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Amendment #1 provides $162.5 billion for DOD funding in FY 2008 and FY 2009 for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for FY 2008 and FY 2009. Amendment #2 includes a series of Iraq policy restrictions, including providing for the responsible redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq; it also includes provisions to meet the needs of our troops – such as prohibiting the deployment to Iraq of any unit that is not “fully mission capable” and any unit that has not spent the time at home called for under Pentagon guidelines. Amendment #3 includes key domestic and humanitarian priorities, such as the new GI bill and extended unemployment benefits.
This proposal is fiscally responsible.
- For appropriated items, this bill is BELOW the President’s request. Under consideration is $183.9 billion in outstanding appropriations requests from the President. This bill’s appropriations total is $183.7 billion, just under the President’s request. Increases for such items as an addition of $500 million for international food aid is offset with reductions in other requested funding.
- The new GI bill is fully paid for. The new GI bill is included because it represents another cost of the President’s war policy – meeting the needs of our veterans by restoring full GI Bill educational benefits like those that went to World War II veterans to the veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The new GI bill is paid for with an income tax surcharge of one-half of one percent on individuals with incomes above $500,000 and couples with incomes above $1 million.
- Extending unemployment benefits is economic stimulus. The number of long-term unemployed is higher than when Congress last extended unemployment benefits in 2002. Extending these benefits is cost-effective and fast-acting economic stimulus; every $1 spent generates $1.73 in new economic demand.
Following are highlights of the provisions of these three amendments.
Amendment #1: Funding for Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
Amendment #1 provides $96.6 billion for FY 2008, $3.4 billion below the President’s request, for FY 2008 and $65.9 billion, $142 million below the President’s request, for FY 2009 for DOD funding of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Totaling $162.5 billion, this accounts for almost 90% of the discretionary spending in the bill.
Amendment #2: Iraq Policy Restrictions
Provides for the responsible redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq.
- The amendment requires that U.S. troops begin redeployment from Iraq within 30 days of enactment with a goal of completing withdrawal of combat troops by December of 2009.
- The amendment includes language stipulating that the funds appropriated for the Iraq war may be used to plan and execute a safe and orderly redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq.
- The Iraq war has already been going on for more than five years. It is already longer than U.S. participation in World War II, World War I, the Korean War, or the Civil War.
- After more than five years, the price we have paid is high – with more than 4,000 U.S. troops killed and more than 30,000 U.S. troops wounded.
- The responsible redeployment of our troops will allow us to strengthen our military readiness, refocus on the war against al Qaeda in Afghanistan, take diplomatic and political steps to make the Middle East region more stable, and make the Iraqis more accountable and responsible for their own security.
Requires that U.S. reconstruction aid for Iraq be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Iraqi Government.
- Over the last 5 years, the U.S. taxpayer has already paid about $48 billion for Iraqi reconstruction.
- The Bush Administration continues to request funds for Iraqi reconstruction – seeking about $3 billion in its current request.
- Meanwhile, Iraqi oil revenues are expected to total $70 billion this year, according to the U.S. inspector general for Iraq reconstruction – a windfall from the high price of oil.
- Due to its oil revenues, the Iraqi government is projected to have a budget surplus of about $60 billion this year – at the same time that the United States is running large budget deficits.
- With its large oil revenues, it is time for the Iraqis to be shouldering more of the costs of rebuilding their country.
Calls for U.S. troops to pay the same fuel prices in Iraq as the Iraqis are paying.
- The amendment requires the President to reach an agreement with Iraq which will result in our troops paying no more for fuel than what Iraqis pay.
- American forces in Iraq are currently paying $3.23 a gallon on average for gas, diesel and other fuel – or a total of $153 million a month.
- Meanwhile, Iraqis are paying $1.36 a gallon for the same fuel – due to subsidies provided by the Iraqi government.
- The U.S. taxpayer deserves the same discount.
Bars Administration from entering into a security agreement obligating the U.S. to defend Iraq, without congressional approval.
- The amendment requires that any agreement by the U.S. with the Iraqi Government that includes security assurances for mutual defense is: 1) in the form of a treaty requiring advice and consent of the Senate; or 2) specifically authorized by an act of Congress.
- The Bush Administration cannot be allowed to enter into unilateral long-term security agreements with the Iraqi government – which exclude a congressional role and also potentially tie the hands of future Presidents.
