I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 787 
To state United States policy for Iraq, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 31, 2007 
Mr. THOMPSON of California (for himself and Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of 
Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committees on For-
eign Affairs and Rules, 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 state United States policy for Iraq, and for other 
purposes. 
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 ‘‘Iraq War De-Esca-
lation Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
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(1) Congress and the Nation honor the courage, 
sacrifices, and efforts of the members of the Armed 
Forces of the United States and their families. 
(2) In his speech to the Nation on January 10, 
2007, President George W. Bush said that ‘‘I’ve 
made it clear to the Prime Minister and Iraq’s other 
leaders that America’s commitment is not open- 
ended. If the Iraqi government does not follow 
through on its promises, it will lose the support of 
the American people. . . . The Prime Minister under-
stands this’’. 
(3) In that speech, President George W. Bush 
also told the Nation that ‘‘America will hold the 
Iraqi government to the benchmarks it has an-
nounced. . . . [T]o take responsibility for security in 
all of Iraq’s provinces by November. To give every 
Iraqi citizen a stake in the country’s economy, Iraq 
will pass legislation to share oil revenues among all 
Iraqis. To show that it is committed to delivering a 
better life, the Iraqi government will spend 
$10,000,000,000 of its own money on reconstruction 
and infrastructure projects that will create new jobs. 
To empower local leaders, Iraqis plan to hold provin-
cial elections later this year. And to allow more 
Iraqis to re-enter their nation’s political life, the gov-
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ernment will reform de-Baathification laws, and es-
tablish a fair process for considering amendments to 
Iraq’s constitution’’. 
(4) In that speech, President George W. Bush 
also told the Nation that ‘‘only Iraqis can end the 
sectarian violence and secure their people’’. 
(5) On December 18, 2006, former Secretary of 
State Colin Powell stated: ‘‘[s]o we have tried this 
surge of troops over the summer. I am not per-
suaded that another surge of troops in Baghdad for 
the purpose of suppressing this communitarian vio-
lence, this civil war, will work’’. 
(6) On November 15, 2006, General John 
Abizaid, Commander of the United States Central 
Command, stated before the Committee on Armed 
Services of the Senate that ‘‘I met with every divi-
sional commander, General Casey, the corps com-
mander, General Dempsey. We all talked together. 
And I said, in your professional opinion, if we were 
to bring in more American troops now, does it add 
considerably to our ability to achieve success in 
Iraq? And they all said no. And the reason is, be-
cause we want the Iraqis to do more. It’s easy for 
the Iraqis to rely upon us to do this work. I believe 
that more American forces prevent the Iraqis from 
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doing more, from taking more responsibility for their 
own future’’. 
(7) In testimony before the Committee on For-
eign Relations of the Senate on January 11, 2007, 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated that un-
less the Government of Iraq has met certain bench-
marks and reestablishes the confidence of the Iraqi 
people over the next several months, ‘‘this plan is 
not going to work’’. 
(8) In a statement on January 11, 2007, Sec-
retary of Defense Robert Gates stated ‘‘[a]nd we will 
probably have a better view a couple of months from 
now in terms of whether we are making headway in 
terms of getting better control of Baghdad, with the 
Iraqis in the lead and with the Iraqis beginning to 
make better progress on the reconciliation process’’. 
(9) The bipartisan Iraq Study Group headed by 
former Secretary of State James Baker and former 
Representative Lee Hamilton reached a bipartisan 
consensus on 79 separate recommendations for a 
new approach in Iraq. Among those recommenda-
tions were calling for a new diplomatic offensive in 
the region and conditioning American economic as-
sistance to Iraq on specific benchmarks, with the ex-
pectation that ‘‘by the first quarter of 2008, subject 
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to unexpected developments in the security situation 
on the ground, all combat brigades not necessary for 
force protection could be out of Iraq’’. 
(10) In reaction to the speech of President 
George W. Bush of January 10, 2007, former Sec-
retary of State Baker and former Representative 
Hamilton wrote that ‘‘[t]he President did not sug-
gest the possibility of a transition that could enable 
U.S. combat forces to begin to leave Iraq. The Presi-
dent did not state that political, military, or eco-
nomic support for Iraq would be conditional on the 
Iraq government’s ability to meet benchmarks. With-
in the region, the President did not announce an 
international support group for Iraq including all of 
Iraq’s neighbors. . .’’. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are as fol-
lows: 
(1) To formulate and provide for the implemen-
tation of an effective United States policy towards 
Iraq and the Middle East region that employs mili-
tary, political, diplomatic, and economic assets to 
promote and protect the national security interests 
of the United States. 
