IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1431 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Department 

of Defense and the Department of State should withhold funds for 

any new reconstruction projects in Iraq until the Iraqi Government 

reimburses the United States for previous reconstruction projects, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 

Mr. STEARNS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the Department of Defense and the Department of State 

should withhold funds for any new reconstruction 

projects in Iraq until the Iraqi Government reimburses 

the United States for previous reconstruction projects, 

and for other purposes. 

Whereas the United States has been undertaking a largescale assistance program in Iraq since the middle of 

2003; 

Whereas nearly $49,000,000,000 has been appropriated by 

Congress for Iraq reconstruction; 


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•HRES 1431 IH 

Whereas most recently, in June 2008, Congress approved 

over $4,000,000,000 for Iraq reconstruction in a fiscal 

year 2008 and 2009 supplemental appropriations bill 

(Public Law 110–252); 

Whereas, in the first several years of the United States effort 

in Iraq, most of the United States assistance was provided through a specially created Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF); 

Whereas the IRRF eventually totaled nearly 

$21,000,000,000; 

Whereas, in May 2005, a new Department of Defense account, the Iraq Security Forces Fund (ISFF), supporting 

the training and equipping of Iraqi security forces, was 

established; 

Whereas the United States has appropriated approximately 

$18,000,000,000 through the ISFF; 

Whereas, according to a recent Government Accountability 

Office (GAO) report, from 2005 through 2007, the Iraqi 

Government generated an estimated $96,000,000,000 in 

revenues, of which crude oil export sales accounted for 

about $90,200,000,000, or 94 percent; 

Whereas, for 2008, the GAO estimated that Iraq could generate between $73,500,000,000 and $86,200,000,000 in 

total revenues, of which oil exports will account for between $66,500,000,000 to $79,200,000,000; 

Whereas the GAO report estimates that Iraq had a cumulative budget surplus of about $29,000,000,000 from 

2005 to 2007; 

Whereas, for 2008, the GAO estimates Iraq’s budget surplus 

for 2008 could range from $38,200,000,000 to 

$50,300,000,000; 


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•HRES 1431 IH 

Whereas, according to the GAO, Iraq could finish 2008 with 

as much as a $79,000,000,000 cumulative budget surplus; 

Whereas the GAO reports that United States agencies spent 

about $23,200,000,000 on the critical security, oil, electricity, and water sectors; 

Whereas, from 2005 through April 2008, Iraq spent only 

about $3,900,000,000 on these sectors; and 

Whereas the GAO found that while Iraq’s total expenditures 

increased from 2005 through 2007, Iraq spent a declining share of its budget allocations of 73 to 65 percent 

from 2005 to 2007: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) the Department of Defense and the Depart4 ment of State should withhold funds for any new re5 construction projects in Iraq until the Iraqi Govern6 ment reimburses the United States for previous re7 construction projects; and 

8 (2) any future assistance to Iraq for reconstruc9 tion activities should be provided only if the Iraqi 

10 Government agrees to match such assistance on a 

11 dollar-for-dollar basis. 

Æ 


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