- Excluding the Congress from these types of long-term security agreements turns the Constitution on its head and undermines the validity of these agreements.
Prohibits establishing permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.
- The perception that the United States intends to have permanent bases in Iraq aids extremists and insurgent groups in Iraq in recruiting supporters and fuels violent activity.
- Clearly stating that the United States will not have a permanent presence in Iraq sends a strong signal to the Middle East and the broader international community that the U.S. fully supports the efforts of the Iraqi people to exercise full national sovereignty.
- In its final report, in December 2006, the bipartisan Iraq Study Group recommended that the U.S. clearly state that our nation does not seek permanent bases in Iraq. It did so to help shape “a positive climate for…diplomatic efforts,” which is essential for bringing greater stability to the Middle East.
Extends prohibition on interrogation techniques not authorized by the Army Field Manual to U.S. intelligence personnel.
- The amendment extends to U.S. intelligence agencies and personnel the current prohibitions in the Army Field Manual against waterboarding and other torture.
- Failing to prohibit in statute the use of waterboarding and other torture by all U.S. personnel, including U.S. intelligence personnel, undermines our nation’s moral authority, puts American military and diplomatic personnel at risk, and weakens the quality of intelligence.
- Indeed, in 2007, General David Petraeus wrote, “Some may argue that we would be more effective if we sanctioned torture or other expedient methods to obtain information from the enemy. That would be wrong. Beyond the basic fact that such actions are illegal, history shows that they also are frequently neither useful nor necessary.”
Requires notification of ICRS of detention of individuals by U.S. intelligence personnel.
- The amendment requires the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRS) to be notified when an individual is being detained by U.S. intelligence personnel, in a timely manner and consistent with the practices of the U.S. Armed Forces.
- There has been concern raised about instances where the CIA has held detainees without any notification of International Committee of the Red Cross or similar organization.
Requires that troops deployed to Iraq be “fully mission capable.”
- The amendment requires that troops meet the Pentagon’s definition of “combat ready” before they can be deployed to Iraq.
- Ever since the Iraq war began in 2003, there has been story after story of U.S. troops being sent to Iraq without the proper equipment and without the proper training.
- We owe it to our troops to ensure that corners are not cut and that our troops receive the full, necessary training and all the necessary equipment before being sent into combat in Iraq.
Requires that troops’ time home between deployments meets Pentagon guidelines.
- The amendment simply requires the Pentagon to follow its own guidelines on troops’ time home between deployments. For the Army, the current guideline is deployment for a maximum of one year, followed by time home of one year; for the Marine Corps, it is deployment for a maximum of 210 days, followed by time home of 210 days.
- Unfortunately, since the Iraq war began in 2003, in many cases, the Pentagon guidelines on time home between deployments have not been followed. Inadequate time at home between deployments to Iraq has resulted in putting enormous strain and stress on our military personnel.
- Longer and more predictable time home is needed between deployments for many reasons. Most importantly, it allows for servicemen and women to readjust from combat and renew their bonds with their families.
Holds private security contractors in war zones accountable for any criminal behavior.
- The amendment includes provisions that close a loophole in current law to ensure that all U.S. private security contractors – such as Blackwater contractors – in Iraq and other war zones will be held accountable for any criminal behavior.
- Currently, there is only clear jurisdiction of U.S. courts over the criminal behavior of U.S. contractors in war zones overseas if the contract is with DOD. If the contract is with the State Department or other federal agencies, there is no jurisdiction.
- This is an enormous problem, because there are more than 1,000 private security contractors working for the State Department in Iraq – including more than 850 Blackwater employees.
- There have been several incidents of alleged criminal behavior by Blackwater employees in Iraq in which the legal authority to hold them accountable has been ambiguous and unclear.
Cracks down on U.S. contractors in Iraq engaging in war profiteering.
- The amendment includes provisions that strengthen the tools available to federal law enforcement to combat contracting fraud during wartime. Specifically, it makes war profiteering – overcharging in order to defraud or profit excessively from war – a federal felony.
- War profiteering and reconstruction fraud by U.S. companies has become a significant problem in the Iraq War – with billions unaccounted for. Indeed, according to the Defense Contract Audit Agency, there have been $10 billion in questioned and unsupported costs in Iraq reconstruction contracts.
