House Concurrent Resolution 113

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSED DRASTIC BUDGET CUTS TO THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE AND UNITED STATES STATE DEPARTMENT, THEREBY PROTECTING THE AMERICAN INTERESTS OF GLOBAL PEACE AND PROSPERITY.

WHEREAS, the United States Institute of Peace and the United States State Department are under threat of drastic budget cuts that would significantly hinder their ability to ensure that peaceful resolutions to international conflicts are always on the table; and

WHEREAS, under the Trump Administration's proposed budget, the United States Institute of Peace would not just receive a cut to its budget, but would also be eliminated entirely; and

WHEREAS, a nonpartisan and independent institution, the United States Institute of Peace trains United States diplomats and members of the Armed Forces heading for unstable parts of the world so they can be prepared to help avert conflicts before they mushroom; and

WHEREAS, the Institute of Peace's budget is a trivial amount in relation to the overall budget, but its impact on reaching resolutions without resorting to military means is huge; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the Institute of Peace-trained mediators were instrumental in helping arrange a truce between Sunni and Shiite residents of Tikrit, Iraq, after the Islamic State killed 1,700 Shiite military cadets, helping to ensure that the international community remains a united front in the face of terrorism; and

WHEREAS, in addition to dissolving the United States Institute of Peace entirely, the proposed budget makes severe cuts to the United States State Department in favor of increased defense spending; and

WHEREAS, the State Department could face a slashing of its budget by 28.7 percent or around $11 billion, potentially eliminating thousands of jobs and many educational and cultural exchange programs designed to improve the image and standing of the United States; and

WHEREAS, these deep cuts to the State Department will undoubtedly lead to the department not being able to fulfill its current primary responsibility of fighting terrorism, protecting the United States interests abroad and implementing foreign policy initiatives while building a freer prosperous and secure world; and

WHEREAS, further reducing the State Department budget to shift monies to the defense spending deals a severe blow to our nation's ability to reach sustainable peace around the globe, because military victories only last if military action is coupled with efforts from civilian partners, which validates the critical necessity of these two agencies continued existence and operations as a means of ensuring their continued essential functions of promoting international diplomacy:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby urge the Congress of the United States to ensure that the United States Institute of Peace and the United States State Department do not receive the shortsighted budget cuts proposed by the Trump Administration so that both institutions can continue their very important missions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to every member of the Congress of the United States and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.