FEINGOLD INTRODUCES BILL TO END U.S. MILITARY INVOLVEMENT
IN IRAQ
Senate Majority Leader Reid Cosponsors Legislation Forcing President
to Safely Redeploy Troops by March 31, 2008
April 10, 2007
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold introduced legislation
today to effectively end U.S. military involvement in Iraq. The bill,
supported by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, requires the President
to begin safely redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq 120 days from enactment,
as required by the emergency supplemental spending bill passed by the
Senate. The bill ends funding for the war, with three narrow exceptions,
effective March 31, 2008. In addition to Reid, the bill is cosponsored
by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Tom Harkin (D-IA),
Ted Kennedy (D-MA), John Kerry (D-MA), Pat Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders
(I-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). If the President vetoes the emergency
supplemental spending bill, Reid has said he will work to ensure Feingold’s
bill gets a vote in the Senate before Memorial Day.
“The President says he will veto legislation already passed by
the Senate that both funds the troops and responds to Americans’
demands for an end to the Iraq war,” Feingold said. “Since
the President refuses to change his failed Iraq policy, that responsibility
falls on Congress. By setting a date after which funding for the President’s
failed Iraq policy will end, we can give the President the time and
funding he needs to safely redeploy our troops so we can refocus on
the global terrorist networks that threaten the lives of Americans.”
The language of the legislation reads:
(a) Transition of Mission - The President shall promptly transition
the mission of United States forces in Iraq to the limited purposes
set forth in subsection (d).
(b) Commencement of Safe, Phased Redeployment from Iraq - The President
shall commence the safe, phased redeployment of United States forces
from Iraq that are not essential to the purposes set forth in subsection
(d). Such redeployment shall begin not later than 120 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Prohibition on Use of Funds - No funds appropriated or otherwise
made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended
to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed
Forces after March 31, 2008.
(d) Exception for Limited Purposes - The prohibition under subsection
(c) shall not apply to the obligation or expenditure of funds for the
limited purposes as follows:
(1) To conduct targeted operations, limited in duration and scope,
against members of al Qaeda and other international terrorist organizations.
(2) To provide security for United States infrastructure and personnel.
(3) To train and equip Iraqi security services.
|
