every year, but it is one at a time.
What we are talking about are troops, 140,000 troops, one at a time;
140,000 troops with families; 140,000 troops that have wives and
husbands and mothers and fathers that have to suffer during these
deployments.
When you go to the hospital, you see figures. Don't think when you
say you see 2,500 people who have been killed, 3,000 have been killed
or 25,000 have been wounded. It is individuals that have been wounded,
individuals that have been killed, and those families are suffering.
We have to put some benchmarks so the Iraqis, they have civil war, we
have to put benchmarks in this bill so the Iraqis start to do it
themselves, and the Americans aren't forced to make up the difference,
but they do it themselves.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), our leader on the Homeland
Security Subcommittee.
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished
ranking member for yielding time.
The supplemental before us today is a case study of what happens when
one branch of the government tries to do the job assigned to another.
It is hard to say what this will be known for, unconstitutional
legislation that would allow Congress to micromanage a war, or a crude
political compromise designed to win votes.
One thing though is perfectly clear: The bill is a sham. Don't be
fooled by the rhetoric you will hear today. The managers on the other
side of the aisle will try to convince you that we are addressing
pressing needs, providing critical resources for our troops in the
field and other so-called disasters here at home. But make no mistake,
the bill will only hamstring our troops, provide fodder for our enemies
abroad, cause a disastrous and precipitous cut and run, and
indescribable damage to America's reputation in the vital Mideast and
worldwide.
It also breaks the bank here at home by providing funds for pork-
laden Democrat wish-lists. What does dollars for a spinach producer
have to do with providing help for our troops in Iraq? What does money
to a salmon farmer have to do with providing support for our troops in
Iraq? What about aquaculture money? What has that got to do with troops
in Iraq?
And for those Members who have surrendered their better judgment for
pork for their districts, the majority adds $2.5 billion in so-called
emergency

[[Page H2898]]

homeland security items to sweeten the pot.
Don't get me wrong, many of the majority's homeland security adds are
worthy and important items, such as nuclear and explosive detection
systems and additional aircraft for the northern border, things I have
supported in the past and continue to support, but they are in no way a
2007 emergency. They can be handled regularly in the 2008 bills. In
every instance these bills could and should be addressed through the
2008 process.
By including them as 2007 emergencies, the majority is simply trying
to look strong on security and buy down requirements to free up funds
in fiscal 2008 for additional spending. While I support homeland
security spending, I support it in a fiscally responsible way.
Let me turn to the real issue under debate today now. To the defense
provisions that will cause the precipitous withdrawal of our forces
from Iraq and take from a President his constitutional powers of
Commander in Chief, there is a very good reason why our Founding
Fathers gave the executive branch the responsibility to conduct war.
The House of Representatives is made up of 435 individuals; lawyers,
doctors, teachers, farmers, some with military experience, some
without. It is not made up of 435 military commanders who possess the
ability to manage a war. We have military professionals to do that. Why
are we attempting to insert our military judgment, which can cause the
death or injury of our troops, when we are neither trained nor skilled
to do so? Leave the management of the war to the trained professionals
who know what they are doing.
If your aim is to end the war, and it is, this is the absolute wrong
way to do it. The right way, bring forth a resolution or a bill to
reverse the original authorization for the war. But as long as you have
authorized the war, please don't tie the hands of our great soldiers
and their commanders behind their backs in carrying out your
authorization, still on the books, to fight this war against terror.
Mr. Speaker, this committee has lost its way on this one. It is a
shameful turn of events. Handcuffing the authorities of the President,
undermining our troops in harm's way and exploiting worthy government
programs for political gain is beyond the pale. Our troops and our
Nation deserve better. They deserve our undying support.
I urge a ``no'' vote.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), the chairman of the Financial
Services Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations.
(Mr. SERRANO asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today in support of this
bill, probably the most difficult decision I have made in my 33 year
political career. But I do it because I want this war to end. I did not
support this war. I did not vote for it. I still believe that we were
lied to, that we were given at the minimum bad information, but I
believe we were lied to, the link to al Qaeda, the weapons of mass
destruction. We have been over that, but it can't be forgotten. We were
not told the truth.
But here we are now, and most of us want the war to end now. What
does ``now'' mean? There is no real now. Even if there was a vote
``called out now,'' it would mean for 6, 7, 9, 10 months the military
would, in a properly and orderly way, get the troops out. But there
would be no end date, so ``now'' could be extended.
This bill, however, does speak to ``now,'' because it sets a
timetable so that ``now'' becomes the desire to end the war and ``now''
becomes the mechanism in process to end the war.
In the next few minutes, the e-mails will start to come in from some
friends on my left, who think they are on my left, who tell me that I
sold out. Well, you know something? Not to end the war is to sell out.
To get dramatic and emotional about something without the reality of
ending the war might be to sell out.
I will take this vote tomorrow fully understanding that my vote was a
vote to end the war; fully understanding that I didn't pull the rug
from under the troops, but I told them that I didn't want them there
any longer; fully understanding that when there was a vote that spoke
about immediate withdrawal, we all remember how the Republicans took
Mr. Murtha's desire to end the war and turned it into a resolution that
said get out immediately. Interestingly enough, a lot of people who
want to end the war now didn't vote for that. I was one of only three
that voted to get out immediately.
So I have been there, and I have done that. This is the best vehicle
for ending the war. That is why I support it. That is why we have to
vote for it.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes
to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf), a member of our committee.
Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, there are legitimate and important emergency
funding needs for the troops and our Federal civilian corps on the
ground in Iraq and elsewhere. The President requested $93.4 billion in
emergency supplemental appropriations to continue the fight against
terrorism, and that is what we should be doing.
Unfortunately, this bill offers, I think, a way of not doing that in
an appropriate way. It is bloated with $124.3 billion in spending, $21
billion over what was requested. It is true we have provided funding
for emergency supplementals before, but it would be hard pressed to
convince the American people that $25 million for spinach producers,
which may be important to do, but in the regular order; $74 million for
peanut storage may be appropriate, but in regular order. It should not
be done here. At the same time it does that, it restricts the civilian
spending for the provincial reconstruction teams, which helps us do
some of the civilian things that we should be doing in Iraq.
The larger issue, however, is this legislation before us has become a
vehicle, unfortunately, for polarization on the fight to stabilize
Iraq. I have been there three times. I believe tying the hands of our
military commanders to adapt to the changing circumstances can only
hurt our mission and our troops.
I don't believe it is a good policy to criticize the administration's
strategy as failing, while at the same time cutting the very funding
necessary for the administration and the troops to succeed, and then
putting conditions on releasing the funding provided. They just don't
all fit together.
We have to look no further than the report of the bipartisan Iraq
Study Group to find ``the way forward, a new approach for Iraq.'' Just
last months when we debated the Iraq war resolution, 106 Members from
both sides of the aisle mentioned the importance of the Iraq Study
Group and how they supported it.
Last night Mr. Shays asked the Rules Committee to make in order an
amendment that I was cosponsoring to do exactly that, and it was turned
down, and just at the very time the diplomatic engagement that most of
us wanted to see take place begins to take place. The meeting 2 weeks
ago had us engaging with the Syrians and the Iranians. We accepted Mr.
Moran's amendment in the full committee, which was good, to really put
the Congress on record in support of that diplomatic effort. But Mr.
Shays was turned down again, as I was turned down several weeks ago.
The Iraq Study Group's Cochairmen Baker and Hamilton said in the
group report, ``The U.S. foreign policy is doomed to failure, as is any
course in action in Iraq, if not supported by a broad, sustained
consensus.''
This bill is not a broad, sustained consensus. The recommendation of
the Iraq Study Group could have brought us, and still may very well
bring us, to a consensus that unites the Congress and the nation on
Iraq. That is the policy both the Congress and the administration
should embrace. This bill does not do it, and I urge a ``no'' vote on
it.
There are some legitimate and important emergency funding needs for
our troops and our Federal civilian corps on the ground in Iraq and
elsewhere. The President requested some $93.4 billion in emergency
supplemental appropriations to continue the fight against terrorism.
That's what this bill should be addressing.
Unfortunately, this bill fails to offer a reasonable way forward in
supporting our troops, and I cannot vote for it.
This is a bloated $124.3 billion spending bill--over $21 billion than
what was requested.

[[Page H2899]]

It's true we've provided funding for emergencies in other
supplementals, for example hurricane relief and planning for a flu
pandemic. But I think we would be hard pressed to convince the people
we represent that $25 million for spinach producers or $74 million for
peanut storage costs qualify as emergency spending needed today. The
debate on that kind of spending should be part of the fiscal year 2008
appropriations process where it belongs.
The larger issue, however, is that this legislation before us has
become the vehicle for polarization on the fight to stabilize Iraq. It
does not offer an alternative. Instead, it would ultimately mandate a
retreat.
I have been to Iraq three times, and my concern for our troops has
never been stronger. If I thought that this bill was in their best
interests, I would support it.
Tying the hands of our military commanders to adapt to changing
circumstances can only hurt our mission and our troops.
Within the State-Foreign Operations portion, it cuts funding
necessary to support projects such as the Provincial Reconstruction
Teams. PRTs are joint civilian-military teams living in the provinces
among the Iraqi people. They work side-by-side with the Iraqis to
identify development and governance programs and offer our best bet for
improving stability and governance.
Cutting funding for these teams is cutting them off at their knees
before they get a chance to stand up. These funds are essential for
improving safety and stability--the very safety and stability which
will enable our troops to withdraw more quickly.
I just don't believe it is good policy to criticize the
administration's strategy as failing while at the same time cutting the
very funding necessary for it to succeed and then putting conditions on
releasing funds provided.
We have to look no further than the report of the bipartisan Iraq
Study Group to find ``the way forward--a new approach'' for Iraq. They
worked for more than 8 months, supported by expert working groups and
senior military advisers in the areas of economy and reconstruction,
military and security, political development, and strategic
environment.
The study group's report released last December 6 was hailed as an
important opportunity to chart a new course for Iraq. That is what we
should be considering today.
Just last month when we debated the Iraq war resolution, 106 Members
from both sides of the aisle mentioned the importance of the Iraq Study
Group's recommendations as the way forward in Iraq.
Last night, Mr. Shays asked the Rules Committee to make in order an
amendment, offered in partnership with me, to support the findings of
the Iraq Study Group. By doing so, we believed the House would be
working to meet our responsibility as political leaders to build
bipartisan consensus on the issues of war and peace.
But his request was turned down. That was the second time in a month
that the Rules Committee has not allowed an amendment on the Iraq Study
Group's report. Instead, we have before us a political statement that
pulls us farther apart.
The ramifications of this polarization reach far beyond Washington;
all the way to Baghdad and the Iraqi provinces. I want to read from the
letter Secretary Baker and Congressman Hamilton wrote as the prelude to
the Iraq Study Group's recommendations:

Many Americans are dissatisfied, not just with the
situation in Iraq but with the state of our political debate
regarding Iraq. Our political leaders must build a bipartisan
approach to bring a responsible conclusion to what is now a
lengthy and costly war. Our country deserves a debate that
prizes substance over rhetoric, and a policy that is
adequately funded and sustainable. The President and Congress
must work together. Our leaders must be candid and forthright
with the American people in order to win their support.

And it goes on to say:

. . . U.S. foreign policy is doomed to failure--as is any
course of action in Iraq--if it is not supported by a broad,
sustained consensus. The aim of our report is to move our
country toward such a consensus.

The bill before us does not move the country toward a consensus. The
country must come back together. We must be united. That is the only
way we will be successful.
The recommendations of this distinguished group could have brought us
to consensus and united the Congress and the Nation on Iraq. That is
the policy both the Congress and the President should embrace.
I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

{time} 1715

Mr. MORAN of Virginia. I thank the chairman and thank the chairman of
the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee who has put this together.
My colleagues, a short while ago when President Bush was asked how
long will this war last, he said: ``We will be in Iraq as long as the
Iraqi people want us there.''
Well, this bill says that we will be in Iraq as long as the American
people want us there. And the American people realize this is a war
that is not worthy of the sacrifice of those men and women in uniform
who are bearing the whole cost of this war.
This bill is about that young son who was told by his daddy one day
that he has to leave him to go off and fight for our country. And day
after day he asks his mommy: When is daddy coming back? And finally one
day his mommy, with tear-filled eyes, has to say: Daddy is not coming
back.
Well, we have to ask ourselves: Is this war worthy of that sacrifice?
This bill says it is not because there has never been a strategy for
success. This bill will bring our troops home as soon and as safely as
possible.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh).
Mr. WALSH of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, Mr.
Lewis, for his hard work in providing this response, this very, I
think, respectful response.
I would submit to you that any sacrifice any American has made in
Iraq is a worthy, worthy sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, here we go again. Thus far in the 110th Congress, the
House has considered two pieces of appropriations legislation. Thus
far, we have twice done so under rules that stifle debate and
amendment.
First, we operated under a closed rule on the 2007 continuing
resolution, limited debate, no amendments, a bill that spend hundreds
of billions of dollars. Now we are doing the same thing with a war
supplemental. Let me be clear about what is happening here tonight.
The majority does not want a vote to remove the egregious and
unconstitutional provisions restricting the Commander in Chief's
authority over our Armed Forces. They do not want to allow us the
opportunity to strike the unprecedented deadline for withdrawing our
troops. Never before has a Congress in our history written into law a
date for the withdrawal of American troops in a war.
They won't allow us that opportunity because Republicans and
Democrats would vote bipartisanly to strike that deadline. They have
proposed a rule that will prohibit Members from offering amendments
that could modify the bill in such a way that the President could sign
it.
Let's be clear: by proposing a closed rule, the Democratic leadership
signals it wants this bill vetoed. In short, the majority would rather
play politics than find a solution to the problem. And who will lose
this game of political chicken? The troops who stand in harm's way as
we talk; the troops, who are relying on this Congress to provide the
necessary funds before the end of May so they can complete their
mission successfully and as safely as possible.
This bill should be rejected out of hand and the majority should
immediately bring back a clean supplemental so we can ensure that our
troops will have the resources they need. Let's stop the posturing and
pass a clean bill. That's the bottom line.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I want to voice my support for the
supplemental, not because I agree with everything that is in it, but
because I agree with one thing that is in it, and that is a binding
deadline to end the war in Iraq and redeploy our troops to where they
are truly needed, and that is to fight the real war on terror where the
terrorists started to bomb our country and planned to bomb us on 9/11
and that is in the mountains of Afghanistan.
Why are we fighting a civil war in Iraq? Why are we fighting a civil
war in Iraq when it is in Afghanistan where the war should be fought?
Why are our Republican friends talking about protecting our national
security in Iraq when in fact it is al Qaeda in Afghanistan that is
posing the greatest threat to our national security?
It is this supplemental that talks about fighting the real national
security threat to our Nation, and that is

