Civil Society Report on the Implementation of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act
Photo by Emad El Byed on Unsplash
Published September 9, 2026
Executive Summary
Signed by President Trump in early 2019, the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act of 2018 (Elie Wiesel Act) was the first-of-its-kind law in the world and a watershed moment in U.S. foreign policy. It represented bipartisan acknowledgment that atrocity prevention is not merely a moral imperative, but a strategic necessity and low-cost, high-yield investment to advance U.S. interests. Yet, nearly eight years into its implementation, the law’s potential remains constrained by enduring structural, political, and global challenges and the decimation of expertise and units dedicated to atrocity prevention in the U.S. Government. The Elie Wiesel Act continues to lack institutional permanence and prioritization, sufficient resources, and the strong, consistent oversight required to operationalize prevention as a sustained practice of U.S. foreign policy. The absence of a dedicated funding authorization, uneven interagency coordination, inadequate senior-level engagement and political will, and the elimination of key offices and staff within the Executive Branch have combined with broader geopolitical factors, such as donor fatigue and the erosion of multilateral coordination, to significantly limit its effectiveness.
Atrocity prevention, however, remains essential to the pursuit of U.S. interests and security, as well as global stability, trade, public health, food security, border security, counterterrorism, and conflict proliferation. The consequences of atrocities compound in an interconnected world, and these impacts extend to the American people through increasing costs, resource scarcity, conflict-induced migration, and security threats. Meanwhile, countries that respect human rights, prevent violence, and respond to abuses are more likely to be stable, effective partners for the U.S. As the world navigates an era of rising authoritarianism, economic competition, environmental fragility, and geopolitical fragmentation, the capacity to anticipate and prevent atrocities represents a pragmatic investment in stability and resilience. Failing to act early and coherently allows violence to metastasize into crises that demand exponentially higher economic, political, and military costs. Atrocity prevention is neither optional nor peripheral; it is central to successful and impactful U.S. foreign policy and national security.
The annual report to Congress required by the Act on the Administration’s atrocity prevention work over the last year was due in July 2026, but has not been submitted. The 2025 report was submitted nearly a year late and not publicly posted online, in contrast to all previous reports. The following civil society report emphasizes the critical nature of atrocity prevention for the U.S. Government and the world. It offers examples of what has worked in the past, what could be pursued currently, and opportunities for Congress to anticipate, prevent, and address alarming levels of atrocities globally while advancing U.S. national interests. It is not a replacement for the Administration’s legally-required report, but rather is a call to action for Congress and the U.S. Government to fully implement the Elie Wiesel Act.
Recommendations for Congress to Advance Implementation of the Elie Wiesel Act
Exercise Regular Oversight of Elie Wiesel Act Implementation
Use all available oversight mechanisms to ensure the Administration prioritizes and fully implements the Elie Wiesel Act.
Demand the immediate submission of the annual report mandated by the Act, hold a public hearing about it, and require the presence of U.S. officials at Assistant Secretary-level and above.
Inquire about how the Administration plans to undertake Elie Wiesel Act-specific functions and facilitate atrocity prevention programs that were run by now dismantled or reorganized entities.
Ensure the Administration promptly identifies and assesses countries and regions at-risk of and experiencing atrocities, and takes steps to mitigate and respond to them, and hold regular hearings and briefings to discuss atrocity situations, inclusive of witnesses from civil society.
Demand the State Department produce its classified list of the 30 most at-risk countries for atrocities as part of the annual report and briefings on what it is doing to reduce those risks.
Ensure the U.S. Government is integrating the Elie Wiesel Act, the Global Fragility Act, and Women, Peace, and Security Act to ensure prevention-focused principles are enshrined in all U.S. diplomatic, defense, and development strategies, programs, and expenditures in conflict-affected/fragile states.
Ensure U.S. Policies and Actions Do Not Actively Contribute to Atrocities
Use all available tools to ensure that broader U.S. policy does not contradict the commitment to the prevention of atrocities outlined in the Elie Wiesel Act and other domestic and international laws.
Scrutinize any actions that could contribute to atrocities, such as arms sales, political statements, vetoes at the UN Security Council, and processes that fail to adequately address risks of civilian harm and disproportionate impacts on women, children, and other marginalized communities.
Hold hearings and submit questions and letters to the Administration to assess how it is integrating Elie Wiesel Act principles into its diplomacy, security, and development approaches abroad.
Assess U.S. support for and relationships with countries/entities contributing to the commission of atrocities, and their efforts to supply weapons, funding, logistical support, illicit resource extraction, disinformation, or diplomatic cover.
Provide Robust Funding to Support Atrocity Prevention and Response
Provide at least $25 million for atrocity prevention to be administered through the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor or another specifically-identified entity.
Direct funds to support locally-led programs, as well as regional partnerships, particularly where upstream interventions are most likely to have demonstrable impact to promote cost-effectiveness.
Ensure funding can be disbursed through flexible mechanisms to urgently respond to atrocities, prevent further ones, and support justice, accountability, and peace processes that ensure the inclusion of women, youth, and other impacted communities.
Appropriate no less than $1 million annually for atrocity prevention training for political appointees, leadership of regional/country bureaus (and equivalents), and key personnel across the interagency.
Provide sufficient resources to ensure adequate personnel and expertise in the interagency.
Address the Gaps in the Act and Integrate its Principles Into New Laws and Appropriations
Mandate the existence of an Atrocity Prevention Board or Task Force.
Pass new legislation to extend reporting requirements on EWGAPA implementation through 2035 and demand the inclusion of total expenditures by country/region and sector in the annual report.
Strengthen the Act’s training requirements to include personnel and political appointees throughout the interagency, particularly from regional bureaus and offices, embassies, missions, and commands.