Washington, DC (June 27, 2018) – The Quaker lobby, the Friends National Committee (FCNL) applauded the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for approving the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act (S.1158). Passed Tuesday, the bill will now move to the Senate floor for a full vote.
Contact: Adlai Amor, media@fcnl.org, 202-903-2536
“Quakers have longed worked to end violence and promote peace,” said Diane Randall, FCNL Executive Secretary. “In establishing policy to prevent violent conflict and mass atrocities before they occur, this legislation is an important step for peace.”
The bill is named after Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. It ensures coordination among U.S. government departments to prevent global atrocities from occurring and requires training for Foreign Service Officers to identify early warning signs of genocide. It also requires the president to update Congress on measures to mitigate violence in specific countries, funding related to conflict prevention initiatives, and a global assessment of instability, conflict, and atrocities.
The Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act is the product of nearly a decade of work by FCNL and a broad coalition of organizations seeking to move the U.S. from fighting wars to preventing them. Just last month, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed their version of the Elie Wiesel Act, which has received strong bipartisan support since it was introduced in 2017.
“This is a major step forward in peaceful prevention of deadly conflict,” said Theo Sitther, FCNL’s Legislative Secretary for Peacebuilding Policy. “Amid the multiple incidents of global violence occurring every day, the question is not whether risks of future atrocities exist, but what Congress can do to mitigate these risks.”
FCNL’s advocacy is rooted in Quaker foundations of peace, equality, simplicity, and truth. For 75 years, FCNL has worked to build pathways to peace, advocating for policies that enable the U.S. to prevent, reduce, transform, and help people recover from violence in all forms.
FCNL urges the full Senate to support conflict prevention by voting for S.1158.
For more information, please visit www.fcnl.org.
Founded in 1943 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), FCNL lobbies Congress and the administration for U.S. policies that advance peace, justice, and good government.