[[Page H2900]]

why I support this important supplemental, because it truly supports
our troops and it supports our veterans as well.
Mr. Speaker, I want to voice my support for this supplemental, not
because I agree with everything in it, but because I agree with the
most important thing in it: a binding deadline to end the war in Iraq.
Mr. Speaker, we need to redeploy our troops from Iraq first and
foremost because it is in our national security interest.
As someone who voted for the original resolution, I am particularly
pained by the hardships and suffering our troops and their families
endure. I want them to come home.
But I also know that the men and women in uniform, and the families
behind them, are willing to make the sacrifices they do if that is what
it takes to make America more secure.
The truth is policing a civil war in Iraq does not bring us closer to
defeating the global network of extremists who wish to harm us.
But redeployment from Iraq will enhance our security by allowing us
to properly address other challenges around the world, most importantly
the fight in Afghanistan and Pakistan against a resurgent al Qaeda and
Taliban, the enemies who actually did engineer 9/11.
The moral authority we've lost in the eyes of the world compromises
our ability to lead multinational efforts against national security
threats ranging from terrorism and nuclear proliferation to global
warming and drug trafficking.
The sooner we begin redeployment, the sooner we begin unraveling the
tremendous damage that this war and its mismanagement have wrought on
our national security.
We need to restore America's leadership. We need to strengthen
America's security. We need to pass this supplemental and begin the
redeployment from Iraq.
I believe in a strong U.S. engagement around the world, including
using military force when necessary. I also believe, as did Presidents
Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, and Reagan, that America's greatest
strength comes from its values and its ability to lead.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), a member of the committee.
Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the ranking member
profusely for granting me this time.
It is with regret that I rise today in opposition to the defense
supplemental bill. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I
wanted to be able to support a bill that would provide our soldiers
with the funding they need to carry out their mission in Iraq. But I
must oppose it because it presupposes our defeat in Iraq by tying the
hands of the military leaders.
Further, it adds nonemergency spending, lots of spending, and sets
new precedents. And of particular concern to me, fails to fix some
major problems that were created in the continuing resolution with
respect to rental assistance for our neediest families.
The continuing resolution changed the formula for distributing $16
billion in rental assistance under the section 8 program. The result is
less funding, more uncertainty, a ``use it or lose it'' mentality, and
a loss of any incentive to plan over the long run. It rewards excessive
spending and punishes cost-effectiveness and will set public housing
authorities against one another by creating new winners and losers
every year.
The impacts on the program are staggering. Over 1,220 PHAs in 30
States will lose $460 million permanently. That means forever. I have
here a list that I include for the Record of all the PHAs that are
going to lose funds and how much they are going to lose. It also
includes the name of the Member of this body who represents each of
those PHAs.
So the supplemental bill before us today tries to fix some of the
problems in the CR, but it fails to do that, and it distracts from the
true purpose of this bill which is to support our troops in harm's way.
Mr. Speaker, I will be the first to admit that mistakes have been
made in the execution of the war. No one is disputing that. Even
Secretary of State Rice has admitted there are mistakes. But there is
no sense in looking backward. Not now. We should give the
administration's new policy a chance to work before presupposing its
failure and our ultimate defeat in Iraq.
Let me be clear: I want our troops to come home as soon as possible,
but I want them to return in victory, not defeat. It is time for the
Iraqis to assume responsibility for the security of their nation. I am
hopeful that the administration's new policy will bring to an end the
sectarian violence in Baghdad and provide an opening for the Iraqi
Government to step up to the plate.
It was a bipartisan vote of Congress that authorized this war 4 years
ago. It is going to take bipartisan cooperation to bring about its
successful conclusion. This bill, unfortunately, is anything but
bipartisan. It is nothing more than a crafty way for the Democrat
majority to set a hard-and-fast deadline for troop withdrawals before
we have even given the new Iraq strategy a chance to succeed.
Let's give our troops a chance to stabilize Iraq and come home in
victory. Let's pass a clean supplemental which gives the troops the
resources they need to protect themselves. I strongly urge a ``no''
vote.

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[[Page H2916]]

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Farr).
Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Obey for yielding.
I have been against this war since day one, and I am outraged by the
President's attempts to escalate it. I want this war to end now, and I
want to bring our troops home immediately.
I mourn the loss of 3,228 Americans dead, and countless Iraqi
civilians, and extend my deepest sympathies to the families. I repeat,
I want this war to end, and I want to bring the troops home now.
Whether we like it or not, this bill before us is the first serious
binding legislation to come before the House since the war began 4
years ago. This bill contains benchmarks and time lines for withdrawing
our troops.
Even so, in my opinion, this bill does not go far enough. I think it
should prohibit U.S. military action in Iran without explicit
congressional authorization. But without this bill, the alternative is
not acceptable. A supplemental without benchmarks is stay the course.
I have received thousands of letters from my district in support and
opposition to this bill. The only way to bring the troops home is to
vote ``yes.'' I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen).
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, 1 month ago, we gathered in this
Chamber to debate what was called a symbolic resolution on the war in
Iraq. I never subscribed to the notion it was symbolic because I
believe any official act of this body has consequences. When Members
speak, the world listens, friends and enemies alike.
Two weeks ago after that vote, I traveled again to Iraq and
Afghanistan to observe conditions in these two fronts on the global war
on terror and to meet again with our soldiers. I was the only
Republican on the trip, but I view opportunities like these to travel
to war zones with colleagues from the other side of the aisle as
invaluable.
We all saw that the plans to stabilize Baghdad by reinforcing U.S.
troops and integrating them with larger Iraqi units around the city are
already under way. Our military commanders in Iraq are already
executing their plans to clear, hold, and build; and early reports
point towards some progress.
And yet tomorrow, in fact, we vote on a bill, portions of which could
potentially affect the safety of our brave young soldiers in Iraq, the
lives of millions of Iraqis, and damage our national interest in the
Middle East and elsewhere. That is why I oppose this bill in its
current form.
Every Member of this House, Republican and Democrat alike, should be
working together to achieve some level of success in Iraq and to give
our soldiers the dollars they need. We should not be tying the hands of
our battlefield commanders, nor undercutting our brave soldiers and
marines as they work to secure the peace as we debate here this
afternoon and tomorrow.
Make no mistake about it, withdrawal from Iraq before that peace is
better secured will have wide and important ramifications. We could
potentially have an explosion of sectarian violence in Iraq, killing
and bloodshed on a larger, more barbaric scale. Al Qaeda and other
jihadists could get a new and more dangerous base of operations. The
influence of Iran would grow. The Saudis and moderate Arab states
themselves could be threatened. Turkey, a strong NATO ally, could be
drawn into the war. And Iraq's neighbors could see even more waves of
refugees.
Mr. Speaker, we are a Nation at war, and the stakes are extremely
high for America. Our troops need this money now. They deserved it
yesterday. But the Congress has decided to make them compete with
nonmilitary, nonemergency, politically motivated spending.
We must give our commanders on the battlefield, and our brave young
war fighters, the resources they need to protect themselves and fight
the enemy.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join together to honor the
service of these young men and women and to find a way forward in Iraq
that protects our Nation and results in a stable Iraq that can govern
and protect itself.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, by refusing to take responsibility for their
failed policy in Iraq, the Bush administration has effectively forced
Congress to intervene to bring it to a responsible end.
Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Obey, Majority Whip Clyburn, Chairman Murtha
and the Democratic leadership do deserve credit for recognizing this
and for doing something that the Republican Congress refused to do over
the last 4 years, namely, that is to confront the Bush administration
over their failed policy and to commit to bring that policy to an end
in Iraq.
But that is a very important step. However, for some of us the
question of voting for funds to continue this war with strings attached
and no real enforcement really does keep our troops in harm's way. I am
disappointed we will not have the opportunity to vote on the Lee-
Woolsey-Waters-Watson amendment which would fully fund the safe
withdrawal of U.S. troops and contractors by December 31, 2007.

{time} 1730

The American people want this, and I will continue to push to fully
fund the safe withdrawal of our troops from Iraq and for timelines for
withdrawal that are backed up, mind you, backed up by the
appropriations power, and that is the power of the purse which the
Constitution grants to the Congress. Too many lives have been lost, too
many lives have been shattered.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker), a member of our committee.
Mr. WICKER. Mr. Speaker, we should be standing together today in
bipartisan support for our troops and for the resources they need to be
successful in Iraq and the global war on terror. Instead, we have a
proposal before us today that micromanages the war from Capitol Hill
with ill-advised timelines for withdrawal that jeopardize our chances
for success.
This plan is an unruly mess, bad public policy, bad precedent and bad
politics. Those are not my words. They come from a Los Angeles Times
editorial. The Times is right on target. The editorial goes on to say
that by interfering with the discretion of the Commander in Chief and
military leaders, ``Congress undermines whatever prospects remain of a
successful outcome.''
The L.A. Times is a lot like most American people. They are unhappy
with the war. They are unhappy with the way it has been waged, but they
still want to give our generals and our troops the best chance for
success. That is in stark contrast to the defeatism we see in this
proposal today.
Some of our colleagues on the Democratic side of the aisle have
quoted approvingly from the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. Here is a
quote they have not used: ``The Study Group sets no timetables, and we
set no guidelines. We believe that military commanders must have the
flexibility to respond to events on the ground.''
The National Intelligence Estimate carries a strong warning against
an early troop pullout. It said, ``If coalition forces were withdrawn
rapidly during the term of this estimate, we judge that this would
almost certainly lead to a significant increase in the scale and scope
of sectarian conflict in Iraq.''
Despite these cautions, the proponents of this legislation are intent
on taking us down a path that would lead to failure and defeat. Setting
a date certain for withdrawing from Iraq is a dangerous idea. Our
enemies will simply adjust their tactics and wait us out. The
consequences of such a withdrawal will be far-reaching. It would signal
defeat for the United States and embolden the terrorists in Iraq and
throughout the world. It would enable Iraq to establish a beachhead in
Iraq from which to operate, and it would be a catastrophe for the
people of Iraq and the region.
There are signs that the new strategy is taking hold in Iraq. General
Petraeus believes it will work, and he has our coalition forces engaged
fully in this effort to succeed. It would be a grave and irresponsible
mistake to undercut our soldiers by passing this measure before the
strategy has time to be implemented.

[[Page H2917]]

The message we send here today should not be one to the terrorists to
bide their time and wait for the U.S. to pull out. The message should
be one of complete and total support for our troops and for an
appropriation of the resources they need to succeed.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha).
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, let me say to the Members what hurts our
troops.
I found our troops, 44,000, without body armor. I found our troops
with a shortage of jammers. I found our troops with a shortage of up-
armored Humvees. I find our troops now, because of the policy, having
to go back to Iraq before they have a year at home. I find our troops
now because of the policy of this White House having to extend troops
that have been there 13 months, and I find our troops having to go into
combat untrained or not trained as well as they should, not going to
the desert where they have this tremendous training area, going right
into Iraq.
That is what hurts our troops. That is what hurts the morale of the
troops when you send them without training, without the additional
training they need, without the equipment they need and without the
resources they need.
We are putting in the resources. If you vote against this bill, you
are voting against the resources they need to go into combat.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt).
Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is a terrible bill. It is only allowed 4 hours
of debate. We could have had more debate, but according to the Congress
Daily P.M., the Speaker of the House is in New York City tonight at a
fund-raiser. So we could have spent the time debating tonight. Instead,
we are waiting until tomorrow and the time is limited.
Our soldiers are in need of our support, and they have sacrificed
greatly and given their support to us, and they have kept us safe. We
have been safe since September 11, 2001, but instead of providing only
what the troops need in this bill, it funds domestic spending with $24
billion.
In addition in Title IX of this bill, the language will effectively
deny our troop reinforcements or replacements. The language says that
no unit may be deployed without being fully mission-capable. If this
language were law during World War I, none of the troops would have
been fully mission-capable, and we could not have deployed our troops
to rescue Europe, and the world would be a very different place.
If this language had been law during World War II, our troops would
not be fully mission-capable, and they would not have been available
for the victories in D-Day or Iwo Jima, and the world would have been a
very different place.
If this language were law during the Korean War, our troops would not
have been able to leave the country because they were never fully
mission-capable. They were using broken-down World War II equipment,
and if they had not gone to rescue the South Koreans, the world would
be a different place.
Mr. Speaker, this bill will not let our troops in Iraq receive the
reinforcements and replacements they need, and let me tell you why.
To be fully mission-capable, there are three areas of judgment:
personnel, equipment and training. Personnel, we can be fully mission-
capable. We have the best soldiers in the world, and our units have the
right number of people.
Training is a little more subjective. Most people say that they would
be ready to be fully mission-capable. However, they do not train on the
very same equipment that they use in the field. So there is some
contention whether they are actually fully mission-capable or not. Some
would say they are not, but definitely in the area of equipment we are
not fully mission-capable. The reason: We take the best equipment we
have and we put it in the field to protect or troops. We know it is the
right thing to do, but our troops do not train on the same equipment
they operate in the field. In fact, they could not leave the United
States under this language. Right now, they go to Kuwait and they train
on equipment. It is not the same equipment but it's close, it is not
the same level of protection that they have when they get in field in
Iraq. So they will never be fully mission-capable.
According to the Congress Daily A.M. this morning said Pentagon
leaders have repeatedly told Capitol Hill they need additional war
funds by the end of April. If they do not receive those funds by April,
it will delay repairs, would exacerbate the readiness problem facing
nondeployable units which already have equipment shortfalls. In other
word, they would not be fully mission-capable, and the results of that,
of not being fully mission-capable, is that our troops cannot receive
the reinforcements and they cannot receive replacements. Our troops
will be stuck in Iraq. Vote ``no'' on this bill.
The language in this bill ties the hands of our military, and it says
that none of the troops that are in America today will ever have the
ability to leave this country because they cannot be ``fully mission-
capable.'' The Title IX language must be struck from the bill because
it is very clear that if we do not strike the language, we cannot get
any reinforcements out of the country, we cannot get any replacements
out of the country, and therefore, our troops will be stuck in Iraq.
I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me the additional
time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall).
(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Obey,
and Chairman Murtha have put together a very solid piece of
legislation. This bill puts us on a path to end this war. This
legislation holds the Iraqi Government accountable, and it holds
President Bush accountable. Let us not forget, this is an Iraqi
Government that refuses to pursue national reconciliation.
This bill takes President Bush's benchmarks and puts them into law.
This is a bill about accountability. Others have said we are
handcuffing, micromanaging. No, this is a bill about setting a policy
to extract us from a misguided war.
I ask my colleagues, vote for this bill because it tells the Iraqis
it is time for you to step up and defend your country.
I rise today in support of this important legislation and would like
to thank Chairman Obey and Chairman Murtha for their work in crafting
this critically important bill. There are no easy choices to be made
regarding Iraq, but the choices they have made are the right ones.
I believe there are two fundamental issues we must address concerning
the on-going war in Iraq. First, we must provide the resources
necessary for our troops on the ground so they can protect themselves
and our allies. Second, we must redeploy them as soon as we can, and
bring to an end American involvement in ill-conceived, poorly planned,
and mismanaged war.
I believe this legislation achieves both of these goals. The bill
provides more funding for the equipment and training of our troops than
the President's request. It offers a new direction that promises to
finally bring closure to our open-ended commitment in Iraq. And Mr.
Speaker, this bill promises to give our returning troops the health
care that they need, with the honor they deserve for honoring us with
their service.
As the people's body, it is imperative that the House of
Representatives listens to the will of the people. Equally important,
it is imperative that the President listen to the will of the people.
After four years, $400 billion dollars, and the tragic loss of 3,200
service men and women, every survey of public opinion shows a clear
majority of Americans disapprove of the President's handling of the
Iraq War. And more Americans believe Congress, not the President,
should be primarily responsible for setting policy in Iraq.
Mr. Speaker, with passage of this legislation, we are taking the
first steps to end our involvement in a war that currently has no end
in sight.
I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation and move
us in a new direction in Iraq.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston), a member of the committee.
Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and
rise in opposition to the bill.

