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Monday, September 29, 2008
BIPARTISAN IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION PROVISION AUTHORED BY NELSON, BAYH, COLLINS PASSES IN DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

Language Requires Iraq to Pay for Reconstruction and Training

September 29, 2008 - Final passage of the 2009 National Defense Authorization bill on Saturday included an important provision sponsored by Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine and Evan Bayh of Indiana. The measure transfers reconstruction responsibility to Iraq and takes the burden off American taxpayers.
 
"At a time that we are struggling to keep our own economy afloat, we cannot and will not continue to pay Iraq's bills," said Senator Nelson. "We need to end the blank check for Iraq. The government in Iraq is sitting on an oil-funded surplus totaling about $80 billion with the GAO estimating a surplus of between $38.2 billion to $50.3 billion just for 2008. Since we’ve already spent $48 billion for stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Iraq since 2003 compared to their $3.9 billion since 2005, Iraq needs to foot the bill for reconstruction – not U.S. taxpayers. This provision will ease the strain on the U.S. budget and American taxpayers."
 
"Congressional approval of this provision is an important victory," said Senator Collins. "There is no reason why the Iraqis cannot bear more of the cost of securing, stabilizing and rebuilding their country. No more American funds should be spent for major reconstruction projects. The costs for the training and equipping of the Iraqi security forces, and for other costs in Iraq should be borne by the Iraqis. It is very difficult for Americans who are struggling with the high cost of energy and a slow economy to pay these costs in a county that has the second-largest known oil reserves and a burgeoning budget surplus."
 
"With this vote, Congress has stopped payment on our government's blank check to Baghdad," said Senator Bayh. "It's not fair to ask the American people to borrow billions from China to hand over to a country that is running a surplus and not spending its own money to help itself. This legislation puts the onus on the Iraqis to do more to finance their own reconstruction."
 
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 amendment 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 directs the Iraqis to pay the costs of the salaries, training, equipping, and sustaining of Iraqi Security Forces along with the costs associated with the Sons of Iraq.

This bill is now with the President for his signature.

 

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