Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) has introduced a bill to prohibit federal funding for President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, which he derided as a "vanity project."
The Board of Peace was founded by President Trump in January 2026 and includes 21 countries, with its primary focus currently being on rebuilding and establishing peace in Gaza in the wake of the Israel-Hamas War's conclusion.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke about the organization and its goal of rebuilding Gaza in February, saying, "There's a lot of work that remains. It will require the contribution of every nation-state represented here today, and we thank you for being a part of it," and that "There is no Plan B for Gaza. Plan B is going back to war. No one here wants that."
However, Sen. Kelly notes that the Board was not founded by a treaty or Congressional action, and the $1.25 billion poured into the organization was taken from federal disaster and peacekeeping funds without Congressional authorization or appropriation.
In other words, he suggests the Board of Peace is not accountable to the American people.
As a result, Sen. Kelly's Prohibiting Expenditures for an Accountability-Circumventing Entity (PEACE) Act strips the Board of federal funding until Congress passes a specific bill authorizing it, along with any privileges, exemptions, or immunities granted under the International Organizations Immunities Act for its personnel.
Finally, the White House will be required to submit a report to Congress detailing how the money will be used in the Board of Peace's mission, specifically in Gaza.
"Trump is taking over a billion taxpayer dollars meant for disaster relief and peacekeeping— things that actually make Americans safer—and using it for his vanity project with no accountability," the Arizona Senator said in his press release, adding, "There needs to be a real peace and rebuilding effort in Gaza that works for the civilians who live there and prevents further conflict that threatens our national security."