[[Page H2918]]

I want to say this: We have had a lot of good, sincere debates in the
Defense Subcommittee of Appropriations, but one of the things that, in
our honest disagreement about, that we have not talked about as much is
the effects that the surge has already had. I wanted to bring up some
statistics.
The 4 weeks prior to the surge which began on February 15, we had
1,440 civilian deaths; since that time, 265. That is a reduction of
about 500 percent.
In terms of bombings, prior to the surge, we had 163. Then from
February to March, it is down to 102.
Similar with car bombings, down 35 percent from 56 to 36.
The surge is already showing a significant impact. Two-thirds of the
Iraqis polled by a British polling firm, 5,000 people which were
sampled, the largest poll in the history of Iraq, two-thirds of the
people say they are better off now than they were under Saddam Hussein.
Seventy-three percent say they are not in a civil war. Al-Maliki, the
Prime Minister's approval rating has gone from 29 percent in September
to 49 percent now.
We are making progress. We are not defending the status quo. We are
changing the course, and the Petraeus plan needs to be given time to
work, and that is very, very important.
The second point that I want to make is there are so many
extracurricular things in the $23 billion in spending that have nothing
to do with the war in Iraq. Now, I serve on the Ag Committee, and I
want to mention some of those.
There is a $100 million increase in the PL-480 program, but there is
not a single word of it in the report as to why this is justified, why
this is considered an emergency, $100 million.
Secondly, we have $25 million in there for spinach recall. The USDA
did what they were supposed to do, but I want you to know you are
setting a precedent for recall. We are not in the product compensation
business on recalls.
Finally, we have $5 million in the bill because of a Canadian fish
import issue.
All of these things are good, debatable topics, but they do not
belong in an emergency appropriation bill. I think they should come
back through the committee process on regular order where we can have a
good debate and look at them on a separate piece of legislation.
While some of the provisions I support, such as the peanut storage
and handling provision and some type of agriculture disaster
assistance, this bill is not the appropriate place for them to be
considered.
Title II-P.L. 480 Grants--The bill contains $100,000,000 above the
President's request for Title II-P.L. 480 Grants.
There is not a single word of explanation in the report as to what or
where the additional funds are to be used for.
The President's request included $350,000,000 of which approximately
$150,000,000 would go to Sudan and for populations in Chad affected by
the violence in Darfur; $30,000,000 for Afghanistan; $95,000,000 for
Southern Africa; and $75,000,000 for the Horn of Africa.
Just last month the Congress included $1,215 billion for this program
in the Joint Resolution to fund this program for the remainder of
fiscal year 2007.
The bill provides $140,000,000 in additional relief for loses related
to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of which $25,000,000 would go to provide
additional compensation to livestock producers and $100,000,000 would
go to provide additional compensation for citrus producers--it appears
that these additional funds are included in the bill only for the
reason of doubling the $80,000 payment that livestock and citrus
producers have already received, taking their payments up to $160,000.
The need for agriculture disaster assistance has been debated for the
last several months.
While disaster assistance is clearly needed in some areas of the
country, this bill provides $25 million for spinach producers who had
losses due to a nationwide spinach recall last fall.
The FDA did what is was supposed to do, and initiated the recall to
protect consumers.
This assistance is unprecedented, and there will be pressure put on
this Committee to compensate producers whenever other food products are
recalled.
Can you imagine the cost if we get in the business of compensating
producers for losses that they incur because of food recalls? The
latest list of some of the food recalls from FDA and USDA include:
bread; peanut butter; corn chips; olives; oysters; milk; fresh cut
fruit; summer sausage; ground beef; and the list goes on.
The reason foods were recalled is because they presented a health
risk to the public, and the FDA or the USDA did what they were supposed
to do.
The bill includes $5,000,000 for compensation to aquaculture
operations who may have incurred a loss due to a restriction on imports
from certain fish from Canada.
The emergency order, put on by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, on these fish from Canada was due to outbreaks or potential
outbreaks of a destructive pathogen responsible for several large-scale
fish deaths in the Great Lakes region--the reason APHIS put the order
in place was to protect aquaculture in the Great Lakes states, and
somehow $5,000,000 makes it into this bill to compensate for possible
losses without any justification. Where did this number come from?
Finally, there are no funds for USDA to administer any of the
disaster assistance provisions in the bill that total nearly
$4,500,000,000. Members are already reacting to proposed FSA office
closures that are occurring all over the country. This will only
exacerbate the problem.

iraqi government progress

According to the U.S. Embassy in Iraq, over the last 30
days they have seen important developments in the history of
Iraq. The Iraqi government has taken steps to improve
security, governance, economic development and economic
opportunities.
Iraq's Prime Minister is actively leading the latest plan
in Baghdad.
Prime Minister Maliki created six committees to oversee the
non-security pieces of the Baghdad plan, with oversight of
economic development, essential services, communications,
community outreach and related functions.
Prime Minister Maliki's first trip to Anbar Province was a
clear gesture and attempt to involve Sunni tribal sheiks into
the government.
Anbar's tribal sheiks are switching allegiances away from
the insurgents and towards the government of Iraq.
The tribal sheikhs have started providing police and army
recruits to support stability in the region.
At the end of February, the Iraqi parliament's Council of
Ministers passed a hydrocarbon law that outlines the
equitable sharing of Iraq's oil wealth.
The Iraqi government hosted the Neighbors' Conference, the
first international conference in Baghdad since 1990. The
conference ended with regional and international partners
pledging to fight terrorism and to enhance security in
support of the goal of peace and security for the people of
Iraq.
Iran and Syria along with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan,
Turkey and the five permanent members of the U.N. Security
Council attended the conference.

military progress

SecDef stated (Mar 21) the deployment of Iraqi troops into
Baghdad is right on schedule--10 brigades total.
Operational strength of the Iraqi Brigades in Baghdad has
vastly improved.
First Brigade reported at 61 percent; Second came in at 65
percent; and the third came in at 85 percent. Other brigades
on their way are reporting in the high 90s to more than 100
percent strength.
The problem was not related to fighting, but rather an
issue with getting pay to families. Iraq does not have a
financial system that provides for electronic transfer of
monies--it is a cash transaction society. The Iraqi
Government found that troops were trying to take money to
their families and that is the reason they were absent.
They fixed the problem by paying deploying forces a bonus
upfront so they could leave money with their families and not
have to worry about them.
Overall, violence directed against Iraqi Civilians is down
about one-third and murders/assassinations are down 50
percent.
Civilian deaths down more than 500 percent: mid-Feb to mid-
March, 265; previous four weeks, 1,440.
Bombings down nearly 40 percent: mid-Feb to mid-March, 102;
previous 4 weeks, 163.
Car bombs down nearly 35 percent: mid-Feb to mid-March, 36;
previous 4 weeks, 56.

notes from secdef's talk at army caucus--mar 22

Active Army has met every retention and recruiting goal
since 9/11
Need to grow Army and we're doing so by 7,000 a year
Vital to meet Active Army's goal of 1 year deployed and 2
years home; Guard/Reserve goal is 1 year deployed and 5 years
home
Need to include Guard and Reserve in all of our plans
Modernization and putting them in Joint billets
We have programmed $46.4B for reset in FY 07/08
Modernization is also required--started $56B short
Need the FY07 Sup by April or we will have to take
Draconian measures and begin to reprogram money, impacting
all facets of the Army
Need $2B for BRAC this year and stated that we need to
expedite the construction of the medical facility on Ft
Belvoir and make Bethesda the premier medical facility

[[Page H2919]]

commonly asked question iraq

Q: What is your view of the timetables and provisions that
have been attached to the FY07 Supplemental?
A: It's important to elevate the level of debate. . . .
question is how we incentiveize the Iraqi government. But,
specific dates and strict conditionally would make it
impossible for commanders to complete the mission.
Q: Do you think the operations in Iraq will be over on
October 1?
A: Decisions need to be based by conditions on the ground.
Setting a date tells your adversary all he has to do is wait.
I think debate on the hill has been helpful; there is no
military solution, it has to be a political solution and we
are providing them the time they need.
Q: How is the deployment of Iraqi troops going? We have
heard they are reporting at low strength rates?
A: In Afghanistan, there are about 12 financial centers
that enable movement of money. Iraq has no such system yet,
so troops have to take cash home to their families. First
Brigades came in around 60 percent but other brigades are
reporting in the high 90s to more than 100 percent strength.
The problem was not related to fighting, but rather an issue
with getting pay to families--troops were trying to take
money to their families and that is the reason they were
absent. They fixed the problem by paying deploying forces a
bonus upfront so they could leave money with their families
and not have to worry about them.
Q: Are we neglecting Afghanistan?
A: After I visited Afghanistan, I made the decision to
extend the deployment of one Brigade and move the other
Brigade in. We will be adding 3,400 trainers and overall
about 6-7,000 soldiers. Britain and Australia are also
providing more troops as we prepare for a Taliban offensive
this spring. We think they may make a run at Khandahar and we
want to hit them hard.

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.
The gentleman talks about how we need to support General Petraeus.
Let me quote from Thomas Friedman, who has had years of experience in
understanding the Middle East. He said: I hope the Democrats under
Speaker Nancy Pelosi keep pushing to set a deadline for withdrawal
from Iraq because they are providing two patriotic services that the
Republicans failed to offer in the previous 4 years. The first is
policy discipline. The other useful function Speaker Pelosi and her
colleagues are performing is to give the President and General David
Petraeus, our Commander in Iraq, the leverage of a deadline without a
formal deadline. How so? The surge cannot work without political
reconciliation among Iraqi factions, which means Sunni-Shiite
negotiations, and such negotiations are unlikely to work without
America having the leverage of telling the parties that if they do not
compromise, we will leave. Deadlines matter. At some point Iraqis have
to figure this out themselves. Since Mr. Bush refuses to set a
deadline, Speaker Pelosi is the next best thing. Do not underestimate
how useful it is for General Petraeus to be.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, can I inquire how much time we
have on each side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis)
has 1 hour, 25\1/2\ minutes. The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey)
has 1 hour, 28\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp), a member of the committee.

{time} 1745

Mr. WAMP. I thank the distinguished ranking member.
Mr. Speaker, for over 12 years in this House and over 10 years on the
Appropriations Committee, I have worked really hard to try to be fair,
bipartisan, cooperative.
I have to say, though, here today that campaign rhetoric is one thing
but when the rubber meets the road on this huge, important bill to have
this kind of a process in this kind of a bill is not right. To have
over $21 billion of extraneous spending added to this bill, under a
closed rule, which is not the regular way here in the House, especially
on appropriations, and, frankly, to then even violate your own budget
rules is not right.
I have to say that first. It is kind of insider talk, but it is
important to know that this is not the regular order and not the way
this should be done.
Then I respect all the Members in this House that have served in the
military, and I respect so much the gentleman from Pennsylvania and his
expertise here. But I disagree that if you vote against this bill, you
are not supporting the troops, and you are not supporting the veterans,
because I am going to do both, and I always do both.
I do believe that this bill needs to be changed dramatically. I hope
to serve on the conference committee, and I hope that the product that
comes back from the conference committee is very different, that it is
more about supporting the troops and not all these extra things, and
that we don't micromanage the war through the appropriations process.
Now, let me also say this. When the President said mission
accomplished, he was talking about removing Saddam Hussein. We agreed
as a Congress, over half the Democrats in the Senate voted to do it,
almost half the Democrats in the House voted to remove Saddam Hussein.
I wish that wouldn't have sent the signal that it was accomplished
because the mission wasn't accomplished. The mission is not
accomplished, and the mission may not be accomplished in August of
2008.
As a matter of fact, this threat is not going away. One thing I know
a lot about is this threat of jihadism. I have read 20 books. I have
been to lectures. We cannot retreat from this threat. We must stand
against this threat.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), chairman of the Agriculture
Appropriations Subcommittee.
Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, this week Congress takes up its obligation
to finally change course in Iraq. This week as we enter the fifth year
of the Iraq war, more than 3,200 American lives have been lost, tens of
thousands more are wounded, and sectarian violence threatens to spill
over into the entire Middle East with no prospect for a stable,
constitutional democracy in Iraq in sight. We must judge this war not
for what we wish it were, but for what it has so clearly and tragically
become, a mistake of historic proportions.
I believe America should be sending a clear signal by beginning to
reduce our troop levels now so the Iraqi Government takes
responsibility and diplomacy can begin for real. I support phased
redeployment over the next year and will seek every opportunity to
mandate such change in law. Let us serve our men and women fighting
overseas and recognize their sacrifices by charting a new course in
Iraq.
By voting for this supplemental appropriations bill, we vote for
accountability in Iraq. We vote to force a change in policy and in law,
requiring a phased, responsible redeployment of our troops over 12 to
18 months. There are too many lives at stake here, and, personally, I
have crossed the Rubicon on this war.
Regardless of whether this bill is blocked by a filibuster from
Senate Republicans or a threatened veto from President Bush, we must
support this bill today. Passing this bill in the House will be the
first formal act, the first step toward requiring a new course in Iraq.
We all know our troops will do anything their country asks. But let us
make sure their courage and their sacrifices advance a mission that
enhances our security and our interests.
We need to begin reducing our troops and pursuing a new strategy in
order to achieve a stable Iraq, a peaceful Middle East, and a more
secure America.
That is our obligation. Let us honor it by voting in favor of this
supplemental bill.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my
colleague from Illinois, the ranking member of the subcommittee of the
Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Ray LaHood.
(Mr. LaHOOD asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 1591.
The bill is a bonanza for numerous factions of the majority party and
many special interest groups. You want an increase in the minimum wage?
If you pass this bill, it is done. You want agricultural disaster
relief that occurred more than 2 years ago? You pass this bill, it gets
done. You want billions of dollars for homeland security initiatives
without going through the regular process? Pass this bill, and it is
done.
Let me be clear, I supported an increase in the minimum wage, and I

