Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability. (Introduced in House)

 HRES 97 IH

 110th CONGRESS
 1st Session

H. RES. 97
Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 24, 2007

 Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania (for himself, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. TANNER, Mr.  MARSHALL, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. BOYD of Florida, Mr. ROSS, Ms. HERSETH,  Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. CHANDLER, Mr. ARCURI,  Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. COSTA, Mr.  SHULER, Mr. HILL, Mr. MAHONEY of Florida, Mr. ELLSWORTH, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr.  LINCOLN DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. BACA, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Ms. BEAN, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr.  DONNELLY, Mr. MELANCON, Mr. BERRY, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. BARROW, Mr. BISHOP of  Georgia, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, and Mr. MICHAUD) submitted the following resolution;  which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign  Affairs, 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

 RESOLUTION

 Providing for Operation Iraqi Freedom cost accountability.

 Whereas it has been nearly four years since Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) began;

 Whereas our military personnel have performed with honor and bravery, and deserve the support of all  Americans;

 Whereas more than 3,000 American military personnel have been killed in OIF and more than 20,000  have been injured;

 Whereas the United States has spent nearly $400,000,000,000 in support of OIF;

 Whereas the United States has spent tens of billions of dollars paying private contractors for services  performed in OIF;

 Whereas government investigations and media reports have detailed waste, fraud, and possible war  profiteering by some of these contractors;

 Whereas American taxpayers deserve a detailed cost accounting for funds spent in OIF;

 Whereas instead of the normal budgetary process, the Administration has used emergency  supplemental appropriations bills to fund OIF;

 Whereas the normal appropriations process gives Congress greater oversight concerning both the need  for and use of budgeted funds;

 Whereas the annual need to budget substantial funding for OIF is not `unanticipated' within the meaning  of Sec. 502 of the fiscal year 2007 budget resolution, and further funding for OIF should be obtained  through the normal budgeting process;

 Whereas since coalition forces removed Saddam Hussein from power, success in OIF has depended  upon an active and effective partnership between coalition forces and the government and people of  Iraq, a partnership that provides indispensable leverage to the coalition's financial, military, and political  investments; and

 Whereas Iraqis must assume principal responsibility for internally policing Iraq, failing which past,  present, and future coalition investments will not lead to security in Iraq and Iraq will dissolve in chaos:  Now, therefore, be it

 Resolved, That--
            (1)(A) Within 30 days after the adoption of this resolution, and every 90 days thereafter, the              Department of Defense Inspector General and the Special Inspector General for Iraq              Reconstruction shall prepare and transmit to Congress an unclassified report (but with a              classified annex if necessary) that would contain--
                         (i) a detailed accounting of how military and reconstruction funds in Iraq have been                          spent thus far;
                         (ii) a detailed accounting of the types and terms of contracts awarded on behalf of the                           United States, including the methods by which such contracts were awarded and                           contractors selected;
                         (iii) a description of efforts to obtain support and assistance from other countries                           toward the rehabilitation of Iraq; and
                         (iv) an assessment of what additional funding is needed to complete military                           operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq, including a plan for security of Iraq, a                           detailed plan for how any future funds will be spent, and a statement of how those                           funds will advance the interests of the United States in Iraq.
             (B) If either Inspector General fails to submit a quarterly report, the Government              Accountability Office shall conduct an audit and report to Congress.
             (C) Sanctions shall be imposed against contractors who have engaged in fraud or abuse or              war profiteering.
             (2) Congress should create a Truman Committee to conduct an ongoing study and              investigation of the awarding and carrying out of contracts by the United States to conduct              activities with regard to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and make such recommendations to the              House as the select Committee deems appropriate.
             (3) Funding requests for Operation Iraqi Freedom in fiscal year 2008 and beyond must come              through the regular appropriations process, and not through `emergency' supplementals.
             (4) In furtherance of the partnership that is critical to success in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the              Administration should firmly condition further American financial, military, and political              resources upon steady improvement in Iraqi assumption of principal responsibility for              internally policing Iraq.