[House Report 113-600]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


113th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 2d Session                                                     113-600

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  PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE JOINT RESOLUTION (H.J. RES. 124) 
 MAKING CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015, AND FOR OTHER 
                                PURPOSES

                                _______
                                

 September 15, 2014.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be 
                                printed

                                _______
                                

                Mr. Cole, from the Committee on Rules, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                       [To accompany H. Res. 722]

    The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration 
House Resolution 722, by a nonrecord vote, report the same to 
the House with the recommendation that the resolution be 
adopted.

                SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION

    The resolution provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 124, 
the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015, under a 
structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of debate 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking 
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The 
resolution waives all points of order against consideration of 
the joint resolution. The resolution provides that the 
amendment printed in part A of this report shall be considered 
as adopted and the joint resolution, as amended, shall be 
considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order 
against provisions in the joint resolution, as amended. The 
resolution makes in order only the further amendment printed in 
part B of this report, if offered by Representative McKeon of 
California or his designee, which shall be considered as read, 
shall be separately debatable for six hours equally divided and 
controlled by Representative McKeon of California and 
Representative Smith of Washington or their respective 
designees, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be 
subject to a demand for division of the question. The 
resolution waives all points of order against the amendment 
printed in part B of this report. The resolution provides one 
motion to recommit with or without instructions.
    Section 2 of the resolution amends House Resolution 567 
with a new paragraph clarifying that paragraphs (f)(1) through 
(f)(12) of clause 4 of rule XI shall be considered to be 
written rules adopted by the Select Committee on Benghazi. This 
amendment clarifies the Select Committee's rules regarding 
media access and is consistent with the Committee's intent as 
described in H. Rept. 113-442 which states the following: 
``Specifically, the Rules Committee intends that section 4 of 
the resolution, in conjunction with the standing rules of the 
House, shall comprise the Select Committee's rules and the 
adoption of separate written rules is not necessary.''

                         EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS

    Although the resolution waives all points of order against 
consideration of the joint resolution, the Committee is not 
aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in 
nature.
    Although the resolution waives all points of order against 
provisions in the joint resolution, as amended, the Committee 
is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic 
in nature.
    Although the resolution waives all points of order against 
the amendment printed in part B of this report, the Committee 
is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic 
in nature.

        SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENT IN PART A CONSIDERED AS ADOPTED

    Rogers, Harold (KY): Makes the following technical 
corrections: (1) amends section 130 to ensure that the 
Department of the Interior and the Forest Service can continue 
to collect fees from park passes through the CR period, as 
intended, (2) amends section 134 to refer to the correct 
division of Public Law 113-76, and (3) amends sections 136 and 
137 to ensure proper execution of funds provided to address the 
Ebola outbreak.

            SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENT IN PART B MADE IN ORDER

    McKeon (CA): Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in 
coordination with the Secretary of State, to train and equip 
appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian opposition and 
other appropriately vetted Syrian groups or individuals. 
Additionally, the amendment would strengthen congressional 
oversight by requiring detailed reports, including progress 
reports, on the plan, vetting process, and procedures for 
monitoring unauthorized end-use of provided training and 
equipment. It would also require the President to report on how 
this authority fits within a larger regional strategy. While 
this amendment does not authorize additional funds, it would 
allow the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a reprogramming 
request to Congress should the President request DOD funds to 
execute this authority and permit the Secretary of Defense to 
accept foreign contributions. Lastly, the amendment would state 
that nothing in this section be construed to constitute a 
specific statutory authorization for the introduction of United 
States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations wherein 
hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances.

            PART A--TEXT OF AMENDMENT CONSIDERED AS ADOPTED

  Amend section 130 to read as follows:
  Sec. 130.  Section 810 of the Federal Lands Recreation 
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6809) shall be applied by 
substituting ``on the date that is 1 year after the date 
specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations 
Resolution, 2015'' for ``10 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act''.
  In section 134, strike ``division F'' and insert ``division 
H''.
  Amend section 136 to read as follows:
  Sec. 136.  In addition to the amount otherwise provided by 
this joint resolution for ``Department of Health and Human 
Services--Office of the Secretary--Public Health and Social 
Services Emergency Fund'', there is appropriated $58,000,000 
for an additional amount for fiscal year 2015, to remain 
available until September 30, 2015, for expenses necessary to 
support acceleration of countermeasure and product advanced 
research and development pursuant to section 319L of the Public 
Health Service Act for addressing Ebola.
  Amend section 137 to read as follows:
  Sec. 137.  In addition to the amount otherwise provided by 
this joint resolution for ``Department of Health and Human 
Services--Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--Global 
Health'', there is appropriated $30,000,000 for an additional 
amount for fiscal year 2015, to remain available until 
September 30, 2015, for expenses necessary to support the 
responses of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
(referred to in this section as the ``CDC'') to the outbreak of 
Ebola virus in Africa: Provided, That such funds shall be 
available for transfer by the Director of the CDC to other 
accounts of the CDC for such support: Provided further, That 
the Director of the CDC shall notify the Committees on 
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
not later than 30 days after the date of any transfer under the 
preceding proviso.