[[Page H2920]]

supported it in the appropriations committee last year. I have voted to
support relief for our farmers, and I do believe we have to increase
our ability to secure airports and our ports, but not through this
bill.
I do want to say a word of support and thanks to Chairman Murtha and
Chairman Obey for highlighting Walter Reed and sending a message that
we are not going to close the hospital. We are going to keep it open.
We are going to fix it up. We are going to provide the money. That was
an important provision in this bill.
I have constituents who are leaving Illinois shortly and will soon be
back in harm's way. I have never voted against legislation that
provided funding for them to safely execute their missions. I trust
they recognize what is happening here tonight. They know that we will
always work to give them the resources they need, but we will not
undercut their efforts by telling our enemies that the United States
does not have the fortitude nor the political will to continue our
support for the Iraqi people and their government.
What is the benefit to giving our enemies a troop withdrawal date
that they can circle on their calendar? Why would we give them the aid
and comfort of knowing that if they continue their attacks for just 11
more months, the U.S. military will leave Iraq, and it will be under
their control?
We must pass a clean supplemental that is focused on meeting military
needs. We must quit. We must quit being 435 Commanders in Chief and
allowing our military leaders on the ground in Iraq to continue to use
their skills and expertise to prosecute the war free of political
interference. We must acknowledge that the needs of our men and women
in uniform are more important than deals made here, campaign sound
bites and political grandstanding. We must remember those who
sacrificed so much for this war effort and allow their fellow soldiers
to continue the mission.
We have a job to do here. I urge my colleagues to vote against this
bloated, misguided bill and return our focus to where it should have
been all along, the needs of our troops.
Even with $25 billion in extraneous, non-emergency spending added to
sweeten the pot, a big problem remains. You can dress it up all you
want, but Members, regardless of party affiliation, know a bad bill
when they see it. Leadership may be able to lard up this bill to gain
votes, but apparently it hasn't been enough because they still don't
have the votes.
I am very disappointed, but not surprised, that really surprised,
that we are operating here today under a closed rule. I know Members of
both parties would like to be able to offer amendments to try to
salvage this legislation, but too many arms have been twisted and too
many promises have been made to allow any changes now. One amendment
passes, and the whole bill unravels. Apparently, one vote, up or down,
is all you get when you consider a $125 billion package.
Let me be clear. I support an increase in the minimum wage. I support
providing relief to farmers when disaster strikes. I support increased
funding to improve the airport security process. However, none of these
things is worth my supporting a bill that I truly believe will put the
lives of our troops in danger.
During the Appropriations Committee markup of this bill last week,
Chairman Murtha included in his Manager's amendment the text of my
amendment that prohibits the use of funds to close the Walter Reed Army
Medical Center. I am grateful for his assistance about this issue that
I consider to be vital to the care of our returning wounded military
personnel. But even the inclusion of my own amendment in this bill is
not enough to make me hold our troops in combat hostage to political
grandstanding.
It is unconscionable to me that this House assumes that we can manage
the war better than our military leaders. We cannot stand here in the
protected environment of the House Chamber and tie the hands of our
President and our combatant commanders on the ground in Iraq. We cannot
promise our troops the operational money they need to safely do their
jobs while announcing their withdrawal date to our enemies. Congress
cannot and must not micromanage the war effort.
I have constituents who are leaving Illinois shortly and will soon be
back in harm's way. I have never voted against any legislation that
provided funding for them to safely execute their missions. I trust
that they recognize what is happening here today. They know that I will
always work to give them the resources they need, but I will not
undercut their efforts by telling our enemies that the United States
does not have the fortitude or political will to continue our support
for the Iraqi people and their new government.
What is the benefit to giving our enemies a troop withdrawal date
that they can circle on a calendar? Why would we give them the aid and
comfort of knowing that if they continue their attacks for just 11 more
months, the U.S. military will leave and Iraq will be theirs to
control?
If enough votes are gained and enough arms are twisted and this
legislation reaches the President's desk, he will veto it, with my
strong support. Our troops will suffer while the majority continues to
try to unite their deeply divided caucus. Our troops will continue
their missions as best they can, but how long do you plan on making
them wait for the funding they need?
We must pass a clean supplemental that focuses on meeting military
needs. We must quit trying to be 435 Commanders-in-Chief and allow our
military leaders on the ground in Iraq to continue to use their skill
and expertise to prosecute the war, free of political interference. We
must acknowledge that the needs of our men and women in uniform are
more important than backroom deals, campaign sound bites, and political
grandstanding. We must remember those who sacrificed so much for this
war effort and allow their fellow soldiers to continue their mission.
We have a job to do here. I urge my colleagues to vote against this
bloated, misguided bill and return our focus to where it should have
been all along: the needs of our troops.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha).
Mr. MURTHA. One of the Members said, how many less Iraqis have been
killed? I don't know how many less Iraqis we killed. I know 62
individual American soldiers or marines have been killed this last
month.
I want to say about equipment, I have got a chart here with the Army
National Guard. Every single National Guard unit in this Nation, all 50
States, doesn't have the Humvees they need.
Every State, they don't have the 7-ton trucks they need. Every State,
they don't have other equipment, the equipment they need for jammers
and so forth.
When you say they are training on equipment and are not fully
trained, they don't have the equipment to train on. This bill provides
that. When you vote against this bill, you are voting against the extra
money to fix that problem.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize for
2\1/2\ minutes the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, Mr.
Hunter of California.
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I want to address my good friend, Mr.
Murtha, who pointed out that there was a shortage of Humvees back here,
particularly up-armored Humvees. Well, let me show you how many Humvees
we had at the end of the Clinton administration: up-armored Humvees,
zero.
We didn't have any up-armored Humvees for the National Guard to train
on, for the Army to train on, for the National Guard to deploy or for
the Army to deploy. We had zero. Actually, we had 1,300 at the end of
2000, 1,300. We now have 18,400 up-armored Humvees. We have got roughly
15 times as many up-armored Humvees as we had at the end of the Clinton
administration.
Now, let me remind my colleagues how much body armor we had at the
end of the Clinton administration, body armor. If I hear another parent
call up because they are listening to this debate and they are
listening to information which is erroneous, I think it is important
for us to remind them, there was nobody armored at the end of the
Clinton administration, not one stitch of bulletproof armor at the end
of the Clinton administration. Today there are just under 1 million
sets of body armor for our troops.
Now, let's talk about what we didn't fund in this bill. We didn't
fund the ambush protection vehicles to the full extent that the Army
asked for. The Army asked for $4.75 billion worth of ambush protection
vehicles. Those are vehicles with the V-shaped hulls so that land mines
will be deflected and they have strong enough sides so that IEDs will
be deflected.
Now, my colleagues, I will tell you why everybody, Democrats and
Republicans, should vote against this particular supplemental, and it
is because of one of the restrictions that is placed

[[Page H2921]]

on this. There is a 15-day notice and wait period in this bill that
says that no unit can deploy until notice is given 15 days before that
deployment. We have not done that since our birth as a Nation, saying
you can't deploy reinforcements, you can't deploy an emergency unit. It
could be a bomb-clearing unit; it could be an IED unit. It could be a
medical unit. You can't deploy it for the men and women of the Armed
Forces who are engaged in combat until 15 days have expired. We have
gone over this with the lawyers and they say it is a 15-day notice and
waiver. You can't do it.
Vote ``no'' on this very bad, very defective bill.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds.
Mr. Speaker, the gentleman can have charts, but the charts don't
change facts. I would also observe that the important thing is not what
happened 7 or 8 years ago. The important thing is what we are going to
do today and tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Pennsylvania.
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, in Kosovo we had 30,000 sorties. We never
lost one person to combat in Kosovo. Let me read the figures for you in
2001. All active duty Army divisions were rated highest readiness
level. Do you know what they are today? Almost all are rated lowest
level. Every National Guard unit today is rated the lowest level.
Mr. Speaker, we could not deploy our ground forces overseas for any
threat. Our national security has been significantly increased because
the depletion of our strategic reserve, our national strategic reserve.
We got a problem here. We are trying to fix the problem. If you vote
against this, you are voting against helping us to restore the
equipment that we have lost in this country.
Mr. HUNTER. Would the gentleman yield briefly?
Mr. MURTHA. I will yield.
Mr. HUNTER. I thank my friend for the courtesy of yielding.
Mr. Speaker, let me just say we took a 1999 101st Airborne battalion.
We compared them today with the 100,000 pieces of new equipment that
they have got. The 1999 Airborne Battalion today, if it was rated C-1
in 1999, would be rated unready today, not because they are not good
warfighters or capable, but because there is brand-new equipment. If
you don't have your flu shot, you are rated unready for combat.
Mr. MURTHA. I take my time back.
Mr. HUNTER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. MURTHA. Let me just say to the gentleman from California, when
President Clinton was President, Bush as a candidate was running
against him. He said, look, you are not ready to go to war. He said,
two entire divisions of the Army would not have had to report until
they are ready.
Let me tell you what it would be today. Almost no division in the
United States is ready to report for duty if we had to send them out
someplace else to a national threat. That is the difference today.
Today we are trying to fix this. Today we put money in the bill to fix
this.
Mr. HUNTER. Would the gentleman yield just briefly?
Mr. MURTHA. Yes.
Mr. HUNTER. I thank the gentleman.
I think the gentleman would agree that 28,000 up-armored Humvees
today is a lot better than the 1,300 that we had before. The body
armor, you have 1 million sets of body armor today, much better than we
had before.
Mr. MURTHA. The gentleman has to realize, we put it in. They didn't
ask for much of this. I found the 44,000 shortage of body armor. I
found the shortage of Humvees. We came back, and we put it in. Bill
Young, Jerry Lewis and I put it in. The Armed Services is the one that
is causing the problem.
Mr. HUNTER. The Armed Services Committee put in 10,000 jammers.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds. Again, we can
debate yesterday until the cows come home. What Mr. Murtha and I are
trying to focus on is what we do in this bill today to make tomorrow
better for our servicemen and our country. That is the issue, and that
is the issue that this bill tries to address.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to Mr.
Hoekstra, the ranking member of the Intel Committee.
Mr. HOEKSTRA. I thank my colleague for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill, a bill that burdens
our troops with conditions and dangerous timetables while
simultaneously rewarding politicians with heaping helpings of pork.

{time} 1800

Providing full funding to our troops standing in the breach in the
war against militant radical Islamists should be easy, and it should
come without strings attached.
The bill before us today sends a terrible message to our brave men
and women in the Armed Forces, those who are serving our Nation in
harm's way, and gives radical jihadists vital intelligence on potential
future troop plans and intentions of the U.S. rather than offering a
clean bill with emergency funding for our troops in combat, or allowing
an up-or-down vote on the Sam Johnson bill that pledges Congress will
not cut off funds for our troops on the front lines.
We are being forced to consider a muddled supplemental, replete with
pork-barrel spending, risky timetables and other items that do nothing
to ensure America's success in the long-term war against radical
militant Islam.
Rather than the House debating how to win the war against radical
militant Islam, with a focus on the current fronts in Iraq and
Afghanistan, we are engaged in political theater and not debating
national security.
The bill before us ties the hands of our military commanders with
timetables and measurements that supposedly force troop withdrawal, yet
the bill before us contains provisions for targeting al Qaeda and
training Iraqi security forces that could leave thousands of troops
behind without the authority or the funding to take the fight to enemy
insurgents. This is not a good plan. It is not a good place to be.
Let's be committed to defeating radical militant Islam, and let's do it
today. Vote ``no'' on this bill.
Mr. OBEY. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Oregon
(Mr. Blumenauer).
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Thank you, Mr. Obey.
Mr. Murtha is right; it wasn't Bill Clinton that sent our troops into
Iraq without appropriate equipment and without a plan to win the peace,
it was the Bush administration. The war against Saddam Hussein was over
in a few weeks, yet for over 3 years they have been trapped in a deadly
crossfire of an Iraqi war. This bill is not micromanaging the war, it
is the next logical step as Congress rediscovers its voice and its
constitutional responsibility as a coequal branch of government.
This weekend 15,000 Oregonians made clear that this day cannot happen
too soon. This is hard for me. I have never voted for a supplemental
appropriation on this war, but I will vote tomorrow for the first
enforceable deadline. It is what Americans want, and it is what our
troops and their families deserve.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Reynolds) for 2\1/4\ minutes.
(Mr. REYNOLDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the
Democrats' supplemental appropriations measure currently before this
House.
I am extremely disappointed before at the dramatically different tack
this Democratic leadership has taken with regard to the emergency war
supplemental.
Congress, instead of acting on a supplemental request that would
support our troops, has introduced legislation to withdraw our troops.
This bill, by attempting to micromanage the war on terror and implement
a congressional war strategy, will tie the hands of the generals in the
field.
Frankly, this bill crosses into dangerous territory for Congress. For
if this bill passes, its supporters will have decided to take over war
strategy, and we will have 535 Commanders in Chief. This is wrong for
America's national security, and it is wrong for the troops serving
bravely overseas.
Our troops deserve better than this, Mr. Speaker. And under a
Republican leadership in the House, our troops got

