This bill would establish a Department of Peacebuilding — an independent agency of the executive branch. This department would be led by a Secretary of Peacebuilding who would be appointed by the President and approved by the Senate.

The goals of the Department of Peacebuilding would be to:

• Cultivate peace and peacebuilding as a strategic national policy objective;

• Reduce and prevent violence in the U.S. and internationally through peacebuilding and effective nonviolent conflict resolution;

• Strengthen nonmilitary peacemaking;

• Address policy matters that are both domestic and international in scope;

• Use the growing expertise in peacebuilding to reduce the national and global epidemic of violence;

• Support local communities in developing, funding, and expanding programs to prevent violence;

• Consult with federal agencies on the science of peacebuilding.

Within the Department of Peacebuilding, offices dedicated to specific fields would be established, including offices for:

• Peace Education and Training;

• Domestic Peacebuilding Activities;

• International Peacebuilding Activities;

• Technology for Peace;

• Arms Control and Disarmament;

• Peacebuilding Information and Research;

• Human Rights and Economic Rights;

• Intergovernmental and Federal Interagency Advisory Councils on Peace.

The Secretary of Peacebuilding would also be responsible for establishing Peace Days for celebration.

There is not a firm number on the appropriations that would be necessary to carry out this bill, but it authorizes funding to be brought forward. Of the total appropriations, at least 85 percent must be spent on domestic peace programs — which include administrative costs.