(2) To provide for the implementation of a re-
sponsible, phased redeployment of the Armed Forces 
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of the United States from Iraq in a substantial and 
gradual manner that places the highest priority on 
protecting the lives of members of the Armed Forces 
and civilian personnel of the United States and on 
promoting the national security interests of the 
United States in the Middle East region. 
(3) To urge the political parties and leaders of 
Iraq to reach the political solution necessary to pro-
mote stability in Iraq and enhance the safety of in-
nocent Iraqi civilians. 
(4) To condition future economic assistance to 
the Government of Iraq on significant progress to-
ward the achievement of political and economic 
measures to be taken by the Government of Iraq. 
(5) To provide for the initiation of a wider and 
sustained diplomatic strategy aimed at promoting a 
political settlement in Iraq, thereby ending the civil 
war in Iraq, preventing a humanitarian catastrophe 
in Iraq, and preventing a wider regional conflict. 
(6) To provide, through sections 4 through 7, 
for the implementation of key recommendations of 
the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel of experts 
co-chaired by former Secretary of State James 
Baker and former Representative Lee Hamilton. 
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SEC. 3. APPROPRIATE FORCE LEVELS FOR UNITED STATES 
MILITARY FORCES IN IRAQ. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the levels 
of the Armed Forces of the United States in Iraq after 
the date of the enactment of this Act shall not exceed the 
levels of such forces in Iraq as of January 10, 2007, with-
out specific authority in statute enacted by Congress after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. REDEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES MILITARY 
FORCES FROM IRAQ. 
(a) REDEPLOYMENT.— 
(1) DEADLINE FOR COMMENCEMENT OF REDE-
PLOYMENT.—Except as otherwise provided in this 
section, the phased redeployment of the Armed 
Forces of the United States from Iraq shall com-
mence not later than May 1, 2007. 
(2) SCOPE AND MANNER OF REDEPLOYMENT.— 
The redeployment of the Armed Forces under this 
section shall be substantial, shall occur in a gradual 
manner, and shall be executed at a pace to achieve 
the goal of the complete redeployment of all United 
States combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 
2008, consistent with the expectation of the Iraq 
Study Group, if all the matters set forth in sub-
section (b)(1)(B) are not met by such date, subject 
to the exceptions for retention of forces for force 
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protection, counter-terrorism operations, training of 
Iraqi forces, and other purposes as contemplated by 
subsection (g). 
(3) FORMULATION
OF
PLAN
WITH
MILITARY 
COMMANDERS.—The redeployment of the Armed 
Forces under this section should be conducted pur-
suant to a plan formulated by United States military 
commanders that is developed, if practicable, in con-
sultation with the Government of Iraq. 
(4) PROTECTION OF UNITED STATES FORCES 
AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL.—In carrying out the re-
deployment of the Armed Forces under this section, 
the highest priority shall be afforded to the safety of 
members of the Armed Forces and civilian personnel 
of the United States in Iraq. 