[[Page H2922]]

the funding they needed without the gimmicks found in this bill. They
deserve for this House and this Congress to stand ready to assist them
by providing the resources needed for victory.
And let me be perfectly clear, I will not support legislating the
micromanagement of this war from Capitol Hill. Members of Congress
cannot and should not legislate defeat by passing this ill-conceived
measure. And the Democrat leadership has decided to play politics by
tying more than $31.5 billion in domestic spending provisions into a
bill to secure votes.
Sure there are many domestic provisions in the underlying bill that I
wholeheartedly agree with. For example, I fought side by side in
bipartisan fashion for extension of the MILC program. And our cold
winters in western New York make LIHEAP essential for our communities.
But the House deserves the opportunity to make these domestic programs
through regular order, not by discussing them as emergency spending.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, we have a choice to make, a choice to
support our troops by giving them the resources they need, or a choice
to pay lip service to our soldiers and make generals and Commanders in
Chief out of the 535 Members of Congress.
The right choice is obvious; and hopefully the Members of this body
have the courage and the integrity to make that choice, support our
troops. Vote ``no.''
Mr. OBEY. I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from California (Mrs.
Capps).
Mrs. CAPPS. Thank you, Mr. Obey.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans'
Health and Iraq Accountability Act.
For the past 4 years, the previous leadership in this Congress has
given the President a blank check for his misguided and mismanaged war
in Iraq. That war has taken the lives of more than 3,200 of our brave
troops, wounded tens of thousands more; countless Iraqis have died.
Congress refused to fulfill its constitutional obligation for
oversight and its moral obligation to end the war. So today, we take
the first step toward meeting those duties.
Mr. Speaker, I have opposed the Iraq war from the beginning; I voted
against it in 2002. And as a member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, I want
to bring our troops home sooner than the fall of 2008. But tomorrow,
with this bill, we all will make a decision. Either we will continue to
give this President a blank check in Iraq on a never-ending war, or we
will have established a responsible timetable for withdrawing our
troops. Bring this war to an end. The choice is clear for me, I will
vote to bring this war to an end.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to yield 2
minutes to the marine from the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Kline of
Minnesota.
Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I am saddened and, frankly, appalled that today in this
House of Representatives we are debating a bill to put ``retreat and
defeat'' into law at a time when we have our young men and women
engaged in combat. There are many things, Mr. Speaker, which affect the
morale of men and women in uniform and men and women in combat, but
putting into law mandating their defeat is certainly one of them.
Mr. Speaker, on February 10, 2007, General Petraeus addressed the
soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and civilians under his command in a
short letter. In that letter, General Petraeus explained quite clearly
that ``the way ahead will not be easy. There will be difficult times in
the months to come. But hard is not hopeless, and we must remain
steadfast to help improve security for the Iraqi people.''
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes hard hopeless.
As a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps and the father of a soldier
recently returned from Iraq, it is with great hardship that I now
oppose this emergency supplemental. This supplemental does not support
our military; it undermines the best opportunity to prevent the dire
predictions of our Intelligence Community when they put out that NIE
saying that this course of action which will be driven by this bill
will increase sectarian violence, cause massive civilian casualties,
create a terror safe haven and a potential for wider conflict that
would draw in other regional powers.
Again, General Petraeus said, in talking to his soldiers, sailors,
airmen and marines, ``Success will require discipline, fortitude and
initiative, qualities that you have in abundance.'' Would that we have
more of that here.

February 10, 2007.
To the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Civilians of
Multi-National Force--Iraq:
We serve in Iraq at a critical time. The war here will soon
enter its fifth year. A decisive moment approaches. Shoulder-
to-shoulder with our Iraqi comrades, we will conduct a
pivotal campaign to improve security for the Iraqi people.
The stakes could not be higher.
Our task is crucial. Security is essential for Iraq to
build its future. Only with security can the Iraqi government
come to grips with the tough issues it confronts and develop
the capacity to serve its citizens. The hopes of the Iraqi
people and the coalition countries are with us.
The enemies of Iraq will shrink at no act, however
barbaric. They will do all that they can to shake the
confidence of the people and to convince the world that this
effort is doomed. We must not underestimate them.
Together with our Iraqi partners, we must defeat those who
oppose the new Iraq. We cannot allow mass murderers to hold
the initiative. We must strike them relentlessly. We and our
Iraqi partners must set the terms of the struggle, not our
enemies. And together we must prevail.
The way ahead will not be easy. There will be difficult
times in the months to come. But hard is not hopeless, and we
must remain steadfast in our effort to help improve security
for the Iraqi people. I am confident that each of you will
fight with skill and courage, and that you will remain loyal
to your comrades-in-arms and to the values our nations hold
so dear.
In the end, Iraqis will decide the outcome of this
struggle. Our task is to help them gain the time they need to
save their country. To do that, many of us will live and
fight alongside them. Together, we will face down the
terrorists, insurgents, and criminals who slaughter the
innocent. Success will require discipline, fortitude, and
initiative--qualities that you have in abundance.
I appreciate your sacrifices and those of your families.
Now, more than ever, your commitment to service and your
skill can make the difference between victory and defeat in a
very tough mission.
It is an honor to soldier again with the members of the
Multi-National Force--Iraq. I know that wherever you serve in
this undertaking you will give your all. In turn, I pledge my
commitment to our mission and every effort to achieve success
as we help the Iraqis chart a course to a brighter future.
Godspeed to each of you and to our Iraqi comrades in this
crucial endeavor.
David H. Petraeus,
General, United States Army Commanding.

Mr. OBEY. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from
Michigan (Ms. Kilpatrick).
(Ms. KILPATRICK asked and was given permission to revise and extend
her remarks.)
Ms. KILPATRICK. I first want to commend Speaker Pelosi for her
leadership and tenacity, for doing the right thing for America; to
Chairman Obey and Chairman Murtha for working together to bring this
bill to the floor.
In my 30 years of public service, this is probably one of the most
difficult votes I will make, but it is the right vote. I will vote
``yes'' to support the supplemental.
This war has lasted longer than World War I and World War II. More
than 3,200 young men and women have lost their lives, over 30,000
amputees and the like, mental health services that we don't yet know we
will have to endure from this ill-advised war.
It is a good supplemental. Is it perfect? No. But it does begin to
change course, to change course that this Nation needs that we begin to
invest in America, to take care of our children, to bring our soldiers
home. I wish we could bring them home tomorrow, but there is a process,
and this bill begins that process by using the President's own
benchmarks that the Iraqis would rise up and take care of their own
country, their own people. This is a civil war; we ought not be in it.
I ask you to vote ``yes'' on the supplemental.
The Americans who live in the 13th Congressional District of Michigan
want our women and men in our military home now. As a Member of
Congress who has opposed the war from the very beginning, so do I. In
my three decades of public service to the citizens of Michigan and all
Americans, this is one of the most difficult votes I have had to cast
as an elected official.
As you know, I voted against the resolution authorizing the use of
force in Iraq. I did not support the pretext nor the context for our
involvement in Iraq. I felt then, and I feel now, that we did not
exhaust all of our diplomatic,

[[Page H2923]]

political or military options. Regrettably, I have been proven correct.
In January of this year, we will have been involved in Iraq longer
than we have been involved in World War I and longer than we were
involved in World War II. We will have lost over 3,200 lives, over
25,000 women and men wounded and maimed, and over $500 billion dollars
in a conflict that, as of today, is only getting worse and worse day by
day. I want our women and men fighting in Iraq home now.
Three decades of public service teaches you that Americans do not do
revolutions, Americans do evolutions. As steadfast, as earnest, as
honest as I, and the vast majority of my constituents, want our troops
home immediately, I support this bill and will support this bill
enthusiastically. Why? This bill does three things--first, it finally
establishes and demands that the President of the United States be held
accountable for our troops in Iraq and how our tax dollars are being
spent. Second, it has a deadline for our troops to come home. Third, it
provides some emergency support for some of the programs decimated by
the permanent tax cuts for the rich and by the fiscal demands of the
war.
As my colleagues who have been to battle in Iraq and who have borne
the burden of war and its concomitant issues, I am not merely anti-war;
I am anti-failure. This bill will get our women and men home, and it
will require that Iraqis bear the responsibility for ultimately
managing the country that is theirs.
Under this bill, the President will have to send troops to war under
the same rules, regulations and guidelines established by the Pentagon.
Rules that say that troops need adequate rest between tours of duty.
Rules that say that no soldier or Marine will be sent without adequate
training, equipment, or supplies. Rules that allow infantry commanders
to have the final say in the welfare and safety of their troops. If the
President chooses not to follow these long-established rules, he is to
let Congress and the American people know why not following these rules
is a national emergency.
Under this bill, accountability is demanded from contractors who are
in Iraq. It cuts all of their contracts by ten percent, to allow
Congress to see if taxpayer dollars are being spent on what these
contractors say they are. For four years, there has been no
accountability, no oversight, no responsibility in how the $500 billion
that has been spent in Iraq--currently, we are spending an estimated
eight billion dollars per month in Iraq--and finally, this bill
establishes that accountability. As a Member of the august
Appropriations Committee, this is not only my privilege, but my
responsibility, to all of the taxpayers of America.
Under this bill, by July 1, 2007, the President must certify that
Iraq is making meaningful and substantial progress in meeting political
and military benchmarks, including a militia disarmament program and a
plan that equitably shares oil revenues among all Iraqis. If the
President does not provide this certification then U.S. forces must
begin an immediate redeployment to be completed no later than December
2007, or 180 days.
This bill does not ignore the fact that it is everyday Americans who
have also paid a price for this war. Senior citizens who could go
without heat in the winter or air conditioning in the summer. Children
who could go without health care. And it has been 191 days since
Katrina landed, and over half of the houses, hospitals and businesses
have still not been rebuilt. As much of an emergency as Iraq is, these
are equally important emergencies.
I requested that the Committee add $1 billion in funding for the Low
Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); along with the
Chairman, I was able to get $400 million. I requested that the
Committee add $1 billion in funding to rebuild houses in the Gulf
region; the Committee was able to commit $2.9 billion to Katrina
relief. The bill also ensures the long term health of our warriors at
home and abroad. It adds funds for those veterans who are disabled by
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; it provides for the hiring of more
staffers at the Veterans Administration to speed up medical claims; it
ensures that those veterans who have severe brain injuries have the
therapy and care that they need; and it makes sure that Walter Reed
Hospital remains open and that Walter Reed, as well as other VA
hospitals, receives the funds they need to take care of our warriors.
Thirty years as a legislator will teach you that no bill is perfect,
and that compromise and negotiation is the hallmark of this country. If
this bill fails, the President is further empowered to do what he has
been doing for the past 4 years--a process of failed promises,
fratricide among warring factions in Iraq, and fomenting doom.
Compromising your tactics is not compromising your principles. My
principle is to bring all of our troops home as soon as possible; end
this war; and rebuild America's reputation as the standard for human
rights, freedom and dignity.
It seems ludicrous to this Member of Congress that our President has
threatened to veto legislation that contains his own benchmarks for
success in Iraq, ensures our troops have the training they need, and
supports our veterans. For months, conservative and Republican
commentators and elected officials asked ``what is the Democratic plan
for Iraq''? Ladies and gentlemen, this is that plan. While Democrats
have offered a plan to support our troops and change direction in Iraq,
Republicans are preparing to oppose legislation that funds protection
and equipment for our troops and supports our veterans. Instead of
working to change direction in Iraq, opponents to this bill are turning
their backs on our troops and our veterans, and backing the stay-the-
course strategy in Iraq.
I am a warrior for peace. I am a supporter of our women and men who
serve our military throughout the world. I will vote for this bill
because it provides emergency help to our Nation's senior citizens and
children, who have borne a different burden from this war; it brings
our troops home; and it demands, for the first time in four years,
accountability, credibility, and responsibility from our President.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my
colleague from Indiana (Mr. Pence).
(Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. PENCE. I thank the distinguished gentleman for yielding, and I
thank him for his leadership on this and so many other issues affecting
our national defense throughout his career in Congress.
I rise in opposition to this supplemental bill because, simply put,
it is fiscally irresponsible and constitutionally flawed.
Mr. Speaker, emergency war spending bills should be about emergency
war spending. This bill, with $124 billion in spending, only includes
$111 billion in spending that is actually related to the war on terror
in Afghanistan and in Iraq.
Thirteen billion dollars in this legislation will be spent on
unrelated domestic spending; $25 million for spinach, $125 million for
shrimp, $75 million for peanuts, $5 million for shellfish. That is not
a war spending bill, that is the salad bar at Denny's.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that with the deadlines for withdrawal,
retreat and defeat, this bill is constitutionally flawed. Congress can
declare war. Congress can choose to fund or choose not to fund military
operations. But from the very inception of this Nation, no truth has
been more evident, Congress cannot conduct war. In fact, the fear of
war by committee was debated and rejected in Philadelphia in 1787.
The Democrats have a plan to end the war. Our Commander in Chief has
a plan to win the war. The problem with the Democrat plan is, as Orwell
said, ``The quickest way to end a war is to lose it.''
Let's reject the Democrat plan for withdrawal, retreat and defeat.
Let's give our soldiers a clean bill, no pork, no strings attached, and
let's unite this Nation behind our Commander in Chief's plan to win a
victory for freedom in Iraq.
Mr. OBEY. I yield myself 1 minute.
I would say to the gentleman who just spoke, for the last 4 years we
have tried it your way. For the last 4 years we have had a Congress
that did whatever George Bush wanted it to do, rubber-stamp, lock-step
all the way.
Today is different. Today we have a Congress that is responding to
what the public asked for in the last election. What you are seeing
today is the new world of checks and balances. Get used to it. It is
what the public asked for, and it is what they are going to get out of
this Congress.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call upon the
gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for 2 minutes.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, the House is poised to vote on
legislation that, if passed, will cripple our foreign policy for many
years to come and place our troops and all American citizens in great
danger. It is a bill that seeks to abandon the Iraqi people, that seeks
to abandon our closest friends and allies in the Middle East, leaving
them to fend for themselves against radical Islamic militant jihadists.
It is a bill that provides a roadmap for the insurgents, giving them a
detailed account of the benchmarks they need to focus on in order to
ensure an American withdrawal from Iraq.
Regardless of victory or failure, this bill demands withdrawal from
Iraq. It

[[Page H2924]]

demonstrates very little confidence in the ability of our troops to get
the job done in Iraq and defeat the terrorists there.
My stepson Doug and my daughter-in-law Lindsey have served proudly as
marine fighter pilots in Iraq, and Lindsey will soon head back to
another tour of duty in Iraq. They do not believe that you can separate
the soldier from the mission. They do not believe that we have an
option to simply walk away. Doug and Lindsey and many others like them
do not want Congress to add to the burdens and the dangers that they
face by legislating restrictions, deadlines and arbitrary instructions
that only benefit the enemy.
The obvious danger of this legislation has been demonstrated by the
desperate measures that the majority has resorted to in order to
overcome fierce resistance in their own caucus. An emergency war
funding measure should not be used to pay for programs that benefit
narrow, favored constituencies.
I doubt that this ambition by the majority to micromanage the war
will be their last attempt. Are they envisioning assuming command and
control of the positioning and movement of our troops; of setting daily
targets for air strikes; of determining our negotiation strategy with
allies and opponents?

