Despite the saber-rattling and threats of war, the House of Representatives this summer quietly and overwhelmingly voted to bolster U.S. government efforts to prevent violent conflicts that cause atrocities and genocide. It passed the Eli Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act (H.R. 3030). A similar bill awaits final passage in the Senate (S. 1158).
This peacebuilding bill would not have been possible without the hard work of FCNL staff, Friends, and other advocates over the last six years. As a faith community, FCNL and its partners worked for this legislation because violence is wrong.
“Quakers have long advocated for structural transformation to build a more peaceful, just, and equitable world,” said Theo Sitther, FCNL’s Legislative Secretary for Peacebuilding Policy. “We are thankful to all our advocates for supporting this work.”
The Elie Wiesel Act establishes that it is U.S. policy to regard the prevention of genocide and other atrocities as in its national security interests. It adds that mitigating “threats to the United States security by addressing the root causes of insecurity and violent conflict” is a key part of this effort.
“Genocide is preventable,” said Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO-02), when the House approved the bill 406 to 5. “The U.S. is the global leader in genocide and atrocities response, but we must shift our attention toward prevention so that no one ever becomes a victim in the first place.”
Rep. Wagner introduced H.R. 3030, along with Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY-14) and 116 additional cosponsors from both parties. A similar senate bill, S. 1158, was introduced by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Todd Young (R-IN), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) along with a bipartisan group of 31 senators. It passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and awaits a final vote.
The bills firmly put on record congressional support for the work and funding of the interagency Atrocities Prevention Board. This coordination by 10 government agencies provided the impetus for U.S. efforts to prevent violence in places like Kenya, the Central African Republic, and Burundi. But this peacebuilding work has been threatened by delays in assigning key staff and reductions in funds.
The legislation also requires U.S. foreign service officers to be trained in recognizing the early warning signs of conflict, mass atrocities, and genocide.
“This legislation is an important step toward developing a bipartisan congressional blueprint for making ‘never again’ real by taking practical steps to mitigate the systematic persecution of vulnerable groups,” said Elie Wiesel’s only child, Elisha, and Sara J. Bloomfield, director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in a letter supporting the bill.
Lobbying by FCNL staff and advocates led to the record numbers of members of Congress to cosponsor the bills. Their support now provides FCNL with potential allies in our broader peacebuilding work.
For example, Rep. Wagner has become a champion of the flexible funding account that provides standby funds for peacebuilding work. She questioned Secretary of State Mike Pompeo directly about this account during his first testimony on Capitol Hill. Sec. Pompeo acknowledged that community-led peacebuilding is almost always “the most effective way to prevent violence.”
Many members of Congress support the Elie Wiesel Act because they agree with FCNL that preventing violence saves lives, saves money, and is ultimately good for U.S. national security.
“Congressional support is essential to ensuring that U.S. government focus on prevention and peacebuilding continues regardless of who occupies the White House,” said Sitther. “We can build peace one step at a time. The Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act is a step toward the peaceful prevention of deadly conflict.