(b) SUSPENSION OF REDEPLOYMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President may suspend, 
on a temporary basis as provided in paragraph (2), 
the redeployment of the Armed Forces under this 
section if the President certifies to the President pro 
tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House 
of Representatives that— 
(A) doing so is in the national security in-
terests of the United States; and 
(B) the Government of Iraq— 
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(i) has lifted all restrictions con-
cerning non-interference in operations of 
the Armed Forces of the United States in 
Iraq and does so on a continuing basis; 
(ii) is making significant progress in 
reducing sectarian violence in Iraq and in 
reducing the size and operational effective-
ness of sectarian militias in Iraq; 
(iii) is making significant progress to-
wards removing militia elements from the 
Iraqi Army, National Police, Facilities 
Protection Services, and other security 
forces of the Government of Iraq; 
(iv) has enacted legislation or estab-
lished other binding mechanisms to ensure 
the sharing of all Iraqi oil revenues among 
all segments of Iraqi society in an equi-
table manner; 
(v) is making significant progress to-
wards making available not less than 
$10,000,000,000 for reconstruction, job 
creation, and economic development in 
Iraq, with safeguards to prevent corrup-
tion, by January 10, 2008; 
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(vi) has deployed at least 18 Iraqi 
Army and National Police brigades to 
Baghdad and is effectively ensuring that 
such units are performing their security 
and police functions in all Baghdad neigh-
borhoods, regardless of their sectarian 
composition; 
(vii) has enacted legislation or estab-
lished other binding mechanisms to revise 
its de-Baathification laws to encourage the 
employment in the Government of Iraq of 
qualified Iraqi professionals, irrespective of 
ethnic or political affiliation, including ex- 
Baathists who were not leading figures of 
the Saddam Hussein regime; 
(viii) has established a fair process for 
considering amendments to the constitu-
tion of Iraq that promote lasting national 
reconciliation in Iraq; 
(ix) is making significant progress to-
wards assuming full responsibility for secu-
rity in all the provinces of Iraq by Novem-
ber 30, 2007; 
(x) is making significant progress to-
wards holding free and fair provincial elec-
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tions in Iraq at the earliest date prac-
ticable, but not later than December 31, 
2007; 
(xi) is making substantial progress to-
wards increasing the size and effectiveness 
of Ministry of Defense forces as described 
on page 11 of ‘‘Highlights of the Iraq 
Strategy Review’’ published by the Na-
tional Security Council in January 2007; 
(xii) is making significant progress in 
reforming and strengthening the civilian 
ministries and other government institu-
tions that support the Iraqi Army and Na-
tional Police; and 
(xiii) is making significant progress 
towards reforming its civilian ministries to 
ensure that they are not administered on a 
sectarian basis and that government serv-
ices are delivered in an even-handed and 
non-sectarian manner. 
(2) PERIOD OF SUSPENSION.—A suspension of 
the redeployment of the Armed Forces under this 
subsection, including any renewal of the suspension 
under paragraph (3), shall be for a period not to ex-
ceed 90 days. 
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(3) RENEWAL.—A suspension of the redeploy-
ment of the Armed Forces under this subsection 
may be renewed. Any such renewal shall include a 
certification to the officers referred to in paragraph 
(1) on the matters set forth in clauses (i) through 
(xiii) of subparagraph (B) of that paragraph. 
(c) DISAPPROVAL OF SUSPENSION.— 
(1) DISAPPROVAL.—If Congress enacts a joint 
resolution disapproving the suspension of the rede-
ployment of the Armed Forces under subsection (b), 
or any renewal of the suspension, the suspension 
shall be discontinued, and the redeployment of the 
Armed Forces from Iraq under this section shall re-
sume. 
(2) PROCEDURES
FOR
CONSIDERATION
OF 
JOINT RESOLUTIONS.— 
(A) JOINT
RESOLUTION
DEFINED.—For 
purposes of this subsection, the term ‘‘joint res-
olution’’ means only a joint resolution intro-
duced not later than 10 days after the date on 
which a certification of the President under 
subsection (b) is received by Congress, the mat-
ter after the resolving clause of which is as fol-
lows: ‘‘That Congress disapproves the certifi-
cation of the President submitted to Congress 
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under section 4(b) of the Iraq War De-Esca-
lation Act of 2007, on lllllll.’’, the 
blank space being filled in with the appropriate 
date. 
(B) PROCEDURES.—A joint resolution de-
scribed in paragraph (1) shall be considered in 
a House of Congress in accordance with the 
procedures applicable to joint resolutions under 
paragraphs (3) through (8) of section 8066(c) 
of the Department of Defense Appropriations 
Act, 1985 (as enacted by section 101(h) of 
Public Law 98–473; 98 Stat. 1936). 
(d) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 90 
days thereafter, the President shall submit to the 
President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speak-
er of the House of Representatives a report describ-
ing and assessing— 
(A) the progress made by the Government 
of Iraq on each of the matters set forth in sub-
section (b)(1)(B); and 
(B) the progress of the redeployment re-
quired by subsection (a). 
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(2) FORM.—Each report under this subsection 
shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may in-
clude a classified annex. 
(e) SENSE OF CONGRESS ON LOCATION OF REDE-
PLOYMENT.—It is the sense of Congress that, in rede-
ploying the Armed Forces from Iraq under this section, 
appropriate units of the Armed Forces should be rede-
ployed— 
(1) to the United States; 
(2) to Afghanistan, in order to enhance United 
States military operations in that country; 
(3) elsewhere in the region, to serve as an over- 
the-horizon force to prevent the conflict in Iraq from 
becoming a wider war, to reassure allies of the 
United States of the commitment of the United 
States to remain engaged in the region, and to posi-
tion troops to strike directly at al-Qaeda; and 
(4) elsewhere, to meet urgent United States se-
curity needs. 
