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Heralded as the first bipartisan effort to change our Iraq policy, a provision authored by Nebraska’s Senator Ben Nelson, Senator Evan Bayh and Senator Susan Collins has come one step further to transferring financial responsibility for reconstruction and some operations costs from the U.S. taxpayer to the Iraqi Government. The provision was included in the Senate Appropriations Iraq War Supplemental markup today.
"The blank check era for Iraq is coming closer and closer to its end," said Senator Nelson. "This language included in the supplemental requires Iraq to take more responsibility for its own reconstruction. With the United States and Iraq sharing the burden of the immense costs associated with rebuilding, the strain on the American taxpayer will be eased and Baghdad will have more of an investment in its future."
Under this provision, use of United States taxpayers' funds for major reconstruction projects in Iraq will be banned and Iraq will be required to cover all or part of the costs of small scale reconstruction projects, joint missions with coalition forces and training and equipment for their own troops. Large scale projects are defined as any reconstruction project costing over $2 million.
The provision bans United States funding for major infrastructure projects in Iraq, and requires Iraq to obligate Iraqi funds for reconstruction projects before any future U.S. aid for reconstruction is obligated. The language also requires the President to craft a cost sharing agreement with the Iraqi Government for Coalition-Iraqi combined operations in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The provision also shifts the costs of the salaries, training, equipping, and sustaining of Iraqi Security Forces along with the costs associated with the Sons of Iraq to the Iraqis.
The Senate Appropriations Committee completed and approved the 2008 Iraq War Supplemental markup Thursday evening. The bill is expected to be considered by the Senate next week.
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