House Military Authorization Reporting Requirement on Iraq

The following language was included in H.R. 2647, the Military Authorization Act for FY10. It includes the following language that requires the Pentagon to report on progress made to withdraw all troops, military equipment, and bases from Iraq by the end of 2011.

SEC. 1218. REPORT ON RESPONSIBLE REDEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM IRAQ.

(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, or December 31, 2009, whichever occurs later, and every 90 days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report concerning the responsible redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq in accordance with the policy announced by the President on February 27, 2009, and the Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces From Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities During Their Temporary Presence in Iraq.

(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under subsection

(a) shall include the following elements:

(1) The number of United States military personnel in Iraq by service and component for each month of the preceding 90-day period and an estimate of the personnel levels in Iraq for the 90-day period following submission of the report.

(2) The number and type of military installations in Iraq occupied by 100 or more United States military personnel and the number of such military installations closed, consolidated, or transferred to the Government of Iraq in the preceding 90-day period.

(3) An estimate of the number of military vehicles, containers of equipment, tons of ammunition, or other significant items belonging to the Department of Defense removed from Iraq during the preceding 90-day period, an estimate of the remaining amount of such items belonging to the Department of Defense, and an assessment of the likelihood of successfully removing, demilitarizing, or otherwise transferring all items belonging to the Department of Defense from Iraq on or before December 31, 2011.

(4) An assessment of United States detainee operations and releases. Such assessment should include the total number of detainees held by the United States in Iraq, the number of detainees in each threat level category, the number of detainees who are not nationals of Iraq, the number of detainees transferred to Iraqi authorities, the number of detainees who were released from United States custody and the reasons for their release, and the number of detainees who having been released in the past were recaptured or had their remains identified planning or after carrying out attacks on United States or Coalition forces.

(5) A listing of the objective and subjective factors utilized by the commander of Multi-National Force–Iraq, including any changes to that list in the case of an update to the report, to determine risk levels associated with the drawdown of United States Armed Forces, and the process and timing that will be utilized by the commander of Multi-National Force–Iraq and the Secretary of Defense to assess risk and make recommendations to the President about either continuing the redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq in accordance with the schedule announced by the President or modifying the pace or timing of that redeployment.

(c) INCLUSION IN OTHER REPORTS.—The report required under subsection (a) and any updates to the report may be included in any other required report on Iraq submitted to Congress by the Secretary of Defense.

(d) FORM.—The report required under subsection (a)whether or not included in another report on Iraq submitted to Congress by the Secretary of Defense, may include a classified annex.

(e) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—In this section, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.