I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6014 
To establish a commission to study the war in Afghanistan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 18, 2021 
Mr. KIM of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. MEIJER) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in ad-
dition to the Committees on Armed Services, and Intelligence (Permanent 
Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a commission to study the war in Afghanistan. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Afghanistan War Com-
mission Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPLICABLE PERIOD.—The term ‘‘applica-
ble period’’ means the period beginning June 1, 
2001, and ending August 30, 2021. 
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(2) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Armed Services of 
the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate; 
(C) the Select Committee on Intelligence of 
the Senate; 
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate; 
(E) the Committee on Armed Services of 
the House of Representatives; 
(F) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives; 
(G) the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence of the House of Representatives; 
and 
(H) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives. 
(3) INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY.—The term 
‘‘intelligence community’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 3(4) of the National Security 
Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)). 
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SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in the 
legislative branch an independent commission to be known 
as the Afghanistan War Commission (in this Act referred 
to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) COMPOSITION.—The Commission shall be 
composed of 16 members of whom— 
(A) 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman 
of the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate; 
(B) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking 
member of the Committee on Armed Services of 
the Senate; 
(C) 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman 
of the Committee on Armed Services of the 
House of Representatives; 
(D) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking 
member of the Committee on Armed Services of 
the House of Representatives; 
(E) 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman 
of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate; 
(F) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking 
member of the Committee on Foreign Relations 
of the Senate; 
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(G) 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman 
of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
House of Representatives; 
(H) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking 
member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives; 
(I) 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman 
of the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
Senate; 
(J) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking 
member of the Select Committee on Intelligence 
of the Senate; 
(K) 1 shall be appointed by the Chairman 
of the Permanent Select Committee on Intel-
ligence of the House of Representatives; 
(L) 1 shall be appointed by the ranking 
member of the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence of the House of Representatives; 
(M) 1 shall be appointed by the majority 
leader of the Senate; 
(N) 1 shall be appointed by the minority 
leader of the Senate; 
(O) 1 shall be appointed by the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives; and 
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(P) 1 shall be appointed by the Minority 
Leader of the House of Representatives. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that each member of the Commission ap-
pointed under paragraph (1) should have significant 
professional experience in national security, such as 
a position in— 
(A) the Department of Defense; 
(B) the Department of State; 
(C) the intelligence community; 
(D) the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development; or 
(E) an academic or scholarly institution. 
(3) PROHIBITIONS.—A member of the Commis-
sion appointed under paragraph (1) may not— 
(A) be a current member of Congress; 
(B) be a former member of Congress who 
served in Congress after January 3, 2001; 
(C) be a current or former registrant 
under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 
1938 (22 U.S.C. 611 et seq.); 
(D) have previously investigated Afghani-
stan policy or the war in Afghanistan through 
employment in the office of a relevant inspector 
general; 
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(E) have been the sole owner or had a ma-
jority stake in a company that held any United 
States or coalition defense contract providing 
goods or services to activities by the United 
States Government or coalition in Afghanistan 
during the applicable period; or 
(F) have served, with direct involvement in 
actions by the United States Government in Af-
ghanistan during the time the relevant official 
served, as— 
(i) a cabinet secretary or national se-
curity adviser to the President; or 
(ii) a four-star flag officer, Under 
Secretary, or more senior official in the 
Department of Defense or the Department 
of State. 
(4) DATE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The appointments of 
the members of the Commission shall be made 
not later than 60 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. 
(B) FAILURE TO MAKE APPOINTMENT.—If 
an appointment under paragraph (1) is not 
made by the appointment date specified in sub-
paragraph (A)— 
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(i) the authority to make such ap-
pointment shall expire; and 
(ii) the number of members of the 
Commission shall be reduced by the num-
ber equal to the number of appointments 
not made. 
(c) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A member of the Commis-
sion shall be appointed for the life of the Commis-
sion. 
(2) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commis-
sion— 
(A) shall not affect the powers of the Com-
mission; and 
(B) shall be filled in the same manner as 
the original appointment. 
(d) MEETINGS.— 
(1) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date on which all members of the Commis-
sion have been appointed, the Commission shall hold 
the first meeting of the Commission. 
(2) FREQUENCY.—The Commission shall meet 
at the call of the Co-Chairpersons. 
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(3) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of 
the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a 
lesser number of members may hold hearings. 
(e) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—The Commission shall se-
lect, by a simple majority vote— 
(1) 1 Co-Chairperson from the members of the 
Commission appointed by chairpersons of the appro-
priate congressional committees; and 
(2) 1 Co-Chairperson from the members of the 
Commission appointed by the ranking members of 
the appropriate congressional committees. 
SEC. 4. PURPOSE OF COMMISSION. 
The purpose of the Commission is— 
(1) to examine the key strategic, diplomatic, 
and operational decisions that pertain to the war in 
Afghanistan during the relevant period, including 
decisions, assessments, and events that preceded the 
war in Afghanistan; and 
(2) to develop a series of lessons learned and 
recommendations for the way forward that will in-
form future decisions by Congress and policymakers 
throughout the United States Government. 
SEC. 5. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
(a) STUDY.— 
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