[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3281]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           NOW, MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED A DEPARTMENT OF PEACE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 6, 2007

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, America needs a Department of Peace in 
order to have a peace-making capacity to match its war-making capacity. 
America should rely on preventive diplomacy, not on preventive war. We 
should work within the framework of international law, not defy it.
  My first campaign for Congress, following the teaching of Dr. King, 
was based on ``jobs, peace and justice.'' That remains my priority 
agenda. So I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 808, 
Representative Kucinich's bill to establish a Department of Peace and 
Non-Violence. At a time when the world is awash in war, he and Marianne 
Williamson, founder of the Peace Alliance, offer this modern vision of 
healing and preventing violence.
  It could not be more timely. According to all reports, the Bush 
administration is debating whether to attack Iran or to find peaceful 
ways to deal with its nuclear program and its intervention in Iraq. The 
prospect of President Bush starting a ``pre-emptive war'' with Iran, on 
top of the tragedy in Iraq, is frightening. If that is not a compelling 
argument for creating a Peace Department, then I do not know what is.
  We attacked Iraq because President Bush would not pursue peace and 
let U.N. inspectors complete their work. Instead, he distorted 
intelligence and failed to foresee the terrible consequences of that 
war. We must not repeat those mistakes in Iran, or anywhere else.
  Last night, I spoke to an overflowing crowd that supports this 
measure and I told them what I tell my colleagues now. The best way to 
stop the war in Iraq is for the Congress to end our fighting there as 
soon as possible, and the best way to prevent wars with Iran and other 
adversarial nations is to establish a Department of Peace. We need a 
Cabinet Secretary focused like a laser on how to keep peace with Iran 
and constantly pressing the President to choose that strategy.
  President Bush has already spent some $2 trillion on the war in Iraq. 
Just think what we could have done with $2 trillion spent on health 
care and education. That is another strong reason for the Department of 
Peace. A small fraction of that amount could also have funded a robust, 
proactive Department of Peace to analyze looming conflicts and to 
advise the President on how to diffuse them without war.
  The most crucial point is what happens when the President and his top 
advisors confer in the Oval Office about an international crisis. We 
need a Cabinet member at that table who will forcefully and 
persistently advocate the peaceful options. Too often, the phrase 
``search for peace'' is simply a political sound bite. President Bush 
assured us he was searching for peace, and that attacking Iraq was his 
``last resort,'' while he secretly plotted war. We need to ensure that 
war really is America's last resort.
  Some of my colleagues may find this proposal interesting but feel 
they must deal with ``more pressing matters.'' What is more pressing 
than preventing the violent deaths of our Gl's and of our fellow human 
beings everywhere?
  Some colleagues may think a Department of Peace is being offered as a 
substitute for our Armed Forces. That is not true. We realize that 
sometimes force proves necessary to protect our truly vital interests. 
A Peace Department would complement the Pentagon, not replace it, but a 
Peace Department would make war as rare as possible.
  I remind those cynical about the absolute priority of pursuing 
machinery for peace that Gandhi, Dr. King and Nelson Mandela, who each 
pioneered paths of peace and non-violence, are now hailed worldwide as 
heroes of humanity.

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