{time} 1815

Perhaps a war room should be set up outside this Chamber so that they
can make it easier to offer instructions on the battlefield.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Woolsey).
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Mr. Obey for yielding me
this time. I want to thank Mr. Murtha for his leadership. And I assure
them that I agree with them in principle. I just disagree in process.
The American public knows a simple truth: you cannot be against this
war and vote for $100 billion to continue it.
The Democrats were elected in November because, as recent polls
consistently show, the American people want us, are actually expecting
us and are demanding of us that we, the Congress, bring our troops home
as soon as possible. They do not trust the President to do the right
thing. They want us to hold him accountable. The public didn't elect
Democrats to bring our troops home in 2008. They elected us to be bold,
to bring our troops home now.
Let me make myself very clear. I will not stop, I will not rest and I
will not back down in my fight until every last American soldier is
home safely with their families.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte).
(Mr. GOODLATTE asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this
irresponsible spending bill.
Mr. Speaker, we owe it to our brave service men and women who are
fighting for freedom and democracy in Iraq to make sure that they are
the best equipped and most successful troops in the world. While the
Democrats would have you believe that this legislation does just that,
it couldn't be further from the truth.
This supplemental is a prescription for defeat in Iraq by tying the
hands of our military leaders and setting a date certain for
withdrawing our troops. If we fail in Iraq, the resources now devoted
by terrorist organizations and nations sponsoring terrorism there would
be turned to spreading terror around the globe, including, again, on
American soil.
It is through the hard work and sacrifice of our American troops that
the ideals of freedom continue to be spread. We owe them the resources
they need to complete their mission, but this bill does not meet that
threshold.
Mr. Speaker, I am also alarmed that the Democrats are treating a
wartime, let me repeat, wartime funding bill as a collection cup for
pet projects.
Many Members have already mentioned the litany of pet projects in the
bill, so I do not need to repeat these so-called domestic emergency
spending provisions. I would like to mention, though, how ridiculous
this bill must seem to troops and their families listening or watching
us on C-SPAN.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how I will respond when asked by
constituents why funding for some $15 billion in pet projects is
necessary when attempting to fund the global war on terror.
Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt that some of these extraneous provisions
may be worth examining, but how would we know? We did not hold
oversight hearings on these issues and have, therefore, abdicated our
responsibility to the taxpayer. If there is a problem, I am sure we can
make the necessary fixes in regular order.
I urge my colleagues to vote down this legislation and fund our
troops with a clean supplemental bill.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson), the caucus vice chairman.
Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of
this legislation, and I commend Chairman Obey, Chairman Murtha, and
Speaker Pelosi for putting it before us today.
I come here also to speak to my colleagues on the other side of the
aisle. With all sincerity, no one questions your patriotism or love of
country. And yet we hear you come down here and belittle the proposal
that we have before us and call Democrats defeatists, when it is you
who have surrendered your judgment. You surrendered that judgment when
you didn't listen to Scowcroft or Eagleberger or Baker or Kissinger or
even Powell or Shinseki.
When you don't listen to the generals or even the soldiers in the
field, you mock men when they stand up here and in principle, like Jack
Murtha, who you know have always stood on behalf of the troops of this
country, and today offers more than $4 billion more that the President
has put forward. But because of your blind, myopic allegiance to a
failed policy, you have surrendered your judgment to what is the right
thing.
Chairman Dreier asked us what is victory. Victory is joining with us
in this proposal. Victory is once again standing on the Capitol steps
hand in hand, as we all were against the war in Afghanistan, and once
again fighting terrorists by going after the guys who actually took
down the buildings, who hit the Pentagon.
Stand with us in the war against terrorism. End this God-awful
situation in Iraq. Provide the Iraqis with the back bone that they need
to stand up by giving them the tough love and the deadlines that this
legislation requires.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, could I ask how much time we
have remaining on both sides.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hastings of Florida). The gentleman from
California has 1 hour and 6\1/2\ minutes. And the gentleman from
Wisconsin has 1 hour and 16 minutes.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I will reserve the balance of
my time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), a distinguished graduate of the
University of Wisconsin and featured in the Wisconsin alumni magazine.
Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, the fine chairman of
our Appropriations Committee, and say he would know that because he
also is featured in the same magazine.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this first counteroffensive
to the Bush administration's reckless approach to the global war on
terrorism that has yielded an Iraqi civil war, over 3,200 U.S. dead,
nearly 25,000 injuries, the evaporation of the coalition of the
willing, tens of thousands of dead Iraqis, growing terrorism, hatred of
America across the Islamic world, and shock and dismay among America's
closest democratic allies globally.
The Bush administration has no answers. In fact, their budgets for
this war reveal how lost at sea they are. Every single year they have
asked for more in emergency add-ons than they planned to spend in the
base budget bill itself.
Yet our brave troops fight on to hold the military edge. And this
bill helps us fight harder for them by not asking them to bear the full
burden of this war, because it sets a timetable for progress and
requires the President to meet benchmarks he, himself, has set.
Our vote today funds our troops but, importantly, signals that
victory means one-third military and two-thirds diplomacy and good
governance and sets a timetable to get there, not

[[Page H2925]]

just militarily, but strategically and diplomatically.
If they knew what they were doing, these expenditures would have been
built into the base budget, not afterthoughts. Look how out of touch
they are with what was required: FY 2001 (Emergency Supplemental);
$13.9 billion; FY 2002 (Supplemental): $3.4 billion; FY 2002
(Supplemental): $14.1 billion; FY 2003 (Supplemental): $66.0 billion;
FY 2004 (Supplemental): $86.1 billion; FY 2005 (Supplemental): $79.0
billion; FY 2006 (Supp): $69.3 billion.
Additionally, there is the critical money appropriated by Congress
that the Administration did not even think to ask for: FY 2005 Defense
Appropriations Act: $25.7 billion; FY 2006 Defense Appropriations Act:
$50 billion; FY 2007 Defense Appropriations Act: $70 billion.
Despite Congress voting all the funding that was requested, and even
adding some additional where necessary, how is that our soldiers across
the theatre don't have the right equipment? Just today, I received a
call from an uncle of a Marine about to be deployed to Anbar Province:
``His Kevlar vest isn't the right size, he has no visor to properly
sync with his laser-guided weapon. The Marines are having to pay for
supplies themselves like fire retardant gloves, duct tape, 550 cord,
oil lubricants for the weapons, not enough boots, two sets of uniforms
rather than the five they should be issued, and they are too big.''
Our vote today funds our troops. But importantly signals that victory
means \1/3\ military and \2/3\ diplomacy and good governance and sets a
timetable to get there, not just militarily but strategically and
diplomatically.
It falls to the Democrats to pick up the pieces of a failed foreign
policy. And that is exactly what we are doing with this vote. No one
here is operating under the illusion that we are presented with good
choices. Importantly, this vote funds the troops we have in theatre.
Although this bill holds the hope of redeploying our troops more
effectively no later than a year from now, it continues to impose
almost the entire burden of the mission in Iraq on our military.
Meanwhile, U.S. policy is exacerbating terrorism and begetting violence
that could spill over into Jordan, Turkey, Bahrain, Kuwait, Pakistan,
Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia--all while the Afghan war is becoming more
challenging.
Whatever happened to the coalition of the willing?
Where are the neighbors of Iraq?
Where are the diplomats to address the Israel-Palestinian standoff?
In Egypt, 70 percent of the public unfavorably views the United
States. In Jordan, U.S. favorability has fallen to 15 percent. In Saudi
Arabia, from where the majority--9-11 terrorists emerged, the U.S. is
disliked by 76 percent of it citizens. Gallup polls tell us why:
America is viewed as not on the side of rising popular expectations for
a more democratic way of life. The United States is viewed as a
promiscuous culture in moral decay. Abu Ghraib affirmed them in their
views.
Granted, no single vote here will quickly repair the damage to our
nation's prestige, mend the broken hearts, or put back together the
broken lives of thousands of American and Iraqi families.
No single vote will invigorate Iraq's neighbors to promote regional
stability.
No single vote will win the war on terrorism.
No single vote will free America from her dangerous dependency on
imported oil from dictatorships.
America faces a strategic challenge much larger than Iraq. It
requires aligning America on the side of democratic dreams of
underprivileged people, not just the super-rich, in the vast
undemocratic places where terrorists are being spawned. The Bush
Administration's proclivity to support the aristocrats of the world at
the expense of everyone else is raining havoc down on our world as Big
Oil lines up to pump out Iraq's oil--Exxon Mobil, Conoco Phillips,
Chevron Texaco, even foreign companies as Total, Royal Dutch Shell, and
BP.
I am not entirely comfortable with this vote.
I imagine no Member is entirely comfortable with spending another
$100 billion, on top of $379 billion, on the war in Iraq, a war that
has now lasted longer than World Wars I and II combined.
In my congressional district in Northern Ohio, communities are
struggling to revive an unresponsive economy. Families are having
trouble making ends meet.
In Ohio, we desperately need new roads and bridges and sewers. We
need health care and education. But the Bush Administration is obsessed
with Iraq. Billions of dollars for Iraq--pennies for Ohio. We are
shortchanging our citizens and our children in the name of a failed
policy.
This vote, however, marks the beginning of the end of the Bush
Administration's colossal foreign policy debacle.
Our vote today will ensure a beginning to an end of this failed
foreign policy that decouples our military from a failed foreign
policy, of the immense drain on our purse, an end to the injuries to,
and deaths of, our brave soldiers. And an end to the growing disrespect
of our great country in every corner of the world.
I have opposed this war from the beginning. I said on this same floor
in October 2002 that war against Iraq ``will not make America safer,
because unilateral military action without broad international support
will isolate America further. It will thrust us into the position of
becoming a common enemy in a volatile region where anti-western
terrorism grows with each passing year. It will not make the region
more stable either. The Bush approach will yield more terrorism and
instability, not less.''
How I wish that I could say I was wrong in 2002.
But what I feared most has come to pass.
In December 2005, General Abizaid said: ``The battle against Al Qaeda
will not be primarily military. It will be political, economic and
ideological. If you look at the geography of Al Qaeda, there is not a
place to put a military solution.''
Since returning from Iraq, I have repeated what Generals Petraeus and
Odierno said to us: ``Victory is one-third military, two-thirds
diplomacy and good governance.'' America has focused all of our efforts
on our military campaign, while the Commander-in-Chief has failed to
support our soldiers with diplomatic and political efforts to wrap
around their operations. Instead, these valiant men and women fall
victim to a Commander-In-Chief who has not only bungled the war on
terrorism, but utterly failed in his role as Diplomat-In-Chief for our
nation. He is isolating America. Why should our soldiers bear the heavy
burden of winning when the good governance piece is completely absent?
President Bush refuses to listen, refuses to change course. His
obstinate attitude is shocking.
I am voting for this supplemental precisely because it turns up the
pressure on President Bush and forces him to account for his disastrous
strategy. The status quo is not an option.
This war must end. Although this emergency supplemental spending bill
is not a perfect solution to this vast problem, the legislation points
the way to a long-overdue course correction.
It is important to note: it does so without endangering the
courageous and patriotic soldiers serving us in the Middle East. It is
an exquisite response to the false choices the Bush Administration
specializes in offering to us.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Scott).
Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Ladies and gentlemen, let me just say this: the
American people are waiting on this Congress to finally stand up and be
Congress. This is one of the reasons why we are in the position that we
are in right now is because Congress has not done its job.
One of the most sterling moments of that was 2 years ago when it came
to attention on this floor that our young men and women were over in
Iraq without body armor. Every news cast had it where they were going
into dung heaps, into landfills, trying to get body armor.
It was Democrats, at that time, that stepped forward and put the
amendment in the resolution to make sure that our troops have body
armor. And that is the genesis of this legislation.
This is a big ball game, and you have got to get to first base first.
And what we are saying is, when we move out with this resolution,
paramount is taking care of our troops, making sure that they have the
body armor.
I am here to tell you the American people know that this war has had
a tremendous drain on our American economy. The importance of this
measure, ladies and gentlemen in this House, is that we cannot go
forward without the confidence of the American people. Passage of this
bill gives us that confidence.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).
Mr. KING of Iowa. I come to the floor here, Mr. Speaker, to stand up
for this Constitution, for our United States military, for our
Commander in Chief and for the future and the destiny of America,
because we need to take another level up along on our destiny.
But this Constitution gives this Congress only three things we can do
with regard to war. One of them is to declare war, which we have not
done since World War II, one of them is to raise an Army and a Navy,
and by implication, an Air Force, and the next one is to fund it. There
are no provisions in there for micromanaging the war, and that has been
clear, and it is

[[Page H2926]]

a historical precedent, and there is no precedent throughout the last
century, at least, that allows this Congress to assign 435 generals to
this task.
And so, Mr. Speaker, I would submit that this is an unconstitutional
appropriations bill. And if it should go to the President's desk, he
should veto it in its entirety and bring it back here. Force this
Congress to do the right thing that is constitutional and not be
micromanaging in this war.
This is not a General Pelosi war to fight. This is a Commander in
Chief, George W. Bush, fight.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), a member of the committee.
Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of
this legislation, in support of our troops, in support of our veterans,
and in strong support of ending the Iraq war.
After 4 years of mismanagement, mistakes and excuses, the Bush
administration and their supporters in Congress continue to be
comfortable with a ``stay the course'' policy, while American troops
are in the middle of an Iraq civil war.
Passing this supplemental appropriation requires leadership. It will
be the Democrats passing this bill, taking the first historic step
towards ending President Bush's Iraq war.
It will be Democrats who hold President Bush and President Maliki
accountable for achieving the political conditions that will allow U.S.
troops to come home safe and soon.
Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Obey, Chairman Murtha all deserve to be
recognized for their courage and their leadership in bringing this war
to an end.
And I urge all my colleagues to support this bill and take the first
important step towards ending the war in Iraq.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield my colleague, Bob
Inglis from South Carolina, 2 minutes.
Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to say that
setting deadlines for withdrawal from Iraq is unacceptable. I am in
agreement with the concept of adding a series of success checkpoints,
and I suggested as much in a letter to the President 2 weeks ago. It
worked before when we set deadlines for a new constitution and
elections, and I think it could work again.
But withdrawal is the Democratic leadership's only solution if the
Iraqis fall short of the benchmarks. That is simply too simplistic. It
is too limiting. It is tying the hands of the President and the
Pentagon.
We should have benchmarks, but the response shouldn't be all or
nothing. These benchmarks should carry a gradation of consequences,
rather than an all-or-nothing withdrawal.

