I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2060 
To provide oversight over talks between the United States and the Taliban, 
limit the use of funds to reduce the total number of members of the 
Armed Forces serving on active duty who are deployed to Afghanistan 
until certain conditions on the ground are fulfilled, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 3, 2019 
Mr. BANKS (for himself, Ms. CHENEY, Ms. STEFANIK, and Mr. WALTZ) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide oversight over talks between the United States 
and the Taliban, limit the use of funds to reduce the 
total number of members of the Armed Forces serving 
on active duty who are deployed to Afghanistan until 
certain conditions on the ground are fulfilled, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring a Secure Af-
ghanistan Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) A premature withdrawal of United States 
Armed Forces from Afghanistan would result in in-
creased instability, violence, and the loss of human 
rights established through the presence of the 
United States and its allies over the past 17 years. 
(2) It is the objective of the United States Gov-
ernment to ensure a secure and stable Afghanistan 
that has the ability to secure its borders, maintain 
its own military forces, and prevent the establish-
ment of terrorist safe havens that could be used to 
launch attacks against the United States. 
(3) A hasty withdrawal without ensuring the 
stability of the Government of Afghanistan and its 
ability to perform the functions as outlined will im-
pact the security of the United States and its allies. 
Additionally, a hasty withdrawal will jeopardize the 
tremendous gains made in development and human 
rights for the citizens of Afghanistan. 
(4) The current talks with the Taliban led by 
Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad have ex-
cluded the legitimate Afghan government, despite 
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the apparent completion of two ‘‘draft’’ agreements 
between the United States and the Taliban. Other 
vital constituencies have been excluded as well. 
(5) The foreign terrorist organization al Qaeda, 
responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001, 
continues to operate in Afghanistan. 
(6) The Taliban, which contests or controls ap-
proximately half of Afghanistan, has a strong and 
intricate relationship with al Qaeda, and al Qaeda 
still sees Afghanistan as a safe haven for its leader-
ship. 
(7) The Taliban has not publicly disavowed al 
Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, or al Qaeda’s current 
leader, Ayman al Zawahiri. The Taliban has also 
never apologized for harboring al Qaeda, the 9/11 
hijackers, and others responsible for murdering 
thousands of American citizens. 
(8) The withdrawal of United States Armed 
Forces from Afghanistan, a long-standing Taliban 
demand, is a key component of the ongoing talks be-
tween the United States and the Taliban. 
(9) The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also 
known as ISIS, grew rapidly after the United States 
withdrawal of forces from Iraq in 2011. Today, ISIS 
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still controls thousands of militants, including in Af-
ghanistan. 
(10) According to the administration’s South 
Asia strategy, announced by the President in August 
2017, ‘‘Conditions on the ground—not arbitrary 
timetables—will guide our strategy from now on.’’. 
SEC. 3. BRIEFING ON UNITED STATES-TALIBAN OR AFGHAN 
TALKS AND ANY EFFECTS ON THE TOTAL 
NUMBER 
OF 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED 
FORCES SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY WHO ARE 
DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN. 
(a) BRIEFING REQUIRED.—The Secretary of State or 
the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation 
shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, brief 
the appropriate congressional committees regarding talks 
with the Afghan government or the Taliban if any such 
talks are ongoing, as well as the effects these talks are 
having or will have on the posture of United States Armed 
Forces in Afghanistan. The briefing may be provided in 
unclassified or classified form. 
(b) MONTHLY UPDATE.—A briefing described in 
paragraph (1) shall occur— 
(1) not later than 30 days after any initial dip-
lomatic engagement with the Taliban or the Afghan 
Government; 
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(2) not later than 30 days after the enactment 
of this Act, if such engagement is ongoing on such 
date of enactment; and 
(3) every 30 days thereafter until the close of 
talks. 
(c) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congres-
sional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence of the Senate. 
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS TO REDUCE THE 
TOTAL 
NUMBER 
OF 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
ARMED FORCES SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY 
WHO ARE DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—None of the funds made available 
to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2019 may 
be used to reduce the total number of members of the 
United States Armed Forces serving on active duty who 
are deployed to Afghanistan below 10,000 unless, not later 
than 180 days prior to such reduction, the Director of Na-
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tional Intelligence certifies to the appropriate congres-
sional committees that the Taliban— 
(1) including chief and deputy Taliban leaders 
who may not have been present at the talks between 
the United States and the Taliban, has rejected al 
Qaeda by name; 
(2) has committed not to— 
(A) fight alongside al Qaeda; 
(B) have financial ties with al Qaeda; 
(C) communicate with al Qaeda; and 
(D) have any other affiliation with al 
Qaeda; 
(3) supports the legitimacy of the Afghan Con-
stitution; 
(4) commits to protecting the rights of women 
and girls to access public healthcare, hold property, 
access education, and have freedom of movement; 
(5) commits to stop receiving funds and mili-
tary support from non-Afghan governments or orga-
nizations; 
(6) will assist and be an active participant with 
the Government of the United States and the Gov-
ernment of Afghanistan in future counterterrorism 
operations; 
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(7) commits to ensuring that its full member-
ship is subject to the assurances described in this 
paragraph; and 
(8) commits to turn over to the Government of 
Afghanistan any members of the Taliban that violate 
any of the assurances described in this paragraph. 
(b) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEES 
DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate con-
gressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Com-
mittee on Intelligence of the Senate. 
Æ 
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