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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1431 Introduced in House (IH)]

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 large-scale assistance program 
        in Iraq since the middle of 2003;
Whereas nearly $49,000,000,000 has been appropriated by Congress for Iraq 
        reconstruction;
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;
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
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) 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
            (2) any future assistance to Iraq for reconstruction 
        activities should be provided only if the Iraqi Government 
        agrees to match such assistance on a dollar-for-dollar basis.
                                 <all>
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