United States Department of Peace

The United States Department of Peace is a proposed cabinet department of the executive branch of the U.S. federal government. Peace Department legislation in the United States dates back to the administration of George Washington, but has been most recently proposed by Rep. Dennis Kucinich in 2001 and formed a part of Kucinich's presidential campaign platform in 2004.

George Washington, the first U.S. President, proposed a Department of Peace to the United States Congress in 1793; its proponents included Benjamin Banneker, Benjamin Rush, and Thomas Jefferson.

In July 2001, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich introduced Department of Peace legislation to Congress; the September 11 attacks several months later put the idea on hold. In 2002, the federal government formed the Department of Homeland Security.

Kucinich proposed a Peace Department again (House Resolution 1673) in April 2003; the legislation then gained over 30 co-sponsors and was endorsed by groups including Amnesty International and the National Organization for Women. Highlights of the legislation include tying the budget of the department to a fixed percentage of the budget of the Defense Department and creating a "Peace Academy" parallel to the U.S. military academies.

External links

• Department of Peace Coalition
• Department of Peace Campaign