WASHINGTON, March 17 (UPI) -- Iraq's oil law debate is political, not technical, a top U.S. official said, adding Iraq has tagged billions of dollars to boost oil production regardless.

Charles Ries, U.S. State Department minister for economic affairs and coordinator for economic transition in Iraq, said the proposed law isn't necessary for Iraq to produce oil "but it would clearly be much, much better and incentivize private investment to help Iraq produce more if a bill would pass."

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney is in Iraq Monday and said he's pressing Iraqi leaders to move the controversial legislation forward.

Ries said Iraq has set aside $2.5 billion for Technical Support Agreements over the next two years. TSAs, being negotiated with BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total, would see a transfer of technology, expertise and training to Iraq's oil sector.

Further down the road, Ries said Iraq will sign production-sharing agreements to develop areas not currently producing.