As the United States navigates a new war in the Middle East and other global conflicts persist, the U.S. Congress should assert its vast power to promote peace. Members on both sides of the aisle have played pivotal roles in shaping past U.S. initiatives aimed at conflict prevention and stabilization – and must do so once again if those efforts are to be rekindled in the years ahead. This was a major theme that emerged at the “American Peacebuilding at a Crossroads” conference, convened at the Keough School’s Washington Office on March 10, 2026.
Throughout U.S. history, Congress has marshaled consequential laws that have fueled peace-focused initiatives and reforms. Notable examples include:
- Passage of the Economic Cooperation Act of 1948, which authorized the “Marshal Plan” to help rebuild Western Europe in the wake of World War II;
- Passage of the War Powers Resolution Act of 1973, to ensure debate and oversight over the commitment of U.S. military forces into combat; and
- Passage of the United States Institute of Peace Act, enacted in 1985, to establish an independent, nonpartisan, federal institution to help prevent and resolve violent international conflicts.
In fact, between 1945 and 1985, members of Congress introduced scores of bills calling for the establishment of a dedicated federal department or institution of peace. These efforts were especially fueled by veterans inside and outside of Congress who had experienced the horrors of war and believed in the importance of seeking to prevent future military interventions. Religious leaders also played a central role in engaging Congress on these efforts, including Notre Dame’s former president, Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C.
In more recent years, Republicans and Democrats came together to pass several bills to enhance U.S. peace efforts: the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocity Prevention Act of 2017; the Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2018; and the Global Fragility Act of 2019 (GFA). Informed by lessons from Afghanistan, Iraq, and other costly U.S. interventions, Congressional leaders drafted these laws to advance a new approach to preventing conflicts and supporting U.S. partners in regions facing threats of violence. Despite some bureaucratic delays, these efforts were starting to yield positive results. However, they have since been halted with the Trump Administration’s government restructuring, aid cuts, and policy shifts.
Looking ahead, there are at least three major areas where Congressional engagement could shape the U.S. government’s orientation toward peace.
- Structure: Toward the end of 2025, Congress started to weigh in on the reorganization of the State Department – including integration of the U.S. Agency for International Development – in an authorization bill advanced by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. In January, that committee approved the Conflict Prevention Act, a bill that would institutionalize capabilities for conflict analysis, early warning, and negotiation support. In the month ahead, Congress should codify such peacebuilding capacities within the U.S. government and engage in the future workings of the renamed Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace as well as the “Board of Peace.”
- Budget: Before the Trump Administration’s cuts and funding rescissions, spending on peacebuilding, peacekeeping, and related aid efforts constituted less than one percent of military spending. Last year, it became even less. And with the war in Iran currently costing American taxpayers more than $1 billion each day, that gap is expanding further. Congress has the power of the purse and must take steps to correct this gross imbalance. As an initial step, it should invest more in key foreign assistance accounts established by the GFA and demand that the State Department actually spend these dollars on conflict prevention and resolution priorities.
- Oversight: In passing the War Powers Resolution more than 50 years ago, Congress recognized the importance of oversight and transparency to constrain how the United States employs force and engages in conflicts abroad. The pace of global events and the expansion of executive power are challenging that system. In the months ahead, Congress must reassert its power to design foreign policies regarding war and peace and scrutinize the implementation of those laws.
How Congress acts – or does not act – in these areas in the months and years ahead will have a significant impact on whether and how the United States renews dedicated capacities, institutions, and policies for peace. The American people – and their representatives in Congress – need not wait for the lessons from today’s wars. With close to 20 percent of the House and Senate members having served in the U.S. military, there is surely an appreciation of what is at stake with these decisions. Through renewed bipartisan collaboration, those leaders could help build the framework and toolkit we need for future peace.
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About the Authors
Maura Policelli is the executive director of the Keough School of Global Affairs’ office in Washington, D.C., and a professor of the practice. She worked previously as a staffer in the U.S. House of Representatives. Peter J. Quaranto is a visiting professor of the practice and distinguished global policy fellow for 2025-2026 at the Keough School. Peter also worked previously as a staffer in the U.S. Senate.
Recommended Citation
Policelli, Maura and Peter J. Quaranto. “Congress Has a Chance to Lead on Peace – Again.” Peace Policy: Solutions to Violent Conflict, No. 63, (March 2026). https://doi.org/10.7274/31843000
