Action Alert: U.S. House Continues to Vote to Eliminate Key Peacebuilding Funding

► Sign Petition Urging Peacebuilding Funding

Special Action Alert

As the budget debate continues to heat up — negotiators are meeting now and a deal that has to be reached by January 15th — please join today in taking action to let Congress know that we want continued funding for key peacebuilding initiatives. In particular for the Complex Crises Fund (CCF), which is part of the international affairs budget.

Thankfully, the Senate wants the CCF to be maintained, but it hasn’t been able to get the House of Representatives on board. The House has been consistently voting to eliminate funding for CCF and other important peacebuilding programs.

► Sign the Petition to Congress, urging investment in peacebuilding funding.

Your participation will generate a letter to your Members of Congress.

Our electeds need to hear from us.  The Bloomberg News  recently wrote that “the biggest lobbying campaign by military contractors in recent history” is taking place right now, in which Pentagon contractors have launched a barrage of phone calls, letters and visits in an effort to prevent the next cuts in military spending required by current law. As pressure is mounting and lawmakers look at what to cut and what to invest in, we need to urge Congress to support peacebuilding alternatives, which are far more effective and life-affirming.

Join us today and let our elected officials know that we want Peacebuilding and violence prevention funding to remain a key priority.

Complex Crises Fund Explained:

This account provides much-needed, unprogrammed money for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Department of State to quickly ‘prevent and respond to emerging or unforeseen crises.’ CCF is used in countries/regions that demonstrate a high or escalating risk of conflict or instability — to help mitigate violence in critical places like Kenya, Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan, Cote D’Ivoire, Tunisia and Yemen.

The lack of flexible funding for civilian agencies has contributed to the militarization of the U.S. response to global crises. Without rapid response funds available for civilian agencies to act, the military has been left to fund and direct many activities that should be civilian-led. The Complex Crises Fund is one of the most innovative tools for civilian agencies to help prevent wars before they start, instead of pouring billions of dollars into warmaking.

The Peace Alliance supports $40 million for the Complex Crises Fund, though we would like to see more.

Thanks to our friends at FCNL and the Prevention and Protection Working Group coalition for continued leadership and partnership on this issue.