Washington, D.C. -- The House Armed Services Committee held a markup today on H.R. 3087, legislation concerning the development of a redeployment strategy for U.S. forces in Iraq. The Committee reported the bill favorably to the U.S. House of Representatives on a vote of 55 to 2. 

    “Bringing our troops home from Iraq demands significant planning on the part of the Department of Defense.  Congressional oversight is essential to ensure that effective and comprehensive redeployment planning is underway and that the best possible protection is provided for our men and women in uniform.  I particularly want to commend the efforts of Congressman Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) and Congressman John Tanner (D-TN), who introduced the original bill.  I am glad that Republicans and Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee have come together to support this legislation,” said Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO).    

    “With this bill, Congress turns the corner in reasserting its responsibilities in decision-making on issues of national security and national defense,” said Congressman Abercrombie.

    Congressman Neil Abercrombie and Congressman Mike Turner (R-OH) offered a bipartisan amendment to H.R. 3087 in the nature of a substitute, which was approved on a voice vote.  The Committee reported the bill favorably to the U.S. House of Representatives on a vote of 55 to 2.    

    As amended in the Committee, H.R. 3087 expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of Defense should conduct robust contingency planning.  Sixty days afterenactment, the bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on redeployment planning, and that he and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff brief the House and Senate Defense Committees on its contents.  Every 90 days thereafter, the report must be updated and the committees must be briefed again.  

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