{time} 1830

Pulling back to the perimeter is an obvious step between surging and
withdrawal. There are other gradations that our military leaders could
propose to the President.
To begin an immediate withdrawal upon failure of a benchmark is like
writing a lease with an eviction-only remedy for a late payment. It
makes sense to have a section in the default paragraphs calling for a
late payment fee before you begin the eviction.
The leadership in Iraq needs to know that they don't have forever to
make the decisions regarding dividing up the oil fairly and regarding
returning Baathists to positions of public service. They need to know
they don't have forever in coming up with a working model of pluralism.
We are providing their protection. We have the right to tell them to
hurry. We have an obligation to our servicemen and women to tell the
Iraqi factions to hurry.
But we don't need to tie the hands of our field commanders and our
President with an arbitrary withdrawal date, predetermined by some
political purposes and not by what is happening in the Iraq.
The circumstances on the ground in Iraq have changed at least three
times since we went in--from an action against a dangerous regime, to
an action against insurgents, to a civil war between Iraqi Shias and
Iraqi Sunnis.
The circumstances may change a couple of more times before we get
Iraq to reasonable stability, and, who knows, the Iraqis may ultimately
want us to retain a base or two.
This bill overreaches. This bill improperly limits the options open
to our commanders and our troops. This bill makes no provision for any
number of successes in Iraq, which are still quite possible. And I urge
its defeat.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Hinchey), a member of the committee.
Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, the bill before us provides an honest and
sensible solution to one of the most complex and volatile problems ever
to confront our Nation.
More than 4 years ago, this administration engaged in an unnecessary
and illegal invasion of another sovereign country, and that has now
been followed by almost 4 years of an increasingly disastrous
occupation. All during that time, the Republican Party held the
majority in this House, and they conducted no oversight of this
activity whatsoever, and the consequences have been disastrous for our
Nation.
This bill now provides us with the means and the direction to change
these disastrous decisions made by this administration and the failure
of oversight of the Republican Party. It enables us to help our troops.
It provides them with the equipment that they need to carry out their
obligations and responsibilities now theirs. And it provides us with a
means to remove ourselves in the appropriate way.
Anyone with any sense is going to vote for this bill.
Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas
(Ms. Jackson-Lee).
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for yielding.
And, Mr. Murtha, you were right, and the leadership.
I rise here today because I stand next to those who have lost their
lives, so many of them around the country, but so many in Houston,
Texas.
I said I would travel with this board from Houston to Washington, and
I said that I would do what was right to make their sacrifice one that
we continue to honor. We mourn them. Their families mourn them.
This is the right direction because the military goes to battle, but
we go to war, and the Constitution does say that this Congress can
declare war. It was not declared. And, frankly, it is not an
interference. The generals are working, but we are redirecting policy.
In fact, we are providing for unit readiness, length of deployment,
time between deployments, money for Afghanistan, money for prosthetics,
money for brain injury. We are providing for a new life for these
soldiers when they return home. And like the former member of the
Intelligence Committee says, this bill is right. I quarreled with it. I
fought with it. But I believe it is the right thing, though many of us
want a different direction.
Vote for this supplemental.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, as a founding and active member of the
Out of Iraq Caucus, someone who identifies closely with the peace
movement and a ``no'' vote on the war itself, I rise in support of this
measure because for the first time we have a date certain for the war
to end, a date when U.S. combat troops must be out of Iraq.
It is not the bill I would have written, but it moves us closer to
the goal, as clearly stated by Speaker Pelosi, of ending the war in
Iraq.
Like many progressives, I have consistently voted against funding for
this war. We have withstood Republican critics who say we are hurting
the troops, because we know the way to care for them is to get them out
of the meat grinder that is Iraq.
This vote draws a clear line between those who want to stay
indefinitely in an unwinnable war and those of us who, along with the
majority of Americans, want to end it. After 4 horrifying years of war,
finally the issue before us now is when, not if, we will leave Iraq.
We aren't going to end the war with any one vote, but this vote
should be the beginning of the end of this tragic chapter in our
history. It will have my support.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1\1/2\
minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling).
Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

[[Page H2927]]

Mr. Speaker, I think perhaps this is the single worst bill to come to
the floor since I have been in Congress.
It is likely unconstitutional. It creates 435 Commanders in Chief. It
attempts to micromanage the war. It threatens our national security. It
contains billions in unrelated spending. It wraps old-fashioned pork in
the American flag. * * *
Twenty-five million dollars handed out to spinach growers, $74
million for peanut storage, $35 million for NASA.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I demand the gentleman's words be taken down.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the words.
Mr. OBEY. The gentleman referred to us as producing ``bribe-as-you-
go'' legislation.
Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, in the interest of having the House have
its proceedings move forward, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the
offending word or words.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hastings of Florida). Is there objection
to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, let me simply
congratulate the gentleman for withdrawing those words.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the words are withdrawn.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas is recognized for
the remainder of his time.
Mr. HENSARLING. Mr. Speaker, again, $74 million for peanut storage,
$35 million to NASA, $283 million for dairy products.
I question, is this the Democrats' version of fiscal responsibility?
Is this their version of reform? Our national security should not be
handled so frivolously. The cost of fighting this war obviously is
high. The cost of fighting this war is obviously high, but the cost of
losing this war is even higher.
I would say to my Democrat colleagues, if you don't believe in the
mission, if you don't believe that our troops can win, then you have
the power to bring them home, and bring them home today. But we
shouldn't employ this slow-bleed strategy that could deny our troops
vital reinforcements and vital equipment and open up pork-barrel
spending to finance it.
A great Nation deserves better. We should vote this bill down.

{time} 1845

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Davis).
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the main responsibility of
leadership is to lead, and that is exactly what Speaker Pelosi,
Chairman Obey, Chairman Murtha and other members of the Democratic
leadership team are doing, and they are doing it with a plan.
My constituents who want this war ended as quickly as possible can
take heart in the fact that this supplemental sets a time certain to
begin to pull our troops out of Iraq and bring them to a peace-loving
home, a home where we value peace, a home where the will of the people
is listened to and heard, a home where we will continue to protect and
promote democracy.
I support our troops, I support leadership, I support peace, and I
support this legislation.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady).
(Mr. BRADY of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I know that good people disagree on
this war, but, in my heart, this bill betrays our troops, ensures
defeat and guarantees that when our fighting men and women come home to
America, the terrorists will follow.
This bill cannot stand on its merits, but is brought with promises of
spinach and peanuts and pork.
Not content to let our soldiers win this war, this bill instead
substitutes a brilliant military strategy that gives our enemies this
timetable: America will raise a white flag next year, but if you fight
harder, we will quit sooner.
Thank God General George Washington wasn't hamstrung with such
brilliance.
After the attacks of 9/11, I recall our enemies predicting America
did not have the backbone or the will to persevere in this war. This
bill proves them right.
On Monday, we buried one of our heroes in our community, Private
First Class Cory Kosters. As I witnessed the remarkable courage and
faith of his family, as I watched his flag-draped coffin presented at
the National Veterans Cemetery surrounded by his friends and airborne
brothers saying their final good-bye, I promised myself I will not quit
on our soldiers, I will not quit on their mission. I will not guarantee
America's defeat, nor allow future generations of Americans to live in
terror because we lack the courage and conviction of the greatest
generations that preceded us.
Mr. MURTHA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Andrews).
(Mr. ANDREWS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I
rise in support of the amendment.
It is time to give the best fighting men and women in the world the
policy that they deserve instead of the failed policy we have thrust
them in the middle of.
After years of a blank check, the House of Representatives is finally
representing the American people. They have told us to fund these
troops, and we do in this bill. But they told us to make the Iraqis
stand up and negotiate an end to their civil war, and this bill has in
it the benchmarks and the leverage necessary to do that.
We have sent the best men and women in the world to execute the worst
policy in the world, and finally this House of Representatives is
representing the will of the American people. They say fund the troops,
and we do. They say change the policy, and we do. And they say let the
Iraqis take responsibility for ending their own civil war, and we do.
This is a policy as good as the men and women who are doing the
fighting.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, this is supposed to be a war supplemental bill,
but there is so much nonwar spending in this bill. For example, one
portion of the bill dumps millions of dollars in Liberia. The last I
saw, Liberia is not even on the same continent as Iraq. And why does
this bill have anything to do with funding Liberia and their needs?
But more importantly, this bill puts our troops at risk, because it
sows the cloud of defeatism and cynicism that seems to be predominant
in Washington, D.C.
Congresses before us have tried to run the war, even as far back as
the Continental Congress. They were so upset with George Washington,
they wanted to get rid of the Commander in Chief and replace him with
somebody else. His comments to the Continental Congress then are worth
noting today. He said, ``We should never despair. Our situation before
has been unpromising and has changed for the better. So it will
again.''
And that is what we must do. Support our troops. Give them the troops
that they need to finish the mission that we have asked them to
accomplish on behalf of national security.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Hare).
Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, the American people have paid a tremendous
price for our 5-year occupation of Iraq. Over 3,100 U.S. lives have
been lost and more than 23,000 wounded, and nearly half a trillion
taxpayer dollars have been spent. In my own congressional district,
nine servicemembers have given their lives to the conflict in Iraq.
I am committed to bringing our troops home safely and as soon as
possible. The legislation before us today holds the Iraqi government
accountable by imposing strict benchmarks for success. If the President
cannot show that the Iraqis have met these standards by July 1, 2007, a
troop withdrawal will begin immediately and must be completed within
180 days.
These measures not only provide the support our troops need and
deserve, but they also force this President to think twice before
asking our brave military men and women to serve a third or fourth tour
in Iraq, and requires and provides the resources our troops need when
they come home.

[[Page H2928]]

But this bill also honors our veterans by investing billions of
additional dollars for their health care. And, for the first time since
this war began, Congress is not giving the President a blank check.
Mr. Speaker, I believe we can bring a reasonable, timely end to the
war in Iraq, and if this bill does that, we will also protect our
troops.
I urge my colleagues to cast their important vote for this bill.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from New Mexico (Mrs. Wilson).
Mrs. WILSON of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, this is an unusual spending
bill, because we are voting to spend money for the military while
putting conditions on the use of that money that will make it highly
likely that our military will fail. That doesn't make any sense.
This bill is also an example of the wisdom of the Constitution that
was written so many years ago, and we would be well advised to respect
the wisdom of that Constitution that separates the powers among the
branches.
We need to understand our role here as a Congress. It is not to
micromanage dwell times and to put limits on deployments so that the
sergeants and the captains who are jumping through enough hoops as it
is have one more set of hoops to jump through, courtesy of the United
States Congress.
History will not end on your schedule. We need real leadership from
this House to focus on what America's vital national interests are and
how we will pursue those interests for the long term.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. Meek).
(Mr. MEEK of Florida asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to be down here, and I am
glad that the chairman brought this bill up.
I can tell you the only thing that I can see in this bill is ultimate
accountability and oversight by this Congress, which hasn't happened in
the last two emergency supplementals, those that I voted on and those
that I voted in the affirmative on.
But the good thing about this bill is that we have the troops back.
We are saying that they have to be prepared, just like the Department
of Defense says that they have to be when they go off to war. This is
actually in this bill.
We look at this bill dealing with health care for our veterans, we
look at planning, we look at the needs of our troops. Once they get
back here to the United States, this bill covers and starts that
investment that we have to make to make sure that we take care of our
troops in the field and when they get back here at home.
So this is very, very important, Members. I would hate for my Members
on either side of the aisle to be on the other side of this bill,
because you have a lot of explaining to do when you get back home, the
reason why you voted against this bill. You can call Members of
Congress, General X and General Y, but the bottom line is
accountability is in this bill and funding.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg).
Mr. SHADEGG. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that this is an extraordinary moment in
American history. Indeed, I would suggest that this is an unprecedented
moment in world history.
I know of no example in the history of mankind where a Nation at war
with troops in the field has announced that on a date certain almost 2
years off it will simply unilaterally stop the war. I don't believe
that has ever happened before in human history, and I believe it is a
stunning moment.
What I do not understand is how you can explain that or defend that
to either the soldiers you are asking to fight for the next year and a
half or to their families. And I am not the only one who finds this to
be a strange policy, a dangerous policy, a risky policy, an ill-advised
policy.
The Los Angeles Times wrote just a few weeks ago, ``It is one thing
for the House to pass a nonbinding vote of disapproval. It is quite
another,'' they said, ``for it to set out a detailed timeline.'' It
then went on and said, ``This is the worst kind of congressional
meddling in military strategy.'' Those are the words of the Los Angeles
Times.
Then let's look at another source. In 2005, now majority leader of
the U.S. Senate Harry Reid said, ``As far as setting a timeline, that
is not a wise decision, because it only empowers those who don't want
us there.''
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relation Committee, Joe Biden,
said a deadline for pulling out ``will only encourage our enemies.''
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton said, ``I don't believe it is smart to
set a deadline for withdrawal.''
This is a policy that makes no sense, and this is a policy that can
do nothing but harm our troops and our Nation.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Wynn).
(Mr. WYNN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. WYNN. I thank the chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. But it is not the bill I
wanted. I think we should begin an immediate troop withdrawal, but this
is a good compromise bill that has the virtue of setting a date
certain.
Now, I hear my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talking
about ``micromanagement.'' Well, I will tell you, we have great United
States troops who perform admirably in spite of the incompetence and
lack of planning by this administration. And I will tell you what our
troops deserve. Number one, they deserve that we meet the readiness
standards that our military has established, and this bill says it. We
will meet our readiness standards, and we will make sure our troops are
adequately trained and adequately prepared before we deploy them.
The second thing they deserve, and this is very important, they
deserve accountability by the Iraqi people. The Iraqis need to disarm
their militias. The Iraqis need to come up with a political solution.
The Iraqis need to divide the oil revenues. That is not something the
military can do.
Third, our troops deserve a date certain not because we are ``losing
the war,'' but because we are going to take a new direction that relies
on negotiation and diplomacy, rather than warfare and bloodshed.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes
to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), a member of our committee and
the ranking member of the Financial Services Subcommittee.
(Mr. REGULA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)

{time} 1900

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with regret to express my
opposition to this supplemental appropriations bill. I oppose this bill
because rather than the bill before us, we need a bill that cleanly has
as its objective providing support for our troops, not a bill that is
saddled with all kinds of extraneous programs, programs that should
stand on their own merits, not be used to gain support. We need a bill
that will have as its goal stability in Iraq, that will enable the
Iraqi people to take responsibility for the future of their country.
The Iraq Study Group report has one recommendation that summarized
the need for a clean supplemental that will provide the funds necessary
to achieve the goals we all want for the future of our forces in this
conflict, and I quote from this report: ``If the Iraqi Government
demonstrates political will and makes substantial progress towards the
achievement of milestones on national reconciliation, security and
governance, the United States should make clear its willingness to
continue training, assistance and support for Iraq's security forces
and to continue political, military and economic support for the Iraq
Government.'' And this is important: ``As Iraq becomes more capable of
governing, defending and sustaining itself, the U.S. military and
civilian presence in Iraq can be reduced.''
That is really what the goal of this supplemental is. I think it is
vitally important that we have a clean bill that makes clear our goal
of success in Iraq, that will reflect honorably on the sacrifices that
have been made by the Armed Forces of our Nation, that is part of
securing for the people of our

