I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3142 

To declare that it is the policy of the United States not to maintain a 

long-term or permanent military presence in Iraq. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 30, 2005 

Mr. ALLEN (for himself, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. INSLEE, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. PALLONE, and Mr. MCDERMOTT) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International 

Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To declare that it is the policy of the United States not 

to maintain a long-term or permanent military presence 

in Iraq. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Iraq Sovereignty Pro5 motion Act of 2005’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 
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1 (1) On April 13, 2004, President George W. 

2 Bush stated that ‘‘as a proud and independent peo3 ple, Iraqis do not support an indefinite occupation 

4 and neither does America’’ and that the United 

5 States will remain in Iraq ‘‘as long as necessary and 

6 not one day more’’. 

7 (2) On February 17, 2005, Secretary of De8 fense Donald Rumsfeld assured the Committee on 

9 Armed Services of the Senate that ‘‘we have no in10 tention, at the present time, of putting permanent 

11 bases in Iraq’’. 

12 (3) The clear majority of voters interviewed in 

13 exit polls during Iraq’s January 2005 election cited 

14 their desire to see an end to the United States and 

15 foreign military occupation as a major impetus for 

16 voting. 

17 (4) The perception that the United States in18 tends to permanently occupy Iraq aids insurgent 

19 groups in recruiting supporters and fuels violent ac20 tivity. 

21 (5) The lack of a clear statement that the 

22 United States does not seek a long-term or perma23 nent presence in Iraq perpetuates the perception 

24 among Iraqis that the United States has aims in 

25 Iraq other than the promotion of democracy. 
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1 (6) A clear statement that the United States 

2 does not seek a long-term or permanent presence in 

3 Iraq does not imply the setting of a particular dead4 line, time frame, or exit strategy. 

5 (7) A clear statement that the United States 

6 does not seek a long-term or permanent presence in 

7 Iraq would send a strong signal to the people of Iraq 

8 and the international community that the United 

9 States fully supports the efforts of the Iraqi people 

10 to regain through their elected representatives the 

11 full exercise of national sovereignty, including con12 trol over security and public safety. 

13 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

14 It is the sense of Congress that— 

15 (1) the United States supports the men and 

16 women of the United States Armed Forces, the peo17 ple of Iraq, and the leaders of Iraq’s elected govern18 ment; and 

19 (2) the people of the United States support the 

20 Iraqi people’s desire to rebuild Iraq as a fully sov21 ereign, stable, and peaceful democratic country. 

22 SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 

23 It is the policy of the United States not to maintain 

24 a long-term or permanent military presence in Iraq. 

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