[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 91 (Thursday, June 9, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S3732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4621. Mrs. ERNST (for herself, Mr. Corker, and Mrs. Boxer) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill S. 
2943, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military 
activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and 
for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe 
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle C of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1224. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE PESHMERGA OF THE 
                   KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Peshmerga of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been 
     one of the most effective fighting forces in the military 
     campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham 
     (ISIS);
       (2) the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham poses an acute 
     threat to the people and territorial integrity of Iraq, 
     including the Kurdistan Region, and the security and 
     stability of the Middle East;
       (3) the severe budget shortfalls faced by both the 
     Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government are 
     hindering the effort to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and 
     al-Sham;
       (4) the $415,000,000 pledged by the Department of Defense 
     to the Peshmerga in April 2016, in coordination with the 
     Government of Iraq, in addition to the $65,000,000 already 
     provided from the Iraq Train and Equip Fund, should be a 
     priority for the Department as part of the continued support 
     for the Peshmerga in the fight against the Islamic State of 
     Iraq and al-Sham;
       (5) the Peshmerga should receive all weapons and equipment 
     that the United States agrees to provide uninterrupted and in 
     a timely manner;
       (6) the Peshmerga require medium and heavy weaponry that 
     will allow them to defend the Peshmerga and their coalition 
     advisers against the increased use of vehicle-borne 
     improvised explosive devices by the Islamic State of Iraq and 
     al-Sham; and
       (7) increased assistance to ensure the Peshmerga can 
     continue to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham is 
     vital to the liberation of Mosul, Iraq, to enhance the combat 
     medicine and logistical capabilities of the Peshmerga, for 
     the defense of internally displaced persons and refugees, and 
     for the defense of the coalition advisers of the Peshmerga.
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