Amendment #3: Domestic and Humanitarian Priorities Amendment
Provides for the new GI Bill, which fully restores GI education benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to the level available after World War II.
- The new GI bill restores full, four-year college scholarships to veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to help make them part of an economic recovery like the veterans of World War II.
- It will give our returning troops the tools to succeed after military service and make military service more attractive as we work to rebuild our military, and strengthen our sagging economy.
- Under the new GI bill, servicemembers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan, who have served 3 years on active duty, would receive benefits to cover the costs of a four-year education up to the level of the most expensive in-state public school.
- Education benefits would be available to troops who have served at least 3 months of active duty since September 11, 2001, including members of the National Guard and Reserve.
- The new GI bill is broadly supported by all major veterans’ organizations, including the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
- The first two years of the new GI bill would cost what we spend in two days in Iraq.
- The new GI bill is paid for by imposing an income tax surcharge of one-half of one percent on individuals with incomes over $500,000 and couples with incomes over $1 million.
Provides for extended unemployment benefits for those who have exhausted the 26 weeks of regular benefits.
- The amendment would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits in every state to workers exhausting the 26 weeks of regular unemployment benefits.
- In states with higher levels of unemployment, an additional 13 weeks would be available, for a total of 26 weeks of extended benefits.
- For four consecutive months, the U.S. economy has lost jobs. In total, 260,000 jobs have disappeared.
- 1.35 million workers are long-term unemployed (jobless for more than 26 weeks), representing one out of every six jobless workers.
- The number of long-term unemployed Americans is higher now than when Congress last extended unemployment benefits in 2002.
- Extending unemployment benefits will also help stimulate an economic recovery. CBO states that extending unemployment benefits is one of the most cost-effective and fastest-acting forms of economic stimulus because the money is spent quickly.
Provides a total of $1.62 billion for emergency international food aid -- $850 million for FY 2008 ($500 million above the President’s request) and $770 million for FY 2009.
- The President had requested $350 million for emergency international food aid in his supplemental FY 2008 request. This amendment adds $500 million for FY 2008 – bringing the FY 2008 total to $850 million.
- This $500 million in additional international food aid is urgently needed in light of the devastating global food crisis – with additional millions of men, women and children facing hunger this year.
- Recently, the President also submitted an additional request for emergency international food aid for FY 2009 – for $770 million. The amendment also includes this FY 2009 funding.
Places a moratorium until April 1, 2009 on seven Administration-imposed Medicaid regulations, which would slash federal funding for vital programs and services.
- If implemented, these regulations would reverse longstanding Medicaid policies and eliminate federal payments for a variety of critical Medicaid functions.
- As a result, they would put in jeopardy needed services and protections for millions of vulnerable beneficiaries, as well as support for critical safety net institutions in states that are financially strapped.
- These regulations would slash federal Medicaid funding to states for vital programs and services by about $18 billion over the next five years.
- These regulations would particularly harm children and their access to health care – with 30 million children currently dependent on the Medicaid program.
Provides $2.2 billion over the President’s request to fully fund military quality of life initiatives – including funding for military child care centers, military hospital construction and BRAC requirements.
- The amendment provides an additional $939 million over the President’s request to meet Base Realignment and Adjustment Commission (BRAC) requirements – funding improvements at military bases, benefiting our military families, as certain bases are realigned and closed.
- It provides an additional $992 million over the President’s request for military hospitals, in order to prevent the types of problems that faced Walter Reed.
- In addition, it provides an additional $210 million for military child care centers. In his State of the Union, President Bush called for additional funding for military child care centers, but then neglected to include this funding in his budget.
Provides for cleaning up federal contracting.
- The amendment includes H.R. 3928, Government Contractor Accountability Act (passed by House on 4/23/08), which increases transparency in federal contracting by requiring companies that receive more than 80 percent of their revenue from federal contracts to disclose the names and salaries of their top officers.
- The amendment also includes H.R. 5712, Close the Contractor Fraud Loophole (passed by House on 4/23/08), which increases accountability in federal contracting by requiring all federal contractors – both those working at home and overseas – to report violations of federal criminal law and overpayments on contracts over $5 million.
Provides $5.8 billion for Gulf Coast Recovery.
- The amendment includes $5.8 billion for much-needed efforts to strengthen New Orleans levees in FY 2009, as requested by the President.