(f) POLITICAL SOLUTION
IN IRAQ.—The United 
States should use the redeployment of the Armed Forces 
under this section, and the possible suspension of such re-
deployment if the benchmarks set forth in subsection (b) 
are met, as a tool to press the Iraqi leaders to promote 
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national reconciliation among ethnic and religious groups 
in Iraq in order to establish stability in Iraq. 
(g) RETENTION OF CERTAIN FORCES IN IRAQ.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding the re-
quirement for the redeployment of the Armed Forces 
under subsection (a) and subject to the provisions of 
this subsection, personnel of the Armed Forces of 
the United States may be in Iraq after the comple-
tion of the redeployment of the Armed Forces under 
this section for the following purposes: 
(A) To protect United States personnel 
and facilities in Iraq. 
(B) To conduct targeted counter-terrorism 
operations. 
(C) To provide training for Iraqi security 
forces. 
(D) To conduct the routine functions of 
the Office of Defense Attache. 
(2) CERTIFICATION.—Personnel of the Armed 
Forces may not be retained in Iraq under this sub-
section unless the President certifies to the Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives that— 
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(A) the retention of the Armed Forces in 
Iraq is necessary for one or more of the pur-
poses set forth in paragraph (1); and 
(B) the utilization of Armed Forces posi-
tioned outside Iraq could not result in the effec-
tive achievement of such purpose or purposes. 
(3) DISAPPROVAL OF RETENTION.—If Congress 
enacts a joint resolution disapproving the retention 
of personnel of the Armed Forces in Iraq under this 
subsection, or any renewal of the retention, the re-
tention of such personnel in Iraq shall be discon-
tinued, and such personnel shall be redeployed from 
Iraq. 
(4) PROCEDURES
FOR
CONSIDERATION
OF 
JOINT RESOLUTIONS.— 
(A) JOINT
RESOLUTION
DEFINED.—For 
purposes of paragraph (3), the term ‘‘joint res-
olution’’ means only a joint resolution intro-
duced not later than 10 days after the date on 
which a certification of the President under 
paragraph (2) is received by Congress, the mat-
ter after the resolving clause of which is as fol-
lows: ‘‘That Congress disapproves the certifi-
cation of the President submitted to Congress 
under section 4(g)(2) of the Iraq War De-Esca-
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lation Act of 2007, on lllllll.’’, the 
blank space being filled in with the appropriate 
date. 
(B) PROCEDURES.—A joint resolution de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) shall be considered 
in a House of Congress in accordance with the 
procedures applicable to joint resolutions under 
paragraphs (3) through (8) of section 8066(c) 
of the Department of Defense Appropriations 
Act, 1985 (as enacted by section 101(h) of 
Public Law 98–473; 98 Stat. 1936). 
(h) NO PERMANENT BASES.—Congress hereby reaf-
firms section 1519 of the John Warner National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109– 
364; 120 Stat. 2444), and related provisions of law, that 
prohibit the establishment of military installations or 
bases for the purpose of providing for the permanent sta-
tioning of United States Armed Forces in Iraq. 
SEC. 5. INTENSIFICATION OF TRAINING OF IRAQI SECU-
RITY FORCES. 
It shall be the policy of the United States to imme-
diately formulate and implement a plan that— 
(1) with the Government of Iraq— 
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(A) removes militia elements from the 
Iraqi Army, National Police, and other security 
forces of the Government of Iraq; and 
(B) puts such forces in charge of maintain-
ing security in Iraq; 
(2) focuses and intensifies United States efforts 
on training such forces; and 
(3) presses the Government of Iraq to reform 
the civilian ministries and other government institu-
tions that support the Iraqi Army, National Police, 
local police, and judicial system. 
SEC. 6. AVAILABILITY OF ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE FOR 
IRAQ. 
(a) LIMITATION.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), after May 1, 2007, economic assistance may be fur-
nished to the Government of Iraq only if the President 
submits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives a certifi-
cation that the Government of Iraq— 
(1) is making measurable progress toward pro-
viding not less than $10,000,000,000 of Iraqi funds 
for reconstruction, job creation, and economic devel-
opment in Iraq, with safeguards to prevent corrup-
tion, by January 10, 2008; 
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