[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4278 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4278
To prohibit funding for the Board of Peace that is not authorized by
Congress, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 13, 2026
Mr. Kelly introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit funding for the Board of Peace that is not authorized by
Congress, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Prohibiting Expenditures for an
Accountability-Circumventing Entity Act'' or the ``PEACE Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On January 16, 2026, the President issued Executive
Order 14375 designating an entity titled the ``Board of Peace''
as a public international organization entitled to the
privileges, exemptions, and immunities provided by the
International Organizations Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288 et
seq.).
(2) Section 1 of the International Organizations Immunities
Act (22 U.S.C. 288) defines an international organization as
``a public international organization in which the United
States participates pursuant to any treaty or under the
authority of any Act of Congress authorizing such participation
or making an appropriation for such participation, and which
shall have been designated by the President through appropriate
Executive order''.
(3) The designation of an entity as a public international
organization by the executive branch does not confer authority
to obligate or expend Federal funds absent congressional
authorization or appropriation.
(4) Likewise, the executive branch's designation of an
entity as a public international organization is legally
effective only if it meets the statutory requirements that the
United States be a participant pursuant to a treaty or pursuant
to congressional authority.
(5) Unlike all other international organizations to which
the United States provides funding or support, the United
States does not participate in the Board of Peace pursuant to a
ratified treaty to which the United States is a party.
(6) Congress has not appropriated funds for the Board of
Peace or authorized the expenditure of Federal funds for its
operations.
(7) Congress has not enacted specific authorization for the
United States to participate in or provide financial support to
the Board of Peace.
(8) Pursuant to current statute, after the enactment of any
law appropriating funds to carry out the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) or the Arms Export Control Act
(22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), the President must notify Congress of
each foreign country and international organization to which
the United States Government intends to provide any portion of
the funds under such law and of the amount of funds under that
law, by category of assistance, that the United States
Government intends to provide to each.
(9) Any obligation or expenditure of Federal funds related
to international organizations is subject to statutory
oversight requirements established by Congress.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION IN
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) Congress retains ultimate authority over the obligation
and expenditure of Federal funds for participation in
international organizations;
(2) such participation should occur only pursuant to
explicit statutory authorization;
(3) Congress should not authorize, appropriate, or
otherwise make available Federal funds for any international
organization whose charter--
(A) grants the Chairman unilateral authority to
determine membership in the organization;
(B) grants the Chairman exclusive authority to
create, modify, or dissolve subsidiary entities of the
organization;
(C) grants the Chairman unilateral authority to
dissolve the organization; or
(D) provides for an indefinite or self-perpetuating
chairmanship, including a provision that the Chairman
shall designate a successor and may be removed only
upon voluntary resignation or incapacity, as determined
by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board; and
(4) Congress should require that any such charter
provisions be revised or removed before the United States
participates in the organization or provides financial support.
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Sustainable peace.--The term ``sustainable peace''
means a condition in which violent conflict is durably reduced
or prevented through locally supported political, economic, and
security arrangements, including effective governance and rule
of law, such that the risk of relapse into conflict is
minimized without reliance on indefinite external assistance.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON THE USE OF FUNDS PREVIOUSLY OBLIGATED TO THE BOARD OF
PEACE.
(a) In General.--Not later than 15 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the head of each Federal department or agency
that has obligated funds for the Board of Peace shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on such obligations.
(b) Spend Strategy Required.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a strategy describing how
funds obligated for the Board of Peace will be used to advance
sustainable peace in areas affected by conflict.
(2) Elements.--The strategy required by paragraph (1) shall
include the following:
(A) A statement of United States policy objectives
for advancing sustainable peace.
(B) A description of the purposes, programs, and
authorities through which the funds described in such
paragraph will be used.
(C) An identification of priority countries or
regions and a justification for such prioritization.
(D) A description of coordination with relevant
Federal departments and agencies, allies, partners, and
multilateral institutions.
(E) A description of how activities supported by
such funds will encourage and empower local and
national actors to address the concerns of their
populations and strengthen resilience against violence.
(F) A description of how activities supported by
such funds will address the long-term underlying causes
of fragility and violence.
(G) A description of measurable benchmarks to
assess progress toward sustainable peace.
(H) A description of mechanisms to ensure
accountability, transparency, and legal compliance in
the use of funds.
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
as authorizing the appropriation, obligation, expenditure, or other
availability of funds for the Board of Peace.
SEC. 6. REPORT ON PROGRESS OF THE BOARD OF PEACE IN ADVANCING
SUSTAINABLE PEACE IN GAZA.
(a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the extent to which
the Board of Peace has contributed to advancing sustainable peace in
Gaza.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include
the following:
(1) A description of the stated goals and activities of the
Board of Peace related to advancing sustainable peace in Gaza.
(2) An assessment of any measurable progress toward
achieving sustainable peace in Gaza, including diplomatic,
security, and humanitarian outcomes.
(3) A description of any coordination between the Board of
Peace and the Department of State or other United States
Government entities.
(4) An evaluation of the effectiveness of the Board of
Peace in advancing United States national security and foreign
policy interests.
SEC. 7. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING FOR BOARD OF PEACE WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL
AUTHORIZATION.
No Federal funds may be appropriated for or otherwise made
available to the Board of Peace on or after the date of the enactment
of this Act, unless there is enacted an Act of Congress specifically
authorizing such transfer.
SEC. 8. PROHIBITION ON EXTENSION OF PRIVILEGES, EXEMPTIONS, AND
IMMUNITIES TO BOARD OF PEACE.
Notwithstanding any provision of the International Organizations
Immunities Act (22 U.S.C. 288 et seq.) or any other provision of law,
no privileges, exemptions, or immunities may be granted, recognized, or
extended to the Board of Peace, or to any officer, employee, or
representative of the Board of Peace, by the United States.
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