To express the sense of Congress on the accelerated transition of United States combat and military and security operations to the Government of Afghanistan.

SA 3096. Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Paul, and Mr. Manchin)
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed

[[Page S7086]]

by him to the bill S. 3254, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2013 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle B of title XII, add the following:

SEC. 1221. COMPLETION OF ACCELERATED TRANSITION OF UNITED
STATES COMBAT AND MILITARY AND SECURITY
OPERATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN.

(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the President shall, in coordination with the Government of
Afghanistan, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member
countries, and other allies in Afghanistan, seek to--
(1) undertake all appropriate activities to accomplish the
President's stated goal of transitioning the lead
responsibility for security to the Government of Afghanistan
by mid-summer 2013;
(2) as part of accomplishing this transition of the lead
responsibility for security to the Government of Afghanistan,
draw down United States troops to the minimum level required
to meet this goal;
(3) as previously announced by the President, continue to
draw down United States troop levels at a steady pace through
the end of 2014; and
(4) end all regular combat operations by United States
troops by not later than December 31, 2014, and take all
possible steps to end such operations at the earliest date
consistent with a safe and orderly draw down of United States
troops in Afghanistan.
(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to limit or prohibit any authority of the
President--
(1) to modify the military strategy, tactics, and
operations of United States Armed Forces as such Armed Forces
redeploy from Afghanistan;
(2) to authorize United States forces in Afghanistan to
defend themselves whenever they may be threatened;
(3) to attack Al Qaeda forces wherever such forces are
located;
(4) to provide financial support and equipment to the
Government of Afghanistan for the training and supply of
Afghanistan military and security forces; or
(5) to gather, provide, and share intelligence with United
States allies operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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