IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 97 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the United States 

should submit to the Government of Iraq a draft bilateral status-offorces agreement by not later than September 1, 2007. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 22, 2007 

Mr. ISRAEL submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of 

the United States should submit to the Government of 

Iraq a draft bilateral status-of-forces agreement by not 

later than September 1, 2007. 

Whereas the United States is currently maintaining a significant military presence within the Republic of Iraq; 

Whereas the people of Iraq have expressed repeated concern 

about the status of United States Armed Forces in their 

country; 

Whereas Iraq is a sovereign nation, having regained its sovereignty on June 28, 2004, meaning that it is capable of 

being party to bilateral and multilateral treaties; 

Whereas the Interim Constitution of Iraq, in recognizing Coalition Provisional Order Number 17 (relating to status 


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•HCON 97 IH 

of forces), establishes a precedent that will not be incorporated into the permanent constitutional law of Iraq; 

Whereas a status-of-forces agreement is a standard bilateral 

agreement entered into between two countries when the 

military forces of one country operate within the sovereign territory of the other country; 

Whereas a status-of-forces agreement is an important measure taken both to underline the sovereignty of the host 

country and to protect the military justice system of the 

visiting country; 

Whereas The New York Times reported on November 29, 

2006, that Stephen Hadley, the National Security Advisor, wrote a memorandum to President George W. Bush 

stating that a status-of-forces agreement with the Government of Iraq should be negotiated over the next year; 

and 

Whereas United States Armed Forces currently operate 

under status-of-forces agreements within the territory of 

Japan, South Korea, and many other countries: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 

3 (1) the Government of the United States should 

4 submit to the Government of Iraq a draft bilateral 

5 status-of-forces agreement by not later than Sep6 tember 1, 2007; and 

7 (2) the draft status-of-forces agreement 

8 should— 


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1 (A) address the sovereign rights of Iraq, 

2 underlining that the United States is not an oc3 cupying power; 

4 (B) subject to negotiation with the Govern5 ment of Iraq, address the legal status of United 

6 States personnel in Iraq, including the rights of 

7 United States personnel in civil and criminal 

8 matters that are subject to the jurisdiction of 

9 the Government of Iraq; and 

10 (C) subject to negotiation with the Govern11 ment of Iraq, establish primacy and 

12 coordinative mechanisms with respect to inves13 tigations and operations involving United States 

14 and Iraqi forces, including civilian police forces. 

Æ 


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