text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Afghanistan Status of 
  Forces Agreement (SOFA) Act of 2011''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) Al Qaeda, a terrorist organization using Afghanistan as 
          a base of operations, attacked the United States on September 
          11, 2001, killing nearly 3,000 people in New York, 
          Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
              (2) Congress passed and the President signed the 
          Authorization for Use of Military Force (Public Law 107-40; 50 
          U.S.C. 1541 note) on September 18, 2001.
              (3) The United States initiated Operation Enduring Freedom 
          to combat Al Qaeda and prevent the Taliban regime in 
          Afghanistan from providing Al Qaeda with safe harbor.
              (4) The Taliban was removed from power and the United 
          States concluded security agreements with the newly formed 
          Afghan government.
              (5) Al Qaeda no longer has a major or relevant presence in 
          Afghanistan.
              (6) The United States and Afghanistan has exchanged notes, 
          signed agreements, and issued ``joint declarations'' on various 
          topics, but have not entered into a bilateral agreement on the 
          status of forces.
              (7) A status of forces agreement with Afghanistan would not 
          expressly authorize the United States to carry out military 
          operations in Afghanistan but would recognize that such 
          operations are ongoing.
              (8) The United States is currently party to more than 100 
          agreements on the status of forces.
              (9) A status of forces agreement may be a multilateral or 
          bilateral agreement addressing the status of United States 
          Armed Forces while present in a foreign country.
              (10) Status of forces agreements may include--but are not 
          limited to--how the domestic laws of the foreign jurisdiction 
          shall be applied to United States personnel and contractors 
          while in that country.
              (11) In a similar agreement, parties have pledged to work 
          cooperatively in a number of fields, including on diplomatic, 
          security, economic, cultural, and law enforcement matters.
              (12) In a similar agreement, a deadline has been 
          established for the withdrawal of United States troops by a 
          date certain.
              (13) United States personnel subject to a status of forces 
          agreement may include members of the United States Armed 
          Forces, Department of Defense civilian employees, and 
          contractors working for the Department of Defense.
  
  SEC. 3. STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT WITH AFGHANISTAN.
  
      (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
  enactment of this Act, the President shall seek to negotiate and enter 
  into a bilateral status of forces agreement with the Government of 
  Afghanistan in accordance with the requirements of this section.
      (b) Mandatory Elements.--The status of forces agreement specified 
  in subsection (a) shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
              (1) prohibit the permanent basing or military presence of 
          United States Armed Forces in Afghanistan;
              (2) provide a date, no later than 1 year after the date on 
          which the agreement is entered into with the Government of 
          Afghanistan, for the complete, safe, and orderly redeployment 
          from Afghanistan of all members of the United States Armed 
          Forces, Department of Defense civilian employees, and 
          contractors working for the Department of Defense; and
              (3) establish that the temporary presence of United States 
          Armed Forces in Afghanistan is at the request and invitation of 
          the sovereign Government of Afghanistan.
      (c) Discretionary Elements.--The status of forces agreement 
  specified in subsection (a) may provide for the authorization of 
  specific exercises, activities, or missions of the United States Armed 
  Forces in Afghanistan.
      (d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
  President should submit the status of forces agreement specified in 
  subsection (a) to the Senate for its advice and consent to ratification 
  as a treaty or alternatively the President should request statutory 
  authorization for the status of forces agreement by Congress.
      (e) Submission to Congress.--
              (1) In general.--The President shall submit to the 
          Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
          Representatives and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
          Senate a copy of the status of forces agreement specified in 
          subsection (a). The status of forces agreement shall be 
          submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified 
          annex if necessary.
              (2) Availability.--Any Senator or Member of the House of 
          Representatives may review the copy of the status of forces 
          agreement submitted under paragraph (1), including any portions 
          of the agreement contained in the classified annex.
              (3) Definition.--In paragraph (2), the term ``Member of the 
          House of Representatives'' includes a Delegate or Resident 
          Commissioner to Congress.
target: United States-Afghanistan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) Act of 2011 - Directs the President to seek to enter into a bilateral status of forces agreement with the government of Afghanistan which shall: (1) prohibit the permanent basing or military presence of U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan; (2) provide, no later than one year after the date on which such agreement is entered into, for the complete redeployment from Afghanistan of the U.S. Armed Forces and Department of Defense (DOD) civilian employees and contractors; and (3) establish that the temporary presence of U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan is at the request of the government of Afghanistan. Authorizes such agreement to provide for specific activities or missions of the U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan.
  
  Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should submit such agreement to the Senate for its advice and consent to ratification as a treaty or alternatively the President should request statutory authorization for such agreement by Congress.
feat_title: To require the President to seek to negotiate and enter into a bilateral status of forces agreement with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.