[[Page H2929]]

country freedom from terrorist threats.
I urge my colleagues to vote against this collection of unrelated
expenditures. Vote instead for a clean bill to support our troops.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished caucus
chairman, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn).
Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for
yielding me this time.
As we work to craft this legislation and build consensus, Americans
read headlines that said something like: ``Democrats divided, Democrats
in disarray.'' But the truth is we were being deliberative.
We spent weeks listening to the diverse members of our caucus,
folding their input into this bill, and I am confident we have produced
a strong and pivotal piece of legislation because we drew from the
broad spectrum of all of our Members. We are a diverse caucus and our
diverse experiences and backgrounds reflect the priorities and
perspectives of all Americans. I am proud of our caucus and this
legislation we have produced.
We all seek to heal our Nation by ending the Iraq war. For the first
time in 4 years, almost to the date, we have an opportunity to vote for
binding legislation that changes the course in the Iraq war. This
legislation ensures that the United States forces in the field have all
the resources that they require, directs more resources to the war
against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, improves health care
for returning servicemembers and veterans. But most of all, it sets
benchmarks and time lines for ending our participation in Iraq.
We all seek to heal our brothers and sisters in the gulf coast who
have been struggling for 18 months against the solid indifference of
this administration. The emergency supplemental bill waives the 25
percent match required by the Stafford Act so that the victims of
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma can get the service they deserve.
This supplemental is also good medicine for the children in 14 States
who have lost their health care. It contains $750 million to fix that
problem.
This bill also is good tonic for our veterans and active military who
in many instances are suffering as much from broken promises as they
are from broken limbs.
This legislation includes money to fix Walter Reed Hospital, gives
better military health to our military men, improves veteran housing,
and I want to say, Mr. Speaker, I do not quarrel with those people who
see this as a vote of conscience. I believe it is unconscionable to
ignore children without health care. It is unconscionable to leave
survivors of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma without disaster
assistance. It is unconscionable to ask our soldiers to fight a war and
not provide them adequate training and equipment, and I sincerely
believe it is unconscionable to allow this open-ended war to continue,
when with this bill, we can begin its ending.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, may I have a time check.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis)
has 54\1/2\ minutes, and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) has
61\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes
to one of the finest members of our Armed Services Committee, the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Akin).
(Mr. AKIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. AKIN. Mr. Speaker, my concern with this supplemental is that it
is designed to fail.
In section 1904, funding for the Iraqi security forces will be cut if
the new government does not pass a constitutional amendment to
``promote reconciliation,'' whatever that is, to ethnic groups, I
suppose. In short, to amend the Constitution in a way that is not
defined in a period that cannot be completed.
Now, earlier on this floor, Representative Conyers stated that it
would take 10 years to pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to
protect D.C. voting rights, and yet we expect Iraqis to pass a
constitutional amendment to fix ethnic tensions in 6 months, not to
mention the other tough challenges imposed by this bill.
This supplemental is like a promise written in disappearing ink: it
is designed to fail.
During World War II, the Japanese stole blueprints of some U.S.
submarines. They built a submarine, but when it launched, it turned
upside down and sunk because it was designed to fail.
This substitute is designed to fail. It is designed to fail because
it is going to defund the Iraqi security forces which are our best hope
of success. Of all of the blood and the sweat and the tears that has
been spilled in the desert of Iraq, is this how it is going to end, by
a bill that is designed to fail by not funding the Iraqi security
forces?
The trouble with the submarine, Mr. Speaker, is that my son and the
sons and daughters of Americans across this Nation are inside. We
cannot allow this substitute to pass because it is designed inherently
to fail.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the
gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode).
Mr. GOODE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
I rise in opposition to the supplemental as it stands now. There are
multiple reasons for opposing this measure. The first reason is that in
my view we overly tie the hands of our Commander in Chief and those in
the field who are leading our troops.
We cannot have a situation where this body micromanages what our
Armed Forces are doing. It is a bad precedent, and I hope that we do
not set it with a vote on this tomorrow.
A second reason for opposing this measure is some of the additional
added spending. I fully support spending for our Armed Forces and for
our veterans, and I am pleased with the work of the committee in
plussing up funds for our troops and for our veterans for things that
they need. But in some other areas, such as $25 million for spinach,
which has been mentioned before, it may be needed but that should be
done through the regular appropriations process.
We have an appropriations subcommittee that deals with foreign aid.
That subcommittee can deal with the issue of whether Liberia should get
additional funding. We have added too much to this bill when you add
almost $25 million to an emergency military supplemental.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining on both sides?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) has
61\1/2\ minutes, and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) has 51
minutes.
Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).
Ms. WATERS. Mr. Chairman, thank you for allocating the time for me to
come and basically disagree with you on this floor, but that is what
democracy is all about.
I don't believe that this bill will do what it is intended to do. I
don't believe it makes good sense to say that our troops should be well
trained and well equipped, and then give the President the right to
waive that.
I don't believe that the President will report to us in any fashion
that we can rely on in July, which will determine whether or not we get
out by December or whether we continue to give assistance to the
Iraqis.
I don't believe that it is enforceable, and I don't believe that this
war will end by next August even though I think that is what the
leadership intends for it to do.
This war has been mismanaged. We have been misled. We have been made
to believe we would be welcomed with open arms. There were no weapons
of mass destruction. That the troops were getting trained and success
was right around the corner, and even last week when carnage was taking
place in Iraq and our soldiers were being killed, this administration
was out in the media talking about we were succeeding. And we will
continue to be misled. This war has been mismanaged.
We don't have any friends in Iraq. The Sunnis do not want us there.
The Shiites don't like the occupation, and the Kurds don't like us. We
are undermined on a daily basis.
Even Mr. Maliki, who is supposed to be our ally, is working with Sadr
over in Sadr City, who controls the militias. The police departments
that are supposedly working to secure the people

[[Page H2930]]

are part of the undermining that is going on. Our soldiers, when they
are in confrontations, are deserted by the very people that they are
supposed to train.
General said this cannot be won militarily, it must be done
diplomatically. I don't see the diplomatic effort.
I don't believe that giving $100 billion to the President of the
United States to continue this war will achieve the goal that we intend
for it to achieve. I oppose this legislation. I will continue to work
with the Out of Iraq Caucus, and I am hopeful we can end this war and
bring our soldiers home.
Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago I visited our servicemen
and women in Iraq. My visit confirmed my belief that we must support
our troops and redeploy them. That is why I will vote for the U.S.
Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act.
When I met with the troops in Iraq, they told me that they lacked the
basic equipment needed to do their job, like body armor, light bulbs
for vehicles, and scissors for bandages and gauzes. In some cases, they
told me that the equipment they use is unreliable due to excess use.
Our troops are also concerned with the lengths of their tours in Iraq;
they told me that they are not only demanding, but exhausting. Our
troops are being overextended. For many of them, it is not their first
tour, but their second or third. Many of them have missed the birth of
their children or the death of their parents.
It is time for a new direction in Iraq. The U.S. Troop Readiness,
Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act does that--it gives the
American people the first step in a new direction to what our troops
properly deserve. A new direction, with benchmarks for success in Iraq,
with benchmarks that ensure our troops have the equipment and training
they need, and a benchmark that guarantees a fully funded deployment
out of Iraq. This bill makes it clear, and sends the message that the
majority of Americans want--an end to the war.
In the last 4 years, we have spent close to $400 billion on the war
in Iraq. The war on Iraq has claimed the lives of nearly 3,200 and more
than 24,000 servicemen and women have been injured or permanently
disabled. More than half of those will not be able to lead a normal
life because of the severity of their injuries, impacting not only them
but also their families. In the 32nd Congressional District of
California which I represent, we have lost 13 sons to combat. Despite
all this, the Administration has failed to outline concrete steps to
end the war and has left our servicemen and women without adequate
equipment and our veterans without proper care.
The U.S. Troops Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability
Act will provide our troops with the equipment they need, require
Iraqis to take control of their own country, help fight the real war on
terror in Afghanistan, and establish a strategy for the redeployment of
U.S. troops no later than March 1, 2008. This bill provides $1.7
billion more for military health care, including Walter Reed, and
includes $1.7 billion more for our veterans, so those who served before
and those recently serving have access to adequate care. It includes
$2.5 billion to improve troop readiness and helps servicemen and women
afford housing. This bill also represents help for those at home,
including uninsured children and farmers whose emergent needs were
ignored under the Republican leadership.
I don't support this war. I voted against authorization of force in
2002 and have repeatedly called for the redeployment of troops out of
Iraq. The Bush Administration's failed policies in Iraq and Afghanistan
have gone unchecked--until now. I'm voting for this bill because it
will--for the first time--set a date for the war to end--a date when
U.S. combat troops must be out of Iraq. The bill isn't perfect, but it
draws a clear line between those who want to stay indefinitely in Iraq,
and those like me who, along with the majority of Americans, want to
end it. Passage of this bill is the beginning of the end for our
soldiers not being prepared and not knowing when they will come home.

Let us not forget that these last 4 years so many of our sons and
daughters and their families have given the greatest sacrifice. I
remain supportive of our troops and know that they will continue to do
a great job and we in Congress must do ours this week. I support the
U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health and Iraq Accountability Act
because I know it is the first real step to the redeployment and safe
return home of all of our servicemen and women.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the U.S. Troop Readiness,
Veterans' Health, and Accountability Act H.R. 1591. Four years ago, I
voted against the resolution giving the President the authority to go
to war with Iraq because I had serious doubts about the need to rush
into military action. U.N. inspectors were still doing their work
examining Iraq's nuclear weapons program and had not found weapons of
mass destruction. Our allies who supported President George Bush, Sr.
for Desert Storm were not supporting us! All diplomatic efforts had not
been exhausted and there seemed to be no clear goals or strategy. There
was no exit strategy to bring back our troops. There was no evidence
that taking action in Iraq was urgent when the fight in Afghanistan was
still underway. A proposed budget for the war was never presented to
Congress.
Now we are entering our 5th year of this conflict and my concerns
have been proven correct. Most important, there were no weapons of mass
destruction. The Taliban is resurging in Afghanistan because we diluted
our efforts.
We still have no goals or strategy in Iraq and our reputation around
the world has been seriously undermined. Thousands of young Americans
have been killed, disabled or wounded. we will have spent half a
trillion dollars on this war and there is no end in sight.
It's time to heed the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton Iraq
Study Group and take a new direction in Iraq. The legislation before us
sets definite benchmarks and timelines that put the Iraqi government on
reasonable notice that they must assume responsibility for their own
destiny.
This Supplemental Appropriations Bill lets the American people know
when our troops will begin coming home.
Many of my colleagues oppose setting a deadline because they believe
the insurgents will just outwait us. But unless we are prepared to be
in Iraq forever, this fear will always be a concern. History has shown
that insurgents and terrorists are very, very patient.
The religious and secretarian hatred in the Middle East has been
present for centuries and our presence in Iraq for a few more years is
not going to change that. Our presence in Iraq will just get thousands
more of our servicemen and women, caught in the middle of their civil
war, killed and wounded.
My Republican colleagues had no qualms about mandating to President
Clinton when our forces had to come out of Kosovo. It seems to me that
this is not any different.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation that will bring an
orderly, responsible end to the war in Iraq.
Mr. MARKEY. Mr. Speaker, the war in Iraq is a disaster. We are
engaged in a war that should never have been fought and that was
presented to the American people and this Congress over 4 years ago
wrapped in falsehoods and mendacity. Our military is being drained of
personnel and materiel in an occupation that, we were told, would never
occur because we would be greeted as liberators.
To say that the President's prosecution of this war has been
mismanaged misses the much more important point that President Bush
exercised extraordinarily poor judgment in initiating an unnecessary
war of choice. Our soldiers, their families, and indeed the entire
country, now bears the legacy of the President's headstrong rush into
this quagmire.
The President, with the Iraq War supplemental appropriations request,
has again asked the Congress to give him a blank check to continue an
endless and bottomless war. But that is not what the President will get
with this bill. Instead of a blank check, the Congress is providing a
much needed check and balance to the Executive Branch.
The bill before us today requires the President to certify to the
Congress that certain tough benchmarks have been met. If he cannot so
certify, an immediate redeployment of U.S. forces must commence. Under
the bill, by July 1, 2007, the President must certify that Iraq has met
political and military benchmarks, including the implementation of a
program to disarm the militias. By October 1, 2007, the President must
make another certification of Iraq's progress, including that militia
control of local security has been eliminated. And even if the
President is able to make both certifications to Congress, this bill
requires that U.S. forces begin withdrawing from Iraq by March 1, 2008
and complete that withdrawal no later than by the end of August 2008.
These limitations on the President are important, as they will pave
the way for the United States to finally withdraw from Iraq.
This bill also prohibits permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq, which
is an essential precondition for the reestablishment of public trust in
the United States within the Middle East and especially Iraq.
Particularly significant to me is a prohibition included in this bill
which bars the use of funds from this supplemental in contravention of
the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman
or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. I have had to fight to include
this provision in previous appropriations bills under the Republican
Congress and I would like to thank and commend Chairman Murtha for his
leadership and courage on this issue. In this bill, my restriction on
the use of funds for torture also includes a specific ban on the use of
funds to carry out renditions, which the President has used to transfer
detainees for interrogation or other purposes to countries known for
the use of torture.

[[Page H2931]]

Mr. Speaker, I don't want to see the war continue another day. I want
our troops home immediately, and I am frustrated beyond words by the
President's continued intransigence in the face of overwhelming
evidence and opinion. The bill that this House is debating today will
take us closer to the moment when every American soldier, sailor,
airman or Marine in Iraq can be brought home.
I urge adoption of the bill.
Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, the majority of Americans do not support the
President on Iraq. Yet he persists.
Our caucus is united in our desire to end this war and bring our
troops home safely despite our genuine disagreements as to how and when
to bring this about. Within this disagreement, we reflect the broad
spectrum of opinion in our country. Yet, as Members of Congress, we
must take action to change the trajectory of this war, to come closer
to the goal of ending the war.
By setting deadlines for the President to meet his own articulated
benchmarks, this bill places us firmly on that path.
This bill is not perfect. There will be ``no'' votes because there
are deadlines and ``no'' votes because the deadlines are too distant.
The ``perfect'' bill that all of us can support will not materialize
and we will be no closer to ending this war.
At the same time, until their safe return, we must support our troops
and provide them with the equipment and protective gear they need while
they are in harm's way.
With this bill, Congress for the first time since the war began is
not handing the President a blank check or rubber stamping his failed
conduct of this war.
I strongly urge passage of this bill.

{time} 1915

Mr. OBEY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time for tomorrow.
Mr. LEWIS of California. That is agreeable to us.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 2 of House Resolution
261, further proceedings on the bill will be postponed.

____________________