The month of September will be an important one as we work to address proposed cuts to critical conflict prevention funding and tools. These challenges come at a time when the world is facing increasing levels of violence, and experiencing unprecedented levels of global hunger and displacement as a result of conflict.

Here’s what we are following:

Protect Prevention Funding

In May, we warned about deep and dangerous cuts to the International Affairs Budget proposed by the White House for Fiscal Year 2018. In addition to the 32% reduction in overall funding, the White House eliminated key accounts like the U.S. Institute for Peace and the Complex Crises Fund (CCF), and drastically cut money for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO).

In the House and Senate, there were also significant cuts to the International Affairs Budget. In appropriations bills introduced shortly before the August recess, the House cut spending by 17.4% and the Senate by 11.8%. The House bill also eliminated CCF, and reduced funding for CSO. On the Senate side, we are still awaiting additional information on how key conflict prevention-related accounts will fare, including a new atrocities prevention fund and atrocities prevention training resources that the Senate led on in 2017.

We will be carefully tracking funding details coming out of the Senate, and the bills as they move forward. We will continue our work to encourage full funding for key prevention accounts, and broader support for diplomacy and development resources.

Preserve Critical Diplomacy and Development Tools

We will also be closely tracking an anticipated proposal from the Secretary of State that is due in mid-September as part of a government-wide bureaucratic review process. The proposal from Secretary Tillerson would seek to restructure the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

We are concerned that efforts could be made to eliminate critical offices and bureaus that support core diplomatic and development efforts related to the prevention of violent conflict and mass atrocities. Already there have been reports that the Office of Global Criminal Justice (GCJ) could be eliminated. GCJ plays a lead role in supporting justice and accountability mechanisms, as well as documentation and evidence gathering in cases of mass atrocities. The State Department’s Under Secretariat for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, and the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations are reportedly at risk as well as USAID’s Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation.

Push for Continued Congressional Leadership

Companion bills, the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2017, have been introduced in the Senate (S.1158) and House (H.R.3030). We will continue work to garner additional Congressional co-sponsors for this effort, and hope to begin the process of moving the bills through their respective committees.

These bills serve to protect prevention funding and preserve critical prevention tools. They were introduced thanks to leadership from Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Representatives Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) and Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.). Learn more and take action.