Title: Expressing support for the designation of September as Peace Month and calling on Congress to take action to promote peace.
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:

Expresses support for the designation of Peace Month.


[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1079 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1079

Expressing support for the designation of September as Peace Month and 
          calling on Congress to take action to promote peace.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 25, 2018

 Ms. Norton submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
            the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the designation of September as Peace Month and 
          calling on Congress to take action to promote peace.

Whereas the United Nations designated September 21 ``International Day of 
        Peace'', otherwise known as Peace Day;
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly declared Peace Day as a day devoted 
        to ``commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace, both within 
        and among all nations and peoples'';
Whereas all United Nations member states, organizations, regional and 
        nongovernmental organizations, and individuals are encouraged to 
        celebrate and recognize global peace efforts on Peace Day;
Whereas Peace Day represents shared hopes of an end to conflict in all forms;
Whereas the United Nations calls for a 24-hour global ceasefire on Peace Day;
Whereas this year's Peace Day theme is ``The Right to Peace--The Universal 
        Declaration of Human Rights at 70'';
Whereas 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human 
        Rights, a milestone development in contemporary human history promoting 
        peace and well-being worldwide;
Whereas violent conflicts could cost upwards of $13.6 trillion per year 
        globally;
Whereas conflict prevention measures could save between $5 billion to $70 
        billion per year on average;
Whereas there is almost no interstate war;
Whereas the absolute number of war deaths has been declining since 1945;
Whereas life-threatening diseases are on the decline globally;
Whereas measles deaths globally were 90,000 in 2016, down from 550,000 in 2000;
Whereas 2017 only saw 19 cases of polio globally compared to an average of 
        350,000 per year in the 1980s;
Whereas the world is close to eradicating the guinea worm disease;
Whereas there were less than 5,000 deaths from natural disasters in 2017;
Whereas nearly a billion people have escaped extreme poverty since 1999;
Whereas the United Nations met its Millennium Development Goal of halving the 
        extreme poverty rate in 1990 by 2010, five years ahead of schedule;
Whereas the global unemployment rate fell from 6.4 percent in 2000 to 5.6 
        percent in 2017;
Whereas the global maternal mortality rate declined by 47 percent between 2000 
        and 2016;
Whereas the global mortality rate for children under 5 fell by 44 percent and 
        the neonatal mortality rate fell by 39 percent in the same time period;
Whereas global peace promotion efforts improve the lives of Americans and all 
        peoples;
Whereas the United States has a long history of promoting peace and human rights 
        at home and abroad; and
Whereas September would be an appropriate month to designate as Peace Month: 
        Now, therefore be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``Peace Month''; and
            (2) calls on Congress to promote peace, both at home and 
        abroad.
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