This bill would create a new federal Department of Peacebuilding led by a President-appointed Secretary of Peacebuilding. The Department's mission is to promote peacebuilding, nonviolent conflict resolution, and the study of conditions that support domestic and international peace. The bill sets out many offices and functions, including: an Office of Peace Education and Training; Offices for Domestic and International Peacebuilding Activities; an Office of Technology for Peace; an Office of Arms Control and Disarmament; an Office of Peacebuilding Information and Research; and an Office of Human Rights and Economic Rights. The Secretary would join the National Security Council and the Department would develop curricula, make grants, run training programs, support exchanges, establish a Peace Academy, propose measures to measure and report progress toward peace, and help design nonmilitary responses to conflict. The bill authorizes the Department to consult with other agencies and to create intergovernmental advisory bodies and an interagency committee. It also requires reports, creates grant programs (for community, cultural, and international exchanges), and asks the Secretary to recommend legislative changes within one year.
If enacted, the law would create a federal agency that could: develop and share peace education curricula for schools; offer grants to schools and community organizations for local peace programs; fund cultural exchange programs; train and deploy unarmed civilian peacekeeping or community peace personnel as described in the bill; publish research and regular reports on violence and peacebuilding; and advise other agencies on nonviolent approaches to conflict. The Department would be able to work with schools, nonprofits, local governments, and other federal agencies, and would seek public input through its website.
The bill authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" to carry out its provisions. It does not set a specific dollar amount. The bill states that at least 85 percent of appropriated funds must be used for domestic peace programs, including related administrative costs.
The bill's findings and text state that proponents see peacebuilding as a federal priority. The bill frames violence as widespread and costly, describes peacebuilding and nonviolent practices as tools to address root causes of violence (including racism, poverty, and climate-related conflict), and asserts that violence prevention and peacebuilding can be cost effective. Supporters in the text favor a single Department to coordinate education, research, grants, training, and nonmilitary approaches to prevent and reduce violence at home and abroad.
No publicly available information.