To equalize authorities to provide allowances, benefits, and gratuities to civilian personnel of the United States Government in Iraq and Afghanistan.

1. Inserts new text on page 126, between lines 12 and 13

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   Inserted: AUTHORITY TO EQUALIZE ALLOWANCES, BENEFITS, AND GRATUITIES OF PERSONNEL ON OFFICIAL DUTY IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

   Inserted: Sec. 1405. (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:

   Inserted: (1) As part of the United States effort to bring democracy and freedom to Iraq and Afghanistan, employees of a broad range of Federal agencies are needed to serve in those countries, furnishing expertise to their counterpart agencies in the Government of Iraq and the Government of Afghanistan.

   Inserted: (2) While the heads of a number of Federal agencies already possess authority to provide to their personnel on official duty abroad allowances, benefits, and death gratuities comparable to those provided by the Secretary of State to similarly-situated Foreign Service personnel on official duty abroad, other agency heads do not possess such authority.

   Inserted: (3) In order to assist the United States Government in recruiting personnel to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan, and to avoid inequities in allowances, benefits, and death gratuities among similarly-situated United States Government civilian personnel on official duty in these countries, it is essential that the heads of all agencies that have personnel on official duty in Iraq and Afghanistan have the same basic authority with respect to allowances, benefits, and death gratuities for such personnel.

   Inserted: (b) In General.--During any fiscal year, the head of an agency may, in the agency head's discretion, provide to an individual employed by, or assigned or detailed to, such agency allowances, benefits, and gratuities comparable to those provided by the Secretary of State to members of the Foreign Service under section 413 and chapter 9 of title I of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3973; 4081 et seq.), if such individual is on official duty in Iraq or Afghanistan.

   Inserted: (c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect the authority of the head of an agency under any other provision of law.

   Inserted: (d) Applicability of Certain Authorities.--Section 912(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall apply with respect to amounts received as allowances or otherwise under this section in the same manner as section 912 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 applies with respect to amounts received by members of the Foreign Service as allowances or otherwise under chapter 9 of title I of the Foreign Service Act of 1980.

   Original wording

   On page 126, between lines 12 and 13, insert the following:

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As printed