American Contractor

H.R. 2206 - U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act for FY2007

The president must report to congress in July and September 2007 regarding the Iraqi governments progress. The bill says that if the president cannot certify that progress is being made on the benchmarks and submit revisions to the political, economic, regional, and military components of the "surge" strategy.

The bill also says that if the president can not certify that progress is being made the economic support funds that is in the bill for Iraq will be withheld. The president is also granted the authority to waive this restriction.

As everyone knows and been widely reported in media reports General David Petraeus is required to testify before congress prior to the president second report in September. The bill also requires independent assessments by the Comptroller General and a private sector entity on the progress towards these benchmarks and the capabilities of the Iraqi Security Forces.

The bill also establishes benchmarks for the Iraqi government in the bill are:

1. Forming a Constitutional Review Committee and then completing the Constitutional review;

2. Enacting and implementing legislation on de-bathification;

3. Enacting and implementing legislation to ensure the equitable distribution of hydrocarbon resources of the people of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients, and enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the energy resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Kurds,
and other Iraqi citizens in an equitable manner;

4. Enacting and implementing legislation on procedures to form semi-autonomous regions;

5. Enacting and implementing legislation establishing an Independent High Electoral Commission;

6. Provincial elections law; provincial council authorities; and a date for provincial elections;

7. Enacting and implementing legislation addressing amnesty;

8. Enacting and implementing legislation establishing a strong militia disarmament program to ensure that such security forces are accountable only to the central government and loyal to the Constitution of Iraq;

9. Establishing supporting political, media, economic, and services committees in support of the Baghdad Security Plan;

10. Providing three trained and ready Iraqi Brigades to support Baghdad operations;

11. Providing Iraqi commanders with all authorities to execute this plan and to make tactical operations decisions, in consultation with U.S. commanders, without political intervention, to include the authority to pursue all extremists, including Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias;

12. Ensuring that the Iraqi Security Forces are providing even handed enforcement of the law;

13. Ensuring that the Baghdad security plan will not provide a safe haven for outlaws;

14. Reducing the level of sectarian violence in Iraq and eliminating militia control of local security;

15. Establishing all of the planned joint security stations in neighborhoods across Baghdad;

16. Increasing the number of Iraqi security forces units capable of operating independently;

17. Ensuring that the rights of minority political parties in the Iraqi legislature are protected;

18. Allocating and spending $10 billion in Iraqi revenues for reconstruction projects, including delivery of essential services, on an equitable basis;

19. Ensuring that Iraq's political authorities are not undermining or making false accusations against members of the ISF.