The New Direction for Iraq Act
In 2007 I introduced HR 663, (The New Direction for Iraq Act) to end the war and bring our troops home. Below is summary of that bill.
· Redeployment: Requires the responsible redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq to start within 30 days of passage and be completed within approximately one year.
· Stops Escalation: Prohibits the escalation of the Iraq War without specific Congressional approval.
· Reconstruction: Redirects U.S. reconstruction funding from large contractors to Iraqi owned businesses to help create jobs in Iraq.
· Prosecutes War Profiteers: Prompts Congress to investigate, and the Attorney General to aggressively prosecute, war profiteering and fraud and instructs the President to nullify contracts with any company that has not fulfilled an Iraq reconstruction contract and recover lost funds.
· Diplomacy: Directs the President to begin a regional diplomatic effort, including direct negotiations with Syria and Iran, to promote stability in Iraq and solve outstanding regional issues like nuclear proliferation and support for terrorism.
· Benchmarks: Requires the President and the Iraqi government to agree on performance benchmarks and makes further support for the Iraqi government contingent upon the achievement of those benchmarks.
· Civil Society: Authorizes additional funds for strengthening Iraqi civil society, including labor unions, environmental groups, and community organizations.
· Refugees: Requires the development of strategies to address the needs of Iraqi refugees.
· No Permanent Bases: Prohibits permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq, as well as U.S. control over Iraq’s oil infrastructure and economic policies.
In almost four decades of public service, Earl Blumenauer's innovative accomplishments in transportation, planning, environmental programs and public participation have helped Portland, Oregon earn an international reputation as one of America's most livable cities.