Congresswoman Barbara Lee Renews Call for Department of Peacebuilding
Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee reintroduced the Department of Peacebuilding Act, which would establish a federal Department of Peacebuilding dedicated to the study and advancement of peace. The Department of Peacebuilding would target the root causes of domestic and international violence and promote policies to create sustainable, peaceful world.
“Each year, we invest billions in defense through the Pentagon, military academies, and national defense universities. We must invest in peace -- in our communities and abroad -- with the same dedication, and work to dismantle the culture of violence endemic in our communities. I am proud to reintroduce this bill, and I am grateful for the continued support of my colleagues in establishing a U.S. Department of Peacebuilding,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
The proposed department would be charged with developing national strategies and programs for violence reduction both domestically and internationally. Working across agencies, the Secretary of Peacebuilding would sponsor conflict prevention and dispute resolution initiatives, facilitate peace summits between conflicting parties, encourage community policing, and support efforts by local community and religious groups to reduce gun violence, racial and ethnic violence, and prevent violence against women, LGBT Americans, and vulnerable individuals.
The Department of Peacebuilding Act, H.R. 1111, has 27 original cosponsors: Representatives Gwen Moore, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Peter DeFazio, John Lewis, Raul Grijalva, John Conyers, Maxine Waters, Alcee Hastings, Tony Cardenas, Keith Ellison, Ted Lieu, Susan Davis, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Bobby Rush, Jim McGovern, Darren Soto, Al Green, Judy Chu, Mark DeSaulnier, Jan Schakowsky, Donald Payne, Chellie Pingree, Jared Polis, Danny Davis, Bobby Scott, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Marcy Kaptur.
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