Establishing a Department of Peace in the USA: Urge Senator Ted Kennedy to lead on this extrordinary legislation in the Senate
by lynnmcmullen | September 26, 2007 at 5:15 PM
Currently there is a bill (draft law) before the US House of Representatives
HR 808. Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts is considering introducing a companion bill in the Senate, but he needs to hear from the general public that this is something the citizens of the USA want. This landmark legislation would establish a Secretary of Peace to the cabinet, and establish a Department of Peace with a budget of approximately $10 billion US. This is roughly equivalent to 2% of the budget of the Department of Defense. These funds would expand and strengthen peace building programs:
1) Inside the US to: address domestic violence, establish or expand prison programs to reduce recidivism rates (% of those returning to prison after release), reduce child abuse, reduce and eliminate school and gang violence etc.
2) Outside the US to establish more rounds of diplomacy and development to reduce the root causes of violence, to engage numerous sectors of a societies in conflict into a dialogue to increase understanding and dismantle the motivations for violence where ever possible. We currently give weapons to those in conflict, it is time to offer something that will bring sustainable solutions.
Send Senator Kennedy a message at: http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/contact.cfm
There is a form at this URL you can fill out to let him know that this is the direction you believe and want the government to move. Peace is possible. We have invested millions in weapons and war planning. It is time, to invest in the compassionate ability of human beings.
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/files/outreach_material/peaceallianceann...