                PART B--TEXT OF AMENDMENT MADE IN ORDER

 An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative McKeon of California or 
                  His Designee, Debatable for 6 Hours

  At the end of the joint resolution (before the short title), 
insert the following:
  Sec. _. (a) The Secretary of Defense is authorized, in 
coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide 
assistance, including training, equipment, supplies, and 
sustainment, to appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian 
opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian groups and 
individuals for the following purposes:
          (1) Defending the Syrian people from attacks by the 
        Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and 
        securing territory controlled by the Syrian opposition.
          (2) Protecting the United States, its friends and 
        allies, and the Syrian people from the threats posed by 
        terrorists in Syria.
          (3) Promoting the conditions for a negotiated 
        settlement to end the conflict in Syria.
  (b) Not later than 15 days prior to providing assistance 
authorized under subsection (a) to vetted recipients for the 
first time--
          (1) the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
        the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate 
        congressional committees and leadership of the House of 
        Representatives and Senate a report, in unclassified 
        form with a classified annex as appropriate, that 
        contains a description of--
                  (A) the plan for providing such assistance;
                  (B) the requirements and process used to 
                determine appropriately vetted recipients; and
                  (C) the mechanisms and procedures that will 
                be used to monitor and report to the 
                appropriate congressional committees and 
                leadership of the House of Representatives and 
                Senate on unauthorized end-use of provided 
                training and equipment and other violations of 
                relevant law by recipients; and
          (2) the President shall submit to the appropriate 
        congressional committees and leadership of the House of 
        Representatives and Senate a report, in unclassified 
        form with a classified annex as appropriate, that 
        contains a description of how such assistance fits 
        within a larger regional strategy.
  (c) The plan required in subsection (b)(1) shall include a 
description of--
          (1) the goals and objectives of assistance authorized 
        under subsection (a);
          (2) the concept of operations, timelines, and types 
        of training, equipment, and supplies to be provided;
          (3) the roles and contributions of partner nations;
          (4) the number of United States Armed Forces 
        personnel involved;
          (5) any additional military support and sustainment 
        activities; and
          (6) any other relevant details.
  (d) Not later than 90 days after the Secretary of Defense 
submits the report required in subsection (b)(1), and every 90 
days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Secretary of State, shall provide the appropriate 
congressional committees and leadership of the House of 
Representatives and the Senate with a progress report. Such 
progress report shall include a description of--
          (1) any updates to or changes in the plan, strategy, 
        vetting requirements and process, and end-use 
        monitoring mechanisms and procedures, as required in 
        subsection (b)(1);
          (2) statistics on green-on-blue attacks and how such 
        attacks are being mitigated;
          (3) the groups receiving assistance authorized under 
        subsection (a);
          (4) the recruitment, throughput, and retention rates 
        of recipients and equipment;
          (5) any misuse or loss of provided training and 
        equipment and how such misuse or loss is being 
        mitigated; and
          (6) an assessment of the effectiveness of the 
        assistance authorized under subsection (a) as measured 
        against subsections (b) and (c).
  (e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions 
shall apply:
          (1) The term ``appropriately vetted'' means, with 
        respect to elements of the Syrian opposition and other 
        Syrian groups and individuals, at a minimum, 
        assessments of such elements, groups, and individuals 
        for associations with terrorist groups, Shia militias 
        aligned with or supporting the Government of Syria, and 
        groups associated with the Government of Iran. Such 
        groups include, but are not limited to, the Islamic 
        State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Jabhat al Nusrah, 
        Ahrar al Sham, other al-Qaeda related groups, and 
        Hezbollah.
          (2) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                  (A) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
                Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
                Appropriations, and the Permanent Select 
                Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
                Representatives; and
                  (B) the Committee on Armed Services, the 
                Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee 
                on Appropriations, and the Select Committee on 
                Intelligence of the Senate.
  (f) The Department of Defense may submit a reprogramming or 
transfer request to the congressional defense committees for 
funds made available by section 101(a)(3) of this joint 
resolution and designated in section 114 of this joint 
resolution to carry out activities authorized under this 
section notwithstanding sections 102 and 104 of this joint 
resolution.
  (g) The Secretary of Defense may accept and retain 
contributions, including assistance in-kind, from foreign 
governments to carry out activities as authorized by this 
section which shall be credited to appropriations made 
available by this joint resolution for the appropriate 
operation and maintenance accounts, except that any funds so 
accepted by the Secretary shall not be available for obligation 
until a reprogramming action is submitted to the congressional 
defense committees: Provided, That amounts made available by 
this subsection are designated by the Congress for Overseas 
Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to 
section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That such 
amounts shall be available only if the President so designates 
such amounts and transmits such designations to the Congress.
  (h) The authority provided in this section shall continue in 
effect through the earlier of the date specified in section 
106(3) of this joint resolution or the date of the enactment of 
an Act authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2015 for 
military activities of the Department of Defense.
  (i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to constitute 
a specific statutory authorization for the introduction of 
United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations 
wherein hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances.
  (j) Nothing in this section supersedes or alters the 
continuing obligations of the President to report to Congress 
pursuant to section 4 of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 
1543) regarding the use of United States Armed Forces abroad.

                                  
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