[House Report 113-600]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 113-600
======================================================================
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE JOINT RESOLUTION (H.J. RES. 124)
MAKING CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
_______
September 15, 2014.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Cole, from the Committee on Rules,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Res. 722]
The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration
House Resolution 722, by a nonrecord vote, report the same to
the House with the recommendation that the resolution be
adopted.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION
The resolution provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 124,
the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015, under a
structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of debate
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Appropriations. The
resolution waives all points of order against consideration of
the joint resolution. The resolution provides that the
amendment printed in part A of this report shall be considered
as adopted and the joint resolution, as amended, shall be
considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order
against provisions in the joint resolution, as amended. The
resolution makes in order only the further amendment printed in
part B of this report, if offered by Representative McKeon of
California or his designee, which shall be considered as read,
shall be separately debatable for six hours equally divided and
controlled by Representative McKeon of California and
Representative Smith of Washington or their respective
designees, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be
subject to a demand for division of the question. The
resolution waives all points of order against the amendment
printed in part B of this report. The resolution provides one
motion to recommit with or without instructions.
Section 2 of the resolution amends House Resolution 567
with a new paragraph clarifying that paragraphs (f)(1) through
(f)(12) of clause 4 of rule XI shall be considered to be
written rules adopted by the Select Committee on Benghazi. This
amendment clarifies the Select Committee's rules regarding
media access and is consistent with the Committee's intent as
described in H. Rept. 113-442 which states the following:
``Specifically, the Rules Committee intends that section 4 of
the resolution, in conjunction with the standing rules of the
House, shall comprise the Select Committee's rules and the
adoption of separate written rules is not necessary.''
EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
consideration of the joint resolution, the Committee is not
aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in
nature.
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
provisions in the joint resolution, as amended, the Committee
is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic
in nature.
Although the resolution waives all points of order against
the amendment printed in part B of this report, the Committee
is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic
in nature.
SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENT IN PART A CONSIDERED AS ADOPTED
Rogers, Harold (KY): Makes the following technical
corrections: (1) amends section 130 to ensure that the
Department of the Interior and the Forest Service can continue
to collect fees from park passes through the CR period, as
intended, (2) amends section 134 to refer to the correct
division of Public Law 113-76, and (3) amends sections 136 and
137 to ensure proper execution of funds provided to address the
Ebola outbreak.
SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENT IN PART B MADE IN ORDER
McKeon (CA): Authorizes the Secretary of Defense, in
coordination with the Secretary of State, to train and equip
appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian opposition and
other appropriately vetted Syrian groups or individuals.
Additionally, the amendment would strengthen congressional
oversight by requiring detailed reports, including progress
reports, on the plan, vetting process, and procedures for
monitoring unauthorized end-use of provided training and
equipment. It would also require the President to report on how
this authority fits within a larger regional strategy. While
this amendment does not authorize additional funds, it would
allow the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a reprogramming
request to Congress should the President request DOD funds to
execute this authority and permit the Secretary of Defense to
accept foreign contributions. Lastly, the amendment would state
that nothing in this section be construed to constitute a
specific statutory authorization for the introduction of United
States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations wherein
hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances.
PART A--TEXT OF AMENDMENT CONSIDERED AS ADOPTED
Amend section 130 to read as follows:
Sec. 130. Section 810 of the Federal Lands Recreation
Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6809) shall be applied by
substituting ``on the date that is 1 year after the date
specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations
Resolution, 2015'' for ``10 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act''.
In section 134, strike ``division F'' and insert ``division
H''.
Amend section 136 to read as follows:
Sec. 136. In addition to the amount otherwise provided by
this joint resolution for ``Department of Health and Human
Services--Office of the Secretary--Public Health and Social
Services Emergency Fund'', there is appropriated $58,000,000
for an additional amount for fiscal year 2015, to remain
available until September 30, 2015, for expenses necessary to
support acceleration of countermeasure and product advanced
research and development pursuant to section 319L of the Public
Health Service Act for addressing Ebola.
Amend section 137 to read as follows:
Sec. 137. In addition to the amount otherwise provided by
this joint resolution for ``Department of Health and Human
Services--Centers for Disease Control and Prevention--Global
Health'', there is appropriated $30,000,000 for an additional
amount for fiscal year 2015, to remain available until
September 30, 2015, for expenses necessary to support the
responses of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(referred to in this section as the ``CDC'') to the outbreak of
Ebola virus in Africa: Provided, That such funds shall be
available for transfer by the Director of the CDC to other
accounts of the CDC for such support: Provided further, That
the Director of the CDC shall notify the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
not later than 30 days after the date of any transfer under the
preceding proviso.
