Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2023

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1111 To establish a Department of Peacebuilding, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FEBRUARY 21, 2023 Ms. LEE of California (for herself, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. BOWMAN, Mr. CA´RDENAS, Ms. CHU, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. JACOBS, Ms. JAYAPAL, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. MCGOV- ERN, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. NADLER, Ms. NORTON, Ms. OMAR, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SWALWELL, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. TLAIB, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, and Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN) introduced the following bill; which was re- ferred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability A BILL To establish a Department of Peacebuilding, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 3 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 4 ‘‘Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2023’’. 5 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 6 this Act is as follows: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 1111 IH Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. Sec. 2. Findings. TITLE I—ESTABLISHMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF PEACEBUILDING Sec. 101. Establishment of Department of Peacebuilding. Sec. 102. Responsibilities and powers. Sec. 103. Principal officers. Sec. 104. Office of Peace Education and Training. Sec. 105. Office of Domestic Peacebuilding Activities. Sec. 106. Office of International Peacebuilding Activities. Sec. 107. Office of Technology for Peace. Sec. 108. Office of Arms Control and Disarmament. Sec. 109. Office of Peacebuilding Information and Research. Sec. 110. Office of Human Rights and Economic Rights. Sec. 111. Intergovernmental Advisory Council on Peace. Sec. 112. Federal Interagency Committee on Peace. Sec. 113. Staff. Sec. 114. Consultation required. Sec. 115. Collaboration. TITLE II—OTHER MATTERS Sec. 201. Legislative recommendations of the Secretary. Sec. 202. Peace Days. Sec. 203. Definitions. Sec. 204. Authorization of appropriations. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 1 Congress finds the following: 2 (1) On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental 3 Congress unanimously declared the independence of 4 the 13 colonies, and the achievement of peace was 5 recognized as one of the highest duties of the new 6 organization of free and independent States by de- 7 claring, ‘‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, 8 that all men are created equal, that they are en- 9 dowed by their Creator with certain unalienable 10 Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the 11 pursuit of Happiness.’’. 12 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 1111 IH (2) The Constitution of the United States, in 1 its preamble, further sets forth the insurance of the 2 cause of peace in stating, ‘‘We the People of the 3 United States, in Order to form a more perfect 4 Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tran- 5 quility, provide for the common defense, promote the 6 general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty 7 to ourselves and our Posterity’’. 8 (3) The United States has been at peace for 9 only 21 entire years since its birth during the Revo- 10 lutionary War. During the course of the 20th cen- 11 tury, more than 100,000,000 people perished in 12 wars. Thus far in the 21st century, nearly 1,000,000 13 people have died in conflict and war. Many of our 14 citizens today have never known a peaceful year in 15 their lifetimes. In 2022, over 88 million people were 16 forcibly displaced due to violence in its many forms. 17 (4) Since late 2001, the United States appro- 18 priated and was obligated to spend an estimated 19 $6.4 trillion through Fiscal Year 2020 in budgetary 20 costs related to and caused by post 9/11 wars and 21 an additional minimum of $1 trillion to care for vet- 22 erans of these wars for several decades. 23 (5) The physical, emotional, monetary, and 24 other costs of violence are enormous, cut across all 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 4 •HR 1111 IH sectors of society in the United States, dispropor- 1 tionately impact people of color, and are inter- 2 related. A World Health Organization report esti- 3 mates that interpersonal violence within the United 4 States costs approximately $300 billion annually, not 5 including war-related costs. The Centers for Disease 6 Control and Prevention reports one in four children 7 experience some form of child abuse or neglect in 8 their lifetimes; nearly one in four women report hav- 9 ing experienced severe physical violence from an inti- 10 mate partner; Native American women are sexually 11 assaulted, murdered and disappeared at higher rates 12 than other American women. There are 3.3 million 13 reports of violence against children that result in 14 foster care placements every year; 25 percent of kids 15 in foster care experience PTSD, fewer than 3 per- 16 cent earn a college degree; 20 percent become home- 17 less after the age of 18; and only 50 percent will be 18 employed by the age of 24. One in five high school 19 students reported being bullied at school during 20 2017 and cyberbullying impacts many young people. 21 Criminalization disproportionately impacts African 22 Americans and other people of color, including high 23 rates of school suspensions and expulsions and in- 24 carceration. African Americans are incarcerated at 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 5 •HR 1111 IH more than five times the rate of Whites. Suicide im- 1 pacts young people in both affluent and non-affluent 2 communities. In 2015, 17 percent of students con- 3 sidered attempting suicide. Suicide is the second 4 leading cause of death among American Indian and 5 Alaska Natives aged 10 to 34. Approximately 20 6 veterans a day commit suicide nationwide. About 14 7 young people die from homicides each day. Research 8 shows victims of one form of violence are more likely 9 to experience other forms of violence. A past history 10 of violence, including domestic violence; use of alco- 11 hol or illegal drugs; being young and male; or a per- 12 sonal history of physical or sexual abuse or trauma, 13 increases the risk of more violence, obesity, high-risk 14 sexual behavior, depression, academic difficulties, 15 school dropout and suicide. 16 (6) More people have died from guns in the 17 United States since 1968 than on battlefields of all 18 the wars in United States history. Every year 19 250,000 people are killed by gun violence around the 20 world, a third of those in Brazil and the United 21 States. Firearms are the second leading cause of 22 death for American children and teens and the first 23 leading cause of death for Black children and teens. 