Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2017

Summary: Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018   (Sec. 3) This bill states that it shall be U.S. policy to regard the prevention of genocide and other atrocities as in its national security interests.   (Sec. 4) The Foreign Service Act of 1980 is amended to provide for the training of Foreign Service officers in recognizing patterns of escalation and early warning signs of potential atrocities or violence, including gender-based violence, and methods of conflict assessment, peace building, and early response.  (Sec. 5) The President shall report to Congress regarding U.S. actions to prevent and respond to potential genocides and mass atrocities and countries and regions at risk of atrocities, including descriptions of potential perpetrators and target groups.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities 
Prevention Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the United States affirms the 
critical importance of strengthening the United States Government's 
efforts at atrocity prevention and response through interagency 
coordination such as the Atrocities Prevention Board (referred to in 
this section as the ``Board'') or successor entity. In carrying out the 
work of the Board or successor entity, appropriate officials of the 
United States Government should--
            (1) meet regularly to monitor developments throughout the 
        world that heighten the risk of atrocities;
            (2) identify any gaps in United States foreign policy 
        concerning regions or particular countries related to atrocity 
        prevention and response;
            (3) facilitate the development and implementation of 
        policies to enhance the capacity of the United States to 
        prevent and respond to atrocities worldwide;
            (4) provide the President with recommendations to improve 
        policies, programs, resources, and tools related to atrocity 
        prevention and response;
            (5) conduct outreach, including consultations, not less 
        frequently than biannually, with representatives of 
        nongovernmental organizations and civil society dedicated to 
        atrocity prevention and response;
            (6) operate with regular consultation and participation of 
        designated interagency representatives of relevant Federal 
        agencies, executive departments, or offices; and
            (7) ensure funds are made available for the policies, 
        programs, resources, and tools related to atrocity prevention 
        and response, including through mechanisms such as the Complex 
        Crises Fund or other related accounts.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It shall be the policy of the United States to--
            (1) regard the prevention of genocide and other atrocities 
        as in its national security interests;
            (2) mitigate threats to United States security by 
        addressing the root causes of insecurity and violent conflict 
        to prevent--
                    (A) the mass slaughter of civilians;
                    (B) conditions that prompt internal displacement 
                and the flow of refugees across borders; and
                    (C) other violence that wreaks havoc on regional 
                stability and livelihoods;
            (3) enhance the capacity of the United States to identify, 
        prevent, address, and respond to the drivers of atrocities and 
        violent conflict as part of the United States' humanitarian, 
        development, and strategic interests; and
            (4) pursue a Government-wide strategy to prevent and 
        respond to the risk of genocide and other atrocities by--
                    (A) strengthening the diplomatic, risk analysis and 
                monitoring, strategic planning, early warning, and 
                response capacities of the Government;
                    (B) improving the use of foreign assistance to 
                respond early, effectively, and urgently in order to 
                address the root causes and drivers of violence, and 
                systemic patterns of human rights abuses and 
                atrocities;
                    (C) strengthening diplomatic response and the use 
                of foreign assistance to support transitional justice 
                measures, including criminal accountability, for past 
                atrocities;
                    (D) supporting and strengthening local civil 
                society, including human rights defenders and others 
                working to help prevent and respond to atrocities, and 
                protecting their ability to receive support from and 
                partner with civil society at large;
                    (E) promoting financial transparency and enhancing 
                anti-corruption initiatives as part of addressing a 
                root cause of insecurity; and
                    (F) employing a variety of unilateral, bilateral, 
                and multilateral means to prevent and respond to 
                conflicts and atrocities by--
                            (i) placing a high priority on timely, 
                        preventive diplomatic efforts; and
                            (ii) exercising a leadership role in 
                        promoting international efforts to end crises 
                        peacefully.

SEC. 4. TRAINING OF FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS IN CONFLICT AND ATROCITIES 
              PREVENTION.

    Section 708 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(D) instruction on recognizing patterns of 
                escalation and early warning signs of potential 
                atrocities or violence, including gender-based 
                violence, and methods of conflict assessment, 
                peacebuilding, mediation for prevention, early action 
                and response, and transitional justice measures to 
                address atrocities.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Definition.--In this section, the term `peacebuilding' means 
nonviolent activities designed to prevent conflict through--
            ``(1) addressing root causes of violence;
            ``(2) promoting sustainable peace;
            ``(3) delegitimizing violence as a dispute resolution 
        strategy;
            ``(4) building capacity within society to peacefully manage 
        disputes, including the capacity of governments to address 
        citizen grievances; and
            ``(5) reducing vulnerability to triggers that may spark 
        violence.''.

SEC. 5. REPORTS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act 
and annually thereafter for the following 6 years, the President shall 
transmit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations and the Select Committee on Intelligence 
of the Senate a report, with a classified annex if necessary, that 
includes--
            (1) a review, in consultation with appropriate interagency 
        representatives, consisting of a detailed description of--
                    (A) current efforts based on United States and 
                locally identified indicators, including capacities and 
                constraints for Government-wide detection, early 
                warning and response, information-sharing, contingency 
                planning, and coordination of efforts to prevent and 
                respond to situations of genocide and atrocities and 
                other mass violence, such as gender-based violence and 
                violence against religious minorities;
                    (B) recommendations to further strengthen United 
                States capabilities described in subparagraph (A);
                    (C) funding expended by relevant Federal 
                departments and agencies on atrocities prevention 
                activities, including transitional justice measures and 
                the legal, procedural, and resource constraints faced 
                by the Department of State and the United States Agency 
                for International Development throughout respective 
                budgeting, strategic planning, and management cycles to 
                support conflict and atrocities prevention activities 
                in countries identified to be at risk of atrocities;
                    (D) current annual Government global assessments of 
                sources of instability, conflict, and atrocities, the 
                outcomes and findings of such assessments, and, where 
                relevant, a review of activities, and the efficacy of 
                such activities, that the Atrocities Prevention Board 
                or successor entity undertook to respond to sources of 
                instability, conflict, and atrocities;
                    (E) consideration of analysis, reporting, and 
                policy recommendations to prevent and respond to 
                atrocities produced by civil society, academic, and 
                other nongovernmental organizations and institutions;
                    (F) countries and regions at risk of atrocities, 
                including a description of most likely pathways to 
                violence, specific risk factors, potential groups of 
                perpetrators, and at-risk target groups; and
                    (G) instruction on recognizing patterns of 
                escalation and early warning signs of potential 
                atrocities and methods of conflict assessment, peace-
                building, mediation for prevention, early action and 
                response, and transitional justice measures to address 
                atrocities in the Federal training programs for Foreign 
                Service officers;
            (2) recommendations to ensure shared responsibility by--
                    (A) enhancing multilateral mechanisms for 
                preventing atrocities, including strengthening the role 
                of international organizations and international 
                financial institutions in conflict prevention, 
                mitigation, and response; and
                    (B) strengthening regional organizations;
            (3) implementation status of the recommendations contained 
        in such review; and
            (4) identification of the Federal departments and agencies 
        and civil society, academic, and nongovernmental organizations 
        and institutions consulted for preparation of such report.

SEC. 6. DEFINITION.

    In this Act, the term ``genocide'' means an offense under 
subsection (a) of section 1091 of title 18, United States Code, or any 
substantially similar conduct.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 17, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                 KAREN L. HAAS,

                                                                 Clerk.