Woolsey, Waters, Lee Write to Pelosi

April 30, 2007
The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives
H-232, U.S. Capitol

Dear Madame Speaker:

Congratulations on your skillful leadership and guidance of the Conference Report on the FY07 Supplemental Appropriations Bill. While we ultimately differed on this particular bill, we look forward to working with you and the rest of our House Democratic Caucus on renewed efforts in coming weeks and months to hasten an end to America’s disastrous military intervention and occupation of Iraq.

At the conclusion of the April 25th meeting on Iraq, you asked us to forward any specific legislative ideas we have for possible next steps on Iraq for your consideration. In that spirit, we are summarizing below and attaching several possible amendments for your consideration and for incorporation or inclusion into the impending FY08 Defense Authorization Bill.

Amendment #1 (PDF) – Complete, holistic change in U.S. policy that reflects all of the official position of the Congressional Progressive Caucus on Iraq including (1) findings and statement of new, positive alternative U.S. policy for Iraq; (2) repeal of President’s war-making authority for Iraq; (3) de-authorization of funding except for withdrawal of all U.S. troops and military contractors from Iraq within 6 months of enactment – a complement to the Lee Amendment in appropriations bills; (4) prohibit permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq; (5)accelerate training of Iraqi police and home guards during same 6-month period; (6) if requested by the Government of Iraq, authorize U.S. support for deployment of international stabilization force to Iraq during same six-month period; (7) cap at 500 the total number of U.S. personnel in U.S. Embassy beginning 6 months after date of enactment; and (8) prior to open debate and enactment by the Iraqi parliament of new petroleum law, prohibit U.S. companies from entering into long-term production sharing agreements;

Amendment #2 (PDF) – Extends operating authority for the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction;

Amendment #3 (PDF) – Requires independent GAO audit of all prior U.S. aid for reconstruction in Iraq and authorizes up to $5 million for completion of comprehensive study and report to Congress on damage to Iraqi civil society and infrastructure within 6 months of enactment;

Amendment #4 (PDF) – Sets aside up to $500 million of total amount of dollars in the bill for training and equipping of Iraqi military and security forces for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support establishment and training of counterpart Iraqi Corps of Engineers to rebuild the infrastructure of Iraq; and

Amendment #5 – Authorizes a “Diplomatic Surge for Iraq” which will include: (a) convening a regional conference with Iraq’s neighbors, including Iran and Syria, regional stakeholders, and international allies for bringing peace and stability to Iraq and developing coordinated strategies for reconstruction; (b) working with the Iraqi government to develop milestones and promote efforts for national reconciliation, improving security, and ensuring good governance; and (c) creating and training a national reconstruction corps.

In addition, we are sharing a copy of a letter that we are sending to President Bush, in advance of hitting the debt ceiling in late September, to underscore our deep and growing concerns about the very adverse fiscal effects on our national economy and soaring national debt resulting from the continuing, open-ended military occupation of Iraq. In hopes of uniting all rank and file House Democrats, we have also invited our colleagues in the Blue Dog and New Democrat Coalitions, respectively, to co-sign this letter with us.

We look forward to a continuing dialogue with you on the most effective and fastest means by which to bring our troops home and help the Iraqi people proceed with reconstruction and reconciliation in their long-suffering nation.

Sincerely yours,

U.S. Representatives Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters
Co-Chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Chairwoman of the Out of Iraq Caucus