24 Every day 47 children and teens in the United 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 6 •HR 1111 IH States are shot and 96 Americans are killed by gun 1 violence. During 2017 and 2018, there was one mass 2 shooting almost every day in the United States. 3 Young people go to school wondering where to hide 4 when a shooter enters their classroom. Each gun in- 5 jury and fatality results in trauma to family mem- 6 bers and loved ones. 7 (7) According to reports by the Institute of Ec- 8 onomics and Peace (in this Act referred to as 9 ‘‘IEP’’), which measures the economic impact of vio- 10 lence and conflict to the global economy, the eco- 11 nomic impact of violence to the global economy was 12 $16.5 trillion in 2021. One IEP report found that 13 the regional impact of violence in North America, 99 14 percent of which can be attributed to the United 15 States, amounted to $2.73 trillion in 2017. If vio- 16 lence containment spending was reduced by 15 per- 17 cent, the world would save $1.4 trillion, which would 18 be the funding required to achieve the United Na- 19 tions Millennium Development Goals of halving ex- 20 treme poverty rates, ensuring healthy lives for all, 21 halting the spread of HIV and AIDS, providing uni- 22 versal primary education, decent jobs, gender equal- 23 ity, promoting peaceful, inclusive and just societies, 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 7 •HR 1111 IH and more. Three percent of United States military 1 spending could end starvation on earth. 2 (8) Peace is a human right and a security issue. 3 Peace is the essential prerequisite for the survival of 4 humanity as we know it in the 21st century. The 5 United Nations defines human rights as those rights 6 which are inherent to our nature, and without which 7 we cannot live as human beings. 8 (9) Violence prevention is cost effective. For 9 every dollar spent on violence prevention and 10 peacebuilding, thousands of lives and dollars are 11 saved. Research indicates that investing early to pre- 12 vent conflicts from escalating into violent crises is, 13 on average, 60 times more cost effective than inter- 14 vening after violence erupts. The philosophy and 15 techniques of nonviolence and the science of 16 peacebuilding provide tools and techniques that can 17 be applied not only at the levels of individual and 18 community growth, but also within the Federal Gov- 19 ernment and at national and international levels. 20 (10) The United Nations recognizes that pro- 21 motion of peace is vital for the full enjoyment of all 22 human rights and the United Nations Declaration 23 on the Right of Peoples to Peace mandates that 24 preservation of the right to peace is a fundamental 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 8 •HR 1111 IH obligation of each country. In 1999, the United Na- 1 tions adopted a Programme of Action on a Culture 2 of Peace, stating that a culture of peace is an inte- 3 gral approach to preventing violence and violent con- 4 flicts, an alternative to the culture of war and vio- 5 lence, and is based on education for peace, the pro- 6 motion of sustainable economic and social develop- 7 ment, respect for human rights, equality between 8 women and men, democratic participation, tolerance, 9 the free flow of information, and disarmament. The 10 United Nations declared the years 2001 through 11 2010 an International Decade for a Culture of Peace 12 and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, and 13 the United Nations supports a culture of peace. In 14 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 sustainable 15 development goals, including promotion of peaceful 16 and inclusive societies which recognize the link be- 17 tween justice, human rights, and government based 18 on the rule of law and peace. 19 (11) Peacebuilding is defined by the United Na- 20 tions as a range of measures targeted to reduce the 21 risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict by strength- 22 ening national capacities at all levels for conflict 23 management and to lay the foundations for sustain- 24 able peace and development. Peacebuilding is built 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 9 •HR 1111 IH upon research into the root causes of violence in the 1 United States and the world, through promotion and 2 promulgation of effective policies and programs that 3 ameliorate those root causes of violence, and through 4 providing all citizens, organizations, and govern- 5 mental bodies with opportunities to learn about and 6 practice the essential tools of nonviolent conflict res- 7 olution and peacebuilding. 8 (12) In 2000, the Earth Charter Commission 9 released the Earth Charter, an international declara- 10 tion of fundamental values and principles created to 11 build a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society. 12 The preamble of the Earth Charter provides, ‘‘To 13 move forward we must recognize that in the midst 14 of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms 15 we are one human family and one Earth community 16 with a common destiny. We must join together to 17 bring forth a sustainable global society founded on 18 respect for nature, universal human rights, economic 19 justice, and a culture of peace.’’. Peacebuilding is 20 working together with all nations to protect both life 21 and land and hold the Earth in balance. 22 (13) Anthropomorphic climate change threatens 23 not only the earth and all beings, but also impacts 24 the present lives of our children and robs them of 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 10 •HR 1111 IH hope for a safe future. A 2021 Lancet global health 1 study of 10,000 youth found 59 percent are ‘‘very’’ 2 or ‘‘extremely concerned’’ about climate change and 3 its impact on their mental health. 4 (14) Nuclear weapons expose the world to harm 5 on a vast scale. It has long been held that a nuclear 6 war cannot be won and must never be fought. Yet, 7 over the next 30 years, the United States plans to 8 spend some $1.7 trillion to replace its entire nuclear 9 weapons infrastructure and upgrade replacement of 10 its nuclear bombs and warheads and the bombers, 11 missiles and submarines that deliver them. 12 (15) Systemic racism is a significant driver of 13 violence and key obstacle to peace in the United 14 States. Confronting and uprooting systemic racism 15 in America will require efforts by the Federal Gov- 16 ernment both to properly acknowledge, memorialize, 17 and be a catalyst for progress toward permanently 18 eliminating persistent racial inequities, including 19 through a United States Commission on Truth, Ra- 20 cial Healing, and Transformation, and to develop 21 material remedies for the institution of slavery, in- 22 cluding through a United States Commission to 23 Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for Afri- 24 can-Americans. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Mar 09, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1111.IH H1111 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 11 •HR 1111 IH TITLE I—ESTABLISHMENT OF 1 DEPARTMENT OF 2 PEACEBUIL [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]