PART B--TEXT OF AMENDMENT MADE IN ORDER
An Amendment To Be Offered by Representative McKeon of California or
His Designee, Debatable for 6 Hours
At the end of the joint resolution (before the short title),
insert the following:
Sec. _. (a) The Secretary of Defense is authorized, in
coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide
assistance, including training, equipment, supplies, and
sustainment, to appropriately vetted elements of the Syrian
opposition and other appropriately vetted Syrian groups and
individuals for the following purposes:
(1) Defending the Syrian people from attacks by the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and
securing territory controlled by the Syrian opposition.
(2) Protecting the United States, its friends and
allies, and the Syrian people from the threats posed by
terrorists in Syria.
(3) Promoting the conditions for a negotiated
settlement to end the conflict in Syria.
(b) Not later than 15 days prior to providing assistance
authorized under subsection (a) to vetted recipients for the
first time--
(1) the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with
the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees and leadership of the House of
Representatives and Senate a report, in unclassified
form with a classified annex as appropriate, that
contains a description of--
(A) the plan for providing such assistance;
(B) the requirements and process used to
determine appropriately vetted recipients; and
(C) the mechanisms and procedures that will
be used to monitor and report to the
appropriate congressional committees and
leadership of the House of Representatives and
Senate on unauthorized end-use of provided
training and equipment and other violations of
relevant law by recipients; and
(2) the President shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees and leadership of the House of
Representatives and Senate a report, in unclassified
form with a classified annex as appropriate, that
contains a description of how such assistance fits
within a larger regional strategy.
(c) The plan required in subsection (b)(1) shall include a
description of--
(1) the goals and objectives of assistance authorized
under subsection (a);
(2) the concept of operations, timelines, and types
of training, equipment, and supplies to be provided;
(3) the roles and contributions of partner nations;
(4) the number of United States Armed Forces
personnel involved;
(5) any additional military support and sustainment
activities; and
(6) any other relevant details.
(d) Not later than 90 days after the Secretary of Defense
submits the report required in subsection (b)(1), and every 90
days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with
the Secretary of State, shall provide the appropriate
congressional committees and leadership of the House of
Representatives and the Senate with a progress report. Such
progress report shall include a description of--
(1) any updates to or changes in the plan, strategy,
vetting requirements and process, and end-use
monitoring mechanisms and procedures, as required in
subsection (b)(1);
(2) statistics on green-on-blue attacks and how such
attacks are being mitigated;
(3) the groups receiving assistance authorized under
subsection (a);
(4) the recruitment, throughput, and retention rates
of recipients and equipment;
(5) any misuse or loss of provided training and
equipment and how such misuse or loss is being
mitigated; and
(6) an assessment of the effectiveness of the
assistance authorized under subsection (a) as measured
against subsections (b) and (c).
(e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions
shall apply:
(1) The term ``appropriately vetted'' means, with
respect to elements of the Syrian opposition and other
Syrian groups and individuals, at a minimum,
assessments of such elements, groups, and individuals
for associations with terrorist groups, Shia militias
aligned with or supporting the Government of Syria, and
groups associated with the Government of Iran. Such
groups include, but are not limited to, the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Jabhat al Nusrah,
Ahrar al Sham, other al-Qaeda related groups, and
Hezbollah.
(2) The term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on
Appropriations, and the Permanent Select
Committee on Intelligence of the House of
Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the
Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee
on Appropriations, and the Select Committee on
Intelligence of the Senate.
(f) The Department of Defense may submit a reprogramming or
transfer request to the congressional defense committees for
funds made available by section 101(a)(3) of this joint
resolution and designated in section 114 of this joint
resolution to carry out activities authorized under this
section notwithstanding sections 102 and 104 of this joint
resolution.
(g) The Secretary of Defense may accept and retain
contributions, including assistance in-kind, from foreign
governments to carry out activities as authorized by this
section which shall be credited to appropriations made
available by this joint resolution for the appropriate
operation and maintenance accounts, except that any funds so
accepted by the Secretary shall not be available for obligation
until a reprogramming action is submitted to the congressional
defense committees: Provided, That amounts made available by
this subsection are designated by the Congress for Overseas
Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That such
amounts shall be available only if the President so designates
such amounts and transmits such designations to the Congress.
(h) The authority provided in this section shall continue in
effect through the earlier of the date specified in section
106(3) of this joint resolution or the date of the enactment of
an Act authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2015 for
military activities of the Department of Defense.
(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to constitute
a specific statutory authorization for the introduction of
United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations
wherein hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances.
(j) Nothing in this section supersedes or alters the
continuing obligations of the President to report to Congress
pursuant to section 4 of the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C.
1543) regarding the use of United States Armed Forces abroad.