Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 1111

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-07: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Last Updated

2026-06-10T08:08:10Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2025 aims to create a new executive branch department dedicated to promoting peace and reducing violence at home and abroad. It emphasizes nonviolent conflict resolution, peace education, and addressing root causes of violence like poverty, racism, and economic insecurity. The legislation seeks to make peace a core national policy, shifting focus from military approaches to proactive peacebuilding strategies, while recognizing peace as a human right and essential for security, justice, and sustainability.

Key Provisions

• Establishment and Leadership: Creates the Department of Peacebuilding, led by a Secretary appointed by the President with Senate confirmation. An Under Secretary and several Assistant Secretaries oversee specific areas. Includes an Inspector General for oversight.
• Core Mission and Responsibilities:
• Develops policies to prevent violence, promote nonviolent resolution, and build peaceful communities.
• Domestic focus: Addresses family violence, substance abuse, gun violence, school safety, restorative justice, and community policing. Supports programs for trauma healing, anti-bullying, and diversity education.
• International focus: Advises on diplomacy, human rights, arms control, post-conflict reconstruction, and unarmed peacekeeping. Promotes global exchanges, peace summits, and reductions in weapons of mass destruction.
• Human security: Tackles issues like climate change, resource scarcity, and economic inequality as conflict drivers.
• Media and education: Studies media's role in conflict; develops peace curricula for schools, including nonviolence training and a new Peace Academy modeled after military academies (with 5-year public service requirement for graduates).
• Specialized Offices:
• Peace Education and Training: Creates curricula, grants for schools, and community programs on empathy, conflict resolution, and peace studies.
• Domestic Peacebuilding Activities: Funds violence prevention, restorative justice, and cultural exchanges within the U.S.
• International Peacebuilding Activities: Supports global initiatives like nonviolent peacekeeping forces and cultural diplomacy grants.
• Technology for Peace: Researches ethical tech use (e.g., AI, social media) for peace and funds sustainable innovations.
• Arms Control and Disarmament: Advises on nuclear reductions, monitors arms sales, and supports treaty implementation.
• Peacebuilding Information and Research: Conducts studies on violence impacts (e.g., on children, environment, economy) and publishes annual reports.
• Human Rights and Economic Rights: Documents abuses, promotes Universal Declaration of Human Rights principles, and analyzes resource scarcity.
• Advisory and Collaborative Bodies: Establishes an Intergovernmental Advisory Council on Peace and a Federal Interagency Committee on Peace for coordination. Requires consultations with Defense and State Departments before conflicts or military actions.
• Other Elements: Authorizes grants for nonprofits and schools; encourages "Peace Days" for public reflection; requires annual progress reports on peace metrics. At least 85% of funds must support domestic programs.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Amends the National Security Act of 1947 to add the Secretary of Peacebuilding to the National Security Council, integrating peace perspectives into high-level security decisions.
• Modifies the Inspector General Act of 1978 to include oversight for the new department, ensuring accountability like other federal agencies.
• Mandates formal consultations between the new Secretary, Defense, and State Departments on conflict prevention, treaty drafting, and military equipment distribution—potentially requiring nonviolent alternatives before escalations.
• Introduces new funding mechanisms, such as block grants for community peace programs and incentives for state-level peace curricula, expanding beyond current education and justice laws.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Increases coordination across agencies like State, Defense, Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services; could redirect resources from military spending (e.g., $8 trillion cited in findings) toward prevention, potentially straining budgets but saving long-term costs on violence (estimated at $16.5 trillion globally in 2021).
• Citizens: Enhances access to violence prevention programs, mental health support, restorative justice, and peace education, particularly benefiting vulnerable groups (e.g., children, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, victims of domestic abuse). May reduce gun violence, incarceration rates, and foster care disruptions through community initiatives.
• International Relations: Strengthens U.S. diplomacy via unarmed peacekeeping, arms reduction advocacy, and human rights focus; could improve global image by prioritizing nonviolence and sustainability, but might challenge alliances reliant on military aid or arms sales.

Main Stakeholders

• Federal Government: Departments of State, Defense, Education, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Treasury; National Security Council; Congress (receives reports and recommendations).
• Citizens and Communities: Schools, families, victims of violence, incarcerated individuals, veterans, youth (e.g., via anti-bullying and suicide prevention), and marginalized groups affected by racism, poverty, or trafficking.
• Nongovernmental and Local Entities: Nonprofits, NGOs, universities, Tribal and local governments, peace organizations (e.g., United States Institute of Peace), and community leaders involved in grants and programs.
• International Actors: United Nations, foreign governments, global NGOs, and women/children in conflict zones benefiting from peacekeeping and rights advocacy.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Establishes a new cabinet-level department, which is permissible under Congress's Article I powers to create executive agencies, but requires Senate confirmation for key officers, ensuring checks and balances. Emphasizes First Amendment protections in media-related work, avoiding censorship.
• Constitutional: Aligns with the Preamble's goals of "domestic Tranquility" and "general Welfare," but could spark debates on separating peacebuilding from military authority under Article II (executive powers). No direct challenges to separation of powers, as it promotes collaboration rather than overriding other branches.
• Political: Represents a shift toward nonmilitaristic security, potentially polarizing debates on defense spending and gun control. Highlights systemic issues like racism and climate change, inviting scrutiny over implementation and funding (open-ended appropriations). Biennial reports and public metrics could increase transparency and accountability in peace policy.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]

Cosponsors (49)

Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14], Rep. Turner, Sylvester [D-TX-18], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12], Rep. Escobar, Veronica [D-TX-16], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Mejia, Analilia [D-NJ-11], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-07: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
• 2025-02-07: Introduced in House
• 2025-02-07: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-07 — PDF (51 pages)